Islam The Voice of Human Nature
4. THE HEREAFTER
~ 82 ~
overwhelming reality. It is then that we grasp what
had hitherto existed, but had remained invisible.
Once we have become clear in our minds that the
afterlife truly exists, we realize that the sole aim of
our earthly existence should be to strive for success
in the life to come, for, unlike the present ephemeral
world, the Hereafter is eternal and real. What we
understand by suffering and solace in this world
cannot be compared with the suffering and solace of
the Hereafter.
Many individuals lead immoral, even criminal
existences because they feel that we are free to do as
we please in this world. Freedom we do have, but it
exists only so that God may distinguish between the
good and the evil, and determine who deserves a
place of honour and dignity in the Hereafter and
who should be condemned to eternal disgrace.
While there is nothing to prevent the good and the
evil from living cheek by jowl in this world, they
will be separated in the Hereafter like the wheat
from the chaff, and will be judged in strict
accordance with their record in this life. Some will
be condemned to an eternal Hell of pain and
