It is generally believed that the Quran says that after death everyone will appear before Allah on the single Day of Judgment. There is no mention of being born again on earth in the Quran but our study shows that reincarnation is as consistent with the Quran as a single Day of Judgment. We will examine the verses related to reincarnation in this perspective.
- [He] who created death and life to test you [as to] which of you is best in deed – and He is the Exalted in Might, the Forgiving. (Quran 67:2)
Our View- After death all souls go to the sky. There, all those who have died in the past and who had some sort of relation with the present dead soul, become present and the previously dead souls test the present dead soul as to which deeds were right and which deeds were wrong. There all works done in the life by a person are completely transparent. There is no possibility of lie. This has been said in this verse that after death the souls will be tested as to who is the best soul.
- The Day when We will fold the heaven like the folding of a [written] sheet for the records. As We began the first creation, We will repeat it. [That is] a promise binding upon Us. Indeed, We will do it. (Quran 21:104)
Our View- In this verse it is said that just as Allah created the world for the first time, in the same way He will repeat it again. In our view this means that just as a person was born earlier, in the same way he will be born again after death and this promise has been made by Allah.
- And give good tidings to those who believe and do righteous deeds that they will have gardens [in Paradise] beneath which rivers flow. Whenever they are provided with a provision of fruit therefrom, they will say, “This is what we were provided with before.” And it is given to them in likeness. And they will have therein purified spouses, and they will abide therein eternally. (Quran 2:25)
Our View- After death, when the dead soul who has done good deeds goes into the sky, the other souls who are impressed by its good deeds welcome it and provide it with all kinds of comforts. To show this, it is said that there are gardens beneath which rivers flow and they will get fruits. This does not mean that rivers and fruits are physically there. It only shows what kind of welcome these good dead souls will get above. In this verse, it is also said that they will stay there forever. Here the word “forever” should be understood as a long time. As long as the effect of the good deeds done by the dead soul remains, the other souls welcome it. But with the passage of time, when the effect of the good deeds ends then they come to the earth for rebirth.
- How can you disbelieve in Allah when you were lifeless and He brought you to life; then He will cause you to die, then He will bring you [back] to life, and then to Him you will be returned. (Quran 2:28)
Our view- This verse tells the sequence of lifelessness, death and life. Islamic scholars say that first we were clay, then we became human, then we died and after that we were brought back to life for examination in front of Allah. This view is possible but our view is that the sequence of death, life, death and life again shows rebirth. By following this sequence, when the soul becomes pure then it does not return to the earth for rebirth but gets absorbed in Allah or Brahman. It is said at the end of this verse that then you have to return to Him, that is, when the soul becomes pure from going through the cycle of birth and death, then it gets absorbed in Brahman.
- Have you not considered those who left their homes in many thousands, fearing death? Allah said to them, “Die”; then He restored them to life. And Allah is full of bounty to the people, but most of the people do not show gratitude. (Quran 2:243)
Our View- It is clearly written in this verse that Allah first told the souls to die and then Allah gave them life. This life could be of the Day of Judgment when all souls will present themselves before Allah. But this life could also be the rebirth of every soul.
- Allah begins creation; then He will repeat it; then to Him you will be returned. (Quran 30:11)
Our View- Allah starts the creation i.e. when a soul is born, a new creation begins for it. Then, when it is reborn after death, another creation starts or the creation repeats again. Finally it is said that the soul will turn towards Allah i.e. when it gets purified in the process of birth and death, it will go towards Brahman or Allah.
- He said, “Therein you will live, and therein you will die, and from it you will be brought forth.” (Quran 7:25)
Our View- After the birth of every soul, it has to die on the earth and from there, after dying, it has to go to the sky. Thus it is said that you will be taken out from there.
- [For such is the state of the disbelievers], until, when death comes to one of them, he says, “My Lord, send me back.
That I might do righteousness in that which I left behind.” No! It is only a word he is saying; and behind them is a barrier until the Day they are resurrected. (Quran 23:99-100)
Our View- It is said in this verse that there is no possibility of the soul going back to the earth. We understand it to say that the soul which has died in a family or place cannot return to the same family or place after death. But the soul can move forward after death, that is, instead of going back to the same family where it died, it take birth on the earth again in another family. There is no restriction on such forward-moving rebirth in this verse. The “Barrier” is not placed in front for next birth.
Summary- Thus we see that all the verses related to birth and death can have two interpretations. One is that in the end there will be only one birth on the Day of Judgment. Second is that there will be birth again and again. Both possibilities are mentioned in the Quran. The second possibility matches with Hinduism. Hence this interpretation can help build mutual understanding between Hindus and Muslims.