Quran / Themes / Life, death and the Hereafter
الآخرة
Life, death and the Hereafter
The Quran reminds people that this life is short and meaningful: every action counts, and every soul will return to God.
كُلُّ نَفْسٍ ذَآئِقَةُ ٱلْمَوْتِ ۗ وَإِنَّمَا تُوَفَّوْنَ أُجُورَكُمْ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَٰمَةِ ۖ فَمَن زُحْزِحَ عَنِ ٱلنَّارِ وَأُدْخِلَ ٱلْجَنَّةَ فَقَدْ فَازَ ۗ وَمَا ٱلْحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنْيَآ إِلَّا مَتَٰعُ ٱلْغُرُورِ ١٨٥
كُلُّ نَفۡسٍ ذَآٮِٕقَةُ الۡمَوۡتِؕ وَاِنَّمَا تُوَفَّوۡنَ اُجُوۡرَكُمۡ يَوۡمَ الۡقِيٰمَةِؕ فَمَنۡ زُحۡزِحَ عَنِ النَّارِ وَاُدۡخِلَ الۡجَـنَّةَ فَقَدۡ فَازَ ؕ وَمَا الۡحَيٰوةُ الدُّنۡيَاۤ اِلَّا مَتَاعُ الۡغُرُوۡرِ ١٨٥
3:185 Every soul has to taste death. It is on the Day of Judgement that you shall be paid your rewards in full. So, whoever has been kept away from the Fire and admitted to Paradise has really succeeded. The worldly life is nothing but an illusionary enjoyment.
Every soul will taste death, and full reward is given on the Day of Resurrection.
ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ ٱلْمَوْتَ وَٱلْحَيَوٰةَ لِيَبْلُوَكُمْ أَيُّكُمْ أَحْسَنُ عَمَلًا ۚ وَهُوَ ٱلْعَزِيزُ ٱلْغَفُورُ ٢
اۨلَّذِىۡ خَلَقَ الۡمَوۡتَ وَالۡحَيٰوةَ لِيَبۡلُوَكُمۡ اَيُّكُمۡ اَحۡسَنُ عَمَلًا ؕ وَهُوَ الۡعَزِيۡزُ الۡغَفُوۡرُۙ ٢
67:2 the One who created death and life, so that He may test you as to which of you is better in his deeds. And He is the All-Mighty, the Most-Forgiving,
Life and death were created to test who is best in deeds.
فَمَن يَعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ خَيْرًا يَرَهُۥ ٧
فَمَنۡ يَّعۡمَلۡ مِثۡقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ خَيۡرًا يَّرَهٗ ؕ ٧
99:7 So, whoever does any good act (even) to the weight of a particle will see it.
وَمَن يَعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ شَرًّا يَرَهُۥ ٨
وَمَنۡ يَّعۡمَلۡ مِثۡقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ شَرًّا يَّرَهٗ ٨
99:8 And whoever does evil (even) to the weight of a particle will see it.
An atom's weight of good or of evil will be seen.
وَمَا هَٰذِهِ ٱلْحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنْيَآ إِلَّا لَهْوٌ وَلَعِبٌ ۚ وَإِنَّ ٱلدَّارَ ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةَ لَهِىَ ٱلْحَيَوَانُ ۚ لَوْ كَانُوا۟ يَعْلَمُونَ ٦٤
وَمَا هٰذِهِ الۡحَيٰوةُ الدُّنۡيَاۤ اِلَّا لَهۡوٌ وَّلَعِبٌؕ وَاِنَّ الدَّارَ الۡاٰخِرَةَ لَهِىَ الۡحَـيَوَانُۘ لَوۡ كَانُوۡا يَعۡلَمُوۡنَ ٦٤
29:64 This worldly life is nothing but an amusement and play, and the Last Abode is the real life indeed. Only if they know!
The life of this world is play and amusement; the home of the Hereafter is true life.
Explanations are our own summaries, not translations. Use the tafsir links on each ayah for classical commentary.
Related questions
If God is good, why is there so much suffering?
Islam teaches that this life is a test, not the final destination. Suffering is real and painful, but it isn't meaningless. God promises that no one is burdened beyond what they can bear, that ease comes with hardship, and that perfect justice will come in the next life. Islam doesn't ask you to pretend pain isn't there; it gives you a way to carry it.