Part 17

It may be that the Last Hour is very near.' ) (33: 63) Sahl Ibn Sa'd related that the Prophet said, "On the Day of Rising people will be gathered together on earth which is reddish white — the same colour as a fresh loaf of bread. There will not be any landmarks on that earth for anyone."52 Abu Hurairah related that the Prophet said, "People will be gathered in three ways: there will be those who come full of hope and fear; there will be those who come riding two or three or ten on a camel. The rest of the people will be herded to gather next to the Fire which will be 52 al-Bukhari, 11 / 372; Muslim, 17/ 134. near them when they doze in the afternoon, and stay with them wherever they spend the night, and remain with them in the morning wherever they may be, and still be with them in the afternoon wherever they may be then."53 Qatadah reported that Anas said, "A man said, 'O Prophet of Allah! Will Allah really gather the kafirun on their faces on the Day of Rising?' He replied, 'Will the One Who made him walk on his feet in this world, not be able to make him walk on his face on the Day of Rising?" Qatada continued: "Yes, By the power of our Lord! It says this in the Quran when Allah says: ( We will gather them on the Day of Rising, flat on their faces, blind, dumb, and deaf. Their shelter will be Hell. Whenever the Blaze dies down, We will increase it for them. ) " 54 (17: 97) What a difference between the two groups: the muminun will ride to Paradise and to the Mercy of Allah — and the kafirun will be herded to the Fire of Hell where they will receive severe punishment. Allah it says: (On that Day We will gather those who have taqwa to the All-Merciful with due ceremony. But We will drive the evildoers to Hell, like cattle to a watering hole. ) (19: 86-87) Abu Sa'eed al-Khudri reported, "During the lifetime of the Prophet some people asked, 'O Messenger of Allah! Will we see our Lord on the Day of Rising?' The Prophet replied, 'Yes! Do you have any difficulty in seeing the sun at midday when it is bright and there is not a cloud in the sky?' They replied, 'No.' He asked, 'Do you have any difficulty in seeing the full moon at night when it is bright and there is not a cloud in the sky?' They replied, 'No.' The Prophet said, 'Just as you have no difficulty in seeing either of them so you will have no difficulty in seeing Allah on the Day of Rising.' "On the Day of Rising, a caller will announce, 'Let every nation follow what they used to worship.' Then there will be none of those who used to worship anything other than Allah, like idols and other false gods, who do not fall into the Fire of Hell — until no one will remain except those who used to worship Allah, both those who were obedient and those who were disobedient, and also some of the People of the Book. Then the Jews will be summoned and it will be said to them, 'Who did you use to worship?' They will say, 'We used to worship Ezra, the son of Allah.' It will be said to them, 'You are liars, for Allah has never taken anyone as a wife or a son. What do you want now?' They will say, 'O our Lord! We are thirsty, so give us something to drink.' Then they will be dealt with and addressed like this: 'You will indeed have something to drink,' — and they will be driven towards the Fire of Hell which will appear like a mirage whose different sides are devouring each other. Then they will fall into the Fire.'"55 Glorified and Exalted is Allah. In the life of this world people appear the same: both the muminun and the kafirun are provided with all kinds of sustenance — but when death takes their souls, each group heads for a different life in the grave, determined by their actions in the life of this world — and when the Trumpet is blown, they will come swiftly out of their 53 al-Bukhari, 11 / 377; Muslim, 17/194-195; Al-Nasa'i, 4 / 115-116. 54 al-Bukhari, 11 /377; Muslim, 17/ 148-149. 55 al-Bukhari, 13 / 473; Muslim, 3 / 53-60; and Abu Dawud. graves to their Lord. On that Day no one will be wronged in any way, nor will they be rewarded for anything other than what they used to do. The dwellers of Paradise will be occupied with joyful things — they will be with their partners in pleasant shades, and there they will have fruits of all kinds and all they ask for. Allah it will say to them, "Salam — Peace be upon you — because of what you protected patiently!" How excellent indeed is their final abode!