This principle is fulfilled by one’s being punished or...

This principle is fulfilled by one’s being punished or rewarded for his worldly deeds. This is why this world is compared to a ‘market’, ‘commercial firm’, or as a ‘fertile land’ where ones sows the seeds for the Hereafter’. It means that in this world, one should work, cultivate, and make every effort to meet the everlasting outcomes in the Hereafter (N.B.

In the Qur’an the worldly rewards and punishments have been mentioned; however the continuing reward and punishment is specific to the Hereafter). This is the essence of all reasoning and debates concerning the Resurrection in the Holy Qur’an and needs no further explanation. The worldly benefits (blessings) will bring no prosperity in the Hereafter Some have thought that their wealth, children or other means of worldly pleasures will bring them peace and tranquility in the Hereafter.

The burial of precious jewelry and even food together with the dead person has probably resulted from a similar belief. The Holy Qur’an states that neither wealth nor children by themselves (irrespective of there behavior) will lead to living in closeness to God (Saba’:37), nor will they bring any benefit to their owners in the Hereafter (al-Shu’arā:88, Luqmān:33, Āl-‘Imrān:10,116).

Such relations are mainly specific to this world and will be broken in the Hereafter (al-Baqarah:166, al-Mu’minūn:101). Everyone will lose his worldly relations (al-An’ām: and will face God alone (Maryam:80,95). However, the spiritual and Divine relations will continue and as a result, the believers who had such relationships with their spouses, children and relatives will be together in Paradise (al-Ra’d:23, Ghāfir:8, al-Tūr:21).

Therefore, the relationship between this world and the Hereafter is not of the type of the relationship between worldly phenomena. It is unlikely that one who is more powerful, more beautiful, and more joyful or one who enjoys more pleasures in this world will live similarly in the Hereafter If this were the case, then the Pharaohs and other rich people would be more likely to be prosperous in the Hereafter.

Nevertheless, there will be those who have been powerless, ill and poor in this world but due to the performance of their Divine duties they will exchange their pitiful earthly life for the bountiful and prosperous Hereafter, enjoying eternal blessings.