Science and the Afterlife (Barzakh)

Oh, the wonders of science! A delightful day has arrived when scientists have used five terms that are all related to the concept of Barzakh (the barrier between life and death):

1. Veil – a curtain or cover.

2. Boundary – a limit that cannot be crossed.

3. Blurred – a boundary so unclear that it defies understanding.

4. Thin – a very delicate and fine barrier.

5. Slight – a very light and subtle veil.

Respected readers, a professor at the University of Washington, whose skills require a dozen specialties to describe, is named Peter A. Noble. His expertise spans fields like biotechnology and microbiology, with a particular focus on DNA and genetics. Another scientist, Alex Pozhitkov, from the National Medical Center in Duarte, California, presented a joint experimental study on September 16, 2024. They explained that when a person dies, new cells begin to form within the dead cells of their organs. This phenomenon, they say, is beyond our worldly life and death – an existence that transcends both. Notably, the term beyond is similar to the Arabic word ma’warā, used in the Quran:

> "When death comes to one of them, he will say, ‘My Lord, send me back so I may do good in that which I left behind.’ (But the answer will be:) ‘No! It is only a word he utters, and behind them is a barrier (Barzakh) until the day they are resurrected.’” (Al-Mu’minun 23:99-100).

The scientists describe this Barzakh as a Third State that exists between life and death, a hidden system of "electrical circuits" that reanimate cells. In their words:

> “This is a hidden system of electric currents that brings life back into cells.”

After death, when a person is laid in the grave, the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) taught that their soul is returned, and two angels come to question them. They ask, “Who is your Lord?” to which the believer responds, “Allah is my Lord.” They then ask, “What is your religion?” The believer answers, “My religion is Islam.” They continue, “What do you say about this man (Muhammad) who was sent among you?” The believer testifies, “He is Allah’s servant and messenger” (Sunan Abu Dawood, Sunan An-Nasa’i, Sunan Ibn Majah, Sahih al-Sanad). The hadith also states that as loved ones leave the grave, the deceased can hear their footsteps as they walk away, marking the beginning of a new phase – life in Barzakh, awaiting the afterlife in 'Illiyin (for good souls) or Sijjin (for the evil ones).

This Third State, or life in Barzakh, is where a person remains after death. Yes, modern experiments now confirm the existence of Barzakh, which begins right after death. The initial indicators come from dead organs that produce new cells in this Third State. The Quran and the sayings of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) describe the events that occur in Barzakh in great detail.

As for the soul’s return, only Allah knows its true nature. However, it appears that as a person encounters death, their organs' old cells and neurons also meet death and are eventually replaced by new ones. In Barzakh, the soul’s connection to these cells increases in the grave as they account for their deeds. After this, the new cells and neurons return to dust, except for a unique part known as the tailbone, or the ajb al-dhanab, which remains preserved. The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said that all parts of the human body will decay except this tailbone, from which a person will be reassembled on Judgment Day (Sahih Muslim). This remarkable cell is the starting point of human creation in the mother’s womb and will be the foundation for resurrection.

Scholar Ali Sallabi beautifully explains that humans have three “homes”:

1. In the worldly home, the body holds authority, and the soul follows.

2. In Barzakh, the soul holds authority, and the body remains linked (as the tailbone lies in the earth).

3. On Judgment Day, punishment and reward will be upon the body with the soul, leading them either to Paradise or to the Fire.

Ultimately, one day, we will depart from this body. Science notes:

> “Cells of a dead organism can reportedly enter a ‘third state’ following death, potentially unlocking a deeper understanding of our connection to life and death.”

In the Quran, Allah says:

> “Beware! When the soul reaches the collarbones, it will be said, ‘Is there any healer?’ And the dying person realizes it is their time to depart” (Al-Qiyamah 75:26-28).

The process of death begins at the toes, moving upward as each part of the body succumbs, until the soul reaches the collarbones. Remarkably, what the Quran has taught is now echoed by modern science. Allah has given every person in this worldly life the opportunity to prepare for entry into Barzakh. Let us prepare, for the journey may begin at any moment.