Page 23 - Islam and Karma

eincarnation—the concept that people come back to
the world in another body after their death—follows
from the belief in karma and is absolutely fundamen-

tal to Indian religions. The relationship between
karma and reincarnation is explained in a book enti-
tled Dinler Tarihi (The History of Religions) in the following words:
Reincarnation is the belief that the soul passes from one body into
another after death. Reincarnation is part and parcel of the philoso-
phy of karma. According to this belief, a soul is either high born or
low born in terms of its degree of development. A person may be re-
born as a plant, an animal, a human being or a god, depending on his
or her actions. (Thus, people are the architects of their own fates.)
This rebirth takes place as a result of cause and effect. By means of
reincarnation, it is possible for us to be given the moral and spiritual
reward of our actions. Happiness in one's next life depends on right
action. Every individual is responsible for his or her own situation.
There is no need to fear death. Through continuous rebirths, people
achieve their desires and enjoy continual satisfaction. They live in the
god Brahma. It is claimed that this belief endows the native of India
with a powerful optimism. 2

As we see here, the belief in karma does
not imply a belief in the afterlife;

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