REINCARNATION
Uncle Hakki,
As you know, majority of India is Hindu. There are millions of Indians in the US as well.
There is a Caste system and reincarnation belief in Hinduism. It is a system that promises the lives that are not exactly fair would receive their rewards in the afterlife in order to control the people from the lower caste. There are also people in our country who believe in such things and say, “Is this the justice of Allah?” failing to believe in the Akhirat[Afterlife].
How can we enlighten the friends who believe in this; which verses can we exhibit to them?
Be in Allah’s safekeeping,
Murat
Dear Murat, greetings!
One of the realities of the fact that the Akhirat [Afterlife] exists is that the justice, which was not realized in the world for various reasons, is ensured and the people receive the recompense of their deeds (Surah Yunus 4, Surah Ahzab 73, Surah Ta-Ha 15 etc.). We have explained this through the verses in our articles and TV shows.
But our Rabb[1] does not want justice to be left to the Akhirat [Afterlife] only. He commands court trials and punishment in the world as well. He also adds that He recompensed and will recompense some of the crimes (as a taste) on earth as well (Surah Rum 41).
Surah Ar-Rum 41:
41Corruption has emerged on the land and at the sea because of that which they have earned with their hands to make them taste some of which they have done so that perhaps the people will return.
With reference to the subject of reincarnation, we stated some of our findings in our analysis on the Surah Hud.
We explained this issue in our scrutiny about the Surah Al-Kahf (In the Companions of Al-Raqim and Al-Kahf section) in details.
It is in sum as follows:
First, attention must be paid to the 21st verse to understand the issues of Companions of “Al-Kahf” and “Al-Raqim” well:
Surah Al-Kahf 21:
21Thus We made them knowledgeable so they might know that the promise of Allah is truth and there is no doubt about the day of Qiyamat [Resurrection]. When they disputed among themselves about their affairs. They said: “Build a simple structure over them. Their Rabb knows them better”. And those who prevailed over their affairs said: “We will certainly build over them a masjid [schools that would prove the existence of Akhirat [Afterlife] ]”.
As seen, the reason to adopt the Companions Al-Kahf and Al-Raqim as a subject matter is that they are the scientific proof that the promise of Allah is the truth and there will be no doubt about the Qiyamat [Resurrection].
Companions of Al-Kahf and Al-Raqim were not narrated to us as a parable. It is not considerable that the past parables would be proofs for the Qiyamat [Resurrection] in the future. The fact that the verbs used in the narration are given in the present and future tenses is because what is narrated is not about the past but the future.
MEANINGS OF COMPANIONS OF AL-KAHF AND COMPANIONS OF AL-RAQIM AS WORDS:
الكهفKahf
“الكهف Kahf” means a big and large hollow [cave] on a mountain. Smaller of it is referred to as a ” غار Gar”.[2]
الرّقيم Raqim
The word “Raqim” is from “rqm” root and means “writing”. Hence it is mentioned in the Qur’an as “Kitabun merqum [book written]” (Surah Al-Mutaffifîn 9, 20). “Raqim” is “written, numbered”. With it, “plate; epigraph, inscription” are meant. Some said that Raqim is a mountain with a cave on it; some said that it is the name of the province where the Companions of Al-Kahf lived; while some others viewed it as the lead epigraph on which the names of the Companions of Al-Kahf are inscribed”.[3]
The most suitable meaning of the word is the meaning of “Inscription; epigraph, writing, written plate”.
When “Kahf” and “Raqim” words are compounded with the word of “اصحابAshab”, the meanings of “ اصحاب الكهفAshab Al-Kahf [Companions of the Great Cave] and “ اصحاب الرّقيم Ashab Al-Raqim [Companions of the Inscription]” come to the surface.
This means that in this passage, some events that will take place in the “Grand Cave” are narrated. There will be things going on between those working in the “Great Cave” and the “Companions of the Inscription”. When the verses where events that will take place in the cave are examined, it will be seen that it is not a big cave, “mountain hollow”, but a laboratory and soundproof studio.
It is necessary for us to remember some information notified earlier by our Rabb to His servants for we can understand correctly the Companions of Al-Kahf and the Companions of Al-Raqim. It is because that information is the baseline and first step of what will be mentioned hereunder. We think it is obligatory to provide the information we mentioned in the analysis of the Surah Hud, not as a summary but as a whole because of its close relation with the issue:
Surah Hud 6 :
6There is no creature on the earth, small-large, whose provision is not upon Allah. Allah knows its permanent dwelling and temporary settlement. All is in an explicit book.
In this verse where the relation between Allah and the living beings is highlighted, it is stated that Allah provided every moving living thing on earth with its sustenance, that He knows where they are placed and they dwell, and that, thus, He has control on all of them at all times.
Mentioned in the verse, the word “ دابّة dabbah” means all kinds of moving living entities including the small ones such as viruses and bacteria. From the expression of the verse, it is understood that Supreme Allah is the guarantor for the provisions of all the living things regardless of whether they are small or big, at sea or on earth.
In our analysis of Surah An-Naml 82, where the word of “Dabbah” was first mentioned, we scrutinized it and we stated what kind of wrong beliefs appeared when giving wrong meanings to the word, in details. Hence, we would be satisfied here by recommending that our remarks about the real meaning of the word of “dabbah” in the Qur’an, as well as about the nature of the pile of hearsays around that word are read again.
THE WORDS OF ” مستقرّ MUSTEKARR” AND ” مستودع MUSTAWDA”
In the verse, the word of “el-mustekarr” means “a permanent settlement”, and “al-mustawda’” means a “temporary place”. The fact that Allah knows the “permanent” and “temporary” places of the living beings means the fact that the places where both the living beings are entrusted and then settled are known by Allah. Regardless of the extent of the alteration of these places, this would not constitute a change of circumstance [or “difficulty”] in terms of Allah’s knowing. For example:
– Anyone can move to another city or country other than the one he lives in due to certain reasons; but wherever he may go, Allah knows where he exactly is.
– The place where a man will die may be different from the place where he sleeps every night; however, Allah knows the both.
– A sperm cell is created within the body of the father then it replaced into the ovary of the mother. Allah knows exactly where that cell is at any given moment.
– A bacteria is formed at a place and then penetrated to bodies of other creatures and becomes active there. Allah knows where that bacterium is and what its activities are.
Our Rabb says as follows:
Surah Al-An’am 59 :
59Keys to the unseen, the unheard, the past and the future are only with Him. No one knows them except Him. He also knows what is on the land and in the sea. Not even a leaf falls but that He knows it. No grain is there within the darkness of the earth and no moist or dry thing except that it is within an explicit book.
The Ayah (verse) in question supports another meaning in addition to those we mentioned above. It is that “Allah knows where a man will temporarily dwell with his information and without vanishing until the day of resurrection”. In order to explain this meaning in more details, following verses must be remembered:
- Verse:
Surah Al-Qiyamat 13 :
13That day, man will be informed with that which he sent ahead and what he left behind.
The word “اليوم Yevm” was used in the Qur’an not only as a “day” but also as a “phase, session, and stage”. This term refers in the Qur’an sometimes to a “moment” sometime “many years”. For example, in Surah Al-Rahman 29, “yevm” means a “moment” while it means “many years” in Surah Hud 7 and Surah Fussilat 9, 10.
In our opinion, “that day” in these verses, is the day on which the events above take place and the disbelievers look for places to flee by saying “Where is the place to flee!”, that is to say, eyes open wide, the lunar eclipse takes place, and the sun and the moon merged; is the moment of the death.
At that moment, “the final moment”, the biologic “chips” [nerve cells acting as a memory] placed within men during the creation act their duties and present the recorded information to the vision of the person. Now the person is with his conscience and started to feel the punishment of what he had done in his conscience. Hence, the period in which a person will be both a witness and informant against himself started with that moment of death. Of course, this process will continue in the Akhirat [Afterlife] as well.
Our opinion that the memory cells will take office and notify what a person has done without any missing point has been supported by scientific researches as well. Dr. Pınar Uysal Onganer says in one of her articles:
“…Salk Institute Biology Department’s neuro-biologists in California published their findings in “Neuron” magazine regarding the issue. They proved in their experimental studies that even though we believe that we did not take the umbrella because we forgot that we took it, our brain was able to remember it as a matter of fact. … Dr. Thomas D. Albright and his team studied the ‘nerve cells signals in the Inferior Temporal Cortex [ITC] to understand what happens in the brains of monkeys. ITC is the area responsible for the ‘visual identification’ and remembering of the brain. It was demonstrated that electrical stimulation of this region caused visual hallucinations experienced in the past. In addition, it is thought that ITC has a role in the storage of the visual memory and recall of it when necessary”.[4]
Surah Al-An’am 61, 62 :
61And Allah maintains sovereignity over His servants and sends protectors upon you. And when the death comes upon any of you, Our messengers take his life, with nothing more nothing less; remind him one by one what he did in the past and what he failed to do while being obliged to. 62Then they will be returned to their real God, Allah. Be careful, judgment belongs only to Him and He is the swiftest of accountants”.
The word in the above verse that we translated as “Protectors” is stated in the original text as “Hafaza”. The root meaning of this word is “protection”. It is specifically attention calling that “Hafaza” which means “Protectors”, and “Hafiza” which means “memory”, are derived from the same root. As it is seen, the verse proves the presence of the cells [memories] that act as a memory in the build of a human. Because the “muhafazas [protectors]” about which Allah informed His servants that He would send to them during taking their lives, are the memories which inform humans about what they did and what they failed to do, that is to say, give the Z reports to them about their lives.
Surah Qaf 2-4:
2,3But they wonder that a warner has come to them from among themselves; and the infidels; those who consciously deny the divinity of Allah and the fact that He is Rabb said: “This is an amazing thing! When we have died and have become dust? This is a distant return”.
4Indeed, We know what the earth diminishes of them. And with Us is a book that records and guards very well.
This verse is the response of the deniers, “When we have died and become dust? This is a distant return”. The fact that the deniers think that resurrection is something that is impossible stems from the fact that they do not know the reality of creation and all parts of the creation in details [their lack of knowledge]. If all the secrets of life were discovered, resurrection after death would not seem distant from their minds. However, Supreme Allah knows these secrets and creates accordingly:
Surah Ya-Sin 79, 80:
79,80Say: “The One Who formed them the first time will resurrect them. And He is the One Who knows every formation very well. He is the One who made fire/oxygen from a green tree for you. Now, you burn oxygen.
The issues like what happens to those who turn into dust decaying after death, what constitutes the entities, the nature of the ties between the pieces constituting the entities, what disappears and what do not disappear from such pieces, what remains present by changing their forms [maintain their existence] are the secrets that only our Rabb can know. Our Rabb knows these issues regarding the entities perfectly and maintains all the secrets regarding life in His own science. As it is specified in the verse that all the information regarding creation are maintained, the fact that people die and mix into the earth after decaying does not mean they vanish. Restart of life from this dust [matter] took place once previously and continues to take place constantly.
Considering the three verses above, the last meaning we gave above regarding the words of “al-mustaqqar” and “al-mustawda” can be explained as follows:
In the build of a human, there are memory cells that record every event about him. Even the possibility for all the cells to have a memory property is not so distant. Such memory cells carry out their functions at the moment of death and ensure the realization of taking life. From the expression in the verse, our subject matter, which is, “He [Allah] knows its permanent dwelling and temporary settlement”, it is understood that such cells do not mix into earth and disappear as a result of death and that Allah knows the location of these protectors [memory cells] that carry the records of the entire lives of humans.
This fact brings a new explanation to some events on which attempts are made to describe them by means of reincarnation. As it is known, some people who assert that they had experienced another life before they came to life and give some significant details regarding that life. Such cases that are attempted to be rendered the basis for the belief of Tenasuh [Immigration of the Soul] cannot be given as a proof that a person lived in different bodies in the course of time because a person who died can neither come back to life nor transit into a new life. There is no doubt about that. However, if there are those who are not liars, charlatans and not with a pathological personality are sorted out from among those who claim that they lived other lives in the past, how would their condition be explained?
In the verse, our subject matter, it is stated that our Rabb is the tracker of everything and no phenomenon, event, and object is out of His knowledge and control. Within the framework of the meaning, which we envisage, of this verse, the event can be explained as follows:
“It is possible that the memory cells belonging to a person who lived centuries ago enter the body of any person by way of digestion or breathing and stay there, and then the person remembers such records in the memory cells as if they were his own past and tells them to others”.
After all these long explanations, we can say by the permission of Allah that “Companions of Al-Raqim” are the persons who bear the memory cells [inscriptions] of the past people, which have never been and will never be lost. Companions of Al-Kahf are the brave ones who decipher the cells belonging to others carried by such people in a calm ambiance, a laboratory or a studio, by way of hypnosis, and who scientifically prove that they have not and will not be lost and our Rabb maintains everything without being eliminated.
Now, in the light of these data, we can analyze the other paragraphs of the passage:
The ayat 10 and 12 are the summary of the narration regarding the Companions of Al-Kahf and Al-Raqim. Companions of Al-Kahf head for their workplace to conduct their research and continue their works here. These are of the believers. They are supplicating to Allah to reach their objectives. Allah sends them Companions of Al-Raqim. They, as understood from the expression of “Thereafter, We cast over their ears in that great cave for many years”. in the verse 11, that they continue their works for many years in calm, isolated ambiance. Then they succeed. They learn the period from which Companions of Al-Raqim carried memory cells. Finally, this event is one of the substantial proofs of resurrection as stated in the verse 21.
Surah Al-Kahf 13, 16, 14, 15:
13-16We will relate to you the important news of the Companions of Al-Kahf and the Companions Al-Raqim in truth. Indeed, they were a few young men who believed in their Rabb. And We increased them in guidance: “Now that you have abandoned them and that which they worship other than Allah, then seek refuge in that great cave so your Rabb may spread out for you His mercy and facilitate your affairs and prepare that which is beneficial”.
14,15And We made their hearts firm when they rose up and said: “Our Rabb is Rabb of the heavens/universe and the earth. We do not invoke those that are inferior to Him as deity otherwise we would speak nonsense. Those who have taken gods from among those that are inferior to Allah are our people. Why do they not bring clear evidence about the gods that they have taken? Who can do more wrong; act more against his own good than the one who invents a lie about Allah?”.
In this group of verses, starting of the Companions of Al-Kahf to work has been narrated. As understood from the verse, a group of believing young people stands [starts work] saying “Our Rabb! Grant us a mercy from Yourself and give us maturity and thoughtfulness in our affair” and our Rabb provided them with the opportunity by saying “Now that you have abandoned them and that which they worship other than Allah, then seek refuge in that great cave so your Rabb may spread out for you His mercy and facilitate your affairs and prepare that which is beneficial”.
Ayah 16 is a part of the ayah 13 in terms of both technical and semantic grounds. Hence, we gave the verses 13 and 16 together.
Surah Al-Kahf 17-20:
17And you will see that outcome is good when a work is done compliant with revelation; otherwise it will be nonsense. They were in a wide open space from it. This is among the evidences/signs of Allah. Whomever Allah guided, then he has followed the righteous path he was guided. And whomever Allah led astray, then you will never find a Familiar Person who would guide him.
18And if you had seen the Companions of Al-Raqim, you would have thought that they were awake. Yet they were asleep. And We turned them to the right and the left. And their dog extended its forelegs at the entrance. If you had known about their situation well, you would have moved away from them, fleeing and you have been filled with fear in awe.
19,20And We sent the companions of inscription so they might question among themselves. A speaker from among them said: “How long have you remained?”. Others said: “We have remained for a day or a fraction of a day”. Others from among the companions of the inscription: “Your Rabb knows better how long you have remained. Now send one of you with this silver money of yours to the city, let him look to whatever food is cleaner, let him bring you food from it. And let him treat politely and let not him make one be aware of you. Indeed, if the people of the city prevail over you, they will stone you to death or return you to their religion/lifestyle. In that case, you will never reach the salvation eternally”.
In these verses, works of the Companions of Al-Kahf take place. Companions of Al-Kahf are, through the hypnosis method they have applied, deciphering the records, belonging to the person who lived in the past, in the inscriptions [memory cells] carried by the Companions of Al-Raqim. This way, the Qur’an’s miracle and the fact that Allah’s promise is the truth and there is no doubt about the Qiyamat [Resurrection] are scientifically manifested.
In the verse, the expression of “And you will see the sun inclining right side of their cave when rising and passing away from them to the left of them when setting” states the position of these things happening from the angle of the Qur’an.
The sun mentioned here is not the Sun, which is a star, but the Qur’an as a metaphor. We have explained earlier in our note on the Surah “Ash-Shams” that the word of “Ash-Shams [Sun]” meant the Qur’an as a metaphor. Yes, if what goes on here is crosschecked through the Qur’an; that is to say, if what happens are scrutinized through the Qur’an, it will be seen that the direction on the right hand side was taken [a good work has been done]. If not viewed through the angle of the Qur’an, then, this time, the left hand direction would be taken [it will remain as an unfortunate, meaningless event and the studies will be wasted.] We have explained that the word “Right” means “good” and “Left” means “ominous”, earlier under the title of “Companions of Al-Maymanah and Companions of Al-Mesh’amah”.
Our Rabb informed in the Qur’an once again that the miracles of the Qur’an would appear from other worlds and within ourselves.
Surah Fussilat 53 :
53We will show them Our evidences/signs in other worlds and within themselves until it becomes clear that it is the truth. Is it not sufficient that your Rabb is witness over all things?
Details regarding this issue were given previously in the analysis of the Surah Fussilat.
In the verse 18, the method of deciphering the memory codes carried by the Companions of Al-Raqim is specified. As understood, the method of code deciphering in question will be conducted by way of hypnosis. The fact that they will be deemed awake by those who see them, despite being put to sleep, marks a hypnotic situation. Their movement to the right and the left although they are sleeping demonstrates this.
The expression in the Ayah 19 of “And, we sent them [the Companions of the Inscription] so they might question among themselves”, states the help of our Rabb to the Companions of Al-Kahf; the fact that He made them find the persons on which they will be working and studying.
The verb “بعث bease” in the original of the verses 12 and 19 has been translated generally as “resurrected”. We have translated the same verb in both verses as “send”. Hence we gave that which in the verse 12 the meaning of “We sent”, and of “We sent” and “send” to those in the verse 19. The reason for this is that the Arabic grammar rules require doing so, as follows:
بعث BEASE
This word means in the dictionary “sending alone or along with a person”.[5] When the Qur’an is viewed, it is seen that this word is used to mean “sending” rather than “resurrection”. In fact, the meaning of “resurrection” of the word results from its connotation of “sending from the grave”. In addition, there are many verses in the Qur’an, where sending a messenger is expressed with the verb of “ بعث bease”. We will give examples from a few verses on the meaning of sending a “person” and a “group:”
Surah Al-Maidah 12:
12And surely, Allah took the solemn covenant of Israelites. And We sent from among them twelve supervisors/leaders. And Allah said: “I am surely with you. If you establish Salah [establish and maintain the institutions that support financially and spiritually; enlighten the community], give zaqah/tax, believe in My messengers, support them and loan Allah a good loan, I will definitely remove your evil deeds and admit you into the gardens of Jannah [Heaven/Paradise], underneath of which rivers flow. And whoever among you disbelieves; consciously denies the divinity of Allah and the fact that He is Rabb after this, he has certainly gone astray from the righteous path”.
Surah An-Nisa 35:
35If you fear dissension between wife and husband, then send to them an arbitrator from among the close people of the husband and an arbitrator from among the close people of the wife. If the wife and the husband truly desire to reconcile, Allah will give reconciliation between them. Indeed, Allah is the One Who knows very well, is the One Who knows well inner and hidden sides of everything.
Surah Al-An’am 65:
65Say: “He is the One Who is able to send punishment from above you and from beneath your feet or to divide you into clans and make you taste the resentment of one another”. Look, how We diversify/explain in detail Our Ayat so they may understand very well.
Surah Al-Isra 4, 5:
4And We decreed to Israelites in the Book that: “You will definitely make corruption on the earth/be defeated twice and rise again with a great haughtiness”. 5And when the time of the first of them came, We sent upon you Our mighty servants and they wandered among the houses, searching. And it was a promise that must have been fulfilled.
Surah at-Tawbah 46:
46Had they intended to set out, they would certainly have made some preparations. Yet Allah did not like that they were sent and He kept them back. –And it was said: “Sit with those who sit!”.-
In the verses 19 and 20, it is stated that two groups from those people whose memory cells they carried were deciphered and who lived in the same age were determined and that they spoke to each other by asking questions to each other when hypnotized.
These two groups of the Companions of the Inscription carry the records of the period where the criminals were killed by stoning. Two groups are behaving as if they lived in that era, because of the memory cells belonging to the past period, they carried; that is to say, they are thinking that the conditions of that period are ongoing.
Surah Al-Kahf 21:
21Thus We made them knowledgeable so they might know that the promise of Allah is truth and there is no doubt about the day of Qiyamat [Resurrection]. When they disputed among themselves about their affairs. They said: “Build a simple structure over them. Their Rabb knows them better”. And those who prevailed over their affairs said: “We will certainly build over them a masjid [schools that would prove the existence of Akhirat (Afterlife)]”.
In this verse, our Rabb explains why He assigned the Companions of Al-Kahf and had them conduct researches. It is understood that our Rabb would bring the knowledge recorded in the entrusted cells in the Companions of the Inscription to the surface in order for the people to understand Allah’s promise regarding the gathering and resurrection is truth and would ensure that everyone hears and knows it.
The brave ones who conduct such a study discuss about what they could do after this works among themselves. Some consider to continue it without expanding it a lot, while some others– whose opinion would eventually take place – to build a masjid [a place of submission, being convinced; that is to say, a school that would make everyone believe in resurrection after death and ensure that everyone sees this with their own eyes, by means of sharing this issue with everyone and conducting it in a continuous manner] on them.
Dear Murat
It is not a question according to the Qur’an that a deceasing person comes back to life in another body (human-animal) in order to maturate (Surah Al-Mu’minun 99, 100).
Surah Al-Mu’minun 99, 100:
99,100And when death comes to one of them, he said: “My Rabb! Send me back so I may do righteous deeds in that which I have left”. Certainly not as he thinks! This surely is a word he is saying. There will be a barrier behind them until the day when they will be resurrected.
Surah Fatir 36-38:
36And those infidels; those who consciously deny the divinity of Allah and the fact that He is Rabb; the blazing fire of Jahannah [Hell] will be for them. It is not decreed about them so they may die. Nor will the fire of Jahannah [Hell] be lightened from them. Thus We recompense the infidels; those transgressing ones who consciously deny the divinity of Allah and the fact that He is Rabb. 37And they will cry out there: “Our Rabb! Let us free so we may do better deeds than what we did”. – Did We not grant you life enough for whoever thinks would think. And a warner came to you. Then taste it! Now there is no helper either for those who did wrong; acted against their own good by associating others with Allah. –
38Surely, Allah is the One Who knows the unseen, unheard and unfelt of the heavens/universe and the earth. No doubt that He is the One Who knows best what is in the chests.
Surah al-An’am 27, 28:
27If you could see when they are made to stand upon the fire, they will say: “Oh, if only we were returned to the world, we have not denied the Ayat of our Rabb and we have become of the believers!”.
28Rather, what they have been concealing has now been disclosed. If they were returned, they would definitely return to that which was forbidden to them. Yes, they are truly liars.
If we can learn the source, proofs, documents and knowledge of such beliefs of Hindus well, we can analyze that belief and demonstrate its incongruities with the Qur’an.
My knowledge in this regard is encyclopedia based and I have no more knowledge … But it became my obligation to be knowledgeable and to be interested in the subject from now on…
Hakkı YILMAZ
[1] Rabb means “The One Who disciplines and educates, One Who guides his creations to a certain target/targets within the frame of a schedule, one who programs and manages the development”. This word, in absolute terms, is used for Allah alone. As to humans, it is used in such forms as “the rabb of the house”, “the rabb of the workplace”, etc. The English term closest to this term in the context of meaning is “boss”. While having a meaning close to rabb, this word does not cover the meaning of rabb entirely as it is used only in the commercial context. For this reason, since we did not have the possibility to explain the term rabb with multiple words, we had to leave it in its original Arabic form. Therefore, our readers should keep the above mentioned definition in their minds.
[2] Lisan al-Arab, v: 7, p: 751
[3] Lisan al-Arab, v.4 , p. 220-222
[4] From the Science and Technique supplement of Cumhuriyet newspaper dated 11 February 2006
[5] Tebyin-ul Qur’an; v. 1, p. 449, 450; Taj al-Arus; v.3, p. 170, 171. “ba’s” art.