The World Without the Hereafter Is Like the Mother’s Womb Without the World

 Does a realm named the hereafter exist? If it does, where is it exactly? Are the world and the hereafter next to each other, like our house next to our neighbor’s house? Or is the hereafter somewhere beyond the clouds and on the other side of the galaxies?

Are we currently in contact with the hereafter? If we are, how is it done? Is the world dependent on the hereafter for its survival, or is it independent of it? Is it possible to have the world without the hereafter?

Many fundamental yet wrong concepts about the structure of the system of existence have been formed in our minds. The origin of this mistake remains unknown, yet it has misled generations throughout history. One of these common mistakes is our view about the hereafter and its relationship with the world.

When we talk about the hereafter, many of us imagine it as a place far beyond our reach, somewhere beyond the clouds and galaxies, or perhaps we think of it as being next to the world, where the world ends and the hereafter begins. The idea of the world without the hereafter or the world independent of the hereafter is neither in proportion with reality nor logical. Therefore, it is not far-fetched for such a way of thinking to ultimately lead to the denial of resurrection and the hereafter.

Changing our view about the hereafter involves modifying this concept and exploring the relationship between the world and the hereafter. Due to the importance of this topic, we are going to examine the idea of the “world without the hereafter” and see what happens if we ignore the existence of the hereafter and remove it from our intellectual and belief system. In other words, how much does the existence of the world depend on the hereafter, and is it possible for the world to exist without it? Is that possible from an intellective point of view?

The Relationship Between the Mother’s Womb and the World

In order to see if the world without the hereafter can continue to exist, we must first examine the relationship between these two and see what kind of relationship exists between them. Are these two separate and independent realms? Is the hereafter, as some believe, a place out of reach and far beyond the galaxies? Is the relationship between the hereafter and the world similar to the relationship between our house and our neighbor’s?

Naturally, if the world and the hereafter are two distinct and separate realms, or if their relationship is like the relationship between our house and our neighbor’s, then the management of the world without the hereafter is possible. However, if their relationship is deeply intertwined, then naturally, such a thing is not possible. So how can we know how this relationship works? As always, to understand the relationship between the world and the hereafter, we need to refer to the Law of Proportion. This principle is the most precise and accurate law, removing many of our uncertainties about the structure of the system of existence and the relationship between the physical and metaphysical realms.

According to the Law of Proportion, the same relationship which exists between the mother’s womb and the world also exists between the world and the hereafter. Therefore, by comprehending the first relationship, we can clear up many ambiguities about the second one. However, how does the relationship between the mother’s womb and the world work? Where in the world is the mother’s womb located? Is it outside it, next to it, or inside it?

There is no doubt that the mother’s womb is inside the world and is a part of its structure. In other words, first the world exists, and then the womb is created within the world. This connection is so obvious that you cannot imagine the womb existing on its own, separately from the world, even for a moment. Without the world, even the mother does not exist, let alone the mother’s womb! So if there is a mother, a womb, and a fetus that starts to grow inside it, it is all due to the blissful existence of the world. This world provides the energy, power, and food for the mother and the fetus growing inside her. If, even for a second, the world stops its emanation,[1] everything—the mother, womb, and fetus—will disappear instantly. Considering the points mentioned, the relationship between the mother’s womb and the world is an intertwined and deeply connected one. The womb is a part of the world, and the world encompasses the womb; therefore, the womb cannot exist at all without the world. Now let us get into the relationship between the world and the hereafter.

The Relationship Between the World and the Hereafter

Considering what we stated about the relationship between the mother’s womb and the world, now you can easily describe the relationship between the world and the hereafter. However, we will also provide an explanation to ensure there is no confusion left about it.

The relationship between the world and the hereafter is like the relationship between the mother’s womb and the world. What does that mean? It means that the world and the hereafter are not two separate and independent realms. It is not as if the hereafter is situated somewhere and the world is somewhere different; instead, the world is within the hereafter, and the hereafter encompasses the world.[2] Just as the mother’s womb has no temporal or spatial distance from the world, the world has no temporal or spatial distance from the hereafter either.

From this, we come to the interesting conclusion that all of us are not just living our everyday lives in the womb of the world, but we are also in the realm of Malakut or the world of the grave. Every decision, relationship, behavior, and deed gives a new shape to our soul and changes it from one form to another. Basically, just as a baby’s actions in the mother’s womb determine how he is born into the world, our deeds in the world determine how we will be born into Barzakh and Malakut; in other words, they determine whether we will go into heaven or the hell. In Islamic teachings, this concept is referred to as the embodiment of deeds. We will fully discuss the concepts of “becoming of the soul,” “the relationship between the soul and the grave,” and “the embodiment of deeds” in the upcoming lessons.

To sump up, the world without the hereafter is impossible to exist. The life and existence of this world depends on the hereafter. If the hereafter stops its emanation even for a moment, the world with all its amazing things like stars, galaxies, mountains, and seas will be completely destroyed. The physical system is a manifestation of the metaphysical system or the Malakut. The physical system makes no sense and cannot exist without the realm of the Malakut.

[1]. fayd

[2] Imam Ali(AS): “The world is in the Hereafter, and the Hereafter encompasses the world.” (Muhammad Baqir Al Majlisi, Bihar Al-Anwaar, vol. 30, p. 56)