Belief in the Last Day: The Fifth Pillar of Iman
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Belief in the Last Day (al-Yawm al-Akhir) encompasses everything that occurs after death: the trial of the grave, the resurrection, the gathering, the reckoning, the scales, the bridge, intercession, Paradise, and Hellfire. It is the fifth pillar of iman.
The Trial of the Grave
After burial, two angels (Munkar and Nakir) question the deceased: Who is your Lord? What is your religion? Who is this man who was sent among you? The believer answers correctly and is granted comfort, while the disbeliever or hypocrite fails and faces punishment. The Prophet frequently sought refuge from the punishment of the grave.
The Resurrection
Israfil will blow the Trumpet twice: the first blast causes all living things to die, and the second resurrects all who ever lived. People will rise from their graves barefoot, naked, and uncircumcised, then be gathered on a vast plain for judgment (Quran 36:51-53).
The Reckoning and Scales
Every person will receive their book of deeds: in the right hand for the people of Paradise, and in the left or behind the back for the people of Hellfire (Quran 69:19-25). Deeds will be weighed on a real scale (mizan). The Prophet said: 'Two words which are light on the tongue, heavy on the scales, and beloved to the Most Merciful: SubhanAllahi wa bihamdihi, SubhanAllahil-Azim' (Sahih al-Bukhari 6406).
The Bridge and Intercession
All people must cross the Sirat, a bridge over Hellfire, at a speed proportional to their deeds. The Prophet will be the first to cross and the first to intercede. His greatest intercession (al-Shafa'ah al-Uzma) will be to ask Allah to begin the judgment for all of humanity.