35. The trialogue between the People of Paradise, the People of the Fire.
and the People of the Heights gives some indication of the tremendous range
of human faculties in the Next World. These faculties would increase to such
an extent that the People of Paradise, the People of the Fire and the People
of the Heights will be able to see, hear and talk to one another. Other Qur'anic
statements about the Hereafter enable us to realize that the laws operating
in the Next World will be altogether different from those in the present. Notwithstanding
this, men's personalities will not undergo any such change.
Those who cannot perceive any thing beyond the present limited world and who
are incapable of imagining scales bigger than the ones relating to the present
world, make fun of the statements in the Qur'an and Hadith about life in the
Hereafter. This only betrays their poverty of understanding and imagination.
The fact, however, is that the possibilities for life are not as narrow and
limited as their minds.
36. The Qur'an has spelled out in some detail what constitutes the fundamental reality, explained the attitude that man ought to adopt, and laid down the fundarnentals of the way of life that he ought to follow. The tails laid down in the Book in this regard are based on sound knowledge rather than on conjecture and fancy.
37. The contents and teachings of the Book are perspicuous enough to show
one the right way. Moreover, the life-style of those who believe in this Book
also bears out, by the beneficial effects it produces on human life, how well
it guides man. The blessings of the Qur'an become evident if man first notes
the healthy changes that it brings about in his outlook, character and morals.
The above verse in fact alludes to the wonderful effect belief in the Qur'an
had on the lives of the Companions of the Prophet (peace be on him).
38. The position of the people in question is as follows. The difference between good and evil was first explained to them, and yet they turned a deaf ear to it. Then some people established a good example by following the right path notwithstanding the dominant trend towards error. The wholesome effect of righteous conduct became evident from the lives of such people, but it made no impression on the people concerned. Their persistence in error could only mean one thing: that they would only learn the lesson the hard way when they saw the painful effects of their error. Such people are like stupid patients who neither follow the directions of the physician, nor learn any lesson from their own observations of the many patients who have been cured of their diseases by following the directions of physicians. Thesc people will realize - if they realize at all - on their death-bed that their ways were foolish and fatal.
39. Such people will long to return to the world, pleading that they will believe in the truth which they had rejected since they have now witnessed it. They will also ensure that their attitude will be different from that which had been before. For a fuller discussion of this plea and the rejoinder to it see (al-An'am 6: 27-8); (Ibrahim 14: 44 and 45); (al-Sajdah 32: 12-13); (al-Fatir 35: 37); (al-Zumar 39: 56-9); and (al-Mu'min 40: 11-12).