The good and bad deeds will take shape and will give comfort to the doer or put him to the torture in the grave as well as on the Day of Resurrection, according as his deeds are good or bad. Though the deeds are abstract, yet it is not out of God’s power to clothe abstraction with a body. We should believe in the events of life hereafter, even if we fail to understand them.
In some religious and spiritual contexts, it's
believed that a person's actions (deeds) will be manifested in the grave after
death, either as a source of comfort or punishment. This concept suggests
that the quality of one's life, specifically their deeds, will directly impact
their experience in the afterlife, particularly in the "first stage"
of the afterlife, the grave.
Here's a more detailed
explanation:
- Deeds as Representatives:
Some beliefs hold that a
person's good and bad deeds are personified and presented to them in the grave.
- Positive Manifestation:
For those who have lived
righteously, their good deeds may appear as comforting companions or sources of
solace in the grave.
- Negative Manifestation:
Conversely, for those who have
lived a life of sin, their negative deeds may manifest as tormentors or sources
of distress in the grave.
- Consequences in the Grave:
This manifestation serves as a
prelude to the final judgment, with the grave being seen as the first stage of
the afterlife, and a successful experience there often signifies a smoother
journey to the next phase.
- Accountability:
This concept emphasizes the
importance of accountability for one's actions and the lasting impact they
have, even beyond physical life.
The concept of the embodiment of deeds is discussed within the framework of Islamic eschatology, specifically concerning the afterlife, the recompense of actions, and divine justice. This study investigates the embodiment of deeds as reflected in Near-Death Experiences (NDEs) and examines its alignment with Islamic eschatological principles. Drawing on Qur’anic verses, Hadiths, and the philosophical insights of Allameh Tabataba'i, the research emphasizes the intrinsic connection between actions, the soul, and their eternal forms. Employing a descriptive-analytical method, over one hundred NDE accounts from Iranian Shi'a Muslims were analyzed.
The findings reveal various forms of embodiment, including the manifestation of significant physical actions, spiritual qualities, and the perception of life events and their consequences. The study concludes that the ontological nature of NDEs corresponds closely to the initial stages of the intermediary realm (Barzakh), based on Tabataba'i's perspective. By bridging empirical observations with Islamic teachings on divine justice and the system of reward and punishment, the research offers new insights into the interconnectedness of human actions and their spiritual realities. This multidisciplinary approach enriches contemporary discourse on the afterlife, highlighting the transformative potential of NDEs in fostering moral and spiritual awareness. The research further demonstrates that the embodiment of deeds, as reported in NDEs, is substantiated by both reason and revelation, with Qur’anic-philosophical interpretations from Allameh Tabataba'i providing a robust explanatory framework.
The good and bad deeds will take shape and will give comfort to the doer or put him to the torture in the grave as well as on the Day of Resurrection, according as his deeds are good or bad. Though the deeds are abstract, yet it is not out of God’s power to clothe abstraction with a body. We should believe in the events of life hereafter, even if we fail to understand them.
Theological Analysis of the Embodiment of Deeds in NDEs
The nature of the recompense for one's actions has always been a central theme in discussions of the afterlife (maʿād) in Islamic theology. Reexamining how the Qur’an and Hadith portray this concept can offer valuable ontological insights. The embodiment of deeds refers to the manifestation of the inner reality of one's actions. While there is ample evidence in the Qur’an and Hadith supporting this concept, some scholars, like al-Majlisī (1954), argue against its possibility based on certain theological premises. However, with the availability of NDE accounts, expressions in the Qur’an and Hadith that depict the consequences of actions in metaphorical terms become clearer.
For instance, the Qur’an describes consuming the wealth of orphans as ingesting fire into the bellies:
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ يَأْكُلُونَ أَمْوَٰلَ ٱلْيَتَـٰمَىٰ ظُلْمًا إِنَّمَا يَأْكُلُونَ فِى بُطُونِهِمْ نَارًۭا ۖ وَسَيَصْلَوْنَ سَعِيرًۭا ١٠
(Surah An Nisa/4: Ayat 10)
and backbiting others as eating the flesh of a dead brother:
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱجْتَنِبُوا۟ كَثِيرًۭا مِّنَ ٱلظَّنِّ إِنَّ بَعْضَ ٱلظَّنِّ إِثْمٌۭ ۖ وَلَا تَجَسَّسُوا۟ وَلَا يَغْتَب بَّعْضُكُم بَعْضًا ۚ أَيُحِبُّ أَحَدُكُمْ أَن يَأْكُلَ لَحْمَ أَخِيهِ مَيْتًۭا فَكَرِهْتُمُوهُ ۚ وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ تَوَّابٌۭ رَّحِيمٌۭ ١٢
(Surah Al Hujarat/49:Ayat 12)
Similarly, some narrations describe looking lustfully at someone as being struck by a poisoned arrow from Satan (Ibn Bābawayh 1985, 1: 264) and fasting as a shield against the fire of hell (Ibn Bābawayh, 1985, 1: 51).
As explained in the previous section, in the interviews conducted by Mozoun with NDErs over years of research and fieldwork, the embodiment of deeds is frequently observed among the experiencers. This finding illuminates the veracity of the doctrine of the embodiment of deeds found in the Qur’an and hadiths for contemporary audiences. NDEs offer a spectrum of insights into the consequences of one's actions. A common perspective views individual actions as solely originating from, related to, and directed towards oneself. However, the experiential evidence from NDEs challenges this notion and suggests a more intricate framework. Based on interviews with experiencers, several insightful propositions related to anthropology, ontology, and theology can be extracted from NDEs.
2. Hadrat Ibn Mubarak (mercy of Allah be upon him) states that Hadrat Zaid bin Aslam (may Allah be pleased with him) had reported that on the Day of Resurrection, the deed of a believer will take the comeliest shape. It will be in the prime of youth, having a charming countenance and its form will diffuse fragrance. In that appearance, it will sit by the side of its doer. Whenever the doer will feel uneasiness and will be overtaken by fear, it will console him. On seeing this the believer will pray, ‘““My God reward thee. You are a good companion. Please tell me who are you ?” The deed will say, ‘‘Don’t you recognize me? I have been with you in the world as well as in the grave. I am your deed. As you did good deed, you are finding me good. Come and ride on my shoulders. I have been riding on you in the world for a long ame. It is your turn to ride on me.’’ As soon as the believer will ride it will carry him to God Almighty and will say, “O
God, these people who went into business in the world, earned a lot of profit and those who established industriegot their share but this man mortified his sensuous appetite and stood by me.” God Almighty will say, ‘‘Ask for anything you want.” He will say, ‘“O God I ask for Your forgiveness and mercy.” God Almighty will say, “I forgive you.’’ Then he will be dressed in a costly suit of honour and reverence and a crown, whose each pear! will sparkle with a space of two days, will be put on his head. After this the dead will say, ‘“‘O God this man was reduced to destitution because he paid more attention to do good deeds than to heap up money and as a result he could not spend moncy on the needs of his parents, whereas others went into business and earned a lot of money not only, for themselves but also for their parents.
On reaching such ‘appeal, his parents would have the same facilities that had already been extended to the pious man. On the contrary, the deed of a disobedient man will take the ugliest form, giving an offensive smell and will sit by the side of its doer. When he feels uneasiness and is overtaken by fear, his decd will add to his anxiety and fear. On this, the disobedient man will say, ‘““You are a bad companion Who are you?”’ The deed will say, “Don’t you recognize me? Iam your deed. Kneel down so that I may ride on you because you have been riding on me in the worldly life.”
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