How Will Believing in the Last Day Affect Us as Muslims?

Believing in the Last Day encourages us Muslims to live our lives in a good and righteous way. For every action we do, whether is it good or bad, we take responsibility for them and to try pass the test of life.  

What affects us most spiritually, physically and emotionally is not death itself as death is only a mandatory process to the next life, then the eternal life of the hereafter. But it is our intention behind our every action and sincerity throughout our lives in dunya before our individually written deaths that affects us most.  

For those who often remember death and ponder about the Last Day in our lives, it keeps us in reminder of our ultimate destiny (either heading towards Heaven or Hell). This places our purpose of life into perspective: To worship Allah and do actions that promote good because “to Him we belong and to Him we shall return.” – (2 : 156)

Spiritually, it encourages us Muslims to conduct every aspect of our lives with God-consciousness. Having reminded of the inevitable and undeniable truth on the Day of Judgment where every individual will be resurrected to account for their lives, it keeps us in-check to be in remembrance of Allah during our daily lives whether in good or struggling times. 

The patience and mental capacity to accept all the trials from our Lord is not easy and it can be very challenging. However, it will strengthen our Iman and prevent us from straying away into arrogance when we are blessed with good things on earth, or blaming our Creator when being tested with tragic events like loss of lives, jobs, home, etc. For having such strong spirituality of faith and trust in Allah even when at our lowest, we will be recompensed with unimaginable rewards in the unseen Hereafter. 

Without any faith or those that knows but willingly ignore the warnings of the afterlife by our Prophet SAW and only focuses on this world, they will become heedless of their purpose in life. It will affect their spiritual way of life by making them chase materialistic things and  socio-economic status, sacrificing their obligations and duties instructed by the Lord.  

They will be lost, depressed, having to lie and backbite other fellow humans just for their own personal gains which will keep multiplying their sins and ultimately lead them to their doom in the Hereafter, for they have missed the bigger picture that “The life of this world is  merely an amusement and a diversion; the true life is in the  Hereafter, if only they knew”. – (29 : 64)

For those who believe that this life is a test to determine our place in the eternal life after death, it affects us physically by seeking to positively contribute to the world around us. It motivates us to do good in all our actions towards other people, animals, and the environment because one day we will return to our Creator and be held accountable for our deeds.

Even though we have the free will to live according to our whims and desires, we limit our attachment to this world as best as we can to enter eternal paradise in the Hereafter. 

Emotionally, it gives us a balance of hopeful and fearful feeling when it comes to the Day of Judgement, where there will be justice for those who were oppressed, and retribution for the ones who oppresses and denies others their basic rights. 

It purifies our hearts to strengthen our five pillars and to do more sunnah prayers for more good deeds. Such as doing our Dhikr more often, seeking more Islamic knowledge, while reading the Quran to remind ourselves of the Last Day which, “On that Day, people will  come forward in separate groups to be shown their deeds: whoever has done an atom’s weight of good will see it, but whoever has done an atom’s weight of evil will see that”. (99 : 6-8)

My preparations for the Hereafter: 

• Keep reading the Quran 
• Make a lot of Dhikr (in remembrance of Allah) 
• Make a lot of Dua 
• Be kind to people (Adab) 
• Offering late night prayers (Tahajjud) 
• Do more Sunnah fasting 
• Mix with good and righteous people 
• Do charity
• Help the poor and needy 
• Take care of animals 

Personally, softening the heart is one of the most important priorities to prepare for the Hereafter. The heart is the most  important organ in the human body both physically and spiritually. Reading the Quran and about the Prophet’s autobiography to imitate his way of life is the best way to soften a sealed heart. 

With a soft and good heart, it will make us more motivated to practice righteous deeds, seeking forgiveness/repentance, strengthen family bonds, continuous charity, constantly maintaining patience and gratitude.  

All of which are very important to prepare for the Last Day. The day where Insyaallah, we and our loved ones will be resurrected with our bodies basking in light as tall as skyscrapers, passing through the bridge and scale with fast speeds and being admitted into Jannah.