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CONGRUITIES AND INCONGRUITIES BETWEEN THE BIBLE AND THE QUR'AN |
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The Bible is comparatively inexplicit on the fate of the individual after death. It would seem that the dead go down to Sheol where they live an ethereal, shadowy existence; there are such other places as Olam Ha Ba, Gan Eden (Paradise), Gehinnam (Hell) etc. In Daniel there is reference to an eternal life; some remain in paradise, some in hell for ever. « And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.» (Daniel 12/1-3)
THE NEXT WORLD
« Then Abraham gave up the ghost, and died in a good old age, an old man, and full of years; and was gathered to his people.»(Genesis 25/8) He was not extinct but was joind to his people living in the nether world.
RESURRECTION
« Come, and let us return unto the LORD: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up. After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight. Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth. »(Hosea 6/1-3) According to this passage there will be a resurrection; therefore it behooves us to know God which is the most precious gift that he has bestowed upon us
HELL
« A land of darkness, as darkness itself; and of the shadow of death, without any order, and where the light is as darkness.» (Job 10/22)
A place where the inmates suffer in scorching fire, live in a chaos and where the light is darkness
« For a fire is kindled in mine anger, and shall burn unto the lowest hell, and shall consume the earth with her increase and set on fire the foundations of the mountains. »(Deuteronomy 32/22)
PARADISE
« And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed. And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. »(Genesis 2/8,15)
The Garden of Eden is the paradise whose inmates experiences eternal bliss.
« If there be a messenger with him, an interpreter, one among a thousand, to shew unto man his uprightness:Then he is gracious unto him, and saith, Deliver him from going down to the pit: I have found a ransom.His flesh shall be fresher than a child's: he shall return to the days of his youth:He shall pray unto God, and he will be favourable unto him: and he shall see his face with joy: for he will render unto man his righteousness.» (33/23,26)
THE AFTERLIFE IN THE TALMUD
The Jews consider Talmud as the most sacred book next to Torah. The Hebrew term Talmud (“study” or “learning”) commonly refers to a compilation of ancient teachings regarded as sacred and normative by Jews from the time it was compiled until modern times and still so regarded by traditional religious Jews. In its broadest sense, the Talmud is a set of books consisting of the Mishna (“repeated study”), the Gemara (“completion”), and certain auxiliary materials. The Mishna is a collection of originally oral laws supplementing scriptural laws. The Gemara is a collection of commentaries on and elaborations of the Mishna, which in “the Talmud” is reproduced in juxtaposition to the Gemara. The Gemara is divided into two sections; namely the Jerusalem Gemara and the Babylonia Gemara. In Mishna's section entitled Pirke Aboth the afterlife is described as follows: « “Those who are born shall die. The dead shall be resurrected. Those who believe that He exists, that He creates, that He is the Creator, that He knows the future, that he judges, shall go to court with a view to teaching these facts and making people to take cognizance of it. In His presence there is no decomposition, oblivion, partiality and everything is reckoned. Let not your Self deceive you that your grave shall be your abode. For, you have been created in spite of yourself, in spite of yourself you came to life, you will die in spite of yourself, you will stand trial in spite of yourself and you will be taken to task before the Holy One, the King of Kings.” »
In the section entitled Sanhedrin of Mishna we have the following information regarding afterlife. “Thus, all the Israelites (shall have their share in the Olam Ha Ba); Thy people also shall be all righteous: they shall inherit the land for ever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified. (Isaiah, 60/21) The following will not be favored in afterlife: Those who declare that the Torah has not been revealed from above. (www:ilmimercek.org/MOC/in…)
AFTERLIFE IN THE NEW TESTAMENT