Ask a child where they’re going on holiday and they’ll tell you the destination straight away. Ask them about the motorway services halfway there and they’ll look at you blankly. Nobody gets excited about the services.
That’s a fair picture of how Islam sees our lives. The Akhirah is the Hereafter, the life that begins after death and never ends. This world is the road. The Akhirah is where the road leads, and it’s the place every one of us is actually heading for.
What the Qur’an says about the Akhirah
Allah puts it very simply:
“But you prefer the life of this world, while the Hereafter is better and more lasting.” (Qur’an 87:16-17)
Two words do the work there. Better, and lasting. This world can be lovely. It just doesn’t last. The Hereafter is both.
The Prophet ﷺ once gave a comparison that’s hard to forget. He said that this world, next to the Hereafter, is like a person dipping their finger into the sea. Let them look at what comes back on the finger. (Sahih Muslim 2858)
A drop on a fingertip. That’s the size of everything we worry about here, set against what’s coming.
Why we forget
If the Akhirah is so much bigger, why does it slip our minds so easily? Partly because we can see this world and we can’t see the next. Bills are real. The mortgage is real. Paradise feels like a story.
Partly, too, because the services are very comfortable these days. Good food, nice seats, bright lights. It’s easy to sit down and forget there’s still a long drive ahead.
Packing for where you’re going
A sensible traveller packs for the destination, not the stopover. You don’t take a swimsuit to Iceland. So what does someone heading for the Akhirah pack?
- Prayer, done properly and on time.
- Good character, especially with the people closest to you.
- Charity, which goes on ahead of you and is waiting when you arrive.
- Repentance, so you don’t arrive carrying what you meant to put down.
Charity has a special place on that list because it’s the clearest way to move something from here to there. What you keep stays at the services. What you give travels with you. We wrote about this idea in A Rider Under a Tree, and it’s one of the reasons we’re called Musafir.
Living with the destination in mind
None of this means ignoring the world. Islam asks us to work, look after our families and enjoy what’s halal. It just asks us to keep one eye on the sat nav.
A good test is to ask, every so often, whether a decision makes sense for the Akhirah as well as for this life. Most of the time the answer is easy. Occasionally it changes what you do.
If you’d like to send something on ahead today, our food appeal feeds families who are struggling right now, and our water projects keep giving for years.
Send something ahead to the Akhirah.
Frequently asked questions
What does Akhirah mean?
Akhirah is the Arabic word for the Hereafter, the life that begins after death and lasts forever. It includes the grave, the Day of Judgement, and the final home in Paradise or Hell. Belief in the Akhirah is one of the core articles of Islamic faith.
Why is the Akhirah more important than this world?
The Qur’an describes the Hereafter as better and more lasting than this life. This world is short and temporary, like a stop on a journey, while the Akhirah is permanent. What we do here decides what we find there.
How can I prepare for the Akhirah?
Pray regularly, keep good character, repent sincerely and give in charity. Charity is especially powerful because it sends good deeds ahead of you, and ongoing charity like water projects keeps adding to your record after you’ve gone.