THE MYSTERY OF DEATH

A) What is Sleep?
Various theories have been advanced in the past to explain sleep, but no satisfactory theory has ever been fully accepted,
Thus we have the so-called "chemical teories" which endeavor to account for sleep by assuming that certain poisonous substances are formed in the body during walking hours and are eliminated during sleep. Others have suggested that sleep is due to peculiar conditions of the circulation of blood in the brain ; still others, that the action of certain glands explains sleep; others that muscular relaxation accounts for it ; other, that the lack of external stimuli is sufficient to induce profound slumber. All of these theories have been shown insufficient to explain the fact. Scientists say we shall never arrive at a satisfactory theory of sleep, doubtless, until we admit the presence of vital force and the existence of an individual human spirit, which withdraws more or less completely from the body during the hours of sleep, and derives spiritual invigoration and nourishment during its sojourn in the spiritual world.
This spiritual fact is the simplest and truest religious doctrine laid down in a few Quranic words
"It is., God that takes the souls (of men) at death; and those that die not during their sleep: Those on whom He has passed the decree of death1 He keeps back (from returning to life), but the rest He sends (to their bodies) for a term appointed. Verily in this are signs for those who reflect-"
(39: 42)
In death we surrender our physical life, but our soul does not die: it goes back to a plane of existence in which it is more conscious of the realities of the spiritual world "God takes the souls". The Quran indicates sleep as the twin-brother to death. This fact, can be understood if we take into consideration certain kinds of dreams in which the dreamer sees things as they actually happen, backwards or forwards in time, or in which gifted individuals see spiritual truths otherwise imperceptible to them.
How can we explain this? It is suggested that our soul is then in a plane of spiritual existence akin to physical death. Sleep being a twin-brother to death, the soul is for the time being released from the bondage of the flesh. God takes it for the time being if, as some do, we are to die peacefully in sleep, our souls would not come back to the physical body, and the latter decays and dies. If we have still some period of life to fulfill according to God's decree, the soul would come back to the body, and we resume our functions in this life.
If we contemplate these things, we can see more clearly many spiritual truths: e.g.
(1) Our bodily life and death are not the whole story of our existence. There is the spiritual world which represents our future life after death, but some unbelievers say:
"There is nothing but our life in this world. We shall die and we live! But we shall never be raised up again!"
(23: 3)
"And they say "What is there but our life in this world? We shall die and we live; and nothing but time can destroy us. But of that they have no knowledge, they merely conjecture."
(4: 24)
This materialist philosophy is not knowledge but mere conjecture!

(2) Our bodily life represents death with respect to the spiritual world but our bodily death is our awakening to the spiritual world.
(3) Our nightly sleep, besides performing the function of rest to our physical life, gives us a foretaste of what we call death, which does not end our personality.
(4) The Resurrection is not stranger than our daily rising from sleep.

B) What happens after Death?
Precisely what happens at the moment of death is one of the most dramatically interesting and one of the most striking, insoluble problems in the world; it remains for us the problem of all problems, the mystery of the universe, the science of being. One moment we see a figure before us - a muscular, powerful man, capable of heroic efforts, great intellectual flights, lofty aspirations, delivering an oration which stirs the hearts of thousands and perhaps helps to sway the destiny of nations and change the maps of the world ! The next moment he is lying on the floor, a. corpse, lifeless, inanimate, incapable of the slightest thought, the slightest muscular exertion - A second and all has changed! Nothing can now be influenced by him; nothing is now possible but the gradual decomposition of the body and its return to the dust front whence it sprang.
The slightest anatomical variation in man's body and the moment of death is so small that even a microscope, perhaps, can not detect it, and we then behold the most mighty change which occurs in nature, the profoundest of tragedies and wonders. We behold the transition from the living to the lifeless, we pass from life to death. What is this change we have seen before us? Can we in any way understand it? What can we learn? What do we see? These are questions over which men have pondered for centuries and which still form the most fascinating problem in the realm of spiritual inquiry
The glorious Quran tells us that a small part of the sum. Total of true spiritual knowledge can be understood by ordinary mortals
"They ask thee (Muhammad) concerning the Spirit.Say "The Spirit is from the command of my Lord: of knowledge it is only a Little that is communicated to you, (0 Men !)"
(17: 85)
Some information regarding the spirit world has come through seers or clairvoyants. I propose here to give the description of death given by Andrew J. Davis, one of the founders of modern Spiritualism and a gifted seer, without fully endorsing it, myself, but merely asking the reader to form his own opinion concerning this description
Andrew Jackson Davis says: "Suppose the person is now dying, it is to be a rapid death. The feet grow cold. The clairvoyant sees right over the head what may be called a magnetic halo - an etheric emanation, in appearance golden and throbbing as though conscious. The body is now cold up to the knees and elbows and the emanation has ascended higher in the air; the legs are cold to the hips and the arms to the shoulder, and the emanation, though it has not risen higher in the room, is more expanded. The death - coldness steals over the breast and around on one side, and the emanation has attained a higher position nearer the ceiling. The person has ceased to breathe, the pulse is feeble, and the emanation is elongated and fashioned in the outline of the human form, - beneath it is connected with the brain. The head of the person is internally throbbing - slow deep throb - not painful, but like the beat of the sea. Hence, the thinking faculties are rational while nearly every part of the person is dead. Owing to the brain's momentum, I have seen a dying person even at the last feeble pulse-beat rise impulsively in bed to converse with a friend but the next instant he was gone - his brain being the last to yield up the life principle."
Andrew J. Davis continues his speech concerning the formation of the spiritual body:
"The golden emanation which extends midway to the ceiling is connected with the brain by a very fine life thread. Now the body of the emanation ascends. Then appears something white and shining, like a human head; next, in a very few moments a faint outline of the face then the fair neck and shoulders then in rapid succession come all parts of the new- spiritual body down to the feet - a bright shining image, a little smaller than its physical body, but a perfect prototype or reproduction in all, except its disfigurements. The fine life thread continues attached to the old brain. The next thing is the withdrawal of the electric principle. When this thread snaps, the spiritual body is free and prepared to accompany its, guardians to the spiritual world! Yes, there is a spiritual body!!"



C) Death and Spirit World in the Quran
Regardless of what the information of Spiritualism teaches us. I think that it is better to refer to tile Quran in which we find the true doctrines or spiritualism without doubt. Also we shall not fear death, when we read, understand and contemplate the Quran especially if we are righteous. Actually religion is the security valve against any fear on the account of death. Now we shall introduce some Quranic verses dealing with death and the Spirit World
God Most High says:
"Every soul shall have a taste of death,........., For the life of this world but goods and chattels of deception."
(3: 185)
Here the soul will not die; but the death of the body will give a taste of death to the soul when the soul separates from the body. The soul will then know that this life was but a probation. Many of the attractive vanities of this world are but nets set by the Evil One to deceive man. The only real and lasting is the Good life lived in the light of God.
The Glorious Quran is indeed most honorable, how can any one ignore it or treat it with contempt or refuse to allow it to improve his life? God says to the enemies of Quranic Revelation
"Then why do ye not (intervene) when (the soul
of the dying man) reaches the throat, - And ye the while (sit) looking on, - But we are nearer to him than ye, and yet see not, - Then why do ye not, -If you are exempt from (future) account, - Call back the soul if ye are true ?
Thus, then, if he (man) be of those Nearest to God, there is for him Rest, Satisfaction and a Garden of Delights.
And if he be of the companions of the Right Hand, for him is the salutation "Peace be unto thee" from the companions of the Right Hand.
And if he be of those who treat (Truth) as Falsehood, who go wrong, for him is Entertainment with Boiling Water, and burning in Hell - Fire.
Verity, this is the very Truth and Certainty."
(56: 83-95)
This Quranic passage can be briefly paraphrased: "if you disbelieve in Revelation and a future judgment, and claim to do what you like and be independent of God, how is it you cannot call back a dying mans soul to his body when all of you congregate round him at his death bed ?" Note also the contrast between those in Bliss (those nearest to God and companions of the right hand) and those in Misery (unbelievers)
The following verses seem to refer also to the lesser Judgment which takes place immediately after death
"Some face. That Lay, will beam (in brightness and beauty); Looking towards their Lord; and some faces, that day, will be sad and dismal, in the thought that some back -breaking calamity was about to be inflicted on them; Yea, when (the soul) reaches. To the collar - bone (in its exit), and there will be a cry, "Who is a magician (to restore him)? "And he (the dying man) will conclude that it was the time of parting; and one leg will be joined with, another. That day the drive will be all to thy Lord."
(75: 22-30)
Here is a symbolic picture of the agony of death. The expressions of glad and sad faces may hint at the moment of death or at the day of resurrection. the verse "one leg will be joined with another" may be taken metaphorically to mean a calamity: Calamity will be joined to calamity for the poor departed sinner's soul. According to Quranic signs the punishment of sin takes place in three ways.
(1) It may take place in this very life, but this may be deferred, to give the sinner respite; (2) It may be an agony immediately after death, with the partition or Barzakh separating the sinner from the final Resurrection; and (3) in the final Resurrection, when the whole of the present order gives place to a wholly new World which is described in numerous detailed Quranic verses.
Here we concentrate our discussion to the partition or Barzakh state. God Most High says that the wicked cling to falsehood until they face the reality of Death
"Until when death comes to one of them, he says: 0 my Lord! Send me back (to life), - in order that I may work righteousness in the things I neglected" - "By no means! It is but a word he says". -before them is a partition till the day they are raised up"
(23: 99-100)
The Partition or Barzakh is a barrier; the place or state in which people will be after death and before the final judgment.
The Angels sent by God or the Messengers (of death) will arrive to take the souls to this Partition.
God Most High says
"If you couldst but see how the wicked (do fare) in the flood of confusion at death! - the angels stretch forth their hands, saying" Yield up your souls: this day shall you receive your reward , shame, for that ye used to tell lies against God, and scornfully to reject of His Signs !"
(6: 93)
"If thou couldst see, when the angels take the
souls of the unbelievers (at death), how they smite their faces and their backs, (saying) "Taste the penalty of the blazing Fire - Because of (the deeds) which ,four (own) hands sent forth: For God is never unjust to his servants."
(8: 50-51)
The contrast is in the following verse where the good find good in Partition and in the Hereafter:
"(Namely) those whose lives the angels take in a state of purity, saying (to them) "Peace be on you; enter ye the Garden, because of (the good) which ye did (in the world)"
(16: 32)
(To the righteous soul will be said) "0 (thou) soul, in complete rest, and satisfaction! Come back thou to thy Lord, - well pleased (thyself) and well -pleasing unto Him! "Enter thou, then among My Devotees! "Yea, enter thou My Heaven (Garden)!"
(89: 27-30)
Thus the righteous enter into their inheritance and receive their welcome with a title that suggests freedom from all pain, sorrow, doubt, struggle, and disappointment, at rest, in peace, in a state of complete satisfaction. May we reach this wonderful state through God's grace!.
The Glorious Quran hints at a true real life in the partition Barzakh) which the righteous such as Martyrs enter through the gateway of death : God Says:
"Think not of those who are slain in God's way
as dead. Nay, they live, finding their sustenance in the Presence of their Lord.
They rejoice in the Bounty provided by God and with regard to those left behind, who have not yet joined them (in their bliss), the (Martyrs) glory in the fact that on them is no fear, nor have they (cause to) grieve"
(3:169-170)
This true life (after death) as sustained from the ineffable Presence and Nearness of God. Also the dear ones Lest be-bind are in the thoughts of the Martyrs, and they (dear ones) have no cause to grieve at the death of the Martyrs; rather have they cause to rejoice!
God the Exalted says in the Quran:
"And say not of those who are slain in the way of God "They are dead. "Nay, they are living, though ye perceive (it) not.'
(2: 154)
This present late is actually a preparation for the Partition (Barzakh) state and the Eternal Home (in the Hereafter) to which we are joined, which is far more important than the ephemeral pleasures which may possibly seduce us in this laze. For it is written on the Quran:
"What is the life of this world but play and amusement? But best is the Home in the Hereafter, for those who are righteous. Will ye not then understand?"
(6:32)
Thus the Quran draws our attention to several points concerning spiritual world which might be listed as follows
(1) Death is by God's leave and it is inevitable. (Sleep is the twin brother to death)
(2) The Angels sent by God as messengers of death arrive to take the souls
(3) The existence of the Partition (Barzakh) which represents the place or state in which people will be after death and before resurrection.
(4) The resurrection day is the greatest event (after Barzakh) which represents the break-up of the world and the Day of Judgment: (See the Holy Quran).