To believe in Akhirat is vital teaching of Islam. It has been emphasized in Quran with its importance. In sureh Baqarah, it has been said while praising people who fear Allah.
وَبِالْآخِرَةِ هُم رَةِ
هم يوقنون (البقره:4)
Translation: "And of the here after, they are certain"
If there is no belief in life after death, then a person sinks into selfishness and lust forgetting demands of nobility and mannerism and justice and then the law of jungle may be applied in the human society.
Belief of "Akhirat" is an important source to make a faithful human society. As, due to this belief there is realization of reward in one's heart on doing good deeds and punishment on doing bad deeds which creates piety in deeds.
A person who believes in life after death, his sight is not only on the result of those deeds which appear in this world, but he sees those results of deeds which will appear in the hereafter. As he believes about the death by poison and by burning in fire, likewise, he believes sins to be fatal and as he considers food and water useful, in the same manner, he considers good deeds the source of salvation and welfare for him.
i. The effects of faith in hereafter on human Life:
A person who believes in the hereafter knows that his all deeds, hidden or. apparent are saved in the record of his deeds. In the hereafter, some report cards of deeds will be presented in Allah's court. The real Justice will decide-there. Those deeds will be weighted there. In one scale, there will be good deeds and in the other scale there will be bad deeds. If the scale of good deeds become heavier that person will get success and will get abode in paradise If the scale of bad deeds become heavier, then there will be failure and the painful punishment of hell will have to be faced.
A person who believes in the hereafter starts hating sins, as he knows that consequently, he wouldn't be able to face the torment. He starts loving good deeds, as he knows that he will surely get the reward for good deeds.
ii. Bravery and Courage:
The fear of being perished eternally makes a person coward but when there is a belief in heart that this worldly life is for a few days. Eternal and stable life is of akhirat, then a person becomes daring. He doesn't hesitate even to sacrifice his life in the path of Allah. He knows that by giving life in Allah's path, he will not be persihed forever but instead will achieve the blissful and successful life of hereafter. Therefore, this faith produce's passion for dying in Allah's path in a believer's heart. It facilitates the ways for propagating peace and righteousness in society.
iii. Patience and Tolerance:
Due to faith in the life after death, the spirit of patience and tolerance prevails in human's heart. He knows that whatever hardship he faces for cause of truth, there will be a reward for that from Allah. Therefore, thinking about the hereafter, he faces all troubles. with tolerance and patience.
iv. The spirit of spending wealth:
The faith in the life hereafter produces this spirit in a man's heart that the real life is of "Akhirat". Therefore, one should be interested in that investment which makes life after death successful. Therefore whatever riches a believer secures he does more generosity. As he knows that his life after death will become valuable by spending in the path of Allah.
v. Sense of Responsibility:
By believing in Akhirat. the sense of responsibility prevails in a believer's heart. Because. ne knows that ignoring one's duties is a crime and there will be punishment for that negligence in the life hereafter. Therefore, the obligations must be performed with full responsibility.
Gradually, this feeling becomes so strong that a person starts performing his duties with sheer honesty, whether that 'obligation is related to people or to the rights of Allah Himself. This sense of responsibility is the point of distinction for a Muslim.
vi. Acquisition of high morality:
The decent and likable traits are those only which Islam has described. The faith in the hereafter produces good morality and character in a person. The characteristics such as sacrifice, love and sympathy, tolerance and temperament, righteousness and purification, humility and sincerity are produced in a person.
vii. Sense of purposeful Life:
The belief of life after death produces sense of purposeful life in a person. Allah said while telling the reason for man's creation.
ومَا خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَالْإِنسَ إِلا لِيَعْبُدُونِ (الذريت:56)
Translation: And I did not create the Jinn and mankind except to worship".
The fear of accountability in the life after death urges a person to worship Allah. Instead of being lost in the beauties of this world, he tries to fulfill the purpose of his creation and says:
رَبَّنَا مَا خَلَقت هذا باطلا ( آل عمران : 191)
Translation: "Our Lord, "You did not create this aimlessly".
viii. Avoiding show off and exhibitionism:
There is reward from Allah on that deed which is done merely to please Allah. If there is insincerity and exhibitioner attitude in good deed then it turns into a bad deed. For instance, doing hajj, as there are body and wealth both involved in it. If man's action is not for the sake of Allah only, then that hajj would not be right and acceptable. The belief in the hereafter removes insincerity and the attitude of pomp and show in a person and produces (in him the sense of) sincerity.
ix. Preparation of the life after death:
A-believer doesn't attach his heart with this temporary and mortal world. He ignores worldly riches and acts on this commandment of Allah and prepares for the next life.
"This world is nothing except a mere play and indeed the real home is of the life hereafter ".
"Ab tou ghabrá kay kehtay hain kaymar jaen gay
Mar kar bhi chain na paya touKidhr jaen gay"
x. Spirit of Sacrifice:
Due to faith in the life after death, the spirit of sacrifice is produced and selfishness is finished. This belief produced such passion in prophet's companions that Quran describes it in these words. Allah says:
وَيُؤْثِرُونَ عَلَى أَنْفُسِهِمْ وَلَوْ كَانَ بِهِمْ خَصَاصَةٌ (الشرق)
And those Who, before them, had homes (in Al-Madinah) and had adopted the Faith, love those who emigrate to them, and have no jealousy In their breasts for that which they have been given (from the booty of Banî An-Nadîr), and give them (emigrants) preference over themselves, even though they were In need of that.
Other Effects:
By believing in the life after death, there are some other effects produced in a person. Among those are sincerity, mercy, love of humanity, generosity, righteousness and piety.
