Interpretation of the visible reality:

 

To interpret the visible reality a man just needs observational skills at common sense level. Scientific methodology and mathematics are not necessary perquisites to interpret facts of life. A fact is existence of something which no one with normal senses can deny, actually that is why it is a fact. If we observe our surroundings it becomes apparent that whatever comes into being it disappears forever after a certain lifetime. All living beings including humans and animals that once lived on this planet before us are no longer here and they won’t come back again ever. All living beings including us that are right now present on the earth are all currently in a process of being perished. Like people before us, none of us will remain on this planet either, and once we depart no one amongst us will come back again. Over the land we have built comfortable rooms today previous generations used to live before us and after our death next generation will spend certain time in these places. We walk on the foot prints of many old generations and coming people will walk over same land now under our feet.  So the life of living beings is perishing much faster than that of our planet and the universe. Based on this common sense observation we can also call our experience of life in this planet as a life in a Perishable Palace. As all the happiness and sadness are left being after we die and therefore if we leave this planet first or the planet comes to an end first the result for us in both cases is same, that is, termination of our experience of life. Hence even if we assume for a moment that the universe will never come to an end, this world and everything in it is still a Perishable Palace for us due to our finite lifetime. The question now arises is that where do all living beings go after their departure from this world? In the following we try to find answer to this question.

 

The soul and worlds beyond our universe:

 

The proposed ‘Multiverse Theory’ by theoretical physicist like Max Tegmark and Alex Vilenkin proclaimed that there might be many other universes beyond our universe. Another similar theory on this topic is the ‘Parallel Universe Theory’ according to which each different universe exists in parallel to other universes with each possibly having different physical laws from the other. An eminent physicist Brian Greene also seems to supports the existence of such universes in his book 'The Hidden Reality: Parallel Universes and the Deep Laws of the Cosmos'. On the other hand all major religions also present the idea on the existence of more than one universe. Almost all old scriptures of these religions did present a possibility of many planets other than earth, whereas in those times obviously no one had seen such planets with their eyes. However the scientific concept of parallel universes is found clearly and repeatedly in The Quran the Holy book of Muslims where God mentions his creation of seven parallel universes. One among such verse is in the following:

 “[Allah] is the one who created seven superimposed Heavens (67:3)”.

The same view is also mentioned in the Islamic scriptures related to Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) miraculous night journey where he passed from first heaven (or universe speaking scientifically) to the second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth and finally seventh.  A recent debate regarding multiverse concept also includes a possibility of two versions of a same human at the same time existing together. The idea seem to be plausible due to the nature of atom described in the quantum theory that one atom can exist in more than one places in a same moment.  An American neuro surgen Eben Alaxander describes his afterlife experience in his famous book Proof of Heaven. He was struck by the disease 'Bacterial Meninges' which took him into coma. As a result his neocortox became non-functional which means that whatever experiences he had were definitely not physical as neocortex was not functioning. Dr Alaxander writes that in this state he saw himself as a non-physical body (soul) in a world where people who died were living. This proves not only the existence of soul but also worlds beyod our universe.                       

In theological and spiritual field of knowledge a man has certainly two similar forms at the same time; one is spiritual and other is physical. Furthermore, human souls live their lives in other worlds after their separation from physical bodies caused by the incident of death. While explaining his journey into other universes the Prophet of Islam Muhammad (PBUH) also said that he met with different prophets, such as, Prophet Abraham, Joseph, Jesus and Moses (Peace be upon all of them). But we all know that the bodies of all these prophets are buried in this world. Whereas according to both Muslim and non-Muslim sources, Muhammad (PBUH) was known as ‘the truthful’ even by his enemies during his lifetime. Then whom did he meet during his journey? This explains that he met the souls of all these prophets. It also explains that ‘human being’ is name of a combination of physical and spiritual body. The prophet of Islam once in his vision actually saw many departed souls living their lives in worlds present in other universes. The Quran calls this second phase of life as ‘the life in Barzakh’, that is, life in other heavens and the condition of a soul’s life here depends upon his/her deeds performed during their life on planet earth. Similar kind of life is also discussed in the Holy Bible revealed to  Jesus (PBUH) which mentions a discussion between a dead rich man’s soul and Prophet Abraham (PBUH), (Luke 16:19-31). Modern science has been able to propose a possible existence of other universes but the answer to the question of human soul and its life in these universes is yet to be answered clearly. This compels us to find such answers through theological, philosophical and religious sources. It is because science and its branches are only one part in the ocean of knowledge and there are several other parts of knowledge which combined with science leads us to a complete picture of understanding. In Quran God mentions that the life in Barzakh (Other universes) is also temporary and a day (judgement day) will come when God will recreate all the destroyed bodies of living beings and then souls from Barzakh will be returned to their bodies. The Quranic verse says: “Before them (souls of dead) is a Partition Barzakh, till the Day they are raised up (with physical bodies)”. [23:100]

To answer the argument raised by many people in those days when Quran was revealed (1400 years ago) that how is it possible that the meat and bones of dead be brought back once they convert into various geological materials (rocks, minerals, etc) God gave a very logical reply regarding his power to do this. In response to this particular question He replied:

“Assuredly the creation of the heavens and the earth is a greater (matter) than the creation of men: Yet most men understand not (40:57)”.  

This also communicates us from God that He has created the universe and can a man or all mankind collectively create a universe so vast in all its dimensions, so beautiful and coherent? Of course man cannot even think so big so forget about creating it, so if God can create an extremely big, intensive and coherent system like universe, a man is among smallest components in the whole system of universe. Recreating mankind is surely not a difficult task for God to achieve. But God rightly said that “Yet most men understand not (40:57)”.   

It is pertinent to mention here that the information on the existence of other planets and many universes in thousands years old religious scriptures proves how advanced the knowledge in these books is compared with modern ‘space sciences’. It is also pertinent to mention here that modern science has unintentionally become the biggest source of confirming the accuracy of many verses in major religious scriptures. In old days when verses regarding the existence of other universes and planets were read to people many of them denied and even used to laugh at these ideas. But now there is scientific prove for these verses. No wonder that the verses particularly related to human life in other universes and the arrival of day of judgement are also true even though science may not appear to catch up with these ideas up till now. This analogy is based on a simple approach similar to of trend analysis approach often used in many disciplines of study where proven historical events from a source of information are used to predict future possibility of an incidence. Nevertheless, the credit goes to all messengers of God who disclosed these hidden areas of knowledge and then to those physicists, astronomers and cosmologists whose struggle not only resulted in verification of such knowledge but also further in depth understanding of it.

Till now it can be concluded that our life in this world is like a life in a Perishable Palace as we all will soon leave this world due to death and also this universe itself will end one day. After death, the souls of all living beings again experience the taste of life in the worlds present in other universes. And on the arrival of the judgement day the life experience will further increase as it will include both soul and physical body combined together just like in this world. The question now posed here is that what will be the place of living after receiving the judgements on judgement day? To find answer to this question please read an interesting small article over this website under the heading of 'The Imperishable Palace' .

 

Writer: Saad Ahmed Kayani

All articles over this website are taken from first two chapters of upcoming book 'Noor Marfat' (light through God's recognition) written by Saad Ahmed and it is illegal to republish or sell these articles by any means under international copy rights protection law.