Tuesday, November 20, 2007

Death Part 2: Judgement Day and the Afterlife

Category: SOUND
Resurrection

The jurist, Abu-al Laith (ra), says that when the people will be made to rise up from their graves on the Resurrection Day, they will continue to stay there in this very condition for seventy years, and no attention will be given to them and, in this very anxiety, they will weep so vehemently that no tears will be left in their eyes, instead of tears, blood will start flowing down from their eyes.


Pul Sirat

And a Muslim of the lowest degree, drenched in sins, will, in the like manner, pass over this bridge with faltering steps, within the duration of seven thousand years. Hazrat Fazil bin 'Ayyaaz (ra) says: The exact length of the Pul Sirat is of three thousand years; its ascent is of one thousand years while its peak is also of one thousand years, whose surface is a level plain. In a word, it would be such a terrible place that even the Messengers of Allah would utter helplessly: O Allah! Peace! Peace! (Jawahir-ul-Tafsir)


Judgement

On that day, father will tell his son that I was your father. He will also remind his son of the favours he had done for him. The son will affirm the favours of his father. After this, father will tell his son that he needs only one virtue-even a tiny part of it-because, due to it my scale of good works may perhaps become weighty. The son will tell him that he himself is undergoing the same misfortune. I am ignorant in what position I am and of that which is going to happen to me. I am not in a position to give you any virtue. Then, that person will also ask his wife to remember the favours he had done for her in the world as well as the kind of relationship he had with her and then will beg for one virtue. She too will refuse in the like manner. In a word, he will continue to wander so as to beg for a virtue. (Durr-e-Manthur, narrated by Ikramah (ra))


The Dunya

Ibn 'Abbas (ra) states: "On the Day of Doom, the Dunya (world), shall be produced before the people in the form of an old woman, ugly, deep-sunken eyes, teeth bending outwards. The people shall be asked, "Do you recognise her?" They shall reply, "God protect us! What a horrible ugly thing is this!" The people will be told: "This is the same world for the sake of which one murdered the other, people forgot kindness in mutual dealings; for her sake you envied each other, nursed grudges against one another and you were caught in her deceitful trap." Thereafter this the old woman will be thrown into Hell. She will cry, "Send with me those people also. Send along those who used to hanker after me." The Most Magnificent and Just Lord shall ordain: "Send along with her those people who used to hanker after her."


Punishment (for those who embellish their persons and perform evil deeds)

On one occaison the illustrious Prophet (saw) while giving an account of his ascension to heaven observed: "In the next world I saw a group of men whose bodies were being cut into slices. I enquired from Gabriel (as): 'Who are these people?' Gabriel (as) replied, 'These are the very same people who used to embellish their persons' (and came out to do evil deeds). Then I saw a well. This well emitted foul smell and painful cries were coming out of it. I asked Gabriel (as): 'Who are these people?' Gabriel (as) replied: 'These are the women who used to embellish their bodies and performed unlawful deeds.' Then I beheld some men and women who were dangling from their breasts downwards. I asked, 'Who are these?' To this Gabriel (as) replied: 'These are the people who reproached each other and indulged in backbiting.'" (Durr-e-Manthur)


Punishment (for the haughty)

Hazrat 'Umar bin Shu'ab (ra) has reported a tradition of the Holy Prophet (saw): "On Doomsday the haughty shall be like the ants. The people on the plain of Doom shall be trampling them underfoot. Fire shall engulf them from four sides. They shall be tortured in an exclusive dungeon of Hell, which is called 'Bolus'. They shall be caught in a fiercely burning fire and they shall be given for drink the dirty dark blood taken from the wounds of the denizens of Hell. (Tirmidhi)


Three people who will not enter Paradise

Hazrat Ibn 'Umar (ra) relates that the Holy Prophet (saw) observed: "Three persons shall never enter Paradise: one, who has no idea of self respect; second, a drunkard; third, a man who adopts the manner of women" (and vice-versa)(Tibrani)


Destruction of the Ummah

Hazrat Anas (ra) related that the Holy Prophet (saw) observed: "When the following five evils shall creep into my Ummah, it will then be destroyed: 1) Cursing one another; 2) Use of liquor on a large scale; 3) Wearing of silken dresses; 4) Increased number of dancing girls and their shows at large gatherings; 5) Homosexuality." (Baihaqi)


Miserable State of the Hypocrites

When the Muslims will have arrived on the bridge of Heaven, the hypocrites who will be enveloped in darkness will call out in piteous voices. "Brothers, stay a while so that guided by your light we may also step forward." The Muslims will say to them in reply: "Go back and get your light from where we got it." Hence when the hypocrites will turn back they shall find themselves in the depths of darkness and stillness. At last they shall come back much disturbed and feeling very uneaesy. They shall behold that a great wall has been erected on the edge of the Bridge of Heaven and the entrance has been barred. Hence they will cry out bitterly to the Muslims: "Were we not your companions in the moral world? So why do you leave us behind now?" They will reply, "You were with us, no doubt, but only superficially. In your hearts you harboured doubts about the faith and while wishing well to the infidels you wanted to do harm to us. Hence it is proper that you should go and join those whom you used to support and befriend." In the meanwhile the flames of fire will envelope them and drive them to the lowest depths of Hell. Those Muslims who will pass over the Bridge of Heaven with the speed of air or lightning will say after crossing over to Paradise: "We had heard that Hell lies on the way to Heaven, but we never beheld Hell."


The Holy Prophet (saw), after being admitted to Paradise with his followers, will not rest easy. He will in fact continue to worry about the many of his Ummah who are in Hell and will pray non-stop for seven days before the first batch are pardoned. That's seven days in Afterlife time I think. Can you believe how much he loves his Ummah? Including those of us he's never met or seen. Does anyone else in your life love you to that extent? Likely everyone else we know would not hesitate to start enjoying Paradise.

Hell

The Holy Prophet (saw) stated: "Hell has been inflamed continuously for one thousand years. Consequently, its fire became red. Again, it had been burnt for one thousand years and its red colour became white. Still again it had been kindled for one thousand years, and its white-coloured flames turned into black. So the existing colour of the fire of Hell is black-as black as dark night." Another authority states that the flames of Hell do not illuminate, it always remains dark. Another narration reveals that if the denizens of Hell lie on the worldly fire (that we have here), they will enjoy sound sleep because it is much cooler than the fire of Hell.


Every one of these extensive levels [of Hell] is replete with incalculable pains, tortures, and torments and multifarious houses. For instance, there is a house called "Gayy", the severity of its torments is such that the denizens of the other six levels pray four hundred times daily for salvation from its tortures. There is another house, known as "Zamharir", it is the region of extreme cold. There is still another house "Jubb-ul-Huzan" (well of griefs), where is a well called Tinatul Khabal-mire of pus and poison. There is a towering mountain, known as Sa'ud, it spsace equals to seventy years' walking. Idolators would be thrown into the Fire of Hell from its peak. There is a pond, Aab-i-Hamim, with so hot water that the moment a sinner drinks it, his upper lip swells to such an extent that it covers his nose and eyes; the lower, his chest. As this water passes down the throat, his tongue burns; mouth contracts and ultimately this boiling water tears apart the human lungs, stomach and intestines. There is another tank Ghassaq wherein gathers the idolators' puss, sweat, and blood. Another fountain, Ghisleen, serves the same purpose. Likewise, there are countless tormenting scenes in Hell.


The People in Hell

The size of the sinners' bodies would be stretched and broadened so as to magnify their sufferings and various types of tortures shall be inflicted on the exterior as well as the internal parts of each fibre and limb of their bodies. Burning, crushing, biting by poisonous snakes and scorpions, piercing with thorns, slashing of skin-these are the manifold modes of punishment in Hell. Due to the excess of heat and warmth in Hell, bodies of the sinners would melt; will be reborn and melt again. This process would be repeated for seven hundred times in the duration of a moment. But this point should not be ignored that the shape of the original limbs of their bodies would not undergo any change; flesh and skin would repeatedly be tortured. Skin of some infidels is said to be forty-two yards thick; their teeth would resemble towering mountains, and their sitting would cover an unlimited space. After a long time, the pangs of hunger would be increased to such extremity that it will surpass all other torments. At last, the sinners would become terribly restless and demand food to satisfy their appetite. THey would be given to eat Zaqqum, a thorny plant, which would get stuck in their throats. They would cry for water, as they used to do in the world when a morsel of food gets stuck in their throats. It shall be ordained that water be provided to them from Jahim, the very first level of Hell. it would cause their lips to swell, tongue to dwindle, throat to break into pieces, and their intestines will be torn apart and excreted through their anuses. So, being in dire distress, they will supplicate to the Lord of Hell for death, so that their punishment may come to an end. After a thousand years he will say: "You will always remain in Hell." After a thousand years they will pray to God: "Deprive us of our lives, but have mercy and relieve us of this intolerable torment." After one thousand years the Lord shall ordain: "Hold your tongue, and not beg My pardon; you have been condemned forever." At last perforce they will say to one another: "Let us endure, for endurance may bear good fruit." They will continuously pray to the Almighty for one thousand years with extreme lamentation and entreaty, but all in vain. Ultimately when all hope is lost they will say to one another, restlessness or patience are one and the same for us, For us there is no means of salvation. They would be turned upside down. The shape of their bodies would be distorted and they would assume the form of dogs, donkeys, monkeys, wolves, snakes, and other beasts and animals. Such is the description of the condition of the infidels on that Day.


The Holy Prophet (saw) observed: "Some of my followers would be in Hell so tall and big that a single man will occupy the entire space in a corner of Hell."(Targhib and Tarhib)


It is narrated on the authority of Hazrat Mujahid (ra) that Hazrat Ibn 'Abbas (ra) said: "Do you know the width of Hell?" I replied in the negative. He said: "Yes, by God! Verily there would be a distance of seventy years between the shoulder and the ear-lobe of a sinner, and therein would be running streams of puss and blood." (Targhib)


Hell will be angry

Re: Surah Mulk, Verse 29

Hell will yet be a hundred years away from the damned persons when Hell shall behold them and they shall behold Hell. Upon seeing them Hell will start convulsing with fury and yelling with intense rage. The hellish people will bear all this and when finally they shall be thrust into it, they will yearn for Death just as in the mortal world, they used to say in times of distress.


Siisilah (long chains)

Hazrat Ibn 'Abbas (ra) said: "The chains would be pierced into the body of the sinners through the anus, and will be taken out at the other end. Then the body of the sinner will be roasted on fire as 'kabab' is grilled on skillets or as the locust is roasted in oil." (Ibn Kathir)


Tears of Blood

It is narrated on the authority of Hazrat Anas (ra) that the Holy Prophet (saw) observed: "O, Men! You should weep; and if you do not weep, try to weep because the people in Hell would shed tears so much that their tears would mark drains on their faces. When their tears come to an end, blood would begin to flow from their eyes, causing deep injury to them. In short, there will be such an abundance of tears and blood that if boats were to be set on them, they would begin to sail." (Sharah Sunnah)


Reflection in this world

The Holy Prophet (saw) has observed: "Hell has been concealed in the pleasures of the world and Paradise lies hidden in the hardships of life." (Bukhari) (Muslim)


Friendships in the Afterlife (Paradise)

All worldly friendships will turn into animosity except that the worldly friendships among God-fearing people shall remain firm even in Heaven. The God-fearing shall stand by each other in Heaven even as they stood by each other in worldly life, and the faithful shall receive a voice from God which will tell them in effect:

1) O My people! You are free from this day from all sorts of anxieties and cares; nor shall you suffer any grief in the future.
2) O those who having believed in Our revelations remained faithful to Us! Enter Paradise with good cheer and take your wives along with you.
3) Your servants shall continue to wait upon you with golden plates and cups.
4) In brief all these things that your hearts desire or your eyes wish to look at for pleasure will be made available in paradise. As a matter of fact you shall forever remain in the same state in the realm of Paradise. No sickness shall visit you; neither any blessing will decrease or decline, nor any animosity or feuds shall arise (like among the worldly rich). Neither will there be old age, nor will anyone know death.

Paradise is the name of the place where there is no pain of any sort, no dispute and no war.


Women of Paradise (Houris)

Hazrat Mu'adh (ra) states that the Holy Prophet (saw) observed: "Whenever a worldly woman vexes her husband [the good ones fated for Paradise], his appointed wife, the Houri in Heaven, curses that worldly woman saying: 'Curse be on you! Do not trouble him, for he is only thy guest for a few days. He will soon leave you and come over to me'." (Tirmidhi)


[At this point there are a series of Hadiths about the women in Paradise. They can be summed up as follows: 1) Women from this world who make it into Paradise rank higher than the famed Houris. 2) Some weak traditions assert that a woman will be either with the last husband she had on Earth and others assert that she will be with the best of the husbands she had on Earth. Allah knows best, and in the case of what women want, only Allah knows best. It is between Him and them when they arrive.]

The late arrival of a Companion (ra) in Paradise

...The Holy Prophet (saw) then turned towards Hazrat 'Abdur Rahman ibn 'Auf (ra) and observed: "From amongst all my companions you came to me very late. I had been anxious about you and thought per chance you had died; and I saw that you were drenched in perspiration. I enquired from you, 'Where were you? Why are you so late in arriving?' You answered: 'Since my assets were large, I was taken up with the rendering of accounts: Where did I earn and where did I spend?'" Hearing this about himself, Hazrat 'Abdur Rahman b. Auf (ra) started weeping and submitted: 'O Prophet of God! Only this night one hundred camels laden with merchandise from Egypt have reached me. I have given them in charity to the destitutes and orphans of the sacred city of Medina. Per chance because of this deed Almighty Allah may lessen the burden of my accountability on that Day." (Targhib)


'Abdur Rahamn ibn 'Auf (ra) was one of the most eminent companions, one of the ten to whom the Prophet (saw) had guaranteed Paradise to during their lifetime. He was one of the six men upon whom Hazrat 'Umar (ra), at the time of his martyrdom, had laid the responsibility of choosing a Caliph. He said about them: "The Holy Prophet (saw) left the world well-content and satisfied about the conduct of these men." Later, the other five decided to leave the choice of the Caliph to his discretion alone and it was upon his suggestion that Hazrat 'Uthman (ra) was appointed as the third Caliph. He was one of the earliest converts to Islam, he migrated twice, he fought in the battle of Badr and all the other wars during the Prophet (saw)'s lifetime. Even during the time of the Prophet (saw) he was looked upon as a learned man and jurist. Hazrat 'Umar (ra) adopted certain measures relying upon his counsel alone. The Prophet (saw) had also once offered prayers behind him. (Asaba)

A time came once when the Holy Prophet (saw) called upon him to offer his goods in charity, and he gave away half of all his goods. Thereafter he once doled out 40,000 dinars. On another occaison he gave a donation of five hundred horses and five hundred camels for Jihad. He released 30,000 slaves from bondage, and according to one tradition secured emancipation for 30,000 families. Once he sold his lands for 40,000 gold coins and distributed the entire amount among the destitute, the emigrants, his own relatives, and the wives of the Holy Prophet (saw).(Mustadarak)

At the time of his death, he bequeated in his will 400 red dinars to each man who fought in the Battle of Badr. At that time, one hundred veterans were still alive. He also left behind a garden which was sold for 40,000 gold coins as a legacy to the wives of the Holy Prophet (saw). His own outlook was that he once sat down to dinner after having a bath. He was served a mixed meal of bread and meat in a cup. On seeing this, he wept. Someone asked the reason of his weeping. He observed: "The Holy Prophet (saw) died in such a state that he could not afford enough oat bread to eat to his fill. This opulence is not propitious for me." (Asaba)

In spite of his perfect virtues, the accountability to which Hazrat 'Abdur Rahman (ra) would be subjected on the Day of Judgement has been mentioned above.

Now look at ourselves.

Other Stuff

"When a lewd person commits adultery, he does not remain a Mu'min at that time. A thief ceases to be a Mu'min at the time of theft and a drunkard is not a Mu'min at the time of drinking." (Bukhari) (Muslim)


Abu 'Ubaida (ra) and Mu'adh bin Jabal (ra) observed: The Prophet of God (saw) has said: "This phenomenon (i.e, religion) has been revealed with prophethood and blessings (i.e, in the initial period of religion came revelations and blessings). This will be followed by the period of Khilafat and blessings. Thereafter shall follow the reigns of tyrannical kings and the next period will witness pride, wrath, suppression and world-wide wars. During this period people will regard it lawful to wear silk garmnets. They will consider drinking and debauchery as permissible. And in spite of all this God shall send them provisions to eat and they shall be succoured until they are called to the presence of God (i.e, they shall be presented before God on the Day of Judgement)." (Mishkat)

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