Summary of the Doctrines of Ahl al-Sunnah
What is meant by belief in the Last Day
is believing in the arrival of a Day wherein man will be held accountable for his deeds during his worldly life,
and subsequently recompensed for them with admission into either Paradise or the Fire.
It is part of belief in the unseen (ghayb),
and discourse concerning it encompasses everything that befalls a person from the moment of death
until entering Paradise or Hellfire, dwelling eternally in either of them.
The divine decree may necessitate that some people be purified of their sins by entering the Fire first,
and then brought out of it into the Paradise of eternity.
This applies at the level of each individual.
As for the level of worldly life and its termination,
and the onset of the Day of Resurrection,
it also encompasses discourse regarding the minor and major signs of the Hour.
The Names of the Last Day in the Noble Qur'an and Their Meanings
The Last Day has been called by numerous names in the Noble Qur'an,
and described with many attributes,
amounting to approximately twenty-three names and descriptions.
The multitude of names and descriptions for this Day exists only
due to the magnitude of its affair,
as is customary among the Arabs to employ numerous designations for anything they hold in high esteem or awe,
such as the sword and the lion.
Thus, because the affair of the Last Day is immense and its terrors are manifold,
the Qur'an designated it by numerous names and described it with many attributes.
Among these, the first and second are: "the Last Day" (al-Yawm al-Akhir) and "the Hereafter" (al-Akhirah).
The expression "the Last Day" appears twenty-six times,
while the word "the Hereafter" appears two hundred and ten times.
Both carry the same meaning:
it is called "the Last Day" because there is no day after it,
and "the Hereafter" because there is nothing beyond it.
It is the final station through which human beings journey:
from nonexistence into their mother's womb,
then exiting into the life of this world,
then the life of the Barzakh (intermediate realm),
and finally to this Hereafter, wherein they shall abide eternally,
either in Paradise or in the Fire.
Among these verses is
the saying of Allah Almighty:
"And of the people are some who say, 'We believe in Allah and the Last Day,' but they are not believers."
“And of mankind are some who say: We believe in Allah and the Last Day, when they believe not.” (2:8)
And His saying:
“And who believe in that which is revealed unto thee (Muhammad) and that which was revealed before thee, and are certain of the Hereafter.” (2:4)
"and what was revealed before you,
and of the Hereafter they are certain [in faith]."
The third and fourth are:
"the Day of Recompense" (Yawm al-Din) and "the Day of Account" (Yawm al-Hisab).
Both convey the same meaning,
as "al-Din" signifies recompense and reckoning.
The phrase "the Day of Recompense" occurs thirteen times,
and the phrase "the Day of Account" occurs four times.
This Day was given this name
because a person is brought to account therein for worldly deeds and recompensed for them.
Allah Almighty said:
"Sovereign of the Day of Recompense."
And He said:
“This it is that ye are promised for the Day of Reckoning.” (38:53)
"This is what you are promised for the Day of Account."
The fifth is: "the Day of Resurrection" (Yawm al-Qiyamah).
It is mentioned in the Noble Qur'an seventy times,
“Nay, I swear by the Day of Resurrection;” (75:1)
"I swear by the Day of Resurrection."
A whole Surah has been named with this title.
The Day was so called
because people will stand on it before the Lord of the worlds for their reckoning,
“The day when (all) mankind stand before the Lord of the Worlds?” (83:6)
"The Day when mankind will stand before the Lord of the worlds."
The sixth is: "the Hour" (al-Sa'ah).
It occurs in the Noble Qur'an thirty-five times,
“And unto Allah belongeth the Unseen of the heavens and the earth, and the matter of the Hour (of Doom) is but as a twinkling of the eye, or it is nearer still. Lo! Allah is Able to do all things.” (16:77)
"Indeed, Allah is over all things competent."
In language, "al-sa'ah" refers to the present moment.
It was named as such due to the imminence of its arrival,
as though it were already present,
and because it arrives suddenly,
as Allah Almighty said:
"They ask you about the Hour: when is its arrival?"
“They ask thee of the (destined) Hour, when will it come to port. Say: Knowledge thereof is with my Lord only. He alone will manifest it at its proper time. It is heavy in the heavens and the earth. It cometh not to you save unawares. They question thee as if thou couldst be well informed thereof. Say: Knowledge thereof is with Allah only, but most of mankind know not.” (7:187)
“They ask thee of the (destined) Hour, when will it come to port. Say: Knowledge thereof is with my Lord only. He alone will manifest it at its proper time. It is heavy in the heavens and the earth. It cometh not to you save unawares. They question thee as if thou couldst be well informed thereof. Say: Knowledge thereof is with Allah only, but most of mankind know not.” (7:187)
“They ask thee of the (destined) Hour, when will it come to port. Say: Knowledge thereof is with my Lord only. He alone will manifest it at its proper time. It is heavy in the heavens and the earth. It cometh not to you save unawares. They question thee as if thou couldst be well informed thereof. Say: Knowledge thereof is with Allah only, but most of mankind know not.” (7:187)
“They ask thee of the (destined) Hour, when will it come to port. Say: Knowledge thereof is with my Lord only. He alone will manifest it at its proper time. It is heavy in the heavens and the earth. It cometh not to you save unawares. They question thee as if thou couldst be well informed thereof. Say: Knowledge thereof is with Allah only, but most of mankind know not.” (7:187)
The seventh is:
"the Imminent" (al-Azifah).
Allah Almighty said:
"The Imminent has drawn near."
Its connotation is close to that of "the Hour",
for "azifat" means drew close and approached.
It has also been mentioned in construct with the word "Day" (yawm);
Allah Almighty said:
"And warn them of the Approaching Day."
“Warn them (O Muhammad) of the Day of the approaching (doom), when the hearts will be choking the throats, (when) there will be no friend for the wrong-doers, nor any intercessor who will be heard.” (40:18)
The eighth is:
"the Inevitable Event" (al-Waqi'ah).
Allah Almighty said:
"When the Inevitable Event occurs."
And He said:
"Then on that Day, the Event will occur."
It was named as such because its occurrence is an absolute certainty.
The ninth is:
"the Inevitable Reality" (al-Haqqah).
Allah Almighty said:
"The Inevitable Reality!"
"What is the Inevitable Reality?"
"And what can make you know what is the Inevitable Reality?"
It was named as such because everything that the deniers rejected will be actualized and realized therein.
The tenth is:
"the Greatest Catastrophe" (al-Tammat al-Kubra).
Allah Almighty said:
“But when the great disaster cometh,” (79:34)
"So when there comes the Greatest Catastrophe."
It is said:
An affair "tamma" when it surges, overwhelms, and overcomes;
thus the Resurrection was named so because it overwhelms every terrifying event.
The eleventh is:
"the Deafening Blast" (al-Sakhkhah).
Allah Almighty said:
"But when there comes the Deafening Blast."
That is, the mighty shout of the Resurrection.
It was named so because it pierces the ears,
deafening them almost completely by its overwhelming intensity.
The twelfth is:
"the Overwhelming Event" (al-Ghashiyah).
“Hath there come unto thee tidings of the Overwhelming?” (88:1)
"Has there reached you the report of the Overwhelming Event?"
It was called so because it overwhelms mankind with its terrors and engulfs them in grief.
Among its connotations is
the Fire engulfing the disbelievers and surrounding them from above and beneath their feet.
“On the day when the doom will overwhelm them from above them and from underneath their feet, and He will say: Taste what ye used to do!” (29:55)
Allah Almighty said:
“Theirs will be a bed of hell, and over them coverings (of hell). Thus do We requite wrong-doers.” (7:41)
"They will have canopies of fire above them and below them, canopies."
The thirteenth is:
"the Striking Calamity" (al-Qari'ah).
Allah Almighty said:
"The Striking Calamity!"
“Ah, what will convey unto thee what the Calamity is!” (101:3)
And He said:
“(The tribes of) Thamud and A'ad disbelieved in the judgment to come.” (69:4)
"And what can make you know what is the Striking Calamity?"
It is called so because it strikes the hearts with its terrors.
It is said in Arabic:
"The calamities of time struck them,"
meaning its terrors and tribulations.
The following names are all mentioned in construct with the word "Day" (yawm):
The fourteenth is:
"the Day of Regret" (Yawm al-Hasrah).
“And warn them of the Day of anguish when the case hath been decided. Now they are in a state of carelessness, and they believe not.” (19:39)
"And warn them of the Day of Regret, when the matter will be concluded."
It is called so due to the sheer intensity of remorse the servants will experience therein,
whether the regret of the disbelievers over failing to believe in it,
as shown in the preceding verse,
and in His saying:
"Lest a soul should say, 'Oh, how I regret what I neglected regarding Allah and that I was among the mockers,'"
and other such verses;
or even the believers regretting that they did not increase in righteous deeds and piety.
The fifteenth is:
"the Day of Resurrection" (Yawm al-Ba'th).
“But those to whom knowledge and faith are given will say: The truth is, ye have tarried, by Allah's decree, until the Day of Resurrection. This is the Day of Resurrection, but ye used not to know.” (30:56)
“But those to whom knowledge and faith are given will say: The truth is, ye have tarried, by Allah's decree, until the Day of Resurrection. This is the Day of Resurrection, but ye used not to know.” (30:56)
"This is the Day of Resurrection, but you did not know."
Resurrection (al-Ba'th) refers to Allah bringing the dead back to life and raising them for accountability.
The sixteenth is:
"the Day of Judgment" (Yawm al-Fasl).
“Lo! the Day of Decision is a fixed time,” (78:17)
"This is the Day of Judgment, in which you used to deny."
“This is the Day of Separation, which ye used to deny.” (37:21)
"This is the Day of Judgment; We have gathered you and the former peoples."
It was named so because Allah, Mighty and Majestic, will judge between the servants therein.
“Lo! thy Lord will judge between them on the Day of Resurrection concerning that wherein they used to differ.” (32:25)
"Indeed, your Lord will judge between them on the Day of Resurrection."
The seventeenth is:
"the Day of the Meeting" (Yawm al-Talaq).
“The Exalter of Ranks, the Lord of the Throne. He causeth the Spirit of His command upon whom He will of His slaves, that He may warn of the Day of Meeting,” (40:15)
"to warn of the Day of the Meeting."
Namely, the Day on which all servants shall meet:
the oppressor will meet the oppressed,
the inhabitants of the earth will meet the inhabitants of heaven,
and indeed, the weak creature will meet the Compelling Creator;
every worker will meet their deed, whether good or evil.
The eighteenth is:
"the Day of Gathering" (Yawm al-Jam').
“And thus We have inspired in thee a Lecture in Arabic, that thou mayst warn the mother-town and those around it, and mayst warn of a day of assembling whereof there is no doubt. A host will be in the Garden, and a host of them in the Flame.” (42:7)
“And thus We have inspired in thee a Lecture in Arabic, that thou mayst warn the mother-town and those around it, and mayst warn of a day of assembling whereof there is no doubt. A host will be in the Garden, and a host of them in the Flame.” (42:7)
“And thus We have inspired in thee a Lecture in Arabic, that thou mayst warn the mother-town and those around it, and mayst warn of a day of assembling whereof there is no doubt. A host will be in the Garden, and a host of them in the Flame.” (42:7)
"and warn of the Day of Gathering, of which there is no doubt."
“The day when He shall gather you unto the Day of Assembling, that will be a day of mutual disillusion. And whoso believeth in Allah and doeth right, He will remit from him his evil deeds and will bring him unto Gardens underneath which rivers flow, therein to abide for ever. That is the supreme triumph.” (64:9)
"The Day He will gather you for the Day of Gathering - that is the Day of Deprivation."
It is the Day on which all people will be gathered together,
“Lo! herein verily there is a portent for those who fear the doom of the Hereafter. That is a day unto which mankind will be gathered, and that is a day that will be witnessed.” (11:103)
“Lo! herein verily there is a portent for those who fear the doom of the Hereafter. That is a day unto which mankind will be gathered, and that is a day that will be witnessed.” (11:103)
"Say, 'Indeed, the former and later peoples will surely be gathered for the appointment of a known Day.'"
The nineteenth is:
"the Day of Calling" (Yawm al-Tanad).
“And, O my people! Lo! I fear for you a Day of Summoning,” (40:32)
"Indeed, I fear for you the Day of Calling."
It was called so due to the frequent calls and cries that will occur therein:
every person will be called by name for the reckoning,
the companions of Paradise will call out to the companions of the Fire,
the companions of the Fire will likewise call out to the companions of Paradise,
and the companions of the Elevations (al-A'raf) will call out to both.
The twentieth is:
"the Day of the Warning" (Yawm al-Wa'id).
Allah Almighty said:
"And the Horn will be blown.
That is the Day of the Warning."
It is the Day with which Allah warned the disbelievers and hypocrites,
threatening them with torment and eternal dwelling in the Fire,
and warned every oppressor and sinner of accountability for their oppression and disobedience.
The reality of a warning (al-wa'id)
is the announcement of punishment for transgression.
The twenty-first is:
"the Day of Eternity" (Yawm al-Khulud).
Allah Almighty said:
"Enter it in peace.
That is the Day of Eternity."
For people will dwell eternally therein without death.
In the hadith:
"Death will be brought forward in the form of a black-and-white ram,
and it will be slaughtered.
Then it will be said:
'O people of Paradise, eternity and no death!
And O people of the Fire, eternity and no death!'"
(Agreed upon).
The twenty-second is:
"the Day of Emerging" (Yawm al-Khuruj).
“The day when they will hear the (Awful) Cry in truth. That is the day of coming forth (from the graves).” (50:42)
"The Day they will hear the blast in truth - that is the Day of Emerging."
It is the Day on which people emerge from their graves upon hearing the mighty blast,
which is the second blowing of the Horn,
emerging for judgment and recompense,
as Allah Almighty said:
“The day when they come forth from the graves in haste, as racing to a goal,” (70:43)
"The Day they will come out from the graves rapidly as if they were racing to an erect idol."
The Day of Mutual Deprivation (Yawm al-Taghabun).
Allah Almighty said:
“The day when He shall gather you unto the Day of Assembling, that will be a day of mutual disillusion. And whoso believeth in Allah and doeth right, He will remit from him his evil deeds and will bring him unto Gardens underneath which rivers flow, therein to abide for ever. That is the supreme triumph.” (64:9)
"That is the Day of Mutual Deprivation."
For it is a day wherein there is both the gainer and the loser,
meaning the victorious and the ruined.
The believers gain by being drawn away from the Fire and admitted into Paradise,
while the disbelievers lose by entering the Fire.
The Last Day and the Great Tiding.
The term "the Great Tiding" (an-Naba' al-'Azim) appears twice in the Holy Qur'an:
once with the definite article, and once without it.
Allah Almighty said:
"About what are they asking one another?"
"About the great tiding."
And He Almighty said:
“Say: It is tremendous tidings” (38:67)
"From which you turn away."
A tiding (naba') is truthful news that conveys definitive knowledge,
possessing immense benefit.
It has been reported from the salaf (early generations) that the Great Tiding refers to the Day of Resurrection,
and it has also been reported that it refers to the Holy Qur'an.
Both meanings are entirely plausible:
the tiding of the Last Day is tremendous due to the terrors and immense events it entails,
and the Holy Qur'an is a tremendous tiding in all that it contains,
including the refutation of polytheism, the establishment of Tawhid,
and the affirmation of the resurrection on the Day of Judgment and its overwhelming terrors.
The Day of Resurrection has indeed been described as a "tremendous day" in numerous verses of the Holy Qur'an.
He Almighty said:
“The sects among them differ: but woe unto the disbelievers from the meeting of an awful Day.” (19:37)
And He Almighty said:
"Do they not think that they will be resurrected, for a tremendous Day?"
Facets of belief in the Last Day.
Belief in the Last Day
encompasses belief in the following matters:
the trial of the grave, along with its punishment and bliss;
resurrection after death;
the Reckoning;
the Scale;
the distribution of the records of deeds;
the Basin (al-Hawd);
the Traverse (as-Sirat);
the Intercession;
Paradise and Hellfire;
and the minor and major signs of the Hour.
The trial of the grave:
It is the very first stage that occurs after death,
wherein a person is questioned in his grave concerning three matters:
"Who is your Lord?",
"What is your religion?",
and "Who is your Prophet?"
Thereupon, Allah grants steadfastness to the believer,
who replies, "My Lord is Allah,
my religion is Islam,
and my Prophet is Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him."
As for the disbeliever, he says:
"Ah, ah, I do not know!"
The punishment and bliss of the grave:
This is firmly established by the Book and the Sunnah.
The deceased will either be blessed in his grave
or punished—we seek refuge in Allah!
This applies to every deceased person, whether buried or unburied.
The evidence for the bliss of the grave from the Qur'an is
the statement of Allah Almighty:
“Those whom the angels cause to die (when they are) good. They say: Peace be unto you! Enter the Garden because of what ye used to do.” (16:32)
"They say: 'Peace be upon you;
enter Paradise for what you used to do.'"
This address at the moment of death
is glad tidings for the believer, in which he delights in his grave
until the Hour is established.
The evidence for the punishment of the grave is the statement of Allah Almighty:
“The Fire; they are exposed to it morning and evening; and on the day when the Hour upriseth (it is said): Cause Pharaoh's folk to enter the most awful doom.” (40:46)
"And the Day the Hour appears:
“The Fire; they are exposed to it morning and evening; and on the day when the Hour upriseth (it is said): Cause Pharaoh's folk to enter the most awful doom.” (40:46)
As for the Sunnah,
hadiths have reached the level of mutawatir in mentioning the punishment and bliss of the grave.
Among them is the hadith concerning the supplication following the Tashahhud in prayer:
"O Allah, I seek refuge in You from the punishment of the grave,
and I seek refuge in You from the trial of the False Messiah (ad-Dajjal)."
Agreed upon.
Resurrection after death:
Resurrection after death is the Major Resurrection,
wherein the Trumpet will be blown a second time,
the souls will be returned to their bodies,
and people will rise from their graves,
just as Allah Almighty said:
“And the trumpet is blown, and all who are in the heavens and all who are in the earth swoon away, save him whom Allah willeth. Then it is blown a second time, and behold them standing waiting!” (39:68)
"Except whom Allah wills."
“And the trumpet is blown, and all who are in the heavens and all who are in the earth swoon away, save him whom Allah willeth. Then it is blown a second time, and behold them standing waiting!” (39:68)
“And the trumpet is blown, and all who are in the heavens and all who are in the earth swoon away, save him whom Allah willeth. Then it is blown a second time, and behold them standing waiting!” (39:68)
Whoever denies the resurrection
is among the disbelievers,
as Allah Almighty said:
"Those who disbelieve claim that they will never be resurrected.
“Those who disbelieve assert that they will not be raised again. Say (unto them, O Muhammad): Yea, verily, by my Lord! ye will be raised again and then ye will be informed of what ye did; and that is easy for Allah.” (64:7)
Then you will surely be informed of what you did."
“Those who disbelieve assert that they will not be raised again. Say (unto them, O Muhammad): Yea, verily, by my Lord! ye will be raised again and then ye will be informed of what ye did; and that is easy for Allah.” (64:7)
The Minor Resurrection:
The Minor Resurrection
is the death of an individual person;
it was termed as such
because whoever dies,
his personal resurrection has indeed begun,
due to his departure from this worldly life and his entry into the realm of the Hereafter.
The reckoning of the creation for their deeds:
People will be called to account on the Day of Resurrection for their deeds in worldly life.
As for the believer,
his reckoning will be one of divine grace, benevolence, and generosity;
it will merely be a presentation of his deeds before him without rigorous interrogation,
which is the easy reckoning,
as Allah Almighty said:
"Then as for him who is given his record in his right hand,
“He truly will receive an easy reckoning” (84:8)
But as for him whose account is thoroughly scrutinized,
he will be punished.
This is clarified by the statement of the Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him:
"Whoever's account is scrutinized will be punished."
Lady 'A'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, asked:
"Does not Allah Almighty say:
“He truly will receive an easy reckoning” (84:8)
The Prophet, peace be upon him, replied:
"That is merely the presentation."
Agreed upon.
The disbelievers will be made to confess their deeds;
and if they deny them, their own limbs will bear witness against them,
as Allah Almighty said:
“And (make mention of) the day when the enemies of Allah are gathered unto the Fire, they are driven on” (41:19)
“Till, when they reach it, their ears and their eyes and their skins testify against them as to what they used to do.” (41:20)
"Their hearing, their sight, and their skins,
as to what they used to do."
Among the believing servants of Allah,
there are those who will not be brought to account at all;
they are seventy thousand,
as mentioned in the hadith
that Jibril, peace be upon him,
said to the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him:
"These are your Ummah,
and these are seventy thousand before them
who will have no reckoning and no punishment."
The Prophet, peace be upon him, said:
"I asked: 'And why is that?'
He replied:
'They are those who did not practice cauterization,
nor seek ruqyah,
nor take omens,
and in their Lord they put their trust.'"
This is the hadith;
agreed upon.
The Weighing and setting up of the Scales:
This is the belief in the setting up of the Scales on the Day of Resurrection,
in which the servants and their deeds will be weighed,
as Allah Almighty said:
“And We set a just balance for the Day of Resurrection so that no soul is wronged in aught. Though it be of the weight of a grain of mustard seed, We bring it. And We suffice for reckoners.” (21:47)
“And We set a just balance for the Day of Resurrection so that no soul is wronged in aught. Though it be of the weight of a grain of mustard seed, We bring it. And We suffice for reckoners.” (21:47)
“And We set a just balance for the Day of Resurrection so that no soul is wronged in aught. Though it be of the weight of a grain of mustard seed, We bring it. And We suffice for reckoners.” (21:47)
"We will bring it forth,
and sufficient are We as reckoners."
And Allah Almighty said:
"Then those whose scales are heavy,
it is they who are the successful.
But those whose scales are light,
those are the ones who
have lost their souls,
abiding eternally in Hell."
The distribution of the records of deeds:
This is the belief that every individual will come on the Day of Resurrection
carrying a record wherein is inscribed
all that he did in the worldly life;
he will grasp it either in his right hand,
if he is among the redeemed,
or in his left hand,
if he is among the ruined.
Allah Almighty said:
"So as for him who is given his record in his right hand,
he will say: 'Here, read my record!'"
And He Almighty said:
“But as for him who is given his record in his left hand, he will say: Oh, would that I had not been given my book” (69:25)
“But as for him who is given his record in his left hand, he will say: Oh, would that I had not been given my book” (69:25)
"'And I never knew what my account was!'"
The Basin (al-Hawd):
It is the Basin of the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
which is attested to by mutawatir hadiths.
It is an expansive basin,
and its description, as stated in the hadith, is:
"The capacity of my Basin is like the distance between Aylah and Sanaa in Yemen,
and its drinking vessels are as numerous as the stars of the sky."
Agreed upon.
In another hadith recorded by Muslim:
"Two spouts supply it with water flowing from Paradise;
whoever drinks from it will never thirst again;
its width is equal to its length,
like the distance between 'Amman and Aylah;
and its water is whiter than milk and sweeter than honey."
Narrated by Muslim.
The believers who followed the Messenger, peace be upon him, will arrive at the Basin;
as for those who introduced innovations after him,
they will be driven away from it,
just as he, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said:
"Some people from among my companions will certainly come to me at the Basin,
but once I recognize them,
they will be pulled away from me.
So I will say: 'My companions!'
But it will be said: 'You do not know what they introduced after you.'"
Agreed upon.
The Traverse (as-Sirat):
It is the bridge extended across the expanse of Hellfire,
over which people will pass according to their deeds in the worldly life.
Whoever was more steadfast in adhering to the straight path and divine guidance in this world
will cross the traverse of the Hereafter more swiftly:
among them are those who pass like lightning,
those who pass like the wind,
those who pass like swift racehorses,
those who sprint,
those who walk,
and those who crawl on hands and knees.
The believers will cross this bridge at varying speeds,
while the disbelievers
will be snatched away by iron hooks as they attempt to cross it
and cast into the Fire.
And hadiths have explicitly reported this,
so we believe in it and submit to it.
Intercession (Shafa'ah)
Intercession in the Hereafter is of two types:
one is exclusive to our Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
while the other belongs to the rest of the prophets, the truthful,
the martyrs, and the righteous.
As for our Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
he possesses several intercessions.
Among them
is his greatest intercession, peace be upon him, for all the people gathered on the Day of Resurrection,
asking Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, to come to judge and decide between the servants.
This is the intercession from which all the other prophets will excuse themselves,
and it is the Praiseworthy Station (al-Maaqam al-Mahmud) that Allah promised His Messenger, peace be upon him.
Among them is also his intercession, peace be upon him,
for the people of Paradise to enter it.
And among them is his intercession, peace be upon him, for his uncle Abu Talib,
asking that Allah lighten his punishment.
As for the intercession of the prophets, the truthful, the martyrs, and the righteous,
it is their intercession for the believers, to the exclusion of the disbelievers,
since Allah does not grant permission to intercede for a polytheist.
It includes interceding so that some of the disobedient believers who deserve the Fire will not enter it,
and interceding to bring out of the Fire those disobedient believers who have already entered it.
This intercession has two conditions:
the first is the permission of Allah Almighty for the intercessor to intercede,
as the Almighty said: "Who is it that can intercede with Him except by His permission?"
and the second is His approval, Glorified be He, of the one for whom intercession is made,
as conveyed by His saying, the Exalted:
"He knows what is before them and what will be after them,
and they cannot intercede except on behalf of one whom He approves."
“He knoweth what is before them and what is behind them, and they cannot intercede except for him whom He accepteth, and they quake for awe of Him.” (21:28)
Paradise and the Fire
Part of faith in the Last Day
is belief in Paradise and the Fire,
and that they are the abodes of recompense.
They both exist right now,
everlasting and never to perish.
Paradise is the abode of the God-fearing;
none shall enter it except a Muslim soul.
And the Fire is the abode of the disbelievers,
and no monotheist will remain in it forever.
All of this is firmly established by the Qur'an, the Sunnah, and consensus.
The Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, saw both of them during the solar eclipse prayer,
when they were displayed before him.
The Signs of the Hour
The signs of the Hour
are the portents of the Day of Resurrection that precede it and indicate its proximity.
They are of two categories:
first, the minor signs,
which precede the Hour by long periods of time
and are of the sort familiar to people,
such as the taking away of sacred knowledge, the emergence of ignorance,
and competing in the construction of tall buildings.
Some of these signs have already appeared and passed,
some have appeared
and continue to recur successively,
such as competing in tall buildings,
and some have not yet appeared to this day.
Second,
the major signs,
which are the monumental events that appear near the establishment of the Hour
and are completely extraordinary and unfamiliar to people.
These are the ten signs mentioned in the hadith of the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
concerning the onset of the Hour,
wherein he said:
"It will not be established until you see ten signs before it."
He then mentioned the Smoke, the Dajjal, the Beast,
the rising of the sun from its west,
the descent of 'Isa ibn Maryam,
Gog and Magog,
and three major landslides:
a landslide in the east,
a landslide in the west,
and a landslide in the Arabian Peninsula;
and the last of that will be a fire emerging from Yemen
that drives the people to their place of gathering.
It was narrated by Muslim.
Some scholars add the Mahdi to these signs,
while others consider him among the minor signs that immediately accompany the major ones.
The most apparent chronological order for these ten signs
is the emergence of the Dajjal,
then the descent of 'Isa ibn Maryam, peace be upon him,
then the emergence of Gog and Magog,
then the three landslides,
then the Smoke,
then the rising of the sun from its west,
then the Beast,
and then the Fire that gathers the people.
The Savior of Humanity
Most sects and religious denominations believe
that humanity has a savior who will come at the end of time
to deliver it from the injustice and evil rampant on the earth.
Every sect or denomination claims this savior for itself according to its own creed.
The Jews call him the Messiah, the Mashiach, or al-Masih,
and they claim that he is the one foretold in the Torah of Musa,
and that he has not yet arrived.
Therefore, they rejected the Prophet of Allah, the Messiah 'Isa ibn Maryam, peace be upon him,
and do not believe in him.
But this awaited messiah of theirs
is, in reality, the False Messiah (al-Masih ad-Dajjal),
whom the Prophet, peace be upon him, informed us is one of the signs of the Hour,
and whom seventy thousand of the Jews of Isfahan will follow.
The Christians believe that the savior of humanity is 'Isa ibn Maryam, peace be upon him,
and that he will descend once again at the end of time
to rule the earth and kill the pagans—
by which they mean the Muslims who do not believe in his divinity—
and that he will rapturously lift the Christians into the clouds.
The Rafidah claim that the savior is their awaited Mahdi,
Muhammad ibn al-Hasan al-'Askari,
who they claim was born
and entered a cellar in Samarra during his childhood,
and will emerge at the end of time.
He will then, according to their claim, resurrect Abu Bakr and 'Umar, may Allah be pleased with them,
put them and the rest of the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, on trial,
and exact revenge upon them all on behalf of the Shi'a and the Ahl al-Bayt,
along with other such delusions and absurd fabrications.
The Zoroastrians have a savior named Saoshyant or Shahriyar,
claiming he will restore the Persian Empire.
Even secularists believe in the concept of human salvation:
you find the Americans seeing the salvation of the world
in adopting their capitalist values,
absolute freedom, and purported democracy;
while the atheist Communists see humanity's salvation
in abolishing private property,
eliminating class distinctions,
and ridding themselves of what they claim are the illusions of religion.
As for Ahl as-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah among the Muslims,
they know from the conceptually mass-transmitted (mutawatir ma'nawi) Sunnah
that at the end of time there will emerge
a man from the household of the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
from the descendants of Fatimah, may Allah be pleased with her.
His name will match the name of the Prophet, peace be upon him,
and his father's name will match the name of the Prophet's father.
Allah will rectify him in a single night
and support the religion through him.
He will rule the earth for seven years,
filling it with justice just as it had been filled with tyranny and injustice.
The Ummah will enjoy during his reign a prosperity the likes of which it had never experienced before.
In his time, 'Isa, peace be upon him, will descend
and pray behind him out of honor for the Ummah of Muhammad, peace be upon him.
And 'Isa, peace be upon him, will at that time kill the False Messiah
at the gate of Ludd in present-day Palestine.
Among the authentic and explicit hadiths concerning the Mahdi
is the hadith of Abu Sa'id al-Khudri, may Allah be pleased with him,
that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said:
"At the end of my Ummah, the Mahdi will emerge;
Allah will send down abundant rain for him,
the earth will bring forth its vegetation,
he will distribute wealth equitably,
livestock will multiply,
and the Ummah will become great.
He will live for seven or eight,"
meaning years.
It was narrated by Abu Dawud,
and al-Albani graded it authentic.
And among the reports in the two Sahihs related to the Mahdi,
without mentioning his name or title,
is the hadith:
"How will you be when the son of Maryam descends among you and your leader is from among you?"
Agreed upon.
And the hadith:
"A group of my Ummah will not cease fighting upon the truth, remaining victorious until the Day of Resurrection."
He said:
"Then 'Isa ibn Maryam, peace be upon him, will descend,
and their leader will say,
'Come and lead us in prayer.'
But he will reply, 'No,
indeed, some of you are leaders over others—
an honor from Allah to this Ummah.'"
It was narrated by Muslim.
Nullifiers of Faith in the Last Day
The nullifiers of faith in the Last Day can be summarized
as the denial of any of its matters necessarily known to be part of the religion,
established by the Book and the Sunnah,
or doubting them,
or ridiculing and mocking them—
such as the matters of resurrection after death,
the reckoning in the Hereafter,
and Paradise and the Fire,
and so forth.
Also included among the nullifiers
is allegorically misinterpreting any of the matters of faith in the Last Day
with esoteric explanations contrary to the truth,
built upon frivolous illusions
and arbitrary philosophical notions,
such as claiming that the Hereafter
is merely the transmigration of souls after each death
and their transfer into other humans
or even into the bodies of animals,
as held by the Nusayris among the Batini sects,
and like the interpretations of the philosophizers,
the followers of Aristotle, regarding the bodily resurrection.
The Effects of Faith in the Last Day
Faith in the Last Day has
numerous positive effects
and immense fruits
attained by the servant who believes in it.
Among them:
First,
Certainty in Allah's justice and grace
regarding recompense in both this world and the Hereafter,
and that the wronged will receive justice against their oppressor,
whether that takes place in this worldly life or in the Hereafter;
and that doing good in this world never goes in vain,
even if its fruits are not outwardly apparent at first glance.
Second:
praising and thanking Allah,
and extolling Him as He truly deserves,
as a natural consequence of recognizing His sublime justice and grace.
Third:
realizing that the abode of the Hereafter
is the true life,
and that this worldly life is fleeting and short,
no matter how long it may seem in human eyes.
Allah Almighty said:
“This life of the world is but a pastime and a game. Lo! the home of the Hereafter - that is Life, if they but knew.” (29:64)
"...is nothing but diversion and play,
and indeed, the home of the Hereafter—
that is the true life,
if only they knew."
Fourth:
establishing the balance of fear and hope
within the heart of the believer,
through which a person refrains
from sins and injustices,
and eagerly advances toward acts of obedience and virtues.
Fifth:
the soundness of the heart, along with its tranquility and steadfastness,
in the face of worldly trials of ease and adversity;
for when concern for the Hereafter dominates the servant's heart
and he is certain of its reality and of the world's passing nature,
he does not despair when calamities strike,
nor does he become arrogant when blessings arrive;
rather, you find him patient and grateful,
hoping for the reward of that with Allah in the Hereafter.
Sixth:
the heart’s purity from malice and envy;
because certainty in the Hereafter and the longing for it
make the servant indifferent to this vanishing world,
which is the very cause of mutual envy and hatred among people.
Seventh:
the soul becoming filled with optimism,
which remains its constant companion throughout life;
for the most optimistic of people
are those with the strongest faith
in meeting Allah in the Hereafter.
Eighth:
a powerful drive to call people to Allah Almighty
and strive in His cause
with high resolve,
unwavering determination,
and sincere intention,
seeking Allah's reward in the Hereafter for all of that,
and out of compassion for people, wishing to spare them misery in the Hereafter.
Summary of the understandings of Ahl al-Sunnah: