The Life in the Period of Barzakh

And do not speak of those who are slain in Allah's way as dead; nay, (they are) alive, but you do not perceive. (2:154)
This verse clearly proves that man remains alive in al-barzakh (the period between one's death and the Day of Resurrection). The same is the import of the other verse on this subject: And reckon not those who are killed in Allah's way as dead; nay, they are alive (and) are provided sustenance from their Lord (3:169). Many other verses prove this reality and we shall mention some of them at the end of this essay.
A very strange interpretation has been given to this verse by some people. They say that it was revealed about the martyrs of Badr, and therefore it is reserved exclusively for those martyrs; it cannot be applied to others who are slain in the way of Allah
A scholar has made an interesting comment on this explanation. Writing about the preceding verse, "seek assistance through patience and prayer," he prays to Allah to give him patience and forbearance to suffer such interpretations!
Would that I knew what do they mean by that explanation. On one hand, they say that man perishes after death or murder; when his body disintegrates, he becomes extinct. If so, then how could the martyrs of Badr remain alive after being slain? Was it as a miracle? Was it because Allah had given them a distinction and excellence, which was denied to all the prophets, messengers and friends of Allah not expecting even the Holy Prophet of Islam? If there is no life after death, then keeping them alive after their martyrdom is not a miracle it is an impossibility.
And a miracle does not cover an impossible thing. If it is asserted that such a self evident preposition was negated for those martyrs, then no confidence can be put in any self evident truth let alone other principles.
Or, do they mean that people's perceptions were mistaken about the condition of those martyrs? The martyrs were alive, were getting sustenance from their Lord, were eating, drinking and enjoying all the comforts of life far away from the range of people's perceptions. And what the people had seen and perceived with their senses that the martyrs were killed, their bodies mutilated, their senses gone, and their physique disintegrated was just a delusion, and nothing of this sort had happened in reality. If this is what they mean, if people's senses could be so deluded perceiving correctly in one case and wrongly in another, without any differentiating cause then no trust can be put in any of the senses at all. Then, may be, we will perceive a non existent as existing and an existing thing as non existent. How can a sensible person speak like that? It is nothing but sophistry.
However, that explanation somewhat follows the line adopted by a large group of the scholars of traditions. The latter believe that the things mentioned in the Qur'an and traditions, which are beyond our perception like angels and souls of believers and other such things are material and physical. They are ethereal bodies which may enter and penetrate dense and solid bodies, appearing thus in the form of man, for example, doing all that humans do; they possess powers and properties like ours, except that they are not governed by physical laws: they do not suffer any change or alteration, nor any composition or disintegration; they are not subject to natural life and death. When Allah wants them to appear, they manifest themselves to our senses; and when He does not want so, or wants them not to appear, they do not appear. It depends entirely on a special will of Allah; there is nothing in their senses, or in their "bodies", to tip the scale on this side or that.
Such an idea is based on rejection of the system of cause and effect in the world. If such assertions were true, then all the intellectual realities, all the academic principles, will be null and void not to speak of the fundamentals of religion. Even those "sublime ethereal bodies" (which are supposedly beyond the reach of cause and effect) will be negated.
The above description, however, proves that the verse speaks about the life of al-barzakh; it is also called the world of the grave, the period between one's death and the Day of Resurrection; it is the world where the dead person is rewarded or punished until the Day of Resurrection.
Some other verses speaking about al-barzakh are as follows:
1. There are the three verses already quoted: And reckon not those who are killed in Allah's way as dead; nay, they are alive (and) are provided sustenance from their Lord; Rejoicing in what Allah has given them out of His grace, and they rejoice for the sake of those who, (being left) behind them, have not yet joined them, that they shall have no fear, nor shall they grieve. They rejoice on account of favor from Allah and (His) grace, and that Allah will not waste the reward of the believers (3:169-171). We have already shown how these verses, being similar to the one under discussion, prove the life of al-barzakh. Those who think that these verses were revealed exclusively for the martyrs of Badr, should ponder on the wordings of these three, because they indicate that not only the martyrs but also other believers enjoy the life after death, and rejoice by favor and grace of Allah bestowed on them.
2. Until when death overtakes one of them, he says: "Send me back, my Lord, send me back: Haply I may do good in that which I have left." By no means! it is a (mere) word that he speaks; and before them is al-barzakh until the day they are raised (23:99-100). It very clearly shows that there is an intermediate life between this world's and the one which they will live after the Resurrection. Further explanation will be given when we shall write about this verse, Allah willing.
3. And those who do not hope for Our meeting, say: "Why have not angels been sent down upon us, or (why) do we not see our Lord?" Now certainly they are too proud of themselves and have revolted a great revolt. On the day when they shall see the angels; (clearly it refers to the time when they will see the angels for the first time, that is, the time of death as is described in many other verses;) there shall be no joy on that day for the guilty, and they shall say: "It is a forbidden thing totally prohibited "And We shall proceed to what they have done of deeds, so We shall render them as scattered floating dust. The dwellers of the garden shall on that day be in a better abiding place and a better resting place. And on the day when the heaven shall burst asunder with the clouds; (now it speaks about the Day of Resurrection;) and the angels shall be sent down a sending. The kingdom on that day shall rightly belong to the Beneficent God, and a hard day shall it be for the unbelievers (25:21- 26). It very clearly proves the life of al-barzakh. Further details will be given in its proper place, Allah willing.
4. They shall say: "Our Lord! twice didst Thou give us death, and twice hast Thou given us life, so we do confess our faults; is there then a way to get out?" (40:11). They will say it on the Day of Resurrection. It means that by that time there would be two deaths and two lives. It can be explained only if we accept the life and death of al-barzakh. Otherwise, there shall be only one death between this life and that of the Day of Resurrection. We have explained it to some extent under the verse: How do you deny Allah and you were dead and He gave you life? Again He will cause you to die and again bring you to life; then you shall be brought back to Him (2:28).
5. . . . and the most evil punishment overtook Pharaoh's people: The Fire, they are brought before it (every) morning and evening; and on the day when the hour shall come to pass: Make Pharaoh's people enter the severest chastisement (40:46). It is known that the Day of Resurrection shall have no morning or evening. Clearly, the day when the hour shall come to pass, that is, the Day of Resurrection is other than the day of al-barzakh which has the mornings and evenings.
There are many other verses which indicate, or from which we may infer, this reality. For example: By Allah, most certainly We sent (messengers) to nations before, but the Satan made their deeds fair seeming to them, so he is their guardian today, and they shall have a painful punishment (16:63).