Five Ways that Belief in the Hereafter Promotes a More Ethical World

By Sheima Sumer

Many religions believe in an afterlife. They teach that having a good afterlife depends on actions done in this life. Here are five ways that belief in the Hereafter promotes a more ethical life and a more ethical world:

1. Believing in the Hereafter makes us know that we are accountable for our actions. Many people who don’t believe in an afterlife focus on “getting away with it”. As long as they can get away with an immoral act, many of them will do it. But people who believe in the Hereafter are aware that God is always watching them. They will be responsible for their crimes, their immoral deeds, in the next world. Also, they know that if people do not receive justice in this life, they will receive it in the next life.

Once, I accidentally made a dent in another person’s car with my car. That person wasn’t there, but I went to tell them anyway, because I knew that God would hold me accountable.

2. Belief in the Hereafter encourages us to do more good deeds. Our good deeds, such as charity and helping others, are the seeds we plant in this life. Their harvests will be seen in the afterlife. As a married woman and a mother, I remember that God wants me to be good to my family, and this gives me motivation to treat my family members with love and forgiveness.

3. Belief in the Hereafter gives ethical values more importance in our life, and this has an impact on the wider society through our actions. Compassion, mercy, honesty, kindness, justice and forgiveness are values that are strengthened by believing in the Hereafter. We hope for God to treat us with these same values in the next world. A famous story in my religion is that of a businessman who forgave his debtor because he wanted God to forgive him. And in the end, God forgave him because of that good deed.

4. Belief in the Hereafter makes us less greedy. We don’t believe that this life is everything. There is a more important life to come. Therefore, we are not as attached to “having it all” in this life. We become less selfish. We don’t need to put all our hopes and dreams in this life. I know many religious people who live a simpler life in order to have more to give to others.

5. Belief in the Hereafter gives us a higher purpose. We are not on this earth for mere entertainment and hedonism. Our purpose is to please God and plant seeds of goodness for the Hereafter. Ethics and morality are more important than satisfying our desires. In these modern times we live in, many people live by the YOLO philosophy of “You Only Live Once, so enjoy life to the fullest.” While enjoying this life is good in moderation, those who don’t believe in the Hereafter often sacrifice ethical values for momentary pleasure. Desires become their purpose. Believers in God know that we don’t only live once. This life is temporary, while the Hereafter is forever.

(The author is a counselor and has written extensively on issues related to Islam and spirituality)