Reincarnation is the action of reincarnating or the state of being reincarnated, rebirth in new bodies or forms of life; especially a rebirth of a soul in a new human body; a belief (as in metempsychosis and transmigration) that the souls of the dead successively return to earth in new forms or bodies.
This belief prevalent in the ancient Egyptian Indian and Greek cultures still continues to exist among certain communities. According to this belief men endowed with idiosyncratic characteristics live upon the earth in a state of inequality and injustice. To compensate for this human soul must be reborn in different bodies more then one time for the sake of maturity and perfection.
Reincarnation has certain inconsistencies, for instance soul that transmigrates shall be free from liabilities of being rewarded or punished.
Nevertheless, some scholars claimed on the basis of the verses 2/28 and 40/11 reincarnation may be considered. Yet, there is no explicit knowledge in the Qur'an. Quite the reverse is ha case, as there are inferences to the contrary.
VERSES CLAIMED TO POINT TO REINCARNATION
How can ye reject the faith in Allah.- seeing that ye were without life, and He gave you life; then will He cause you to die, and will again bring you to life; and again to Him will ye return. (2/28)
They will say: "Our Lord! twice hast Thou made us without life, and twice hast Thou given us Life! Now have we recognized our sins: Is there any way out (of this)?" (40/11)
In the light of the above verses it is claimed that reincarnation does exist in Islam. The orthodox Islam thinks otherwise as it interprets the above verses to be referring to the life upon the earth and to the resurrection after death. He Who has made everything which He has created most good: He began the creation of man with (nothing more than) clay, And made his progeny from a quintessence of the nature of a fluid despised: But He fashioned him in due proportion, and breathed into him something of His spirit. And He gave you (the faculties of) hearing and sight and feeling (and understanding): little thanks do ye give (32/7-9).
It is He who doth take your souls by night, and hath knowledge of all that ye have done by day: by day doth He raise you up again; that a term appointed be fulfilled; In the end unto Him will be your return; then will He show you the truth of all that ye did. He is the irresistible, (watching) from above over His worshippers, and He sets guardians over you. At length, when death approaches one of you, Our angels take his soul, and they never fail in their duty. (6/61-62)
Angels separate the soul from the body, the former remaining immortal and the latter perishing. The soul returns to its Creator, to be rewarded or punished. Pending the Judgment Day it abides in a different dimension of which we are unaware. Then, when it is His Will, He will raise him up (again). (80/22) . But verily, it will be but a single (Compelling) Cry, When, behold, they will be in the (full) awakening (to Judgment). (79/13-14) . And they will be marshaled before thy Lord in ranks, (with the announcement), "Now have ye come to Us (bare) as We created you first: aye, ye thought We shall not fulfill the appointment made to you to meet (Us)! (18/46)
You will be returned to Him. This is the fiat. That Day will every soul be requited for what it earned; no injustice will there be that Day, for Allah is Swift in taking account. (40/17)
They will say: "Our Lord! twice hast Thou made us without life, and twice hast Thou given us Life! Now have we recognized our sins: Is there any way out (of this)?" (40/11)
VERSES DISPROVING REINCARNATION
"And I seek refuge with Thee O my Lord! lest they should come near me." (In Falsehood will they be) Until, when death comes to one of them, he says: "O my Lord! send me back (to life),- (23/99-100)
If thou couldst but see when they are confronted with the Fire! They will say: "Would that we were but sent back! Then would we not reject the signs of our Lord, but would be amongst those who believe!" Yea, in their own (eyes) will become manifest what before they concealed. But if they were returned, they would certainly relapse to the things they were forbidden, for they are indeed liars. (6/27-28)
We have created (their Companions) of special creation. And made them virgin - pure (and undefiled), - Beloved (by nature), equal in age,- For the Companions of the Right Hand. (56/35-38)
In the light of the above verses reincarnation claimed to exist according to the Qur'an is not possible.