A Comparative Study of Death and the Afterlife in the Abrahamic Faiths (original) (raw)
Related papers
Khazanah Theologia
This article deals with the topic of eschatology (’ākhirah) both from the perspective of the Bible and the Qur’an. A comparative approach is pursued, in which three fundamental concepts are discussed, namely: afterlife, death and the Day of Judgement. First, the term eschatology and its Arabic equivalent ’ākhirah are examined etymologically, terminologically and theologically from the Biblical and Qur’anic point of view as well. Then, the issue of death is investigated both as a concept and as an existential reality. Finally, the theme of the Day of Judgement is deeply examined according to the Bible and the Qur’an to compare these two important concepts in the three monotheistic religions: Judaism, Christianity and Islam. At the end of this article, we have concluded that these three eschatological concepts intersect remarkably in the Bible and the Qur’an, especially on the semantic level, and to a lesser extent on the theological level, where the nature of each religion resurfaces...
Death and Afterlife in the Old Testament.
The Old Testament has been a significant source of reflection and study regarding death and the afterlife throughout history. There are various theological interpretations on this matter, with different authors presenting distinct definitions and scholars proposing differing approaches. This research paper aims to shed light on ancient Israel's belief that death is the ultimate end for all individuals, regardless of their social status, wisdom, or wealth. It also aims to demonstrate how this subject matter develops over time. The study serves as a poignant reminder that each person will inevitably journey down the same path.
Death and the Hereafter in Islamic Tradition According to al-Kisā’ī
The objective of this study is to present the views on death and the hereafter as described by four manuscripts of the medieval collection of Islamic orally transmitted stories, Kitāb ‘Ağā’ib al-Malakūt, compiled by al-Kisā’ī. An attempt has been made to take selected pieces of information gained from its chapters on this topic and review them through reference to interpretations of the same scenes and notions in texts that constitute the basis of Islamic doctrine (‘aqīda), such as Quranic exegeses, ḥadīṯs and their exegeses, as well as a number of books focusing on fatwas, Islamic law, history, morals etc. The author has striven to elucidate and comment on the level of agreement (or otherwise) that exists between the images presented in the collection and the data acknowledged or even prescribed by the Islamic authorities as fundamental tenets of belief.
The current study hopefully offers a comprehensive understanding of several mysterious realisations related to the representation of life and death in holy Quran. The study relies on some Quranic-based exegeses to clarify some mystifications related to human beings in graves. The approach that is followed and applied in this qualitative-based study is hermeneutic approach to analyse Quranic verses and traditions of Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him). Findings shows that deceased people in Al Barzakh (i.e. grave's period) do not have eternal sense of hearing rather they would be able to hear during near death's time. However, people in Al Barzakh are spiritually able to feel, contact, and see. Death is a spiritual phase that has already been experienced and it will be unavoidably experienced in Al Barzakh.
(2013) Lived eschatology: Muslim views on life and death. Preliminary practices.
In T. Quartier, E. Venbrux, C. Venhorst & B. Mathijssen (Eds.), Changing European Death Ways. Münster: LIT Verlag.
Eschatology (beliefs concerning the last things the beliefs, we associate with death rites) has strong roots in Islamic primary sources. The afterlife is a major theme in the Quran; it frequently speaks about death, the end of the world and resurrection, as does the Hadith. Belief in the day of judgment and resurrection is explicitly mentioned as one of the five articles of the Islamic faith. 1 The Islamic eschatological narrative has been studied thoroughly over the years. A good example is The Islamic understanding of death and resurrection , which provides an in-depth analysis of the eschatological myth and its development over centuries. Underexposed in this theological understanding of the end of time and the hereafter is the way these eschatological perceptions are actually lived and ritually enacted by Muslims. We take a close look at the eschatological meta-narrative as an organising principle for thinking and action (Cortazzi 1994, 157) and locate lived eschatology in the ritual process.