Christian Beliefs about Life after Death
Christians believe that one day God will raise all the people who have ever lived and judge them.
Christians believe that Jesus was the son of God and that he died for the sins of all people.
They believe that if Jesus had not died then all people would go to Hell.
Some say that Hell is a place of suffering in fire for ever, other Christians say that your soul is destroyed in Hell.
Christians believe that if you accept that Jesus died for your sins and that if you worship God then you will be able to go to Heaven when you die.
Heaven is a place where there is only happiness, no sorrow or sadness.
Roman Catholic Christians believe that there is a third place called Purgatory. In Purgatory you are made fit for heaven (for some people this may take a long time).

As you read the information on these sheets focus on the following questions for each religion.
Life after Death

• What do they believe happens when you die?
  
• What happens to good people?
  
• What happens to bad people?
  
• Are there any similarities between the religions?
  

• What do they do with the dead persons body?
  
• Why do they do this?
  
• What symbols are used in the ceremony?
  
• Are there any similarities between the religions?
  

• How do their beliefs about life after death affect their death rites?
  

Muslim beliefs about Life after Death
For those who die before the day of Judgement there is a state of waiting called barzakh.
Muslims believe that on the last day, the day of Judgement, the graves of the dead will open and their bodies will rise. All will stand before God and face his Judgement.
Muslims believe that all of your good deeds will be weighed against your bad deeds if the good outweighs the bad you will go to Heaven if the bad is heavier than the good you will be sent to Hell.
In another description of judgement each person is made to carry their sins on their back over bridge if their sins are too great they will fall into Hell.
Muslims describe heaven as a wonderful place of paradise full of gardens of delight. The people there will be waited on by beautiful maidens.
Hell is described as place where people are chained with hot winds blowing around them, boiling water and black smoke.

Hindu beliefs about Life after Death

Hindus believe in reincarnation. This means that they believe that at the end of this life their soul will be reborn in another form this is called the law of samsara.
The creature the soul moves on to depends upon how the previous creature lived this is called the law of karma. Karma means work or actions. Good karma in your last life will mean a better life this time. A bad karma in your last life will mean a hard life this time.
The end of samsara is called moksha. This is when the soul joins with Brahman (God). It is what every Hindu hopes to achieve. Hindus believe that this can only happen when the soul becomes pure.

Hindus say that life can be compared to a caterpillar climbing up a tree. Each life is like a branch on the tree, when the caterpillar climbs up a branch it represents life getting better through good karma. When the caterpillar falls down a branch it shows a life reincarnated as something worse through bad karma. When it reaches the top it becomes a butterfly and flies away, this is like moksha