The Resurrection

In short, when we look at the divine acts in this world—such as the bringing of life into existence on a vast scale and the bringing of death in a short time, the impressive gatherings and rapid dispersals, the magnificent ceremonies and tremendous manifestations—we see that there is no reasonable relation between these acts and their known, slight results in this perishable world, nor with their insignificant and temporary purposes. It is as though wisdoms and aims as great as a mountain were attributed to a small stone, while only temporary and tiny aims like a small stone were assigned to a great mountain. This cannot be explained by any reasoning or reconciled with any form of wisdom.

Thus, the disproportion between these beings and events and their worldly aims testifies with certainty that the whole of creation is turned toward ālam-i mānāThe realm of meaning and spiritual realities., that it will yield fitting fruits there, and that its gaze is fixed upon the sacred Names of Allah. Its ultimate aim belongs only to the Hereafter. Just as a seed sown in the earth eventually gives its fruit above the ground, so too the whole of creation in this world will give its fruits in the Hereafter. Man sows here through his deeds and will reap the harvest in the Hereafter.

Indeed, when you consider the aspect of the whole of creation that is directed toward the Names of Allah and the Hereafter, you will see that every single seed—a miracle of His power—has as many purposes as a tree. You will see that every flower—which serves as a meaningful word—has as many meanings as the flowers on a tree, and that every fruit—an impressive and meaningful work of His mercy—contains as many wisdoms as the fruits of a tree.^[1] As for the fact that these fruits serve as sustenance for us, that is only one wisdom among thousands. After they have completed their duties and expressed their meanings, they die and are buried in our stomachs.

Since these perishable creatures, on the one hand, yield eternal fruits in another place and leave behind enduring forms, and on the other hand express everlasting meanings and continually glorify Allah; and since man becomes truly human and finds the path from the perishable to the eternal by observing this aspect of creation, this means that behind creation—which is driven back and forth between life and death, brought to life and then made to disappear—there is a higher purpose.

The above may be compared to a presentation in which examples of the originals are shown. For example, despite great expense, film sets are built and dismantled for a short time so that images may be recorded, assembled, and continuously projected on a cinema screen. In the same way, one of the purposes of our short individual and social life in this world is that images be recorded and assembled, and that the results of our deeds be registered and preserved, so that an accounting may be made at the Greatest Gathering, the actions performed may be displayed in the Greatest Exhibition, and the worthiness for the highest form of bliss may be proven. This reality is expressed in the hadithA report of the sayings, actions, or approvals of Prophet Muhammed (pbuh).: "This world is the cultivated land of the Hereafter."

Since the world exists, and since the signs of wisdom, ināyahThe special, merciful assistance of Allah., mercy, and justice are also clearly found within it, the Hereafter undoubtedly exists as well. And since everything in this world, in one aspect, is directed toward that realm, this means that everything is ultimately going there. Thus, to deny the Hereafter is to deny this world and everything within it. Just as the appointed hour and the grave await man, so too Paradise and Hell await his coming.