Page 144 - The Vision of Islam

CHAPTER SEVEN

Final Word

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God made a covenant with those who were given the Book to make it
known to people and not conceal it. But they cast it behind their backs
and bartered it for a paltry price: what an evil bargain they made!
—The Quran, 3-187

God has created man in freedom, but this freedom is not unlimited.
The freedom of the individual is taken away at death. And, the
freedom of the whole human race will be taken away on Doomsday.
After the cessation of life in this world, a new life will begin in the
Hereafter. There people will be divided into two groups: one who,
having made proper use of their freedom, making it subservient
to the will of God will enter into Paradise; the other group will be
of those who, having been fearless of God in using the freedom
granted to them, will be sent to Hell. This division will be eternal:
the people of Hell will remain eternally in Hell, whereas the people
of Paradise will remain in eternal bliss.
This means that about a hundred years of life in this world is
going to end in an eternal fate for humans. And the end will be
either a terrible punishment or the greatest of rewards. This state
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