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Related to the Perpetual Life in the Hereafter

February 3, 2003

Question

I wanted to know since Quran says that believers would be there in jannah forever, then is this forever means that we will live forever without an end, just as Allah is without an end and a beginning.  It seems so illogical to believe that we will live with no end irrespective of we had a beginning in parallel to Allah being without an end and a beginning. Please if you can give me a more clear understanding i would be so thankful.

Answer

It is true that the Qur’anic concept of ‘forever’ is without end but not in the same way as God is. God does not “live” in existence, He created it. Therefore, any comparison of this life or the Hereafter to God (or His “circumstance”) would be erroneous. Our logical capacity relates to our present existence and cannot help us comprehend the reality of the world to come. It is for this reason, amongst others, that allegorical and metaphorical expressions are used to convey the Hereafter by the books of God. The most logical concept that exists within man is the actuality of God and His unlimited creations. Having said that I think it would be appropriate to realize that God wills our existence into forever. In what state this might be is not an answerable question but may be the reason why the concept doesn’t sit well with you. You may only be basing your reasoning on your present condition. For example, you may think that our flesh can last but so long, so how could it last forever? I apologize if this is not your line of thinking but I am using it only to illustrate the fallacy of restricting the Afterlife to our material circumstances. Forever is not a human concept, can you imagine it, better yet can you imagine an infinite number? Just as you cannot imagine either, so it is that you cannot imagine the limitless Power of God and his gift of an unending life.

God is unparalleled. The Afterlife and its circumstances cannot be measured by our present mental faculties so any attempt to imagine or grasp the concept would be futile, possibly resulting in confusion.

I hope I have clarified the issue.

God knows best.

Filed Under: Islamic Beliefs, Q & A, Sources of Islam

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