Death
“Do not think that those who are killed in the cause of God are dead; they are alive at their Lord, being provided for.”
Death is a great mystery to most people — but not to students of the Quran. We learn that death is exactly like sleeping, complete with dreams (, ). The period between death and resurrection passes like one night of sleep (; ; ; ; , , ; ).
At the moment of death, everyone knows his or her destiny — Heaven or Hell. For the disbelievers, death is a horrible event: the angels beat them and snatch away their souls (, , ).
Consistently, the Quran speaks of two deaths. The first took place when we failed to make a stand with God's absolute authority (see Appendix 7). That first death lasted until we were born into this world. The second death terminates our life here (, , ).
Great News for the Believers: The Righteous Go Straight to Heaven
As far as other people are concerned, the righteous “die.” But in reality they simply leave their bodies and move on to Paradise. The Quran tells us that the righteous die only once — the one death already experienced as a consequence of the great feud in the heavenly realm ().
In –, we see the best evidence: a righteous man enters Paradise while his friends and relatives are still living on earth — like going ahead to a wonderful place and waiting for loved ones there. Key verses confirming this reality include , , , , , and . See also and –.
Key Verses on the Righteous After Death
The Disbelievers
The disbelievers know at the moment of death that they are destined for Hell. The angels beat them on their faces and rear ends (, ), order them to evict their souls (), and then snatch their souls away ().
The Quran teaches that disbelievers go through two deaths (, ). They will be put to death — a state of nothingness during which they witness Hell day and night in a continuous nightmare that lasts until the Day of Judgment (). Hell itself does not yet exist (, ).
The Righteous
- ·Die only once (the original death before this life)
- ·Go immediately to Paradise at death
- ·Are alive and provided for ()
The Disbelievers
- ·Experience two deaths ()
- ·Souls are forcibly snatched ()
- ·Nightmare state until Judgment ()