After Death, Life!

by Ruqaiyyah Waris Maqsood

Book by Ruqaiyyah Waris Maqsood

Genres: Islam

235 pages, Paperback

First published December 31, 1998

About the author

Ruqaiyyah Waris Maqsood (Rosalyn Rushbrook/Kendrick) is the author of some forty books on Islam and other subjects. She gained her honours degree in Christian Theology at the University of Hull in 1963, and Post Graduate Teaching Certificate in 1964, with distinctions in theory and practice. Her professional life was spent as Head of Religious Studies at various tough UK inner city secondary schools, until she retired in 1996, to concentrate on writing and lecturing. She has since made the GCSE course in Islamic Studies available to students and converts to Islam of all ages, especially to those who have not had the opportunity to study it at school.

She grew up a devout Christian, but converted to Islam in 1986. Already established by then as an author of books on Christian and educational topics, she has since devoted her time to writing on Islam and doing dawah (explaining the faith) work to both Christian and Muslim audiences. She regularly addresses school and church groups, explaining Islam and educating in the basics of Islam, with a keen interest in presenting Islam as a world faith. She strives to raise the awareness both of non-Muslims and also of born Muslims of the traditional immigrant ethnic backgrounds living in the UK, that these numerous varieties of cultural backgrounds, tastes and emphases are all part of Islam, including cultures that are not limited to the Middle East, the Indian subcontinent and North Africa.

Reviews

[Aqilah · Rating 5 out of 5]

One that’s hopeful & conveying of Allah’s never-ending love & mercy. Although I didn’t wish to read a book about grief of the bereaved, it opened my eyes to topics beyond that such as how a bystander or friend/relative of the bereaved can help (aka the dos and the donts). If anyth, it’s taught me to be patient kind, show compassion and provide those going thru pain with a lot of love, support and kindness. Ultimately, the crux of the book revolves around death, but it also teaches us the mindset we should adopt when it comes to living. So 10/10 would recommend, not just for the mourning.

Maqsood also includes personal recounts with a near death experience which helps make it more relatable and intimate, which I very much appreciate. Towards the end, she moves away from the topics of grief & death and emphasise how we should look towards living our best life, while we still can. She does so whilst reminding us to (in my own words) spread love, spread joy, spread kindness & spread nutella on bread!

p/s she ends off the book with a couple of poems about death, how to not love this book.

[Alisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. I felt like it was written in "simple language" and was easy to read and understand. I have lost 3 family members back to back since 2021, and grieve the deaths of my father and grandmother the most. Although they were not Muslim, this book provided me with comfort about their potential experiences in the Afterlife, and it also inspired me to live a life that pleases God so that I can also enjoy the comforts that I will be rewarded with, InshAllah, after I leave this earth.

[Abu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautifully written book about life after death.

[Asma · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author openly discusses grief, emotions, and explores prophetic tradition from a psychological perspective. I would highly recommend this book, especially for anyone dealing with death of family and friends.