Lesson 12 Belief in the Last Day

Death is a decree of Allah since eternity, and could not happen in advance or even be postponed, and Allah only knows when it will occur.

The Barzakh life is the period of waiting until the Hour comes, it begins with the questions of the two Angels according to which the torture or bliss of the tomb will be determined.

Belief in the Hour includes the belief in its minor signs which the Prophet noted, such as corruption and change of people’s conditions, as well as the major signs.

No one, save Allah, knows when the Hour will be.

Proofs on the Lesson from Qur ’ an and Sunnah

The Last Day: Death is a Decree of Allah The verse says: ﴿هُوَالَّذِى خَلَقَكُم مِّن طِينٍ ثُمَّ قَضَى أَجَلاً وَأَجَلٌ مُّسَمًّى عِندَهُ ﴾ [ الأنعام : 2]

The verse means: “He it is Who has created you from clay, and then has decreed a stated term (for you to die). And there is with Him another determined term (for you to be resurrected).” (Surah Al An`am: 2)

Allah says: ﴿أَيْنَمَا تَكُونُوا يُدْرِككُّمُ الْمَوْتُ وَلَوْ كُنتُمْ فِى بُرُوجٍ مُّشَيَّدَةٍ﴾ [ النساء : 78]

This means: “Wheresoever you may be, death will overtake you even if you are in fortresses built up strong and high!” (Surah An-Nisa’: 78)

And says: ﴿ وَلَوْ يُؤَاخِذُ اللَّهُ النَّاسَ بِظُلْمِهِم مَّاتَرَكَ عَلَيْهاَ مِن دَابَّةٍ وَلَكِن يُؤَخِّرُهُمْ إِلَى أَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى فَإِذَا جَاءَ أَجَلُهُمْ لاَ يَسْتَأْخِرُونَ سَاعَةً وَلاَ يَسْتَقْدِمُونَ ﴾ [ النحل : 61]

This means: “And if Allah were to seize mankind for their wrong-doing, He would not leave on it (the earth) a single moving (living) creature, but He postpones them for an appointed term and when their term comes, neither can they delay nor can they advance it an hour (or a moment).” (Surah An-Nahl: 61)

And: ﴿ وَمَاَتَدْرِى نَفْسٌ بِأَىِّ أَرْضٍ تَمُوتُ﴾ [ لقمان : 34]

This means: “And no person knows in what land he will die.” (Surah Luqman: 34)

The Torture of the Grave Allah says: ﴿ وَحَاقَ بآلِ فِرْعَوْنَ سُوءُ الْعَذَابِ * النَّارُ يُعْرَضُونَ عَلَيْهَا غُدُوًّا وَعَشِيًّا وَيَوْمَ تَقُومُ السَّاعَةُ أَدْخِلُوا آلَ فِرْعَونَ أَشَدَّ الْعَذَابِ﴾ [ غافر : ]

This means: “While an evil torment encompassed Fir'awn's (Pharaoh) people. The Fire; they are exposed to it, morning and afternoon, and on the Day when the Hour will be established (it will be said to the angels): "Cause Fir'awn's (Pharaoh) people to enter the severest torment!''” (Surah Ghafir: )

The Prophet (PBUH) said: “When anyone of you dies, he is shown his place both in the morning and in the evening. If he is one of the people of Paradise; he is shown his place in it, and if he is of the people of the Hell-Fire; he is shown his place therein. Then, it is said to him, ‘This is your place till Allah resurrect you on the Day of Resurrection.’” (Reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

The Hour: Allah says:  إنَّ السَّاعَةَ لآتِيَةٌ لا رَيْبَ فِيهَا  [ غافر : 59]

This means: “Verily, the Hour (Day of Judgement) is surely coming, therein is no doubt” (40, Ghafir: 59)

Allah says:  وَمَا يُدْرِيكَ لَعَلَّ السَّاعَةَ قَرِيبٌ. يَسْتَعْجِلُ بِهَا الَّذِينَ لا يُؤْمِنُون بِهَا وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مُشْفِقُونَ مِنْهَا وَيَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّهَا الْحَقّ أَلا إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يُمَارُونَ فِي السَّاعَةِ لَفِي ضَلالٍ بَعِيد  [ الشورى : ]

This means: “And what can make you know that perhaps the Hour is close at hand? Those who believe not therein seek to hasten it, while those who believe are fearful of it, and know that it is the very truth. Verily, those who dispute concerning the Hour are certainly in error far away.” (42, Ash-Shura: )

Allah says:  يَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنِ السَّاعَةِ أَيَّانَ مُرْسَاهَا قُلْ إِنَّمَا عِلْمُهَا عِندَ رَبِّي لاَ يُجَلِّيهَا لِوَقْتِهَا إِلاَّ هُوَ ثَقُلَت فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ لاَ تَأْتِيكُمْ إِلاَّ بَغْتَةً يَسْأَلُونَكَ كَأَنَّكَ حَفِيّ عَنْهَا قُلْ إِنَّمَا عِلْمُهَا عِندَ اللّهِ وَلَـكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ  [ الأعراف : 187]

This means: “They ask you about the Hour (Day of Resurrection): "When will be its appointed time?" Say: "The knowledge thereof is with my Lord (Alone). None can reveal its time but He. Heavy is its burden through the heavens and the earth. It shall not come upon you except all of a sudden." They ask you as if you have a good knowledge of it. Say: "The knowledge thereof is with Allah (Alone) but most of mankind know not.''” (7, Al-A`raf: 187)

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him ) said: “My advent and the advent of the Day of Judgment are placed together as my two fingers.” (Reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

There are more proofs in the Holy Qur’an and Sunnah:

The Great Signs of the Hour Allah says: ﴿ إِذَا السَّمَاءُ انشَقَّتْ﴾ [ الانشقاق : 1]

This means: “When the heaven is split asunder.” (Surah Al-Inshiqaq, 1)

And: ﴿إِذَا السَّمَاءُ انفَطَرَتْ﴾ [ الانفطار : 1]

This means: “When the heaven is cleft asunder.” (Surah Al-Infitar, 1)

And: ﴿ إِذَا الشَّمْسُ كُوِّرَتْ * وَ إِذَا النُّجُومُ انكَدَرَتْ﴾ [ التكوير : 1 ، 2]

This means: “When the sun Kuwwirat (wound round and lost its light). And when the stars shall be turbid.” (Surah At-Takwir: 1 - 2)

Allah says: ﴿ وَإِذَا الْكَوَاكِبُ انتَثَرَتْ﴾ [ الانفطار : 2]

This means: “And when the plants have fallen and scattered.” (Surah Al-Infitar: 2)

And: ﴿ وَإِذَا الْبِحَارُ فُجِّرَتْ﴾ [ الانفطار : 3]

This means: “And when the seas are burst forth.” (Surah Al-Infitar: 3)

And: ﴿ وَإِذَا السَّمَاءُ كُشِطَتْ﴾ [ التكوير : 11]

This means: “And when the heaven shall be stripped off.” (Surah At-Takwir: 11)

And: ﴿ يَوْمَ نَطْوِي السَّمَاءَ كَطَيِّ السِّجِلِّ لِلْكُتُبِ﴾ [ الأنبياء : 104]

This means: “And (remember) the Day when We shall roll up the heavens like a scroll rolled up for books.” (Surah Al-Anbiya’: 104)

Allah says: ﴿ فَإِذَا انشَقَّتِ السَّمَاءُ فَكَانَتْ وَرْدَةً كَالدِّهَانِ﴾ [ الرحمن : 37]

This means: “Then when the heaven is rent asunder, and it becomes rosy or red like red-oil, or red hide.” (Surah Ar-Rahman: 37)

And says: ﴿ وَإِذَا وَقَعَ الْقَوْلُ عَلَيْهِمْ أَخْرَجْنَا لَهُمْ دَابَّةً مِّنَ الأَرْضِ تُكَلِّمُهُمْ ﴾ [ النمل : 82]

This means: “And when the Word (of torment) is fulfilled against them, We shall bring out from the earth a beast to them, which will speak to them.” (Surah An-Naml: 82)

Lastly: ﴿ حَتَّى إِذَا فُتِحَتْ يَأْجُوجُ وَمَأْجُوجُ وَهُم مِّن كُلِّ حَدَبٍ يَنسِلُونَ﴾ [الأنبياء: 96]

This means: “Until, when Ya'juj and Ma'juj (Gog and Magog) are let loose (from their barrier), and they swiftly swarm from every mound.” (Surah Al-Anbiya’: 96)