Satanism Today - An Encyclopedia of Religion, Folklore and Popular ...

Islam 129
sort of interworld (barzakh), a realm located
closer to the luminous cosmic center, until the day
of resurrection. In this interworld, which somewhat
resembles dreaming, the soul of the
deceased, liberated from its bodily layers, can
awaken and become aware of its true nature. The
interworld period is important in preparing for
the day of resurrection, which occurs at the end of
time—when human possibilities and potential
have been exhausted. The day of resurrection
(referred to as qiyama, the return, or ba’th, awakening),
which constitutes one of the essential
beliefs of the Islamic faith, is believed by some to
last thousands of years. On this day the souls,
rejoined with their bodies, will be assigned eternal
life either in paradise (literally the Garden) or in
hell (the fire), depending on their merits.
Although the figure of the Madhi is more
central to Shiite Islam, it is a popular belief among
many Sunni Muslims that a righteous leader (a
Madhi or “rightly guided one”) will reign for a
brief period in the last days. He will be followed by
an imposter messiah (parallel to the Christian
notion of an Antichrist) who will attempt to lead
the world astray. Finally, however, the prophet
Jesus will appear to usher in the final judgment.
On Judgment Day the earth will quake and mountains
become a “heap of sand”: “When the stars
shall be extinguished, when heaven shall be split,
when the mountains shall be scattered.” (Arberry
1969, 318). As in the judgment day scenarios of
other Middle Eastern religions, the dead are resurrected:
“Upon the day when the Caller shall call
unto a horrible thing, abasing their eyes, they shall
come forth from the tombs as if they were scattered
grasshoppers, running with outstretched
necks to the Caller. The unbelievers shall say, ‘This
is a hard day!’” (Arberry 1969, 247). And judged:
“Then he whose deeds weigh heavy in the Balance
shall inherit a pleasing life, but he whose deeds
weight light in the Balance shall plunge in the
womb of the Pit” (Arberry 1969, 348).
Paradise (al-Jannah) is located at the macrocosmic
center of light and is composed of eight
levels (or, according to some authorities, as many
as the number of souls). This is viewed as a garden
where all kinds of delights are prepared for the
saved. On the far outer part of the macrocosm lies
Arabic amulet with an Koranic inscription (Fortean
Picture Library)
hell (an-nar), arranged in seven layers, where the
soul’s punishment consists of being far from God,
which is considered to be the worst chastisement.
More so than Judeo-Christian scriptures, the
Koran contains a number of vivid descriptions of
both paradise and hell. For instance, in the chapter
entitled “The Terror,” the Koran says, “They are
brought nigh the Throne, in the Gardens of
Delight upon close-wrought couches reclining
upon them, set face to face, immortal youths going
round about them with goblets, and ewers, and a
cup from a spring and such fruits as they shall
choose, and such flesh of fowl as they desire,
and wide-eyed houris as the likeness of hidden
pearls, a recompense for that they labored”
(Arberry1969, 254). Equally vivid descriptions of
Hell can be found throughout the Koran, as in the
chapter “The Pilgrimage”: “garments of fire shall
be cut, and there shall be poured over their heads
boiling water whereby whatsoever is in their
bellies and their skins shall be melted; for them
await hooked iron rods; as often as they desire in
their anguish to come forth from it, they shall be