THE PHILOSOPHY OF MA'AD

[Taqavi]

What is the philosophy of belief in the resurrection (Ma'ad) and its effects on humanity?

 

Belief in the Ma'ad, as one of the fundamental principles of Islam, has a profound impact on the individual and social life of humans. This belief in returning to the world after death leads people to reform their behavior and actions and provides a strong incentive to adhere to moral and religious values. The positive effects of faith in the Ma'ad on individual and social life are such that it not only deters individuals from disobeying Allah but also guides society toward justice and fairness.

Therefore, without a doubt, someone who believes in such a world is very precise and strict in self-improvement and performing various actions, just as someone who is aware of the properties of healing medicines and deadly poisons is interested in healing medicines and is very afraid of deadly poisons. Such a person is under constant and precise self-care and is automatically controlled against crimes, vices, and corruption.[1]

Faith in this clear truth brings a person to the point of saying: If all seven climes of the world and everything under the heavens were given to me to commit the slightest disobedience to Allah, even to the extent of taking the skin of a barleycorn from an ant, I would never accept it, and this world is lower and more insignificant to me than a leaf that a locust eats. [2]

The late Dastghayb said about the effect of belief in the Ma'ad on human life: Someone who does not believe in the hereafter has no fear of encroaching on the lives, property, and honor of people, especially if they are involved with them in material interests; therefore, he will not hesitate to encroach on their rights as much as he can. [3]

In another statement about the role of the Ma'ad in human life, it should be said that someone who believes in the resurrection plans and manages their life in a way that is beneficial for their afterlife; such a person does not become discouraged by the hardships and problems of life and does not stop striving for eternal happiness; in the social sphere, this belief causes people to respect each other's rights and help the needy with kindness and self-sacrifice. In such a society, the need for coercion and pressure is reduced. [4]

Furthermore, it should be said that the worship of most servants is either to avoid the fire of hell or to achieve the eternal blessings of paradise; if there were no belief in the Ma'ad and life after death, the good tidings and warnings of the prophets would lose their original and true meaning, and the worship of Allah would be limited only to a few special divine saints. [5]

Belief in the hereafter creates a kind of hope and dynamism in human life because man seeks to achieve perfection in his life so that he does not face any problem in the hereafter; it should be said that the world is connected to the hereafter, and if someone does not seek perfection in this world, he will not be rewarded with perfection in the hereafter and will face regret; [6] and since the individual has not been able to compensate for his shortcomings, he will face eternal problem and loss in the hereafter; for this reason, the Prophet (SAW) said: the world is the farm of the hereafter. [7]

In other words, belief in the hereafter has many effects, such as:

Spiritual and psychological peace; the believer, since he does not consider death to be the end and termination of life, has peace of mind and is always optimistic about the universe and does not worry about the future. [8]

Giving meaning to life; one of the effects of belief in the hereafter in shaping human life is that if there is no life after death, the life of this world will be meaningless and futile.

Controlling instincts; one of the important factors that can free the intellect from the captivity of carnal desires and, as a result, enable man to lead and control his instincts, is the remembrance of the hereafter, which prevents man from following whims and desires and controls the unruly instincts of man.

Sense of responsibility; one of the blessed effects of belief in the Ma'ad is the awakening of a sense of responsibility in the depth of human beings.

Immunity from sin; belief in the hereafter can be a strong deterrent against sin and a motivating factor for doing good deeds.

Creating sincerity; one of the sweetest fruits of the Ma'ad is removing polytheism and hypocrisy from intentions. A believer considers only Allah's pleasure in his life and activities and is free from other attachments. A believer in the Ma'ad believes that attachment to the world keeps a man busy and prevents him from his main purpose. Therefore, a believer does not pay attention to anyone other than Allah in his actions and behavior, and the important point is that performing good deeds and having sincerity is the fruit of constant attention to the Ma'ad.

Enduring hardships and difficulties is another educational effect of belief in the Ma'ad in the realm of individual life.

Self-purification and self-building; another very important effect of belief in the Ma'ad is self-purification and self-building. [9]

Conclusion

Ultimately, belief in the Ma'ad not only helps in individual reform, but also lays the foundation for justice and fairness in society; this belief guides a person towards performing good deeds and abstaining from sins and strengthens ethics and spirituality in society; Faith in the Ma'ad encourages people to respect each other's rights and to be kind to the needy, and as a result, creates a just and sublime society; therefore, the Ma'ad, as one of the fundamental principles of religion, plays an unparalleled role in shaping the behaviors and beliefs of human beings.

 

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[1] . Ma’ad va Jahan Pas az Marg (Resurrection and the world after death): Nasser, Makarem Shirazi, vol. 1, p. 59.

[2] . Nahjul-Balagha: Sayyid Razi, Sermon 224.

[3] . Saraye Digar: Abd al-Hussein, Dastghaib, vol. 1, p. 5.

[4] . Amuzesh-e Aqa’id (Teaching Beliefs): Mohammad Taqi, Misbah Yazdi, vol. 1, p. 339.

[5] . Kholaseh-ye Dorus-e Aqa’id (Summary of Beliefs Lessons😞 Mohammad Biyabani Oskui, p. 46.

[6] . Ma’ad: Morteza Motahari, vol. 1, p. 16.

[7] . Awali al-Laali: Ibn Abi Jamhur, vol. 1, p. 267.

[8] . Ma’ad va Asar-e E’teqad be An (Resurrection and the effects of belief in it): Hojjatollah Ardeshiri Lordajani, Omid Fallahi, First Edition, Qom: Zaer, p. 336.

[9] . Asar-e E’teqad be Ma’ad dar Zendegi-ye Fardi az Didgah-e Ayat va Revayat (The effects of belief in resurrection in an individual’s life from the perspective of verses and narrations): Maryam Farahzad, Deputy for Research, Al-Zahra Institute of Higher Education (S), Gorgan