This proof is based upon the claims of people who have almost died or have completely died, but have once again returned to life (depending upon our definition of death and how we comprehend it.) Nevertheless, these people claim that they have experienced ' Near-death ' or a ' Life-after-life'. Such people by merely encountering death either find themselves on the verge of dying or find themselves dead. After that, they feel as if they have cast their bodies and then view their bodies and the surroundings and those around them, who are trying to resuscitate their body, from a different angle (usually from the top).
In these circumstances, they find themselves possessing a new body which they have described in different ways: cloudy, without any form, or a spiritual body resembling the material body of an individual. Unlike their original body, this body of theirs, cannot interact with the material surroundings. After this, they experience a traversing in a dark place and upon crossing that place, they enter into a new domain in which, they encounter various people, who do not possess a material body, but can be generally identified, and establish telepathic contact with them.
Similarly, they come across a luminous entity who exhibits sympathy and affection and helps them to remember their past (like a videocassette, shows their past to them, in an instant) and make an evaluation. These people sincerely desire to remain there and derive great pleasure from the conciliatory and happiness inducing experience. However, at the same time, they desire (or are requested) to return back to their material bodies. These people in addition to observing the luminous entity also report seeing their relatives. An interesting thing here is that sometimes they observe people whom they have never seen before (however, later they recognize them in a photograph - for example) or they observe people who are unknown to them and are presently dead. The description that these individuals give for their bodies (after death and before their renewed life) is that this body is not perceivable and can penetrate into and traverse material objects. It also lacks weight (i.e. weightless.) In spite of all this, it possesses the power to perceive and listen (however much listening is more related to the form of transfer of thought rather than possessing the experience of listening). This fact signifies that individuals who are in the other world are incarnated in a manner such that they can be recognized and their positions established. An interesting point regarding the above proof is that, a lot of these experiences and personal observations are the same facts which have been mentioned in the traditions of the Holy Prophet (S) and the Infallible Imams (‘a) regarding the Intermediate World or the Purgatory, that is, the world which starts after death and continues up to the great and universal Resurrection. Another thing to be noticed here is that these experiences are not confined to the followers of any one particular religion but have been reported by the Christians, Muslims and also by the followers of other religions and sects. In addition, these reports and narrations, basically, do not differ a great deal among themselves.
|