Final answer:
In Islamic belief, Barzakh refers to the intermediate state where souls wait after death until the Day of Judgment, symbolizing a barrier between the living and the dead.
Step-by-step explanation:
Muslims believe that the Barzakh is a barrier or a partition that separates the living from the dead. It is also considered a distinct phase between this world and the hereafter where souls reside after death until the Day of Judgment. According to Islamic eschatology, Barzakh is the state where individuals wait for their final destiny to be revealed, whether it will be paradise or hell. This belief underscores the Islamic view of the afterlife and is considered an essential concept within the faith. The term is derived from the Qur'an, which mentions Barzakh in the context of the barrier between fresh and salt water, symbolizing an insurmountable divide. It further represents a transitional period, a kind of spiritual 'waiting room', where souls remain, retaining their consciousness and awaiting their fate based on their earthly deeds.