ABSTRACT

This study has three parts. In the first part I am going to make a comparison between belief in the Hereafter in Islam and belief in reincarnation in Indian religions in terms of their respective views of about God and the universe. In the second part, I am going to discuss the group associated with belief in the migration of the soul (tanāsukh) and the reaction they received from Muslim thinkers through Islamic history. In the third part, I am going to deal with the idea of reincarnation as the modern version of the idea of the migra- tion of the soul. In this context, I am going to discuss various claims of groups or organizations defending the idea of reincarnation. Among these claims, one may include the following: reincarnation is scientifically verified, belief in reincarnation solves the problem of evil, and reincarnation is supported by sacred books including the Qurʾān. My overall purpose is to show that the religion and thought systems reveal their doc- trines of immortality within the integral framework of their ontology, epistemology and universe models. In this regard, I will conclude by noting that the belief in reincarnation is not only compatible with the Islam’s belief in hereafter but also Islamic teachings concerning God, the universe, and man.

KEYWORDS

Kalām, Islam, Indian Religions, Tanāsukh, Reincarnation, Hereafter, Immortality, Salvation