The Day of Judgment
By Mariam Elba ©
Faith in the Day of Resurrection is the firm belief in all that Allah (SWT) mentions in the Quran, and in all that the Prophet (SAW) has told us, about the afterlife: the fitna of the grave, punishment and reward therein, resurrection, the gathering, the records, the scale, the fount, intercession, Paradise and the Hell Fire and everything which Allah (SWT) has prepared for those who will dwell in them.
The Holy Quran mentions the Last Day on numerous occasions and in many different literary styles. It reaffirms its events, reminds of its afflictions and asserts its occurrence. The Quran mentions the Last Day on virtually every page.
We should believe that the Hour will certainly come, and that its timing is known only to Allah (SWT) who kept it from all human beings, including the Messengers and Prophets. It is impossible for anyone to find out when life in this world will come to an end.
But we must believe in what the Prophet (SAW) said about its signs and conditions. There are plenty of authentic ahaadeeth in which the Prophet (SAW) mentions the Hour and its small signs. These mostly relate to the corruption of people at the end of time, the emergence of fitna between them, and their distance from the faith of Allah (SWT) and path of His Messenger (SAW) and the great signs.
-Events of the Day of Judgment
The Day of Judgment begins when the trumpet will be blown. When the trumpet is blown, it will mean that the Day of Judgment, promised by Allah (SWT), will have finally arrived, that this world has ended, and that the Hereafter has begun. This day specifies the beginning of infinite fear, terror, and hopelessness for the unbelievers. Allah (SWT) explains this, as, “For when the Trumpet is blown, that Day will be a difficult day, not easy for the unbelievers. (Surat al-Muddaththir- ayah 8-10).
Regarding the beginning of the Last Day, Allah (SWT) says, “On the Day when the earth will be changed to another earth and so will be the heavens, and they (all creatures) will appear before Allah (SWT), the One, the Irresistible” (surah Ibrahim ayah-48) This will be immediately preceded by the first blow of the trumpet by the angel Israfil, upon Allah’s command, when all those in the heavens and the earth will be swooned away except for those whom Allah wills.
"And the Trumpet will be blown, and all who are in the heavens and all who are on the earth will swoon away, except those whom Allah wills. Then it will be blown a second time and behold, they will be standing, looking on (waiting)" (surah Az Zumar ayah-68)
"Then when the Trumphet will be blown with one blow (the first one), and the earth and the mountains shall be removed from their places, and crushed with a single crushing, then on that Day shall the (Great) Event befall, and the heaven will split asunder, for the Day the heavens will be frail, and torn up." (surah Al Haaqqah ayah 13-16)
We also believe that Allah (SWT) will then command that the trumpet be sounded for the second time, whereupon life returns to the dead. This is the Day of Ressurection. That is the return of people in body and soul to the form they were on this Earth. Allah (SWT) will then cause people to rise from their graves, and the hypocrites and disbelievers will say:
"Woe to us! Who has raised us up from our place of sleep?" (surah Yaa Sin ayah-52)
To which the believers will reply by saying:
"This is what the most Beneficient (Allaah) had promised, and the Messengers spoke truth" (surah Ya Sin- ayah 52)
On the day the Earth will be shaken by quakes. An ear-shattering sound will follow the sound of the trumpet. Then a vibration will rock the earth and everyplace on earth will begin to rock at the same time. Every person will be very frightened. The most freighting thing for the people is no one can escape it or find any sort of place of safety. This shake is not like any other; rather, this is a shake that will not end till the whole Earth is flat. On that day everything the people valued on Earth will have no value. Allah (SWT) describes this as, “Mankind, heed your Lord! The quaking of the Hour is a terrible thing.”(Surat al-Hajj- ayah 1)
Earth will empty its charges, which means in addition to the many other things underground, the magma will spill over. The rocking quakes that will be cracking the planet's crust on a global level will prepare the ground for such a disaster. On the Day of Judgment, shocking earthquakes will turn Earth upside down, and people trying to escape the wreck falling on them will get caught in the lava spilling out of Earth's cracked surface. Magma is not the only load that will be emptied out on that Day. Magma conducts heat and chemical reactions to the outer layer (the mantle) and between the mantle and the crust. Therefore, it probably will carry powerful heat and many other intense substances to the surface. In so doing, it will increase the surface temperature to previously unknown levels. Allah (SWT) said, “When Earth is flattened out and disgorges what is inside it and empties out, hearkening to its Lord, as it is bound to do”! (Surat al-Insh iqaq ayah- 3-5)
On the Day of Judgment, all mountains will be pounded. The mountains will be shaken from their places, pushed across Earth's face, and smashed up against one another, thereby flattening the whole planet, for one of the most shocking scenes ever seen. Allah (SWT) says, they will ask you about the mountains. Say: “My Lord will scatter them as dust. He will leave them as a barren, level plain on which you will see no dip or gradient.” (Surah Ta Ha- ayah 105-107) Allah (SWT) also said, “On the Day We make the mountains move, you see the earth laid bare, and We gather them together, not leaving out a single one of them.” (Surat al-Kahf -ayah 47).
After the mountains all fall and turn into dust they will have a certain color. The mountains, together with all of the plants, flowers, vegetation, minerals, and differently colored soils will be mixed and they will form the color of wool. Allah (SWT) says, “And the mountains will be like the flakes of wool.” (Surat al-Ma‘arij ayah - 9).
On that day, there will be fire emerging from the oceans. The oceans will burn, and an unavoidable wall of fire will surround people. On that Day, all oceans will be set on fire. Allah (SWT) said, “When the seas are filled with flame.” (Surat at-Takwir -ayah 6)
The oceans will rise and spill their contents for the following reasons: earthquakes on the ocean floor cause tidal waves on the surface, (volcanic eruptions are another cause of tidal waves), rocks rolling down the mountains will fill the ocean beds and cause flood, and landslides can cause unusual high waves on the ocean.
On that day, the sky, the moon, the sun, the stars and planets will all be destroyed. The sky will stop functioning like it does right now. Without the sky, there will be radiation, meteorites, and the freezing temperatures of space. Air will also lose its function. The atmosphere will melt and burst into flames, and people will see the usual blue sky as flame red, split apart, molten, and just like oil. Allah (SWT) says, “When Heaven is split apart and goes red, like dregs of oil.” (Surat ar-Rahman- ayah- 37)
On the Day of Judgment, the heavens will split apart and lose their functions, melt, and flow. Everything that impressed people with its greatness will be destroyed, all planets and stars, the sun and the moon, will leave their orbits. Stars will fall, and all that exists will die one by one.
All of the stars will lose their power, fade, and fall. The sun, which has been this planet's source of life and energy forever, will darken, as will the stars that have decorated the heavens. Allah (SWT) says, “And the moon is eclipsed, and the sun and the moon are fused together. On that Day man will say: “To where can I run?” No indeed! There will be no safe place. That Day, the only resting place will be your Lord. That Day man will be told what he did and failed to do.” (Surat al-Qiyama- ayah 8-13)
-People on the Day of Judgment
Many people who are satisfied with this world's temporary values and pleasures do their best to ignore facts regarding their death and the Day of Resurrection. Most people think that this day is in the distant future but we are rapidly approaching the Day of Judgment. Allah (SWT) says, “To whom does everything in the Heavens and Earth belong?” Say: “To Allah.” He has made mercy incumbent upon Himself. He will gather you to the Day of Resurrection, about which there is no doubt. As for those who have lost their own selves, they have no faith.” (Surat al-An‘am- ayah 12)
Everything that takes place just before the trumpet sounds will be no different from the day before. Earth will be revolving at the same pace, the sun will be illuminating our planet, life will on, and many people will continue to live according to their regular routines without wondering why and by Who they were created and what end they will meet. Many will be denying Allah's existence before they hear this sound. Everything will begin and end in one instant.
On the Day of Judgment People will forget all about what they used to value, they will realize that the objects of their desires have no more meaning. Their values will change in moments. Wealth and children will have no value and parental emotions will lose their meaning. In the appearance of this Day's terror, they will forget their most loved people. No one will remember his or her children. Allah (SWT) says, “On the Day, the sky is like molten brass and the mountains like tufts of colored wool. No good friend will ask about his friend, even though they can see each other. An evildoer will wish that he could ransom himself from the punishment of that Day by means of his sons, his wife, his brother, or his family who sheltered him or everyone else on Earth, if that only meant that he could save himself. (Surat al-Ma‘arij- ayah 8-14) In every way, this will be a difficult Day for the unbelievers. The fear will strike so suddenly and forcefully that pregnant women will miscarry and mothers will forget about their breast-feeding children. Allah (SWT) says, “On the day they see it, every nursing woman will be oblivious of the baby at her breast, and every pregnant woman will abort the contents of her womb...” (Surat al-Hajj- ayah 2)
People will lose all their calmness, self-control, and, self-confidence. When death is met, everything loses its value. Facial expressions, behavior, and speech will all change. The physical and behavioral changes in people experiencing extreme fear are very similar to drunken people. For example, dizziness, panic, and delay sight are common. Allah (SWT) says, “ . . . And you will think people drunk when they are not drunk; it is just that the punishment of Allah is so severe.” (Surat al-Hajj- ayah 2)
The eyes are the first organs to indicate people's fear. The eyes of people who witness the fearful events of that Day will spring from their sockets in terror. Immediately, when they see the events of this Day, the pupils will widen, the whites of the eyes will be exposed, and they will freeze. The only thing they feel will be terror.
This day will even scare the children. Children, who lack the ability to comprehend what is happening, will have their hair turned gray, which means this will be an exceedingly shocking day. Such a physical change is an important picture of that Day's malevolence.
One this day animals will stop fighting one another and come together due to these events. Allah reveals in many verses that major changes will affect Earth and humanity on the Day of Judgment. Similarly, wild animals will be completely affected like Allah (SWT) said, “When the camels in foal are neglected, when the wild beasts are all herded together.” (Surat at-Takwir- ayah 4-5)
-Step by step features of the Day of Judgment
The first step is the rising of the dead, which means they will rise from there grave. Then when the people emerge from their graves, they will begin to run toward a call, a call of which they have never heard before. The unbeliever’s heads will be up in the air, their eyes set on one point only, and they will run. They are only moving in the way prescribed by Allah and facing the call's direction. They will not stop running until they reach the place from where they were called. The believers will arrive relaxed and peaceful, while the unbelievers will arrive as if they had sensed what is awaiting them, saying over and over again "This is a pitiless day!" (Surat al-Qamar –ayah
When it will be time to assemble, nothing can prevent it. Everyone who has ever lived will be gathered and begin to move rapidly, in surprise and submission to Allah, toward their punishment. Escape and returning to Earth are impossible, and all repentance is useless. Unbelievers, who did not listen to Allah (SWT), and were arrogant and disobedient on Earth, will now become extremely obedient. All people will finally realize that they have no option but to obey Allah (SWT) and bow to His will. They will be unable to do otherwise, even if they wanted to.
Now everybody has become sure about who created him or her, why He created him or her, what was required of him or her, and that they will be returned to Allah (SWT). They chose to fool themselves with a devilish boldness, even though they knew about it, and so will be punished accordingly. On that Day, everybody will be told what he or she did and what he or she postponed. Allah (SWT) says, “That Day people will emerge segregated to see the results of their actions. Whoever does an atom's weight of good will see it? Whoever does an atom's weight of evil will see it?” (Surat az-Zilzal- ayah 6-8)
Two angels record all deeds, one on the right and one on the left. Each person receives his or her record on the Day of Judgment. Not a single deed can be denied, for nothing has been left out of this record. The believers will receive it in their right hands, and the unbelievers will receive it in their left hands. The believers receive their books in great joy and pass them to those who are nearby for them to read. Allah (SWT) says, “On that Day you will be exposed—no concealed act you did will stay concealed. As for him who is given his Book in his right hand, he will say: "Here, come and read my Book! I counted on meeting my Reckoning." He will have a very pleasant life in an elevated Garden, its ripe fruit hanging close to hand. "Eat and drink with relish for what you did before in days gone by!” (Surat al-Haqqa- ayah 18-24) On the other hand, the unbelievers will be ashamed and in great fear. Their books, which they will receive with their left hands, will contain everything they did throughout their lives, and so will be full of deeds of which Allah does not approve. Allah (SWT) says, “The Book will be set in place, and you will see the evildoers fearful of what is in it. They will say: "Woe to us! What is this Book that does not pass over any action, small or great, without recording it?" They will find there everything they did, and your Lord will not wrong anyone at all.” (Surat al-Kahf -ayah 49)
People who have done wrong on earth will be surprised that parts of their body will testify against them. Each of these will speak, by Allah’s (SWT) will, and state the truth. Even their own senses and skin, which they considered their own, will betray them. Allah (SWT) says, “On the Day We crowd the enemies of Allah into the Fire and they are driven in close-packed ranks, when they reach it [the Fire], their hearing, sight, and skin will testify against them concerning what they did. They will ask their skins: "Why did you testify against us?" and they will reply: "Allah gave us speech, as He has given speech to everything. He created you in the first place, and you will be returned to Him. You did not think to shield yourselves from your hearing, sight, and skin testifying against you, and you thought that Allah would never know much of what you did. It is that thought you had about your Lord that has destroyed you, so now you find yourselves among the lost." If they are steadfast, the Fire will still be their residence! If they ask for favor, no favor will be given.” (Surah Fussilat- ayah 19-24)
Next Allah (SWT) will rule the questioning of deeds and their final reward or punishment. Everyone will receive justice based on just scales. Allah (SWT) says, “We will set up the Just Balance on the Day of Resurrection, and no self will be wronged in any way. Even if it is no more than the weight of a grain of mustard-seed, We will produce it. We are sufficient as a Reckoner.” (Surat al-Anbiya'-ayah 47) Every deed will be put on these scales, which will decide one's eternal suffering or eternal happiness. People whose good deeds weigh heavier will go to Paradise, but those whose good deeds weigh less will receive a frightening punishment, which is going to hell for a period of time or forever. Allah (SWT) says, “As for him whose balance is heavy, he will have a most pleasant life. But as for him whose balance is light, his motherland is Hawiya. And what will convey to you what that is? A raging Fire!” (Sur at al-Qari‘a- ayah 6-11)
The believers and the unbelievers, before they are separated, will be shown Hell. On that Day, every person will kneel around Hell, hear its fearsome, furious and harsh sounds, and witness its terrifying scenes. Then the believers will be saved, while the unbelievers will be left kneeling. Allah (SWT) says, “Man asks: "When I am dead, will I then be brought out again alive?" Does not man recall that We created him before, when he was not anything? By your Lord, We will collect them and the devils together. Then We will assemble them around Hell on their knees. Then We will drag out from every sect the one among them who is the most insolent toward the All-Merciful. Then We will know best those most deserving to roast in it. There is not one of you who will not come to it. That is the final decision of your Lord. Then We will rescue those who guarded against evil and will leave the wrongdoers in it on their knees.” (Surah Mariam-ayah 66-72)
This will be the last step for every person. The disbelievers will live in hell forever and the believers will live in paradise forever. The wrongdoers who did some good deeds might go to Paradise by Allah’s mercy, after a term of the punishment.
I have listed 57 minor signs before the Day of Judgment and nine major signs before the Day of Judgment. Many have already happened so we have to be aware of what is yet to arrive. The signs are:
The minor signs are:
-The Prophethood of Muhammad (SAW)
-The death of the Prophet (SAW)
-The conquering of Bait ul-Maqdis
-The Plague of Amwaas (in Palestine)
-The increase in wealth so that sadaqah is not needed
-Trials and civil strife:
(i) The appearance of troubles in the east
(ii) The killing of Uthmaan (ra)
(iii) The battle of al-Jamaal
(iv) The battle of Siffeen
(v) The appearance of the Khawaarij
(vi) The happening of al-Harrah
(vii) The appearance of the saying that the Quran is created
(viii) The following of the ways of the previous nations
-The appearance of claimants to Prophethood
-Widespread safety
-The appearance of fire in the Hijaz
-Fighting the Turks
-Fighting the non-Arabs
-Disappearance of trustworthiness
-Disappearance of knowledge and appearance of ignorance
-Increase in the number of police and helpers of the oppressors
-Spread of fornication
-Spread of usury
-Spread of musical instruments and their permitted use.
-Drinking of intoxicants and their permitted use.
-Adorning the mosques and rivaling therein
-Building tall buildings
-The slave girls giving birth to her mistress
-Increase in killing
-Time passing quickly
-Coming together of markets
-Appearance of Shirk in this Ummah
-Appearance of wickedness, cutting off relations and ill treatment of neighbors
-Dying of gray hairs with black dye
-Increase of extreme miserliness
-Increase in trade
-Many earthquakes
-Appearance of sinking into the earth, transformation into animals and –false accusations
-The passing away of the pious
-The raising of the despicable people to positions of importance
-That greeting is given only to those the person knows
-That knowledge is sought from other than the scholars in truth
-Appearance of women in clothes, which do not cover them
-The truthfulness of the dreams of the Believers
-Spread and increase in writing
-Laxity with regard to the Sunnah
-Increase in size of the new moons
-Increase in falsehood and having no concern to check reports
-Increase in false testimony and withholding true witness
-Large number of women and small number of men
-Sudden death will be common
-Hatred amongst people’s hearts
-The return of the land of the Arabs to being pastures and rivers
-Increase in rain but decrease in produce
-The revealing of a mountain of gold by the Euphrates River
-The talking of wild animals and inanimate objects to people
-Wishing for death because of the severity of trials
-Increase in the number of Romans and their fighting the Muslims
-Victory over Constantinople
-The appearance of al-Qahtaanee
- Muslims fighting the Jews
-The expelling by al-Medina of its wicked people, then its desolation at the end of time
-The sending of a pleasant wind to take away the souls of the Believers
-The attacking of the Sacred House and dismantling of the Ka'bah
The major signs are:
- The Mahdee will be born
-The Anti-Christ [Maseeh ud-Dajjal] will appear
-The descent of Eesaa (as)
-Yajooj and Maajooj will come and eat all the plants and also some humans
-The three great sinkings of the earth
-The appearance of smoke in the sky
-The rising of the sun in the west
-The beast of the earth [Daabbat ul-Ard] will appear
-The fire, which will bring the people together
This concludes the description of the Day of Judgment, which includes the Final Hour, the resurrection, the gathering, the reward of deeds, the presentation and Reckoning, the scale, Paradise and Hell. The Quran focuses on what we have to do so we can avoid hell and the horrible features of the Day of Judgment. We should believe in the Day of Judgment because it is one of the pillars of eman. We should be good at all times because we don’t really know when the Day of Judgment will be or when we will die. As soon as our spirit goes to Allah (SWT) we can’t ask for forgiveness because it’s all over. When the sun is rises from the West, it will be too late to ask for Allah’ (SWT) forgiveness, therefore we should be obeying Allah (SWT) at all times.
Glossary
Allah: one and only God
Eman: faith
The Day of Judgment: The Day of Resurrection
Quran: The believer’s holy book, book of instructions
Sources used
Ibn Taymiyah, Book of Emaan, According the the
Classical works of Shaikhul-Islam Ibn Taymiyah,
Al-Firdous Ltd, London, 1997
http://www.al-qiyamah.org/
http://www.911a.org/dayofjudgment.htm
http://groups.msn.com/islam4all/dayofjudgement.msnw
