The afterlife from a revert's perspective

[Nelle]

:salam2:
Ok... I have a strange question.
What should make me think I'll enjoy heaven?
I know that it'll be beautiful and full of great stuff, but... forever? First of all, honestly, I think I'd get bored! Without something exciting or any challenges to overcome. And with nothing bad in heaven, it seems like people would forget what bad things were and have nothing to compare their happiness to and therefore would not truly be happy. It seems like almost a pointless existence.
And secondly, I'm a revert and there is only one Muslim I'm good friends with, almost everyone else I care about are atheists/ agnostics/ that kind of thing. If they all go to hell (and if I go to heaven inshallah)... honestly, every time I think about it I almost cry. I understand the reasoning behind there being a hell and all that, but that doesn't make thinking about it any better. I mean, imagine - if all of your family and friends were taken away and tortured right now, you'd be beside yourself. But what if all of your family and friends were tortured for eternity, with no hope of salvation? And you'd be sitting there in heaven in a nice comfy armchair eating fruit? No! You'd be weeping and begging God (to no avail) to spare them! Honestly, I think I'd want to die! But no, I'd be in for an eternity of it! As my Muslim friend says, maybe you'd just forget them after so long. But then... all of my memories from my life on earth would be gone. That's better than the alternative I guess, but still not a happy thought. (And if everyone in heaven forgot their previous life and all lived in complete comfort forever, it seems like we'd become like drones, lose our humanity).
There's almost no chance of even one of my family members converting. I can try to show them Islam, but I just highly doubt anyone will.
It's gotten to the point that not only do I not really look forward to heaven, but thinking about it makes me kind of depressed. Please help.

 

[islamerica]

walaykum assalaam,

Jannah is a place no eyes have seen nor mind can imagine. Allah created such a place for us to enjoy. He who created us knows better how we will enjoy the everlasting life without getting bored of it. You can read about jannah here inshallah:

http://forum.netmuslims.com/showthread.php?13347-What-is-in-Jannah-from-Quran-amp-Hadith

Look at five year kids up to 7 years old. They seem to love life and enjoy it without challenges or bad stuff happening ni their lives. They have so much to learn about the world around them. They are content with the world and things around them, don't need to compare their happiness to anything to be truly happy. Now imagine that feeling and the ability to have anything you desire. You will remember your life on earth so you'll remember your goods and bads and you will appreciate your life in bliss. It will be utopia where you will eat drink and be merry, visiting families and friends and seeing paradise.

As for your non-muslim friends and family. You should work on giving them dawaah about islam, help save them from the hellfire. You can give them dawah, if you converted then there is a possibility they too will. Remember, our job is to convey the message of Islam, it is Allah who guides. On J-day, even family members will turn on each other when everyone will be looking to blame others to free themselves of the burden of their sins. Everyone will care about themselves only. Once you die, all becomes clear to you but it's too late then. Once you are dead and moving to the next life, your disposition changes. You won't feel the same way you do now because of your new found knowledge and understanding at a whole new level. You may ask Allah to see your loved ones in the hellfire if you so desire but your feelings probably would be no different than they would be now if you family member went to jail and you went to visit them.

Anyways, what you need is more knowledge on all this. So inshallah continue to read up and learn as much as you can, you will start to answer your own questions by then.

 

[Hajjerr]

Salam aleikum

Sister, i think you should read the names of Allah and ponder over them, inshallah.


From what i read, we will not forget but we will remember this life after death so we can see finally the big picture by the will of Allah.
And my family are also non-muslims, i often think about their destiny and ...mine, ofcourse, but my most trust and love goes to Allah the Creator, Helper, Wise so i know by following Him i will not regret. And i know He will not let kind and good persons suffer any loss or distress;

To be happy in this life we think that may mean to have house, car, gold, friends....but even when we have all this, we dont feel happy because we feel bored...well this is not happiness, we can not measure the Paradise with the earthly methods.
We dont know the true state of what we call Sakeena, this is what i think

He did not creat in play.
Wish you all the best.

 

[strive-may-i]

The afterlife, from a human (revert, born to muslim family) perspective.

Walaikum Salaam,

I will try to explain hope it benefits you, but precede it with a critical statement.
To say you will be bored, I think is either a non reflected statement said out of the burden of relationship or reactive arrogant statement. Its one of these, am sorry there is no other word.

Afterlife, has just one perspective. Our perspective of after life, before death and after death, would change. Heaven and hell is beyond our imagination, Just like the experience of our own birth, is not in our reach. If we ever managed to ask a foetus or unborn child in womb, 'whats its opinion of afrerbirth life', it might give a similar response, 'hardly any place to stretch or flex, bad digestive system hardly any other living being seen, and living for 60 times the time I spent in womb, constrained life indeed...' . But the experience of birth, exposed us to the world outside, most of us have healthy sense organs to experience the beauty of this world. Similarly the experience of death will expose us to the other stage in our journey. A new born child does not know, what puberty means. A child which has seen mothers love, will not fully appreciate and assimilate, the love between spouses, am sure you will agree to it. So when this is the case of our experience/opinion, about a life we get to see and observe, our imagination of life after death, heaven, hell is beyond our limits. By definition, there is a limit to our imagination. Accepting it, is the best, course of action.

As a Revert, who voluntarily moved towards, the straight path, you yearn everyone to be in heaven. Its not just a revert, any thinking human who cares will be subjected to this dilemma. Even Neverts ( ie those born in Muslim family ) the same perspective applies. It can seem unsettling at first, it will unsettling again and again. But to get trapped in the emotional turmoil, and refuse to accept the creators plan, is a bad thought. Its good you have voiced your concern Heaven and hell are destinations which are matched to what we have choose to become during life on earth. It seems unfair under the influence of binding we have with our family members, friends, relatives, colleagues, associates, but when seen in the creator and creation relationship it does make sense.

Humans were created, for a purpose, and given a conscience that has natural dispositions. Angels, were also created with a purpose, but they were created to believe, while humans and jinns, get to choose to exert our will - A choice to believe or not believe, a choice to do good or bad. Fulfilling the covenant, is goal of believer. While in the path of fulfilling this covenant, we will be able to deal and socialize justly with our fellow travelers, in this journey called Duniya. Strangers we all are, and most often we are strangers to our own selves. In addition to consience, we are also given enough evidence about this journey. May Allah help each of us, fulfill the covenant ... Ameen

Sister Islamerica, Hajjer have conveyed it correctly. Take your time, learn more. Put it in practice. Hope this helps, dont loose this perspective.

Prophet during his very last minute, " Ummati, Ummati, Ummati' which means 'my Ummah, my Ummah, my Ummah'.. There cannot be a better example...

 

[Hajjerr]

Salam aleykum

Hope you will find this useful:

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The Pleasures of this world are transient whilst the joys of the hereafter are lasting and eternal. In this life when a person enjoys something, it is only a short while before they get bored with it and proceed to search for something they feel is better, or they may not feel a need for it altogether. As for the delights of Paradise, a person will never feel bored with anything, but rather, its goodness will increase each time they indulge in it.

Also, the life of this world is very short. Humans only live on this earth for a short while, and very few people reach the age of seventy.

“…Say: Short is the enjoyment of this world. The Hereafter is (far) better for him who fears God...” (Quran 4:77)

As for Paradise, people will live forever. God says:

“...its provision is eternal and so is its shade…” (Quran 13:35)

“What is with you must vanish, and what is with God will endure …” (Quran 16:96)

“(It will be said to them): This is Our Provision, which will never finish” (Quran 38:54)

Superior Delights

The delights of the people of Paradise, such as their clothing, food, drink, jewelry and palaces, will be far superior to their counterparts in this world. There is in fact no room for comparison, as even the smallest space in Paradise is better than this world and all that is in it. The Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, said:

“The space of the bow of any one of you in Paradise is better than all that the sun rises upon” (Mishkaat al-Masaabeeh 3/85, no. 5615)

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Paradise: There is Nothing Like It

The delights of Paradise surpass the imagination and defy description. They are like nothing known to the people of this world; no matter how advanced we may become, what we achieve is as nothing in comparison with the joys of the Hereafter. As is mentioned in several reports, there is nothing like Paradise:

“It is sparkling light, aromatic plants, a lofty palace, a flowing river, ripe fruit, a beautiful wife and abundant clothing, in an eternal abode of radiant joy, in beautiful soundly-constructed high houses”. (Ibn Maajah, Ibn Hibbaan)

The Sahabah asked the Prophet about the buildings of Paradise and he replied with a wonderful description:

“Bricks of gold and silver, and mortar of fragrant musk, pebbles of pearl and sapphire, and soil of saffron. Whoever enters it is filled with joy and will never feel miserable; he will live there forever and never die; their clothes will never wear out and their youth will never fade.” (Ahmad, at-Tirmidhi, ad-Daarimee)

God says:

“And when you look there (in Paradise) you will see a delight (that cannot be imagined), and a great dominion.” (Quran 76:20)

What God has kept hidden from us the delights of Paradise is beyond our ability to comprehend. The Prophet said that God said:

“I have prepared for My slaves what no eye has seen, no ear has heard and no human heart can imagine.” Recite if you wish:

“No person knows what is kept hidden for them of joy as a reward for what they used to do.” (Quran 32:17)

In another report:

“Never mind what God has told you; what He has not told you is even greater.” (Saheeh Muslim)

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http://www.islamreligion.com/articles/10/

May Allah make it easy for us to reach in this beautiful and peaceful place.

 

[Nelle]

Ok... thanks everyone. And I guess I should have thought more before I used the word bored, it makes me sound like an ungrateful brat. I can't really imagine what heaven is like now so I can't say things like that. Thanks for the link islamerica, and the descriptions Hajjerr
I guess it sounds mostly like what you're all saying is that we can't know what anything is like until it happens and we should just trust in Allah swt. I guess I'll always be sad about this stuff, there's no way around it really, but "to get trapped in the emotional turmoil, and refuse to accept the creators plan, is a bad thought" is so true. Maybe I'm just thinking about it too much...
Thanks

 

[Um Ibrahim]

Asalaamu Alykum sis Nelle and I pray to Allah to keep you protected and guided always. I just want to remind you of something. None of us actually know if will actually be going to heaven or hell when we die. So I think instead of worrying about how you will feel if you get into heaven, you should focus on what you need to do to get into heaven (just make the efforts) because Allah's mercy is the only way we can go to heaven and not by our deeds. We are human after all with many mistakes and sins.

Peace.