Islamic Eschatology, the Soul’s Journey, and the Ontology of Personhood

Abstract

This paper explores the Islamic conceptualization of death and personhood through the lenses of theology, philosophy, and eschatology. Unlike secular paradigms that view death as terminal annihilation, Islam presents a holistic framework where human existence extends beyond physical demise into the intermediate state (barzakh) and eventual resurrection (qiyāmah). Drawing from Qur'anic exegesis, Prophetic traditions (ahādīth), and classical Islamic scholarship (e.g., Ibn Sīnā, Al-Ghazālī), this study examines: (1) the ontological nature of the soul (nafs/rūḥ) and its relationship to the physical body, (2) the metaphysical journey of the soul after death, including the grave's trial (fitnat al-qabr), and (3) the theological and philosophical implications of bodily resurrection for personal identity. The paper also analyzes contemporary debates in Muslim bioethics regarding brain death, end-of-life care, and the permissibility of life-extending technologies in light of Islamic eschatology. By integrating scriptural sources with philosophical inquiry, this research demonstrates how Islamic thanatology offers a coherent paradigm that affirms the continuity of personhood while maintaining material-spiritual duality. The findings highlight Islam's unique contributions to global discourses on mortality, emphasizing accountability, divine justice, and the soul's transcendence beyond biological cessation.