Part 117

Book of The End: Great Trials and Tribulations 605

THE PEOPLE OF AL-‘ARAAF

Book of The End: Great Trials and Tribulations

Book of The End: Great Trials and Tribulations 607

The People Of Al-‘Araaf Allah ## said:

LAG pa abe Je oY Al A 5 0 Gey By ah

pany the ye hoe

“And between them will be a (barrier) and on Al-Araf (a wall with elevated places) will be men (whose good and evil deeds would be equal in scale), who would recognize all (of the Paradise and Hell people) by their marks (te dtwvellers of Paradise with their white faces and the dwellers of Hell by their black faces), they will call out to the dwellers of Paradise, “Salamun Alikum’’ (Peace be on you), and at that time they (men on Al-Araaf) will not yet have entered it (Paradise), but they will hope to enter (it) with certainty. And when their eyes will be turned towards the dwellers of the Fire, they will say: “Our Lord! Place us not with the people who are Zalimoon (palytheists, wrong —doers),""") Tbn ‘Abbaas # and others said, “Al-‘Araafis a wall between Paradise and Hell.” Al-Ttbee related that Hudhaifah -# said, “Those of Al- ‘Araaf are a people whose good deeds are more than (would make them enter) the Hellfire, and whose bad deeds make them fall short of entering Paradise.”

“And when their eyes will be turned towards the dwellers of the Fire, they will say: “Our Lord! Place us not with the people who are Zalimoon (polytheists, wrong — doers), “While they are upon that state, their Lord will appear to them and say, ‘Stand. Then enter Paradise, for 1 have indeed forgiven you.” Al-Baihagee related the same, but his chain for this hadith is questionable. Sufyaan Ath-Thauree related that ‘Abdullah ibn AlHaarith ibn Naufal said, “Those of Al-‘Araaf are men whose good

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and bad deeds are equal. They are taken to a river that is called The River of Life. Its soil is Wirs and saffron. Its two sides are gold and silver threads, which are wreathed with pearls. They will bathe in it. On the upper part of their chests, a white spot will appear. Then they will bathe, and they will increase in whiteness. Then it wil! be said to them, ‘Wish for whatsoever you please.’ They will wish for whatever they want, and then it will be said to them, ‘For you is what you wished and 70 times more.’ Those are the poor ones (Masaakeen) of Paradise.”

There are Ahaadeeth related about the people of Al-’Araaf, in terms of their description. Those narrations have Gharaabah in them, and so we refrained from mentioning them because of their weakness.

A Mention Of The First One To Come Out Of The Hellfire And Then Enter Paradise

Abu Hurairah .g related that some people said to the Messenger of Allah x, “O Messenger of Allah, will we see our Lord on the Day of Resurrection?” The Messenger of Allah # said, “Do you find it difficult to see the moon on the night of the full moon,” They said, “No, O Messenger of Allah.” He 2 said, “Is it difficult for you to see the sum when there is no cloud before it?” They said, “No.” He 2 said, “Then you will indeed see Him like that, On the Day of Resurrection, Allah will gather the people and say, ‘Whoever worshipped anything, then let him follow it. Whoever used to worship the sun, then let him follow the sun; whoever used to worship the moon, then let him follow the moon. And whoever worshipped the Tawaagheet (all false gods, which are worshipped instead of Allah), then let him follow the Tawaagheet’ And (the people of} this nation will remain, and among it will be its hypocrites. Then Allah will come to them in an appearance that they do not know (or recognize), and He will say, ‘Tam your Lord.’ They will say, ‘We seek refuge in Allah from you; this is our place until our Lord comes to us. When our Lord comes, we will know (or recognize) Him.’ Then Allah will come to them in the appearance which they know (or recognize), and He will say, ‘I am your Lord.’ They will say, “You are our Lord/ and they will follow Him. Then the Siraai (path over Hell) will be set up over Hell. Then I and my nation will be the first to pass over it, and none will speak that Day except for the Messengers, and the supplication of the Messengers

Book of The End: Great Trials and Tribulations 6

on that Day will be, ‘O Allah, save (us), save (us).” And in Hell there are hooks like the thorns of Sa’daan (a thorny plant). Did you not see the thorns of Sa’daan?” They said, “Yes, O Messenger of Allah.” He 8 said, “They (those hooks) are indeed like the thorns of Sa‘daan, except that none knows their size save Allah. They will snatch people by their deeds. Among them are those who are destroyed by their deeds, and among them are those who will get across it. Until when Allah finishes from judging between His slaves and when He wills to take out from the Hellfire whomsoever He wills to take out, He 3¢ will order the angels to take out from the Hellfire the one who would not associate any partners with Allah, from those whom Allah wishes to have mercy upon, from those who say, ‘Laailaaha illallah (none has the sight to be worshipped but Allah)’ They will know them in the Hellfire; they will know them by the effects of their prostration. The Hellfire will eat from the son of Adam except for the effects of Prostration. Then they will come out of the Hellfire, and they will have been bumed. Then water from the water of life will be poured onto them, and then they will grow like the growing of a seed that is carried on the Hamee! (what is carried by a flood or stream) of a flood (or a stream). Allah will have finished from judging between His slaves, and a man will remain, with his face turned to the Fire. And he is the last of the dwellers of the Hellfire to enter Paradise. He will say, ‘O my Lord, turn my face away from the Helifire, for its wind has touched me and its flame has burned me.” He will invoke Allah for as long as He wishes him to invoke Him, and then Allah will say, ‘IfI grant you that, you will perhaps not ask Me for anything else?’ He will say, ‘I will not ask You for anything else’ He will give whatever promises and pledges he wishes to give, and then his face is turned away from the Hellfire. Then when he faces Paradise and sees it, he will be silent for whatever period Allah wills him to be silent for. Then he will say, ‘O my Lord, bring me closer to the Gate of Paradise.’ Allah will say, ‘Did you not give your promises and pledges that you would not ask Me for anything other than what I gave you? Woe upon you, O son of Adam, how treacherous you are!’ He will say, “My Lord,’ and then he will invoke Allah unti] Allah says, ‘If I grant you that, you will perhaps not ask Me for anything else?’ He will say, ‘By your Glory, no (I will not ask for anything else).’ He will give Allah what He wills in terms of promises and pledges. And so He 3s will bring him closer to the Gate of Paradise. When he stands at the door of Paradise, Paradise

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will expand for him, and he will see the goodness and happiness that is in it. Then he will be quiet for a period that Allah 3€ wills him to remain quiet for, and then he will say, ‘O my Lord, make admit me into Paradise’ Allah will say, ‘Did you not give your promises and pledges that you would not ask me for other than what I gave you. Woe unto you, O son of Adam! How treacherous you are!’ He will say, ‘O my Lord, (so that) 1 will not be the most wretched of Your creation.’ He will continue to invoke Allah until He a will laugh from him. Then He 4@ will say to him, ‘Enter Paradise.’ Then he will enter it, and Allah will say, ‘Wish.’ And he will ask Allah and wish, until Allah reminds him of such and such, until he has no more wishes. Then Allah will say, “This is for you and what is equal to it along with it” (Muslim)