Quran verses about the afterlife, from the grave to Paradise

وَٱلَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِمَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ وَمَآ أُنزِلَ مِن قَبْلِكَ وَبِٱلْءَاخِرَةِ هُمْ يُوقِنُونَ ﴿٤﴾

Wallazeena yu'minoona bimaa unzila ilaika wa maaa unzila min qablika wa bil Aakhirati hum yooqinoon

And who believe in what has been revealed to you, [O Muhammad], and what was revealed before you, and of the Hereafter they are certain [in faith].

Certainty in the Hereafter is one of the first marks of the God-conscious named in the Quran.

حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا جَآءَ أَحَدَهُمُ ٱلْمَوْتُ قَالَ رَبِّ ٱرْجِعُونِ ﴿٩٩﴾ لَعَلِّىٓ أَعْمَلُ صَٰلِحًۭا فِيمَا تَرَكْتُ ۚ كَلَّآ ۚ إِنَّهَا كَلِمَةٌ هُوَ قَآئِلُهَا ۖ وَمِن وَرَآئِهِم بَرْزَخٌ إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ يُبْعَثُونَ ﴿١٠٠﴾

Hattaaa izaa jaaa'a ahada humul mawtu qaala Rabbir ji'oon La'alleee a'malu saalihan feemaa taraktu kallaa; innahaa kalimatun huwa qaaa'iluhaa wa minw waraaa'him barzakhun ilaa Yawmi yub'asoon

⁹⁹ [For such is the state of the disbelievers], until, when death comes to one of them, he says, "My Lord, send me back ¹⁰⁰ That I might do righteousness in that which I left behind." No! It is only a word he is saying; and behind them is a barrier until the Day they are resurrected.

At death, the wrongdoer asks to be sent back to do good. Behind them is a barzakh, a barrier, until the Day they are raised.

وَنُفِخَ فِى ٱلصُّورِ فَصَعِقَ مَن فِى ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَمَن فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ إِلَّا مَن شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ ۖ ثُمَّ نُفِخَ فِيهِ أُخْرَىٰ فَإِذَا هُمْ قِيَامٌۭ يَنظُرُونَ ﴿٦٨﴾

Wa nufikha fis Soori fas'iqa man fis samaawaati wa man fil ardi illaa man shaa'al lahu summa nufikha feehi ukhraa fa izaa hum qiyaamuny yanzuroon

And the Horn will be blown, and whoever is in the heavens and whoever is on the earth will fall dead except whom Allah wills. Then it will be blown again, and at once they will be standing, looking on.

The Horn is blown twice: everyone in the heavens and earth dies, except whom Allah wills, then all stand up, looking on.

وَنُفِخَ فِى ٱلصُّورِ فَإِذَا هُم مِّنَ ٱلْأَجْدَاثِ إِلَىٰ رَبِّهِمْ يَنسِلُونَ ﴿٥١﴾ قَالُوا۟ يَٰوَيْلَنَا مَنۢ بَعَثَنَا مِن مَّرْقَدِنَا ۜ ۗ هَٰذَا مَا وَعَدَ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنُ وَصَدَقَ ٱلْمُرْسَلُونَ ﴿٥٢﴾

Wa nufikha fis-soori faizaa hum minal ajdaasi ilaa Rabbihim yansiloon Qaaloo yaa wailanaa mam ba'asanaa mim marqadinaa; haaza maa wa'adar Rahmanu wa sadaqal mursaloon

⁵¹ And the Horn will be blown; and at once from the graves to their Lord they will hasten. ⁵² They will say, "O woe to us! Who has raised us up from our sleeping place?" [The reply will be], "This is what the Most Merciful had promised, and the messengers told the truth."

People hurry out of their graves: who raised us from our sleeping place? This is what the Most Merciful promised.

إِذَا زُلْزِلَتِ ٱلْأَرْضُ زِلْزَالَهَا ﴿١﴾ وَأَخْرَجَتِ ٱلْأَرْضُ أَثْقَالَهَا ﴿٢﴾ وَقَالَ ٱلْإِنسَٰنُ مَا لَهَا ﴿٣﴾ يَوْمَئِذٍۢ تُحَدِّثُ أَخْبَارَهَا ﴿٤﴾ بِأَنَّ رَبَّكَ أَوْحَىٰ لَهَا ﴿٥﴾ يَوْمَئِذٍۢ يَصْدُرُ ٱلنَّاسُ أَشْتَاتًۭا لِّيُرَوْا۟ أَعْمَٰلَهُمْ ﴿٦﴾ فَمَن يَعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ خَيْرًۭا يَرَهُۥ ﴿٧﴾ وَمَن يَعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍۢ شَرًّۭا يَرَهُۥ ﴿٨﴾

Izaa zul zilatil ardu zil zaalaha Wa akh rajatil ardu athqaalaha Wa qaalal insaanu ma laha Yawmaa izin tuhad dithu akhbaaraha Bi-anna rabbaka awhaa laha Yawma iziy yas durun naasu ash tatal liyuraw a'maalahum Famaiy ya'mal mithqala zarratin khairaiy-yarah Wa maiy-ya'mal mithqala zarratin sharraiy-yarah

¹ When the earth is shaken with its [final] earthquake ² And the earth discharges its burdens ³ And man says, "What is [wrong] with it?" - ⁴ That Day, it will report its news ⁵ Because your Lord has commanded it. ⁶ That Day, the people will depart separated [into categories] to be shown [the result of] their deeds. ⁷ So whoever does an atom's weight of good will see it, ⁸ And whoever does an atom's weight of evil will see it.

Surah Az-Zalzalah: the earth shakes, tells its news, and every atom's weight of good or evil is seen.

وَكُلَّ إِنسَٰنٍ أَلْزَمْنَٰهُ طَٰٓئِرَهُۥ فِى عُنُقِهِۦ ۖ وَنُخْرِجُ لَهُۥ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَٰمَةِ كِتَٰبًۭا يَلْقَىٰهُ مَنشُورًا ﴿١٣﴾ ٱقْرَأْ كِتَٰبَكَ كَفَىٰ بِنَفْسِكَ ٱلْيَوْمَ عَلَيْكَ حَسِيبًۭا ﴿١٤﴾

Wa kulla insaanin alzamnaahu taaa'irahoo fe 'unuqihee wa nukhriji lahoo Yawmal Qiyaamati kitaabany yalqaahu manshooraa Iqra kitaabak kafaa binafsikal Yawma 'alaika haseebaa

¹³ And [for] every person We have imposed his fate upon his neck, and We will produce for him on the Day of Resurrection a record which he will encounter spread open. ¹⁴ [It will be said], "Read your record. Sufficient is yourself against you this Day as accountant."

Each person's record is opened before them: read your book, you are enough today to take account of yourself.

وَوُضِعَ ٱلْكِتَٰبُ فَتَرَى ٱلْمُجْرِمِينَ مُشْفِقِينَ مِمَّا فِيهِ وَيَقُولُونَ يَٰوَيْلَتَنَا مَالِ هَٰذَا ٱلْكِتَٰبِ لَا يُغَادِرُ صَغِيرَةًۭ وَلَا كَبِيرَةً إِلَّآ أَحْصَىٰهَا ۚ وَوَجَدُوا۟ مَا عَمِلُوا۟ حَاضِرًۭا ۗ وَلَا يَظْلِمُ رَبُّكَ أَحَدًۭا ﴿٤٩﴾

Wa wudi'al kitaabu fataral mujrimeena mushfiqeena mimmaa feehi wa yaqooloona yaa wailatanaa maa lihaazal kitaabi laa yughaadiru saghee ratanw wa laa kabeeratan illaaa ahsaahaa; wa wajadoo maa 'amiloo haadiraa; wa laa yazlimu Rabbuka ahadaa

And the record [of deeds] will be placed [open], and you will see the criminals fearful of that within it, and they will say, "Oh, woe to us! What is this book that leaves nothing small or great except that it has enumerated it?" And they will find what they did present [before them]. And your Lord does injustice to no one.

The book of deeds leaves nothing out, small or great, and your Lord wrongs no one.

فَأَمَّا مَن ثَقُلَتْ مَوَٰزِينُهُۥ ﴿٦﴾ فَهُوَ فِى عِيشَةٍۢ رَّاضِيَةٍۢ ﴿٧﴾ وَأَمَّا مَنْ خَفَّتْ مَوَٰزِينُهُۥ ﴿٨﴾ فَأُمُّهُۥ هَاوِيَةٌۭ ﴿٩﴾ وَمَآ أَدْرَىٰكَ مَا هِيَهْ ﴿١٠﴾ نَارٌ حَامِيَةٌۢ ﴿١١﴾

Fa-amma man thaqulat mawa zeenuh Fahuwa fee 'ishatir raadiyah Wa amma man khaffat mawa zeenuh Fa-ummuhu haawiyah Wa maa adraaka maa hiyah Naarun hamiyah

⁶ Then as for one whose scales are heavy [with good deeds], ⁷ He will be in a pleasant life. ⁸ But as for one whose scales are light, ⁹ His refuge will be an abyss. ¹⁰ And what can make you know what that is? ¹¹ It is a Fire, intensely hot.

The scales: heavy with good deeds, a pleasing life; light, a blazing Fire.

وَكُنتُمْ أَزْوَٰجًۭا ثَلَٰثَةًۭ ﴿٧﴾ فَأَصْحَٰبُ ٱلْمَيْمَنَةِ مَآ أَصْحَٰبُ ٱلْمَيْمَنَةِ ﴿٨﴾ وَأَصْحَٰبُ ٱلْمَشْـَٔمَةِ مَآ أَصْحَٰبُ ٱلْمَشْـَٔمَةِ ﴿٩﴾ وَٱلسَّٰبِقُونَ ٱلسَّٰبِقُونَ ﴿١٠﴾ أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ ٱلْمُقَرَّبُونَ ﴿١١﴾

Wa kuntum azwaajan salaasah Fa as haabul maimanati maaa as haabul maimanah Wa as haabul mash'amati maaa as haabul mash'amah Wassaabiqoonas saabiqoon Ulaaa'ikal muqarraboon

⁷ And you become [of] three kinds: ⁸ Then the companions of the right - what are the companions of the right? ⁹ And the companions of the left - what are the companions of the left? ¹⁰ And the forerunners, the forerunners - ¹¹ Those are the ones brought near [to Allah]

On that Day people are three groups: the people of the right, the people of the left, and the foremost, brought near to Allah.

فَأَمَّا مَنْ أُوتِىَ كِتَٰبَهُۥ بِيَمِينِهِۦ فَيَقُولُ هَآؤُمُ ٱقْرَءُوا۟ كِتَٰبِيَهْ ﴿١٩﴾ إِنِّى ظَنَنتُ أَنِّى مُلَٰقٍ حِسَابِيَهْ ﴿٢٠﴾ فَهُوَ فِى عِيشَةٍۢ رَّاضِيَةٍۢ ﴿٢١﴾ فِى جَنَّةٍ عَالِيَةٍۢ ﴿٢٢﴾ قُطُوفُهَا دَانِيَةٌۭ ﴿٢٣﴾ كُلُوا۟ وَٱشْرَبُوا۟ هَنِيٓـًٔۢا بِمَآ أَسْلَفْتُمْ فِى ٱلْأَيَّامِ ٱلْخَالِيَةِ ﴿٢٤﴾

Fa ammaa man ootiya kitaabahoo biyameenihee fa yaqoolu haaa'umuq ra'oo kitaabiyah Innee zannantu annee mulaaqin hisaabiyah Fahuwa fee 'eeshatir raadiyah Fee jannnatin 'aaliyah Qutoofuhaa daaniyah Kuloo washraboo haneee'am bimaaa aslaftum fil ayyaamil khaliyah

¹⁹ So as for he who is given his record in his right hand, he will say, "Here, read my record! ²⁰ Indeed, I was certain that I would be meeting my account." ²¹ So he will be in a pleasant life - ²² In an elevated garden, ²³ Its [fruit] to be picked hanging near. ²⁴ [They will be told], "Eat and drink in satisfaction for what you put forth in the days past."

The joy of the one given his book in his right hand: here, read my book! A high garden with fruit close by.

وُجُوهٌۭ يَوْمَئِذٍۢ نَّاضِرَةٌ ﴿٢٢﴾ إِلَىٰ رَبِّهَا نَاظِرَةٌۭ ﴿٢٣﴾

Wujoohuny yawma 'izin naadirah Ilaa rabbihaa naazirah

²² [Some] faces, that Day, will be radiant, ²³ Looking at their Lord.

Some faces will be radiant, looking at their Lord. Ahl as-Sunnah take this with the sahih hadith as proof that the believers will see Allah.

فَلَا تَعْلَمُ نَفْسٌۭ مَّآ أُخْفِىَ لَهُم مِّن قُرَّةِ أَعْيُنٍۢ جَزَآءًۢ بِمَا كَانُوا۟ يَعْمَلُونَ ﴿١٧﴾

Falaa ta'lamu nafsum maaa ukhfiya lahum min qurrati a'yunin jazaaa'am bimaa kaanoo ya'maloon

And no soul knows what has been hidden for them of comfort for eyes as reward for what they used to do.

No soul knows what joy is hidden for them. In a hadith qudsi Allah says He has prepared what no eye has seen and no ear has heard (Sahih al-Bukhari).

يَٰقَوْمِ إِنَّمَا هَٰذِهِ ٱلْحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنْيَا مَتَٰعٌۭ وَإِنَّ ٱلْءَاخِرَةَ هِىَ دَارُ ٱلْقَرَارِ ﴿٣٩﴾

Yaa qawmi innamaa haazihil hayaatud dunyaa mataa'unw wa innal Aakhirata hiya daarul qaraar

O my people, this worldly life is only [temporary] enjoyment, and indeed, the Hereafter - that is the home of [permanent] settlement.

The believer from Pharaoh's people: this life is only a short enjoyment, and the Hereafter is the home that lasts.

وَلَلْءَاخِرَةُ خَيْرٌۭ لَّكَ مِنَ ٱلْأُولَىٰ ﴿٤﴾

Walal-aakhiratu khairul laka minal-oola

And the Hereafter is better for you than the first [life].

Said to the Prophet ﷺ: what comes later is better for you than what came first.