Biblical Eschatology and Qur’anic ’Ākhirāh: A Comparative Approach of the Concepts Afterlife, Death and the Day of Judgement

This article deals with the topic of eschatology (’ākhirah) both from the perspective of the Bible and the Qur’an. A comparative approach is pursued, in which three fundamental concepts are discussed, namely: afterlife, death and the Day of Judgement. First, the term eschatology and its Arabic equivalent ’ākhirah are examined etymologically, terminologically and theologically from the Biblical and Qur’anic point of view as well. Then, the issue of death is investigated both as a concept and as an existential reality. Finally, the theme of the Day of Judgement is deeply examined according to the Bible and the Qur’an to compare these two important concepts in the three monotheistic religions: Judaism, Christianity and Islam. At the end of this article, we have concluded that these three eschatological concepts intersect remarkably in the Bible and the Qur’an, especially on the semantic level, and to a lesser extent on the theological level, where the nature of each religion resurfaces. These semantic and theological intersections underscore the common origin of the Jewish, Christian, and Islamic traditions. This would further contribute to bringing the followers of these religions closer together in the contemporary pluralistic context.