What benefits does the belief in Resurrection have for the life of this world?

Believing in the Hereafter, in resurrection and in the questioning about the deeds one performs in the world, believing in the paradise and the hell has many reflections, benefits and results in the life of this world.

Belief in the hereafter makes itself felt in each phase of human life, in childhood, in youth, and at old age; and in the lives of the family, community, nation and state; its effects stretch from the smallest institution to the largest.

When it is said to a small child whose brother has died: Your brother has gone to the paradise. He rejoices there flying everywhere like birds. How perfectly he would be comforted; there is no doubt.

The most effective obstruction deterring the youth from indulging in illegal pleasures and unrestrained behavior is the belief in the hereafter and fear of the hell. (1)

The only source of consolation that saves the aged who have drawn near to the grave from despair and from sufferings that stem from the lost pleasures of their youth and the thing that links them to life is their faith in the eternal youth and bliss that await them beyond the grave. (2)

The real consolation for patients, the handicapped, and the oppressed, and for those who suffer is their belief in the favors and rewards they will receive in the hereafter. The only thing that can console someone dying is belief in the hereafter.

What units the members of a family, friends, and relatives together more closely is belief in the eternal continuance of this unity in the hereafter. The sole source of consolation for the sorrow and longing felt for deceased relatives and friends is the belief in the eternal life.

The most important means that encourages the human being to perform good deeds, to be generous and helpful and that deters him from bad habits and behaviors is belief in the hereafter. (3)

Giving others rightful dues, abstaining from trespassing on anybodys rights and deceiving no one can be seen in its best form only in those who believe in the hereafter. The motive that leads man to make sacrifices and even to die for his religion, nation and state is the belief in the hereafter.

What opens up perspectives and fortifies ties between the past and the future for the human life is the belief in the hereafter.(4) Benefits the belief in the hereafter brings about for the individual, family, community, nation and state are so many as to be included as a whole here.

And the one who rejects the hereafter-if his means of living are not good-will fall into a complete desperation. If they are good, this time obeying his desires he may fall into kind of being an animal.(5) It can no more be expected of a person who pursues just his desires to benefit his nation and country. Furthermore, these kinds of people refrain neither from leaving their own children in a state of misery nor from dragging their nations and countries into difficult situations in order to satisfy their own worthless desires.

The disbeliever in the hereafter also harms his own self and with the desperation that comes from this unbelief he casts his soul into a kind of hell already in this world.(6)

In many of the verses in the Glorious Quran, these qualities, benefits, and effects of the belief in the hereafter are pointed out. In many places, while virtuous deeds and betterment of morals are encouraged, this pillar of faith is referred to. In many verses, having said Fear God and remain within the bounds of piety and righteousness. (7), the Quran continues, Know that you will be gathered to Him. (Al-Baqarah Surah, 2:203), Know that you are to meet with Him. (Al-Baqarah Surah, 2:223) which mean that this fear of God will be attained through belief in gathering before God, in reuniting with God, in other words through belief in the hereafter.(8) Similarly, in many verses, after the commandment or encouragement of good deeds, by saying If indeed you believe in God and the Last Day... (An-Nisa Surah, 4:59; An-Nur, 24:2) it is pointed out that belief in God and the Last Day requires performing these good deeds. (9)

Again in the Glorious Quran, while the Believers are called to jihad, while patience is advised in the face of troubles and sufferings, hardships and difficulties(10), while alms-giving is encouraged(10), miserliness and evil desires of the soul are forbidden; while such evils and sins as unjustly earning money like through interest and so on are prohibited(12), while good deeds are encouraged(13), while the temporariness of worldly bounties are told(14), while it is emphasized that the worldly gains at the hands of the unbelievers are not to be envied(15) every time this topic of faith in the resurrection is mentioned.

Furthermore, in many verses, the characteristics of those who believe in the hereafter and those who do not are described and it is pointed out that believing in the hereafter makes the human being human in its real meaning and that disbelieving therein, on the other hand, takes him away from humanity.

According to the Glorious Quran, the one who believes in the hereafter even sacrifices his own life when need arises and does not fear death for the sake of reaching him and of His good pleasure(16); he or she is peaceful both in this world and the next(17); takes lessons from both Gods signs(in his self and in the universe) and events(18); knows how to control his carnal soul(19); is not selfish(20)

As for the one who disbelieves in the hereafter, he or she is subservient to the evil desires of his/her carnal soul, is utterly sinful and is a transgressor(21); he or she thinks his/her life is aimless(22); is deluded by the fleeting beauties of this world and takes pride in and prefers the life of this world(23); cannot regard the universe with the eye of reflection and thought(24); is haughty and arrogant(25); is hypocrite and does goodness in order to show off and loves to see others indebted to him/her(26); is misleading(27); merciless(27); coward(29)

All these show how important for and beneficial to the human life the belief in the hereafter is. Furthermore, this belief makes many unbelievers relived in terms of the life of this world by causing them to enter a doubtful disbelief out of an absolute one; while they live with a thought of hope, although slight, they do not come near to the obligations of the religion, as they do not believe. Thus they also take their share from the universal mercy: Islam(30)

Because the desire to believe in the hereafter is in the creation of humankind, because if the human being believes in such a life it will bring about many benefits in terms of the life of this world, many people have wanted to believe in the hereafter seeing these benefits though they do not acknowledge the belief in the hereafter rationally. Cicero says about this topic: Even if my belief in the eternity of the soul is a mistake, I am content with this mistake and happy with my thought. And so long as I live, nobody will be able to dissuade me from this thought of mine. And again it is this thought that provides peace for my soul and contentment for my life.(31). With these words, Cicero in a way interpreted this verse of the poet:

If my wish comes to be true, what a good wish it will be!
Otherwise, thanks to this wish we will live pleasantly for a time and then pass. (32)

Voltaire also says that the life of the hereafter is of great importance because this belief is the essential agent in establishing the most virtuous and moral principles in the community. He thinks that if this thought of resurrection after death and questioning were to desert the community, we couldnt find reason for good deeds and thus the order in the community would be gone.(33)

The importance carried and the benefits brought about by the belief in the hereafter in terms of the human being and the humanity show that belief in the hereafter depends on a great truth. For a matter that is of such great importance for our life cannot be imaginary. Can something imaginary occupy such a big place in our intellectual life? Has it ever happened in the universe that a thought that is imaginary, unreal, and that has nothing to do with reality, occupy such an important place in real life? That we are in dire need of the hereafter for the order of life and for setting, the life on just and true pillars is actually the proof of the fact that the hereafter is one of the great truths of the universe. It would not be exaggeration to say, These rational proofs shown prove scientifically that this assumption is a truth. (34)

Moreover, some things might be mixed up when they are seeds, but once these seeds become trees, blossom, and give fruits, the truth becomes clear; there is left no reason for mixing them up or for doubting. Similarly, once the pillars of faith and belief in the hereafter have produced such fruits, there is left no doubt any longer about its essence and seed; it is understood that this is an absolute truth.

We should put it here that the proofs of the existence of the hereafter are not limited to those we listed here. In the Quran, many proofs and signs related to the existence of the hereafter are highlighted. Said Nursi, having mentioned the proofs in the Quran of the existence of the hereafter, continues: Do not think that the proofs of hereafter are limited to those listed above! On the contrary, the Glorious Quran points to this reality with innumerable signs It explains this truth with unlimited signs And do not think that the Beautiful Names of God that necessitate the hereafter and the resurrection are only the names All-Wise, All-Generous, All-Merciful, All-Just and All-Preserver. No! On the contrary, all the Divine Names that are manifested in the management of the Universe necessitate the hereafter and the resurrection. In short, the matter of resurrection is something on which the beauty and grandeur and the names of All-Glorious God, the Manifest Quran which encompasses all the books of the prophets and saints, the messengers and prophets with pure souls, and the best of the creatures, Muhammad, upon him be peace, all united. (35)


According to Nursi, in everything there are two ways looking to its Creator and to the hereafter: The first way looks to its Creator. In this way, there are many proofs testifying and pointing to His existence and oneness. The other way looks to the aim and the hereafter. In this way too, there are many proofs testifying to the realm of the hereafter and to the Judgment Day. For example, just as the human being, with his body beautiful in creation, points to the existence and oneness of his Creator, so too does he testify to the hereafter with the abilities he has that carry samples from the abilities of all the creatures and with his desires and wishes nearing fast to the end though they stretch into the eternity. Sometimes these two ways join. For instance, the order seen in the universe, the beauties in the created, mercy, justice, and preservation testify to the Creator Who is All-Wise, All-Generous, All-Compassionate, All-Just and All-Preserver as well as pointing to and even proving the reality of the hereafter, the closeness of the Final Day and the truth of the eternal bliss. (36)

After all these proofs, there remains no doubt about the existence of the hereafter. The final words to say to the one who does not still believe are these: We must believe in and prepare for the hereafter. If it is true, we become victorious, and those who disbelieve perish. If not, this belief of ours does not cause any harm to us. We become deprived of just some of the pleasures of the world. A poet writes about this:

Both the astrologer and the doctor say:
The dead are not to be resurrected, and I say to you:
If what you say is true, then I am not to get any harm,
But if what I say is true, you are indeed in great danger! (37)

What (harm) would fall upon them, if they believed in God and the Last Day! (An-Nisa Surah, 4:39)

Footnotes:
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1. See Ahmed Faiz. el-Yevmu'l-Ahir fî Zılali'l-Kur'ân, Müessesetü'r-Risale, 1989, 15. edit. p.8; for similar explanations, see Güngör, 80-82
2. See Cisr, Nedim, p. 5.
3. The belief in the hereafter in Islam does not come to mean forgetting about the world entirely as is the case in Christianity; rather, this is such a belief that moves from the meaning contained in the hadith: The world is the field of the hereafter.(This hadith is not included in the renowned hadith books. See Acluni, p. 495) (see Faiz, p. 5-6).
It is because the belief in the hereafter encourages good deeds and prevents from bad deeds that in the Quran in many places good deeds are linked to the belief in the hereafter and both are mentioned together. This shows that good deeds are fruits of this belief. (Sharkavi, p.295) 4. Faiz, p. 4-5.
5. Havvâ,783-785; see also Tabbara, Ruhu'd-Dini'l-Islamî, p.118
6. See Nursî, İşârâtu'l-İ'câz, p. 46.
7. Al-Baqarah Surah, 194, 196, 203, 223, 231, 233, 282 ...
8. See Havvâ, p. 815.
9. See Al-Baqarah Surah, 228, 232; An-Nisâ Surah, 59; An-Nûr Surah, 2; At-Talaq Surah, 2.
10. See Al-Baqarah Surah, 214, 218; Al Imrân Surah,143; An-Nisâ Surah,104; At-Tawbah Surah,13,81,111.
11. See Al-Baqarah Surah, 245.
12. Al-Maedah Surah, 29; Al-An'âm Surah,15.
13. See Al-An'âm Surah, 92; At-Tawbah Surah,18; Al-Muminun Surah, 61; Al-Insan Surah,10.
14. See Al Imrân Surah,14; An-Nisâ Surah,77-78; At-Tawbah Surah, 38; Al-Ahzab Surah, 28-29.
15. See Ta. Ha Surah,131; Al-Qasas Surah,61,70.
16. See Al-Baqarah Surah, 207, 249; Al Imrân,173; Al-An'âm Surah, 163; Al-A'râf Surah, 125; Ta. Hâ Surah, 72; Ash-Shuarâ Surah, 50; At-Tahrîm Surah,11.
17. See Yûnus Surah, 64; An-Naml Surah,3-4.
18. See Al-Baqarah Surah, 232; Hûd Surah,102; At-Talaq Surah, 2; Al-Ahzab Surah, 21; Al-Mumtahanah Surah, 60 .
19. See Al-Mâedah Surah, 28; Ta. Ha Surah, 97; Luqman Surah, 23.
20. See Ash-Shuarâ Surah,18; Al-Insan Surah,10
21. See Ta. Ha Surah,16; Al-Qiyamah Surah,5; Al-Mutaffifîn Surah, 12.
22. See Al-Muminun Surah,115; Al-Qiyamah Surah,36...
23. See Al-A'râf Surah, 51; At-Tawbah Surah, 55; Ibrahim Surah, 3; An-Nahl Surah,107; Ar-Rûm Surah, 7; Al-Jathiyah Surah, 35.
24. See Al-Furqân Surah, 40.
25. See Al-Qasas Surah, 39; An-Nahl Surah, 22; Al-Mu'min Surah, 27; Al-Infitâr Surah, 90.
26. See Al-Baqarah Surah, 264; An-Nisâ Surah, 38.
27. See Al-Mutaffifîn Surah, 1-4.
28. See Al-Maûn Surah, 1-3.
29. See Al Imrân Surah,151; At-Tawbah Surah, 45.
30. See Nursî, el-Mesneviyyu'l-Arabî, p.169.
31. L. N. Tolstoy. Ölüm, trans. Ahmed Midhat Rıfatof, Keteon Bedrusyan matbaası, Ist. 1330, p.15. A similar saying was uttered by Socrates. (See Figuier, p. 24-25).
32. See Alûsî, VII,130.
33. Han, el-Islâmu Yetehaddâ, p.99.
34. Han, the same work, p.99.
35. Nursî, el-Mesneviyyu'l-Arabî, p.101.
36. Nursî, the same work, p.102.
37. Ibn Arabî, I, 312; Hindî, p. 57; Favî, p.184.