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explosions and the dreadful tremors, the total annihilation of the world even the mountains will be wiped out of existence, the rising again of men, the gathering together of them for the Judgment, the presentation of the Book of Deeds, the deposing of one’s own limbs against oneself, the judgment, and, finally, the execution of the Divine Verdict and the allotment of Heaven and Hell. All these events have been described so candidly in some of the chapters of the Quran that one can obtain a full picture of the happenings of the Last Day by reading them. The Prophet (Peace be upon him), thus, is reported to have observed, “Anyone who wishes to know about the Last Day as if the scene of it was drawn before his eyes should read these chapters of the Quran: Takvir, Infitar and Inshiqaq.

We will now see a few Traditions of the Prophet (Peace be upon him) appertaining to Barzakh and the Last Day. Says he:

“When anyone of you dies the place that is going to be his abode in the Heaven or in the Hell (on the basis of his conduct in the world) is brought before his eyes every morning and evening and it is said to him, ‘Behold, this is your destination, and, surely, you will reach it’.”

“When the Trumpet will first be sounded on the Last Day by the command of Allah (Subhaanahu Wata’aalaa) everyone will faint and drop dead on the ground. When it will be sounded next, all men will rise again.”

“They will then be commanded to proceed to make their presence before the Lord. The angels, thereafter, will be told to collect them together and here the investigation into their conduct on the earth will begin.” It is related that a Companion once enquired from the Prophet (Peace be upon him), “O Messenger of Allah (Subhaanahu Wata’aalaa), how will Allah (Subhaanahu Wata’aalaa) raise up his creatures from the dead? Is there anything like it here in this world which may be cited as example?” The Prophet (Peace be upon him) replied, “Has it never accrued to you that you may have passed by a stretch of land in your country and found it dry and bereft of all vegetation, and, then, on coming upon it again, after sometime, discovered that it was covered lavishly with fresh, green grass?” The Prophet (Peace be upon him) remarked, “This typifies resurrection. Allah (Subhaanahu Wata’aalaa) will rise from the dead in the same manner.”

The Prophet (Peace be upon him) is reported to have asked, after reciting the Quranic verse:

On the Day (the earth) will declare her tidings, “Do you know what it means?” The companions are said to have replied, “Allah (Subhaanahu Wata’aalaa) and His Apostle know best.” The Prophet (Peace be upon him), the Tradition goes on to tell, then said, “On the Day of Judgment the earth will bear witness to all the deeds performed by men on it (i.e., at the bidding of Allah (Subhaanahu Wata’aalaa) the earth will tell that such and such a person had done such and such a thing on it on such and such a day).” Speaking of the Day of Recompense the Prophet (Peace be upon him), further, is reported to have said, “On that Day Allah (Subhaanahu Wata’aalaa) will call upon everyone to come forward and be his own witness. He will say to him, today you are your own witness: Our recording angels are present; this much of evidence is enough’. Then by the command of Allah (Subhaanahu Wata’aalaa) the lips of the person will become sealed and he will not be able to utter a word. His limbs (arms, legs, etc.) will then be commanded to speak and they will relate the whole story of his doings in the world.”