The Teachings of Islam
The Next World
~ 19 ~
THE NEXT WORLD
The present world may seem to lack nothing; but
the order of this world has been established with
the trial of man in mind. According to God’s
scheme, only a world which leads up to reward and
punishment can be considered ideal and
permanent. This is not the case in the present world.
So, when the period of trial is over, God will
destroy this world and create another more
complete one. There the evil will be separated from
the righteous, and all will be confronted with the
just consequences of their deeds.
The present world is full of strange paradoxes.
Here, birds chant hymns of divine praise, while
man recites eulogies to himself. Stars and planets
continue their voyages without clashing with one
another, while man willfully sets himself on a
collision course with others. In this world there is
no tree which undermines another, but men spend
their lives plotting one another’s destruction. Lofty,
upright trees show their meekness by casting their
shadows on the ground, but if man ascends to any
heights he immediately becomes arrogant. This
