Animals and afterlife

ANIMALS & AFTERLIFE - WILL ANIMALS GO TO HEAVEN OR HELL?

God (ALLAH Almighty) has made a human as a superior being over all of his creation including the angels. He has given him the power of reasoning and the will to choose between good and evil. Compared to human beings, animals live in this world according to their "fixed" set of inner & outer attributes. A lion will kill a reindeer to satisfy its hunger but it will not attack those animals which do not serve its purpose. A specific kind of fish will continue to swim in rivers but will not remain alive in deep waters of the sea.

Human beings have been sent to Earth as a test from God. If they pass that test, they will be rewarded with an endless life in heaven where they will have access to all the beautiful, pleasurable and wonderful things their heart and mind wish to crave for in this world. They will be rewarded beyond their imagination.

Compared to human beings, animals have their role confined to this world only. After this life, they will be resurrected on Judgement Day like human beings. If a goat has done harm to another goat in this life with its thorn for example, then the same punishment will be given to the first goat also. After all justice is achieved between animals, then they will be turned to dust and that will be the end of them. They will not be given continuing punishment in hell or rewards in heaven endlessly.

Heaven and hell are only for human beings. This Qur'anic verse gives a warning to us human beings as regards how we should proceed in our earthly life: "If you obey most of those on earth, they will lead you astray from the path of Allah. They follow nothing but conjecture: they do nothing but lie." - Qur'an (6: 116)

Written by - S Roman Ahsan (Nov. 18, 2015)