Bahá’í Proofs from the Qur’an: IV

The principal mosque in Akka, Israel, with the old suq (market) in the foreground.

 

IV. HAS THE DAY OF JUDGMENT COME?

 

1. The Qur’an teaches that the meaning of the Day of Judgment is a mystery which will be revealed by God on the Day of Judgment itself:

    “They will ask Thee of the Hour – for what time is its coming fixed? SAY: The knowledge of it is only with My Lord: none shall manifest it in its time but He.” (A’raf – 7:187)

 يَسۡـَٔلُونَكَ عَنِ ٱلسَّاعَةِ أَيَّانَ مُرۡسَٮٰهَا‌ۖ قُلۡ إِنَّمَا عِلۡمُهَا عِندَ رَبِّى‌ۖ لَا يُجَلِّيہَا لِوَقۡتِہَآ إِلَّا هُوَ

     What the mind of man has thought or thinks about the Day of Judgment is mere imagination. How can the leaders of Islam say that the Day of judgment has not come, and still try to explain its nature and signs literally?

 

2. It is further pointed out in the Qur’an that the contents of that Holy Book are divided into two parts: the part that it easily understood (called the “perspicuous”) and the part which is in picture or story form (called the “figurative”). The first part is clear and straightforward, whilst the second part is revealed in a style which is full of figures of speech and therefore cannot be properly understood. The second part needs interpretation. That interpretation, according to the Qur’an, is not man’s function, but God’s; and God shall reveal at a later age its interpretation. Here are the verses:

     “He it is Who hath sent down to Thee the Book (the Qur’an). Some of its verses are of themselves perspicuous; – these are the basis of the Book – and others are figurative. But they whose hearts are given to err, follow its figures, craving discord, craving an interpretation; yet none knoweth its interpretation but God.” (al-Imran – 3:5)

هُوَ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَنزَلَ عَلَيۡكَ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبَ مِنۡهُ ءَايَـٰتٌ۬ مُّحۡكَمَـٰتٌ هُنَّ أُمُّ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبِ وَأُخَرُ مُتَشَـٰبِهَـٰتٌ۬‌ۖ فَأَمَّا ٱلَّذِينَ فِى قُلُوبِهِمۡ زَيۡغٌ۬ فَيَتَّبِعُونَ مَا تَشَـٰبَهَ مِنۡهُ ٱبۡتِغَآءَ ٱلۡفِتۡنَةِ وَٱبۡتِغَآءَ تَأۡوِيلِهِۦ‌ۗ وَمَا يَعۡلَمُ تَأۡوِيلَهُ ۥۤ إِلَّا ٱللَّ

    “And now have We brought them the Book: with knowledge have we explained it; a guidance and a mercy to them that believe. What have they to wait for now but its interpretation? When its interpretation shall come, they who aforetime were oblivious of it shall say, ‘The Prophets of our Lord did indeed bring the truth.’” (A’raf – 7:51-52)

 وَلَقَدۡ جِئۡنَـٰهُم بِكِتَـٰبٍ۬ فَصَّلۡنَـٰهُ عَلَىٰ عِلۡمٍ هُدً۬ى وَرَحۡمَةً۬ لِّقَوۡمٍ۬ يُؤۡمِنُونَ هَلۡ يَنظُرُونَ إِلَّا تَأۡوِيلَهُ ۥ‌ۚ يَوۡمَ يَأۡتِى تَأۡوِيلُهُ ۥ يَقُولُ ٱلَّذِينَ نَسُوهُ مِن قَبۡلُ قَدۡ جَآءَتۡ رُسُلُ رَبِّنَا بِٱلۡحَقِّ          

            The Bahá’ís point out that most of the verses in the Qur’an which are “figurative” are those describing the Day of Judgment. As the meaning of the Day of Judgment is to be disclosed by God only when that Day actually comes, the advent of that Day and the promised interpretation of the Qur’an must necessarily come together. The Báb and Bahá’u’lláh not only proclaimed that the Day of Judgment has come, but have given us clearly in their writings the true meanings of all the symbols and allegories of that Holy Book.

 

3. The description set forth in the Qur’an of the phenomena to take place in the physical world on the Day of Judgment is most arresting. For example, the earth is to change into another earth (See Zumar – 39:67;

    Ibrahim – 14:48; Inshiqaq – 84:3; Qaf – 50:44; Rum – 30:50; Hadid – 57:17) and the heaven is to be cleft and split asunder (See Inshiqaq – 84:1; Infitar – 82:1; Naba’ – 78:19; Anbiya – 21:104; Rahman – 55:37;

    Dukhan – 44:10; Furqan – 25:25; Zumar – 39:67). In the Sura of Tawkir – 81 we even read:

    “When the heaven shall be stripped away.”

 وَإِذَا ٱلسَّمَآءُ كُشِطَتۡ

     And in the Sura of Ma’arij – 70: “When the heavens shall become as molten brass.”

 يَوۡمَ تَكُونُ ٱلسَّمَآءُ كَٱلۡمُهۡلِ

     Furthermore, the earth is to quake and the mountains are to pass away (See Naml – 27:88; Waqi’ah – 56:5; Qari-ah – 101:5; Muzammil – 73:14; Mursalat – 77:10; Naba – 78:20; Takwir – 81:3; TaHa – 20:105)

     Likewise, the sun is to be folded up and lose its light (Takwir – 81) and the stars are to disperse and be blotted out (Infitar – 82; Mursalat – 77)

     But now let us compare other verses with the above description. Here are four verses. Notice the words  underlined:

     “What! Are they sure that the overwhelming chastisement of God shall not come upon them, or that the Hour shall not come upon them, suddenly, while they are unaware?”

 أَفَأَمِنُوٓاْ أَن تَأۡتِيَہُمۡ غَـٰشِيَةٌ۬ مِّنۡ عَذَابِ ٱللَّهِ أَوۡ تَأۡتِيَہُمُ ٱلسَّاعَةُ بَغۡتَةً۬ وَهُمۡ لَا يَشۡعُرُونَ

     “Warn them of the day of sighing, when the decree shall be accomplished, while they are sunk in heedlessness and while they believe not.” (Maryam – 19:39)

 أَنذِرۡهُمۡ يَوۡمَ ٱلۡحَسۡرَةِ إِذۡ قُضِىَ ٱلۡأَمۡرُ وَهُمۡ فِى غَفۡلَةٍ۬ وَهُمۡ لَا يُؤۡمِنُونَ

     “But on the day of Resurrection some of you shall deny the others, and some of you shall curse he others. (Ankabut – 29:25)

يَوۡمَ ٱلۡقِيَـٰمَةِ يَكۡفُرُ بَعۡضُڪُم بِبَعۡضٍ۬ وَيَلۡعَنُ بَعۡضُڪُم بَعۡضً۬

                                         

    Let us now ask ourselves this question: if the overwhelming description of the changes in the physical world to take place on the Day of Judgment is to be interpreted literally, would it be reasonable to expect that the unbelievers would still be “unaware” of it, would not know its occurrence, and particularly, after the “decree would be accomplished” for them to still be sunk in “heedlessness” and not to believe, and above all for men to “deny” and “curse” one another? Wouldn’t the physical signs and portents be so drastic that there would be no room for unbelief, heedlessness and cursing to continue?

     Surely the answer is that the signs of the Day of Judgment must be interpreted symbolically, not literally.  Then we would understand why unbelief and heedlessness would still prevail at such a time.  

 

4. From the above, we note that the events of the Day of Judgment are to be taken symbolically. We shall now see how these spiritual developments are also to take place gradually:

                a. “And they will bid Thee to hasten the Chastisement (Day of Judgment). But God cannot fail His threat. And verily, a day with Thy Lord is a thousand years, as ye reckon them.” (Hajj – 22:46)

 وَعۡدَهُ ۥ‌ۚ وَإِنَّ يَوۡمًا عِندَ رَبِّكَ كَأَلۡفِ سَنَةٍ۬ مِّمَّا تَعُدُّونَ وَيَسۡتَعۡجِلُونَكَ بِٱلۡعَذَابِ وَلَن يُخۡلِفَ ٱللَّهُ

                  This verse shows us that the “Day” of Judgment is not an ordinary day of 24 hours, but 1000 years.

                b. “He bringeth forth the living out of the dead, and He bringeth forth the dead out of the living: and He quickeneth the earth when dead. Thus it is that ye too shall be brought forth.” (Rum – 30:18)

 يُخۡرِجُ ٱلۡحَىَّ مِنَ ٱلۡمَيِّتِ وَيُخۡرِجُ ٱلۡمَيِّتَ مِنَ ٱلۡحَىِّ وَيُحۡىِ ٱلۡأَرۡضَ بَعۡدَ مَوۡتِہَا وَكَذَٲلِكَ تُخۡرَجُونَ‌ۚ

                   The “bringing forth” mentioned in this verse is generally accepted by commentators to be a reference to the Day of Judgment. Thus we see how the resurrection of the dead, is the new creation, as it is sometimes called in the Qur’an, on the Day of Judgment is likened to the growth of vegetation from the earth in the physical world; and vegetable growth is a gradual process.

 

5. We are further told in the Qur’an that on the Day of Judgment, God shall reveal a new “Book”, that there will be a “call”, and that the “new creation” is none other than the “Faith of God.”

                a. “And on the Day of Resurrection will We Bring forth to him (man) a Book which shall be referred to him wide open.” (Bani-Isra’il – 17:14)

 وَنُخۡرِجُ لَهُ ۥ يَوۡمَ ٱلۡقِيَـٰمَةِ ڪِتَـٰبً۬ا يَلۡقَٮٰهُ مَنشُورًا

                b. “On that day shall God call you forth.” (Bani Isra’il – 17:54)

                c. “And list for the day whereon the Crier shall call from a near place: the day on which men shall in truth hear that shout will be the day of their coming forth from the grave.” (Qaf – 50:41)

 وَٱسۡتَمِعۡ يَوۡمَ يُنَادِ ٱلۡمُنَادِ مِن مَّكَانٍ۬ قَرِيبٍ۬يَوۡمَ يَسۡمَعُونَ ٱلصَّيۡحَةَ بِٱلۡحَقِّ‌ۚ ذَٲلِكَ يَوۡمُ ٱلۡخُرُوجِ

               d. “Set thou they face then, as a true convert, towards the Faith (the religion of God), this creation of God, with which He hath made men. No change is there in God’s creation, for, lo, it is the right faith. (Rum – 30:30)

فَأَقِمۡ وَجۡهَكَ لِلدِّينِ حَنِيفً۬ا‌ۚ فِطۡرَتَ ٱللَّهِ ٱلَّتِى فَطَرَ ٱلنَّاسَ عَلَيۡہَا‌ۚ لَا تَبۡدِيلَ لِخَلۡقِ ٱللَّهِ‌ۚ ذَٲلِكَ ٱلدِّينُ ٱلۡقَيِّمُ

    So we see how the Day of Judgment is to witness the revelation of a new Book, which is none other than the Holy Writings of Bahá’u’lláh. The “Crier”, referred to, is also Bahá’u’lláh, and the “near place” from where He “called” the people was Baghdad, which is near Arabia. It was in Baghdad that Bahá’u’lláh announced His Mission. Finally, according to the last verse, God’s “making” and “creation” of man, is through the revelation of His “Faith”, and life in His sight is acceptance of His Faith.

 

6. We shall see how the Qur’an, itself, explains some of the terms and expressions used in the description of the Day of Judgment:

              a. Life: One of the important events on the Last Day is that the dead will find life. As we have already seen, this means a spiritual life, the life of faith. The following verse was revealed when Hamzih, the uncle of Muhammad, joined Islam. Hamzih, who was a pagan before becoming a    Muslim, is referred to as “dead.” His subsequent acceptance of Islam is referred to as “being quickened” and receiving “light”:

                   “Shall the dead, whom we have quickened, and for whom we have ordained a light whereby he may walk among men, be like him, whose likeness is in the darkness, whence he will not come forth?” (An’am – 6:122)

 أَوَمَن كَانَ مَيۡتً۬ا فَأَحۡيَيۡنَـٰهُ وَجَعَلۡنَا لَهُ ۥ نُورً۬ا يَمۡشِى بِهِۦ فِىٱلنَّاسِ كَمَن مَّثَلُهُ ۥ فِى ٱلظُّلُمَـٰتِ لَيۡسَ بِخَارِجٍ۬ مِّنۡہَا‌ۚ‌ۚ

                    This verse is of particular interest, because it shows that “life” and “light” are both to be taken spiritually, not physically.

                    “While the gods whom they call on beside God, create nothing, but are themselves created. Dead are they (the unbelievers), lifeless! and they know not when they shall be raised.”  (Nahl – 16:20-22)              

وَٱلَّذِينَ يَدۡعُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ لَا يَخۡلُقُونَ شَيۡـًٔ۬ا وَهُمۡ يُخۡلَقُونَ

أَمۡوَٲتٌ غَيۡرُ أَحۡيَآءٍ۬‌ۖ وَمَا يَشۡعُرُونَ أَيَّانَ يُبۡعَثُونَ

                    “O ye faithful! Make answer to the appeal of God and His Apostle when He calleth you to that which giveth life.” (Anfal – 8:24)

 يَـٰٓأَيُّہَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ ٱسۡتَجِيبُواْ لِلَّهِ وَلِلرَّسُولِ إِذَا دَعَاكُمۡ لِمَا يُحۡيِيڪُمۡ‌ۖ

                b. Light: On the Day of Judgment, the sun is to be folded up and lose its light, thereby casting confusion in the heavens, the stars, the clouds, etc. as well as the earth. When the sun, the centre of the solar system, is disturbed, naturally all the units of that system are also to suffer. The Bahá’í interpretation is, of course, that light is spiritual light, not physical; therefore, the centre of light in our system, the sun, symbolizes the Manifestation or Apostle of God in each Day or Dispensation. Darkness, or the loss of light, represents the unbelief, the heedlessness and wickedness of the people. The heaven symbolizes God’s religion, from where the Manifestation shines. The sun is always shining but often we cannot see its light, because of clouds. Clouds are moisture coming from the earth. In the spiritual meaning the Light of God is always pouring forth, but men cannot always see it because of the clouds of human fancies and imaginings which rise from the hearts and minds of men (the earth) and obstruct this light. Stars represent spiritual leaders, who appear in the heaven of religion, after the sun has set, that is after the Manifestation of God has left this world. The fall of the stars symbolizes their spiritual downfall in the eyes of men.

                   Let us now review some of the Qur’anic verses on the meaning of light:

                   “God is the light of the Heavens and the Earth.” (Nur – 24:35)

 ٱللَّهُ نُورُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٲتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ

                    “Fain would they put out God’s light with their mouths: but God only desireth to perfect His light, albeit the infidels abhor it.” (Tawbah – 9:33)

 وَيَأۡبَى ٱللَّهُ إِلَّآ أَن يُتِمَّ نُورَهُ ۥ وَلَوۡ ڪَرِهَ ٱلۡكَـٰفِرُونَ يُرِيدُونَ أَن يُطۡفِـُٔواْ نُورَ ٱللَّهِ بِأَفۡوَٲهِهِمۡ

                                                                                            

                  “Now hath a light and a clear Book come to you from God.” (Ma’idah – 5:17)

 قَدۡ جَآءَڪُم مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ نُورٌ۬ وَڪِتَـٰبٌ۬ مُّبِينٌ۬

                  “This Book have we sent down to Thee that by their Lord’s permission Thou mayest bring men out of darkness into light, into the path of the Mighty, the Glorious.” (Ibrahim – 14:1)

 الٓر‌ۚ ڪِتَـٰبٌ أَنزَلۡنَـٰهُ إِلَيۡكَ لِتُخۡرِجَ ٱلنَّاسَ مِنَ ٱلظُّلُمَـٰتِ إِلَى ٱلنُّورِ بِإِذۡنِ رَبِّهِمۡ

إِلَىٰ صِرَٲطِ ٱلۡعَزِيزِ ٱلۡحَمِي

                    These are but few of many such verses in the Qur’an. There is a tradition in Islam, not included in the Qur’an, that on the Last Day the sun will rise from its “maghrib” (its west, or setting point). Muhammad’s sun set in Islam. The new sun, Bahá’u’lláh, rose from Islam.

                c. The Earth and its Quaking. We read in the Qur’an (Hajj – 22:1 and Zilzal – 99:1) that on the Last Day the earth will quake. We have already seen that the “earth” means the hearts of men.

                   Here are two verses which confirm that:

                    “Men’s hearts on that day shall quake.” (Nazi’at – 79:8)

 قُلُوبٌ۬ يَوۡمَٮِٕذٍ۬ وَاجِفَ

                    “Then were the faithful tried, and with strong quaking did they quake.” (Ahzab – 33:11)

 هُنَالِكَ ٱبۡتُلِىَ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنُونَ وَزُلۡزِلُواْ زِلۡزَالاً۬ شَدِيدً۬ا

                d. Fire. Addressing the believers, Muhammad describes their condition before their belief:

                   “And when ye were on the brink of the pit of fire, he drew you back from it. Thus God clearly showeth you His signs that ye may be guided. Imran – 3:99)

 مِّنَ ٱلنَّارِ فَأَنقَذَكُم مِّنۡہَا‌ۗ كَذَٲلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمۡ ءَايَـٰتِهِۦ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَہۡتَدُونَ وَكُنتُمۡ عَلَىٰ شَفَا حُفۡرَةٍ۬

                e. Physical senses.

                   “Their (the unbelievers’) hearts and their ears hath God sealed up; and over their eyes in a covering.” (Baqarah – 2:6)

 خَتَمَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمۡ وَعَلَىٰ سَمۡعِهِمۡ‌ۖ وَعَلَىٰٓ أَبۡصَـٰرِهِمۡ غِشَـٰوَةٌ۬

                    “Deaf, dumb, blind: therefore they shall not retrace their steps from error.” (Baqarah – 2:17)

 صُمُّۢ بُكۡمٌ عُمۡىٌ۬ فَهُمۡ لَا يَرۡجِعُونَ

                    “Hearts have they with which they understand not, and eyes have they with which they see not, and ears have they with which they hearken not. They are like the brutes: Yea, they go more astray: they are the heedless.” (A’raf – 7:178)     

لَهُمۡ قُلُوبٌ۬ لَّا يَفۡقَهُونَ بِہَا وَلَهُمۡ أَعۡيُنٌ۬ لَّا يُبۡصِرُونَ بِہَا وَلَهُمۡ ءَاذَانٌ۬ لَّا

يَسۡمَعُونَ بِہَآ‌ۚ أُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ كَٱلۡأَنۡعَـٰمِ بَلۡ هُمۡ أَضَلُّ‌ۚ أُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ هُمُ ٱلۡغَـٰفِلُونَ

               f. The Return. In the following verses Muhammad reports the argument between Him and the Jews:

                   “To those who say, ‘Verily, God hath enjoined us that we are not to credit an Apostle until he present us a sacrifice which fire out of Heaven shall devour’, SAY: Already have Apostles before Me come to you with miracles, and with that of which ye speak. Wherefore slew ye them? Tell Me, if ye are men of truth.” (Al-Imran – 3:179-180)

 لِرَسُولٍ حَتَّىٰ يَأۡتِيَنَا بِقُرۡبَانٍ۬ تَأۡڪُلُهُ ٱلنَّارُ ٱلَّذِينَ قَالُوٓاْ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَهِدَ إِلَيۡنَآ أَلَّا نُؤۡمِنَ

وَبِٱلَّذِى قُلۡتُمۡ فَلِمَ قَتَلۡتُمُوهُمۡ إِن كُنتُمۡ صَـٰدِقِينَ قُلۡ قَدۡ جَآءَكُمۡ رُسُلٌ۬ مِّن قَبۡلِى بِٱلۡبَيِّنَـٰتِ

                    In the above verse, we see how Muhammad, in the words: “Wherefore slew ye them?” accuses the Jews who were living in His time, of slaying the Apostles of God of former ages. How could the Jews living in the days of Muhammad have existed thousands of years before, in the age of   former Prophets? Why should Muhammad have charged them with slaying those Prophets? The only answer is that the “return” means not the return of the self-same people, but the return of the same qualities in the people.

                    Such also is the expected return of Jesus Christ (See Nisa – 4:158 and Zukhruf – 43:61) on the Day of Judgment. His coming does not mean the coming of the self-same Jesus from the physical sky, but to the advent of the promised Apostle of God with the same qualities as Jesus evinced during His mission. He was Bahá’u’lláh, the Glory of God, whose holy life and                    teachings are the very foundations of love and peace in the world today.

                g. God and His Angels. The verse that states that God and His Angels will come on the Day of Judgment reads as follows:

                   “What can such expect but that God should come to them overshadowed with clouds, and the angels also, and their doom be sealed? And to God shall things return.” (Baqarah – 2:206)

 هَلۡ يَنظُرُونَ إِلَّآ أَن يَأۡتِيَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ فِى ظُلَلٍ۬ مِّنَ ٱلۡغَمَامِ

وَٱلۡمَلَـٰٓٮِٕڪَةُ وَقُضِىَ ٱلۡأَمۡرُ‌ۚ وَإِلَى ٱللَّهِ تُرۡجَعُ ٱلۡأُمُورُ

                    “God”, therefore, refers to the Manifestation of God who is to appear on the Last Day. God is Spirit and beyond visibility or material things. The Qur’an further testifies that what applies to the Manifestation of God, applies to God Himself:

                   “In truth, they who plighted fealty to Thee (Muhammad) really plighted that fealty to God.” (Fat’h – 48:10)

إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ يُبَايِعُونَكَ إِنَّمَا يُبَايِعُونَ ٱللَّهَ

                    As to the “angels”, they are the saints and heroes of God’s Faith who trumpet its news Everywhere. Note this verse:

                   “And if we had appointed an angel, we should certainly have appointed one in the form of a man, and we should have clothed him before them in garments like their own.” (An’am – 6:8)

 وَلَوۡ جَعَلۡنَـٰهُ مَلَڪً۬ا لَّجَعَلۡنَـٰهُ رَجُلاً۬ وَلَلَبَسۡنَا عَلَيۡهِم مَّا يَلۡبِسُونَ

                h. Two Blasts. The Qur’an announces that the Trumpet of God, i.e. the Cause of God, will have two blasts on the Day of Judgment, signifying two Manifestations of God, to follow each other, as did the Báb and Bahá’u’lláh.          

                   “And there shall be a blast on the Trumpet, and all who are in the Heavens and all who are in the Earth shall expire, save those whom God shall vouchsafe to live. Then shall there be another blast on it, and lo! Arising they shall gaze around them: And the earth shall shine with the light of her Lord.” (Zummar – 39:68-69)

 وَنُفِخَ فِى ٱلصُّورِ فَصَعِقَ مَن فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٲتِ وَمَن فِى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ إِلَّا مَن

شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ‌ۖ ثُمَّ نُفِخَ فِيهِ أُخۡرَىٰ فَإِذَا هُمۡ قِيَامٌ۬ يَنظُرُونَ

وَأَشۡرَقَتِ ٱلۡأَرۡضُ بِنُورِ رَبِّہَا

                    “One day, the disturbing trumpet-blast shall disturb it (the universe), which the second blast shall follow … Verily, it will be but a single blast.” (Nazi’at – 79:6,7 & 13)

 يَوۡمَ تَرۡجُفُ ٱلرَّاجِفَةُ

تَتۡبَعُهَا ٱلرَّادِفَ

فَإِنَّمَا هِىَ زَجۡرَةٌ۬ وَٲحِدَةٌ۬

                 Notice the word “follow”, as Bahá’u’lláh did follow quite closely after the Báb. Also notice that the two blasts are really considered as one blast, as the Báb and Bahá’u’lláh whose Causes have become merged into one single world Faith. The references in the first verse to the earth shining with the “light of her Lord”, refers to the name of Bahá’u’lláh. BAHA means “glory, splendour, light” in Arabic. The second part of Bahá’u’lláh’s name means, of course, “of God”, which is the equivalent of “of her Lord”.`

                i. Other Signs:

                   1. Among other signs in the Qur’an to occur on the Day of Judgment are that the Jews will no more be subjected to the Christians, that enmity and hatred between the Jews themselves and sectarianism amongst the Christians will continue till the Day of Judgment. Here are the verses:

                        “Remember when God said: “O Jesus! … I will place those who follow Thee above those who believe not (the Jews), until the Day of resurrection. Then to Me is your return, and wherein ye differ will I decide between you.’” (Al-Imran – 3:48)

وَجَاعِلُ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّبَعُوكَ فَوۡقَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوٓاْ … إِذۡ قَالَ ٱللَّهُ يَـٰعِيسَىٰٓ إِنِّ

فَأَحۡڪُمُ بَيۡنَكُمۡ فِيمَا كُنتُمۡ فِيهِ تَخۡتَلِفُونَ إِلَىٰ يَوۡمِ ٱلۡقِيَـٰمَةِ‌ۖ ثُمَّ إِلَىَّ مَرۡجِعُڪُمۡ

                    “We have put enmity and hatred between them (the Jews) that shall last till the day of Resurrection.” (Ma’idah – 5:69)

 وَكُفۡرً۬ا‌ۚ وَأَلۡقَيۡنَا بَيۡنَہُمُ ٱلۡعَدَٲوَةَ وَٱلۡبَغۡضَآءَ إِلَىٰ يَوۡمِ ٱلۡقِيَـٰمَةِ

                         “And of those who say, ‘We are Christian’ … they too have forgotten a part of what they were taught; wherefore we have stirred up enmity and hatred among them that shall last till the day of Resurrection.” (Ma’idah – 5:17)

 مِيثَـٰقَهُمۡ فَنَسُواْ حَظًّ۬ا مِّمَّا ذُڪِّرُواْ بِهِۦ وَمِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ قَالُوٓاْ إِنَّا نَصَـٰرَىٰٓ أَخَذۡنَ

ٱلۡقِيَـٰمَةِ‌ۚ وَسَوۡفَ يُنَبِّئُهُمُ ٱللَّهُ بِمَا ڪَانُواْ يَصۡنَعُونَ فَأَغۡرَيۡنَا بَيۡنَهُمُ ٱلۡعَدَاوَةَ وَٱلۡبَغۡضَآءَ إِلَىٰ يَوۡمِ

                        We see how true have been both these prophecies, how the Jews themselves after centuries of subjection have established themselves as an independent nation in Israel, and how enmity and hatred are changed into unity and love, when Jews and Christians become Bahá’ís.

 

               2. We must bear in mind that Muhammad refers to His Cause and to His Book as the means for deciding between the differences, and settling the disputes of religions in His day (See Nahl – 16:63-64). Therefore, when He speaks of the Last Day as the Day when differences and disputes of religions will be finally settled, He surely means the advent of a fresh measure of Divine Grace through another revealed religion from God. In the following verse, notice the wide circle of religions which will all have their various matters and problems cleared up and settled on the Day of Judgment:

                   “As to those who believe (Muslims), and the Jews, and the Sabeites (or Sabians) and the Christians, and the Magians (Zoroastrians) and those who join other gods with God (pagans) of a truth, God shall decide between them on the Day of Judgment: for God is witness of all things.” (Hajj – 22:17)

 وَٱلصَّـٰبِـِٔينَ وَٱلنَّصَـٰرَىٰ وَٱلۡمَجُوسَ وَٱلَّذِي إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَٱلَّذِينَ هَادُواْ

ٱلۡقِيَـٰمَةِ‌ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىۡءٍ۬ شَہِي أَشۡرَڪُوٓاْ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَفۡصِلُ بَيۡنَهُمۡ يَوۡمَ

                3. The Day of Judgment is clearly stated to be the Day of Unity. Bahá’u’lláh announced and through His teachings is establishing the unity of mankind in this glorious age:

                   “O our Lord! For the day of whose coming there is no doubt, thou wilt surely gather mankind together. Verily, God will not fail the promise.” (Al-Imran – 3:7)

 رَبَّنَآ إِنَّكَ جَامِعُ ٱلنَّاسِ لِيَوۡمٍ۬ لَّا رَيۡبَ فِيهِ‌ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُخۡلِفُ ٱلۡمِيعَادَ

                    “Say: Aye, the former and the latter (religions) gathered shall they all be for the time of a known Day.” (Waq’iah – 56:49 – 50)

 لَمَجۡمُوعُونَ إِلَىٰ مِيقَـٰتِ يَوۡمٍ۬ مَّعۡلُومٍ۬ قُلۡ إِنَّ ٱلۡأَوَّلِينَ وَٱلۡأَخِرِينَ

                j. Life after Death: According to the Bahá’í interpretation of the Qur’an and the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh, the soul of man, after the death of the body, receives at once its individual judgment for its life and actions in this material world. This could be called the individual resurrection of the soul of man in the next world, where it would receive its due reward or punishment. The following verses of the Qur’an testify to this truth:

                 1. In the story of the martyrdom of Habib, the carpenter, by the people of Antioch, the Qur’an states:

                      “It was said to him (Habib), ‘Enter thou into Paradise.’ And he said, ‘Oh, that my people knew how gracious God hath been to me, and that He hath made me one of His honoured ones.” (YaSin – 36:25-26)

 قِيلَ ٱدۡخُلِ ٱلۡجَنَّةَۖ قَالَ يَـٰلَيۡتَ قَوۡمِى يَعۡلَمُونَ

بِمَا غَفَرَ لِى رَبِّى وَجَعَلَنِى مِنَ ٱلۡمُكۡرَمِي

 

                        2. “And repute not these slain on God’s path to be dead. Nay, alive with their Lord, are they richly sustained, rejoicing in what God of His bounty hath vouchsafed them.” (Al-Imran – 3:163-164)

وَلَا تَحۡسَبَنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ قُتِلُواْ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ أَمۡوَٲتَۢا‌ۚ بَلۡ أَحۡيَآءٌ عِندَ رَبِّهِمۡ يُرۡزَقُونَ

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