The Concept of Death

According to Islam man has been created as an eternal being, with his life-span divided into two phases: the temporary period of life before death is a preparation ground and the eternal period of life after death where one reaps the reward for one’s actions.

The dictionary defines death as the permanent cessation of life. This dictionary definition of death presents a negative picture of death. It reminds us that man may have been born as a complete man but his life is brought to an end after a very limited period of time. Then all his desires are obliterated and it becomes impossible for him to come into existence once again.

As compared to this definition, Islam presents a positive concept of life according to which death marks the second phase of human life. According to Islam, man has been created as an eternal being. Then his life-span has been divided into two phases—life before death and life after death. The period of life before death is a preparation ground while the period of life after death is that in which one reaps the reward for one’s actions. According to this creation plan, man ought to regard the period of life before death as a preparatory period and must spend all of it in preparation for the second phase. For the phase of life after death is only for reaping the reward for one’s actions and not for further action.

The event of death is indeed a message for life. The message is: what you have to do, do today itself—in the life before death, because no one will be given time for preparation in the afterlife.