Purpose

This book offers a ground breaking reinterpretation of the Quran’s afterlife, presenting it as a purposeful and transformative experience––a realm in which humanity comes to understand the reality and significance of their life on earth through an intense, direct and meaningful interaction with the Divine.

As questions concerning the afterlife intensify, both within Muslim communities and beyond, the Quran’s vivid depictions of eternal reward and punishment spark discomfort, doubt, and even scepticism. Modern notions of justice and evolving global perspectives on punishment amplify these tensions, challenging traditional Islamic interpretations that often reinforce graphic imagery without fully exploring the contemporary relevance or theological implications of these references. A critical question persists: what is the true purpose of the afterlife in the Quranic worldview?

This work, the second in the Divine Pronouns series, builds on the innovative hermeneutical framework introduced in Part One, which analyses Quranic verses according to the pronouns used for God and the audiences they address. Applied to eschatological themes, this approach unveils a bold re-conceptualisation of the afterlife—not as a static domain of endless bliss or torment, but as a dynamic, transformative encounter with the Divine. This fresh perspective, rooted firmly in the Quran’s own language, recasts the afterlife as a moment of profound divine disclosure, in which humanity confronts the full meaning and consequence of their earthly existence through an intense, direct, and deeply personal engagement with God. This reading not only challenges conventional views but also restores the core purpose of the afterlife: a realm in which humanity comes to understand the reality and significance of their life on earth through an intense, direct and meaningful interaction with the Divine.