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Islam Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God (or '' Allah'') as it was revealed to Muhammad, the ...
, "the promise and threat" () of
Judgment Day The Last Judgment, Final Judgment, Day of Reckoning, Day of Judgment, Judgment Day, Doomsday, Day of Resurrection or The Day of the Lord (; ar, یوم القيامة, translit=Yawm al-Qiyāmah or ar, یوم الدین, translit=Yawm ad-Dīn, ...
( ar, یوم القيامة, Yawm al-qiyāmah, Day of Resurrection or ar, یوم الدین, italic=no, Yawm ad-din, Day of Judgement), when "all bodies will be resurrected" from the dead, and "all persons" are "called to account" for their deeds and their faith during their life on earth. It has been called "the dominant message" of the holy book of
Islam Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God (or '' Allah'') as it was revealed to Muhammad, the ...
, the
Quran The Quran (, ; Standard Arabic: , Quranic Arabic: , , 'the recitation'), also romanized Qur'an or Koran, is the central religious text of Islam, believed by Muslims to be a revelation from God. It is organized in 114 chapters (pl.: , ...
, Smith & Haddad, ''Islamic Understanding'', 1981: p.63 and resurrection and judgement the two themes "central to the understanding of
Islamic eschatology Islamic eschatology ( ar, علم آخر الزمان في الإسلام, ) is a field of study in Islam concerning future events that would happen in the end times. It is primarily based on hypothesis and speculations based on sources from ...
". Smith & Haddad, ''Islamic Understanding'', 1981: p.64 Judgement Day is considered a fundamental tenet of faith by all Muslims, and one of
the six articles of Islamic faith Iman ( ''ʾīmān'', lit. faith or belief) in Islamic theology denotes a believer's faith in the metaphysical aspects of Islam.Farāhī, Majmū‘ah Tafāsīr, 2nd ed. (Faran Foundation, 1998), 347. Its most simple definition is the belief ...
. The trials, tribulations and details associated with it are detailed in the
Quran The Quran (, ; Standard Arabic: , Quranic Arabic: , , 'the recitation'), also romanized Qur'an or Koran, is the central religious text of Islam, believed by Muslims to be a revelation from God. It is organized in 114 chapters (pl.: , ...
and the
hadith Ḥadīth ( or ; ar, حديث, , , , , , , literally "talk" or "discourse") or Athar ( ar, أثر, , literally "remnant"/"effect") refers to what the majority of Muslims believe to be a record of the words, actions, and the silent approva ...
(sayings of
Muhammad Muhammad ( ar, مُحَمَّد;  570 – 8 June 632 CE) was an Arab religious, social, and political leader and the founder of Islam. According to Islamic doctrine, he was a prophet divinely inspired to preach and confirm the mon ...
); these have been elaborated on in
creed A creed, also known as a confession of faith, a symbol, or a statement of faith, is a statement of the shared beliefs of a community (often a religious community) in a form which is structured by subjects which summarize its core tenets. The ea ...
s, Quranic commentaries ( tafsịrs), theological writing, Smith & Haddad, ''Islamic Understanding'', 1981: p.vii eschatological manuals to provide more details and a sequence of events on the Day. Islamic expositors and scholarly authorities who have explained the subject in detail include
al-Ghazali Al-Ghazali ( – 19 December 1111; ), full name (), and known in Persian-speaking countries as Imam Muhammad-i Ghazali (Persian: امام محمد غزالی) or in Medieval Europe by the Latinized as Algazelus or Algazel, was a Persian poly ...
,
Ibn Kathir Abū al-Fiḍā’ ‘Imād ad-Dīn Ismā‘īl ibn ‘Umar ibn Kathīr al-Qurashī al-Damishqī (Arabic: إسماعيل بن عمر بن كثير القرشي الدمشقي أبو الفداء عماد; – 1373), known as Ibn Kathīr (, was ...
,
Ibn Majah Abū ʿAbd Allāh Muḥammad ibn Yazīd Ibn Mājah al-Rabʿī al-Qazwīnī ( ar, ابو عبد الله محمد بن يزيد بن ماجه الربعي القزويني; (b. 209/824, d. 273/887) commonly known as Ibn Mājah, was a medieval sch ...
,
Muhammad al-Bukhari Muhammad ( ar, مُحَمَّد;  570 – 8 June 632 CE) was an Arab religious, social, and political leader and the founder of Islam. According to Islamic doctrine, he was a prophet divinely inspired to preach and confirm the monoth ...
, and
Ibn Khuzaymah Abu Bakr Muhammad ibn Ishaq ibn Khuzaymah ( ar , أبو بكر محمد بن إسحاق بن خزيمة, 837 CE/223 AH – 923 CE/311 AH) was a prominent Muslims, Muslim Hadith studies#Muhaddith: scholar of hadith, Muhaddith and Shafi'i school, ...
.


Names

Among the names of the Day of Resurrection/Judgement used in the Qur'an are: *—the Calamity; ( ar, ٱلۡقَارِعَةُ ), Surah 101 is named ''al-Qari'ah''; the word is found in Q.69:4, 101:1, 101:2, 101:3 *—the Earthquake; ( ar, الزُلْزِلَتِ) Surah 99 is name ''al-Zalzalah''; the word is found in Q.99.1 *—the Blast; *—the Hard Day; *—the Encompassing Day; *—the Day of Separation; *—the Great Disaster; *—the Reality; *—the Day of Judgement; *—the True (inevitable) Day; *—the Day of Reckoning; *—the Day of Exodus (from the graves); *—the astHour ( ar, ٱلسَّاعَةُ) is reportedly mentioned 39 times in the Qur’an (54:46, 25:11, 33:63, 30:55, 45:32, 69:2, 79:42, 30:12, 54:1, 43:66, 21:49, 30:14, 22:1, 22:7, 20:15, 40:59, 43:61, 42:17, 12:107, 15:85, 18:36, 45:27, 22:55, 43:85, 47:18, 6:40, 40:46, 42:18, 6:31, 16:77, etc.) *—Day of Resurrection; ( ar, يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ ) Literally means the "rising up at the resurrection" although it "has come to signify the entire series of events to take place" on Judgement day, "although technically " means the actual hour", according to scholars Jane Smith and
Yvonne Haddad Yvonne Yazbeck Haddad (born in Syria) is Professor of the History of Islam and Christian–Muslim Relations at the Prince Alwaleed Center for Muslim–Christian Understanding at Georgetown University. Her interests and focus include contemporary I ...
; *On the Day of Resurrection (I do not swear by the Day of Resurrection) it is mentioned 70 times in the Qur’an. Related terms include (according to scholars Jane Smith and Yvonne Haddad), * —"The Trumpet"; Smith & Haddad, ''Islamic Understanding'', 1981: p.214-215, note 26 * —the "extinction of all save God". Smith & Haddad, ''Islamic Understanding'', 1981: p.71 * "means the specific gathering together" of resurrected for their judging; * "signifies the calling forth for judgment"; * —"the return", "the general term used by theologians for the entire process" of resurrection, judgement and consignment to heaven or hell. * —the terror of the place of assembly; Smith & Haddad, ''Islamic Understanding'', 1981: p.75 * —the time of standing before God before being judged by God.


Similarities to the Judgement Day of Christianity

Islamic Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God (or '' Allah'') as it was revealed to Muhammad, the ma ...
and
Christian eschatology Christian eschatology, a major branch of study within Christian theology, deals with "last things". Such eschatology – the word derives from two Greek roots meaning "last" () and "study" (-) – involves the study of "end things", whether of ...
both have a "
Day of Resurrection In Islam, "the promise and threat" () of Judgment Day ( ar, یوم القيامة, Yawm al-qiyāmah, Day of Resurrection or ar, یوم الدین, italic=no, Yawm ad-din, Day of Judgement), when "all bodies will be resurrected" from the dead, ...
" of the dead (), followed by a "Day of Judgment" () where all human beings who have ever lived will be held accountable for their deeds by being judged by God. Depending on the verdict of the judgement, they will be sent for eternity to either the reward of paradise (''
Jannah In Islam, Jannah ( ar, جَنّة, janna, pl. ''jannāt'',lit. "paradise, garden", is the final abode of the righteous. According to one count, the word appears 147 times in the Quran. Belief in the afterlife is one of the six articles of f ...
'') or the punishment of hell (''
Jahannam In Islam, the place of punishment for unbelievers and other evildoers in the afterlife, or hell, is an "integral part of Islamic theology", Thomassen, "Islamic Hell", Numen, 56, 2009: p.401 and has "occupied an important place in the Muslim imagi ...
''). Some of the similarities between Christian and Islamic eschatology include: when exactly Judgement day will occur will be known only to God; it will be announced by a trumpet blast; it will be preceded by strange and terrible events serving as portents; Jesus will return to earth (but in different roles); battles will be fought with an
AntiChrist In Christian eschatology, the Antichrist refers to people prophesied by the Bible to oppose Jesus Christ and substitute themselves in Christ's place before the Second Coming. The term Antichrist (including one plural form)1 John ; . 2 John . ...
and
Gog and Magog Gog and Magog (; he, גּוֹג וּמָגוֹג, ''Gōg ū-Māgōg'') appear in the Hebrew Bible and the Quran as individuals, tribes, or lands. In Ezekiel 38, Gog is an individual and Magog is his land; in Genesis 10, Magog is a man and ep ...
; righteous believers will not be among the living when the world ends. As in the First and
Second Epistle of John The Second Epistle of John is a book of the New Testament attributed to John the Evangelist, traditionally thought to be the author of the other two epistles of John, and the Gospel of John (though this is disputed). Most modern scholars believ ...
1 John The First Epistle of John is the first of the Johannine epistles of the New Testament, and the fourth of the catholic epistles. There is no scholarly consensus as to the authorship of the Johannine works. The author of the First Epistle is ter ...
; .
2 John The Second Epistle of John is a book of the New Testament attributed to John the Evangelist, traditionally thought to be the author of the other two epistles of John, and the Gospel of John (though this is disputed). Most modern scholars believ ...
.
of the
New Testament The New Testament grc, Ἡ Καινὴ Διαθήκη, transl. ; la, Novum Testamentum. (NT) is the second division of the Christian biblical canon. It discusses the teachings and person of Jesus, as well as events in first-century Chris ...
, an "
Antichrist In Christian eschatology, the Antichrist refers to people prophesied by the Bible to oppose Jesus Christ and substitute themselves in Christ's place before the Second Coming. The term Antichrist (including one plural form)1 John ; . 2 John . ...
" figure appears in Islam, known (in Islam) as () , literally "Deceitful Messiah". The , like the Antichrist, performs miracles, or at least what appear to be miracles. (In Islam, the and many of his followers are prophesied to be killed by Jesus's breath, just as in the second chapter of
2 Thessalonians The Second Epistle to the Thessalonians is a book from the New Testament of the Christian Bible. It is traditionally attributed to Paul the Apostle, with Timothy as a co-author. Modern biblical scholarship is divided on whether the epistle was ...
it says "Jesus will destroy with the breath of his mouth, annihilating him by the manifestation of his coming", some unnamed "lawless" figure. As in the Christian
Book of Revelation The Book of Revelation is the final book of the New Testament (and consequently the final book of the Christian Bible). Its title is derived from the first word of the Koine Greek text: , meaning "unveiling" or "revelation". The Book of ...
(where they are to fight a "final battle with Christ and his saints"),
Gog and Magog Gog and Magog (; he, גּוֹג וּמָגוֹג, ''Gōg ū-Māgōg'') appear in the Hebrew Bible and the Quran as individuals, tribes, or lands. In Ezekiel 38, Gog is an individual and Magog is his land; in Genesis 10, Magog is a man and ep ...
, will be released, after being imprisoned for thousands of years in a mountain, to wage war against the righteous. In an event somewhat similar to the
Rapture The rapture is an Christian eschatology, eschatological position held by some Christians, particularly those of American evangelicalism, consisting of an Eschatology, end-time event when all Christian believers who are alive, along with resurre ...
concept in Christianity—where at some time near the end of the world all Christian believers disappear and are carried off to heaven—in Islam one of the very last signs of the imminent arrival of the end of the world will be a "pleasant" or "cold" wind, that brings a peaceful death to all Muslim believers, leaving only unbelievers alive to face the end of the world. Jesus (known in Islam as
Isa Isa or ISA may refer to: Places * Isa, Amur Oblast, Russia * Isa, Kagoshima, Japan * Isa, Nigeria * Isa District, Kagoshima, former district in Japan * Isa Town, middle class town located in Bahrain * Mount Isa, Queensland, Australia * Mount ...
) will make a second coming in Islam, but not to preside over Last Judgement. Instead he will help another Islamic saviour figure ("The
Mahdi The Mahdi ( ar, ٱلْمَهْدِيّ, al-Mahdī, lit=the Guided) is a messianic figure in Islamic eschatology who is believed to appear at the end of times to rid the world of evil and injustice. He is said to be a descendant of Muhammad w ...
), crush evildoers and restore order and justice before the end of the world, including (according to some Islamic hadiths) correcting the erring ways of the world's Christians by converting them to Islam.WARREN LARSON ''Jesus in Islam and Christianity: Discussing the Similarities and the Differences'' p. 335 (Muslims do not believe these matching prophecies about Judgement Day are a result of Islam ''imitating'' Christianity, but that the Abrahamic religions of Judaism, Christianity and Islam resemble each other because God's word has been sent by prophets throughout history to all three groups/religions, but that the first two garbled and corrupted his teachings and that only Islam has gotten it right.)


Events

The events prophesied for the day of resurrection and judgement "are numerous and presented in varying ways", but "a sequence of the events" for the day can be made based on both the many details "suggested by the Qur'an" and also on "the elaborations and additions provided as usual by the hadiths, the manuals, and the interpretations of theologians". Four segments of end times in Islam can be presented : #the signs/portents of "The Hour" () and other events heralding the imminent end of the world; #the soundings of the trumpet, the resurrection () of the dead, and the gathering together of all living beings (); #the reckoning () where the resurrected are judged; #the preparation for final consignment to heaven or hell, the crossing of the bridge () that the damned fall off of to hell below, and the saved reach the other side, the possibility of intercession ('' shafā'a'') to save sinners from hell.


Portents

Many verses of the
Quran The Quran (, ; Standard Arabic: , Quranic Arabic: , , 'the recitation'), also romanized Qur'an or Koran, is the central religious text of Islam, believed by Muslims to be a revelation from God. It is organized in 114 chapters (pl.: , ...
, especially the earlier ones, are dominated by the idea of the nearing of the Day of Resurrection.Isaac Hasson, ''Last Judgment'',
Encyclopaedia of the Qur'an An encyclopedia (American English) or encyclopædia (British English) is a reference work or compendium providing summaries of knowledge either general or special to a particular field or discipline. Encyclopedias are divided into articles ...
L. Gardet, ''Qiyama'',
Encyclopaedia of the Qur'an An encyclopedia (American English) or encyclopædia (British English) is a reference work or compendium providing summaries of knowledge either general or special to a particular field or discipline. Encyclopedias are divided into articles ...
In Islam the signs of the coming of Judgement Day are described as "major" and "minor". The
Al-Masih ad-Dajjal Al-Masih ad-Dajjal (), otherwise referred to simply as the Dajjal, is an evil figure in Islamic eschatology similar to the Antichrist in Christianity, who will pretend to be the promised Messiah, appearing before the Day of Judgment accordi ...
will appear, deceiving the foolish and killing Muslims until killed by either the Mahdi or Jesus. Following him, two dangerous, evil tribes of subhumans with vast numbers called ''Yajooj'' and ''Majooj'' will be released from where they have been imprisoned inside a mountain since Roman times. And according to some narratives, a murderous tyrant called the
Sufyani Sufyani ( ar, سفیاني) is an evil figure in Islamic eschatology, usually portrayed in hadith as a tyrant who will spread corruption and mischief. According to Shia Hadith, Sufyani will rise in the month of Rajab. The predicted location of hi ...
will spread corruption and mischief, killing women, children and descendants of the Prophet Muhammad. To save believers from these horrors, the
Mahdi The Mahdi ( ar, ٱلْمَهْدِيّ, al-Mahdī, lit=the Guided) is a messianic figure in Islamic eschatology who is believed to appear at the end of times to rid the world of evil and injustice. He is said to be a descendant of Muhammad w ...
will appear and
Isa Isa or ISA may refer to: Places * Isa, Amur Oblast, Russia * Isa, Kagoshima, Japan * Isa, Nigeria * Isa District, Kagoshima, former district in Japan * Isa Town, middle class town located in Bahrain * Mount Isa, Queensland, Australia * Mount ...
bin Maryam (Jesus) will descend from heaven to assist him. The sun will rise from the west.Sahih Muslim A breeze will blow causing all believers to inhale it and die peacefully.Sahih Muslim, Book 001: 0273


Destruction and resurrection

Following these portents, the Earth will be destroyed. (In surah Al-Haqqah)
When the trumpet is blown with a single blast
and the earth and the mountains are lifted up and crushed with a single blow,
then, on that day, the terror shall come to pass,
and heaven shall be split, for upon that day it shall be very frail. ... " (Q.69:13–16)
Verses from another surah (
At-Takwir At-Takwīr ( ar, التكوير, literally “The Turning Into a Sphere”) is the eighty-first chapter (''sura'') of the Qur'an, with 29 verses ('' ayat''). It tells about signs of the coming of the day of judgement. Some of these signs include ...
) describe
When the sun shall be darkened
When the stars shall be thrown down
When the seas shall be set boiling
When the souls shall be coupled, ...
When the scrolls shall be unrolled
When heavens shall be stripped off,
When Hell shall be set blazing,
When Paradise shall be brought nigh
Then shall a soul know what it has produced. (Q.81:1,2,6,7,10-14)
A second trumpet blast will signal a "final cataclysm" (), the extinction of all living creatures – even the angel of death himself – save God. God will then ask three times, "'To whom belongs the Kingdom this day?' No one answers Him so He answers Himself, saying, 'To God who is one alone, victorious!'"al-Ghazālī, Abū Ḥāmid Muḥammad ibn Muḥammad. ''al-Durra al-fākhira''. Ed. M. Gautier. Leipzig, 1877. MS pp. 39. quoted in Smith & Haddad, ''Islamic Understanding'', 1981: p.72 Numerous Qur'ānic mentions that every soul will taste death during "the hour" are thought to underscore the absolute power and ''
tawḥīd Tawhid ( ar, , ', meaning "unification of God in Islam (Allāh)"; also romanized as ''Tawheed'', ''Tawhid'', ''Tauheed'' or ''Tevhid'') is the indivisible oneness concept of monotheism in Islam. Tawhid is the religion's central and single mo ...
'' of God while the resurrection of life demonstrates "His justice and mercy". Smith & Haddad, ''Islamic Understanding'', 1981: p.72 The time between annihilation of all life and its resurrection is both "beyond all human time constructs" and generally estimated by many commentators to be forty years. ;Resurrection The Afterlife will commence with a trumpet blast (different sources give different numbers of trumpet blasts), signaling the "Day of the Arising", according to the classical Islamic scholar and theologian
al-Ghazali Al-Ghazali ( – 19 December 1111; ), full name (), and known in Persian-speaking countries as Imam Muhammad-i Ghazali (Persian: امام محمد غزالی) or in Medieval Europe by the Latinized as Algazelus or Algazel, was a Persian poly ...
. The sounding of the trumpet is mentioned at least two times in the Qur'ān, but "the Qur'an itself does not make explicit the chronology involved with the blowing(s) of the horn" and "it has been for the followers of the Prophet to determine for themselves the exact sequence of events after that."
Know that Isrāfīl is the master of the horn []. God created the preserved tablet [] of white pearl. Its length is seven times the distance between the heaven and the earth and it is connected to the Throne. All that exists until the day of resurrection is written on it. Isrāfīl has four wings—one in the East, one in the West, one covering his legs and one shielding his head and face in fear of God. His head is inclined toward the Throne .... No angel is nearer to the throne than Isrāfīl. Seven veils are between him and the Throne, each veil five hundred years distance from the next ...
This will wake the dead from their graves. Bodies will be resurrected and reunited with their spirits to form "whole, cognizant, and responsible persons". The first to arise will be the members of the Muslim community, according to "an often-quoted saying" of Muhammad, but will be "subdivided into categories" based on their sins while on earth. (the classification of the resurrected into groups comes from "certain narratives" about Judgement Day that "suggest" the grouping, and are based on "a number of scattered verses in the Qur'an indicating the woeful condition" of resurrected sinners) Smith & Haddad, ''Islamic Understanding'', 1981: p.74 In the time between resurrection and judgement will be an agonizing wait (Q.21:103, Q.37:20) at the place of assembly [], or the time of standing before God [], giving sinners "ample opportunity to contemplate the imminent recompense for his past faults" (just as sinners suffer in the grave before Resurrection Day). The resurrected will gather for "The Perspiration" — a time when all created beings, including men, angels,
jinn Jinn ( ar, , ') – also romanized as djinn or anglicized as genies (with the broader meaning of spirit or demon, depending on sources) – are invisible creatures in early pre-Islamic Arabian religious systems and later in Islamic ...
, devils and animals will sweat, unshaded from the sun, awaiting their fate. Sinners and nonbelievers will suffer and sweat longer on this day, which some say will last for "50,000 years" (based on Q.70:4) and others only 1000 (based on Q.32:4).


Judgement

The final judgment (Reckoning, ) where God judges each soul for their lives lived on earth, will be "carried out with absolute justice" accepting no excuses, and examine every act and intention—no matter how small, but "through the prerogative of God's merciful will". Quran verses in Al-Haqqah (surah 69) are thought to refer to the reckoning on Judgement Day:
As for the one who is given his book in his right hand, he will say: Take and read my book.
I knew that I would be called to account.
And he will be in a blissful condition (Q.69:19–21) ....
But as for him who is given his book in his left hand, he will say: Would that my book had not been given to me
and that I did not know my reckoning! (Q.69:25-26) ...
nd it will be saidSeize him and bind him and expose
him to the burning Fire!(Q.69:30-31)
"The book" is thought to refer to an account each person has, chronicling the deeds of their life, good and bad. Commentators reports "affirm" that each day in a person's life, "one or two angels" begin a new page, inscribing deeds, and that upon completion, the pages are assembled "in some fashion ... into a full scroll or record". On Judgement Day the book is presented to the right hand of the resurrected person if they are going to Jannah, and left if they are to be sent to "the burning fire". Smith & Haddad, ''Islamic Understanding'', 1981: p.76 Another version of how the resurrected are judged ("particular elements that make up the occasion of the reckoning" in the Quran are not ordered or grouped and are called "modalities of judgment") Smith & Haddad, ''Islamic Understanding'', 1981: p.77 involves several references in the Quran to (balance), which some commentators believe refers to a way of balancing the weight of an individual's good deeds and bad on Judgement day, to see which is heavier. An eschatological manual, , states:
The will be set up on the day of resurrection with the length of each of its shafts the distance between the East and the West. The scale of the will be like the strata of the earth in length and breadth. One of the two scales will be on the right of the Throne, and it is the scale of good deeds, and the other on the left of the Throne, and it is the scale of wrong deeds. The scales will be piled up like mountains, weighted with good and evil deeds. That day will last for 50,000 years.
It is believed those whose good deeds outweigh their bad will be assigned to ''Jannah'' (heaven), and those whose bad deeds outweigh the good, ''Jahannam'' (hell). How much weight is given to internal and how much to external ''
imam Imam (; ar, إمام '; plural: ') is an Islamic leadership position. For Sunni Muslims, Imam is most commonly used as the title of a worship leader of a mosque. In this context, imams may lead Islamic worship services, lead prayers, serve ...
'', how much to piety and how much to obedience to Islamic law (the two being intertwined of course), in the tabulation of good deeds and earning salvation, varies according to the interpretation of scholars. Smith & Haddad, ''Islamic Understanding'', 1981: p.79 In one manual (), hopeful humans are questioned about their behavior not before they head on the path/bridge (; see below) to heaven, but during. As they walk the bridge, said to have seven arches, "each 3,000 years in length"; they are interrogated at each arch about a specific religious duty prescribed by the shari'a -- their īmān, their prayer '' ṣalāt'', almsgiving ''
zakāt Zakat ( ar, زكاة; , "that which purifies", also Zakat al-mal , "zakat on wealth", or Zakah) is a form of almsgiving, often collected by the Muslim Ummah. It is considered in Islam as a religious obligation, and by Quranic ranking, is ...
'', pilgrimage ''
ḥajj The Hajj (; ar, حَجّ '; sometimes also spelled Hadj, Hadji or Haj in English) is an annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, the holiest city for Muslims. Hajj is a mandatory religious duty for Muslims that must be carried o ...
'', ritual washings '' wudū''', ''
ghusl ( ar, غسل ', ) is an Arabic term to the full-body ritual purification mandatory before the performance of various rituals and prayers, for any adult Muslim after sexual intercourse/ejaculation or completion of the menstrual cycle. The washin ...
'', and responsibility to their relatives", respectively. (While there is no
Original Sin Original sin is the Christian doctrine that holds that humans, through the fact of birth, inherit a tainted nature in need of regeneration and a proclivity to sinful conduct. The biblical basis for the belief is generally found in Genesis 3 ...
in Islam, the Quran does mention the many inherent flaws in the personalities of human beings – weakness, greed, stinginess, pride, etc.) What the common order is of Judgement Day at this point is unclear based on hadith as they disagree on the way God reveals to "the various categories of individuals what their fate is to be".


The crossing of the Bridge

The saved and the damned now being clearly distinguished, the souls will traverse over hellfire via the bridge of sirat. This story is based on verses in the Quran (Q.36:66, Q.37:23–24), both of which "are rather indefinite". Only Q.37:23–24 mentioning hell in the form of with at least sometimes being translated as 'path' rather than 'bridge'. Smith & Haddad, ''Islamic Understanding'', 1981: p.78
˹They will be told,˺ "This is the Day of ˹Final˺ Decision which you used to deny."
˹Allah will say to the angels,˺ "Gather ˹all˺ the wrongdoers along with their peers, and whatever they used to worship
instead of Allah, then lead them ˹all˺ to the path of Hell [].
And detain them, for they must be questioned."
˹Then they will be asked,˺ "What is the matter with you that you can no longer help each other?"
(Q.37:21–25)
"was adopted into Islamic tradition to signify the span over ''
jahannam In Islam, the place of punishment for unbelievers and other evildoers in the afterlife, or hell, is an "integral part of Islamic theology", Thomassen, "Islamic Hell", Numen, 56, 2009: p.401 and has "occupied an important place in the Muslim imagi ...
'', the top layer of the Fire". Prophet Muhammad leading the Muslim Umma will be first across the bridge. Smith & Haddad, ''Islamic Understanding'', 1981: p.80 For sinners, the bridge will be thinner than hair and sharper than the sharpest sword, impossible to walk on without falling below to arrive at their fiery destination, while the righteous will proceed across the bridge to paradise (''
Jannah In Islam, Jannah ( ar, جَنّة, janna, pl. ''jannāt'',lit. "paradise, garden", is the final abode of the righteous. According to one count, the word appears 147 times in the Quran. Belief in the afterlife is one of the six articles of f ...
'').


Intercession

Not everyone consigned to hell will remain there. Somewhat like the Catholic concept of
purgatory Purgatory (, borrowed into English via Anglo-Norman and Old French) is, according to the belief of some Christian denominations (mostly Catholic), an intermediate state after physical death for expiatory purification. The process of purgatory ...
, sinful Muslim will stay in hell until purified of their sins. According to the scholar Al-Subki (and others), "God will take out of the Fire everyone who has said the testimony" (i.e. the testimony made by all Muslims, "There is no God but Allah, Muhammad is his prophet") "all but the ''
mushrikun ''Shirk'' ( ar, شرك ''širk'') in Islam is the sin of idolatry or polytheism (''i.e.'', the deification or worship of anyone or anything besides Allah). Islam teaches that God does not share his divine attributes with any partner. Associating ...
'', those who have committed the worst sin of impugning the ''
tawḥīd Tawhid ( ar, , ', meaning "unification of God in Islam (Allāh)"; also romanized as ''Tawheed'', ''Tawhid'', ''Tauheed'' or ''Tevhid'') is the indivisible oneness concept of monotheism in Islam. Tawhid is the religion's central and single mo ...
'' of God, have the possibility of being saved." Smith & Haddad, ''Islamic Understanding'', 1981: p.81 The possibility of intercession on behalf of sinners ('' shafaʿa'') on Judgement Day to save them from hellfire, is a "major theme" in the eschatological expectations of the Muslim community and in stories told about the events of Judgement Day. Smith & Haddad, ''Islamic Understanding'', 1981: p.25 While Quran "is both generally and clearly negative" in regard to the possibility of intercession on behalf of sinners ('' shafaʿa'') on the last day" to save them from hellfire, (the idea being every individual must take responsibility for their own deeds and acts of faith). In the 20+ occurrences of in the Quran none mention the Islamic Prophet Muhammad or the office of prophethood. However this principle was "modified in the ensuing understanding of the community, and the Prophet
Muḥammad Muhammad ( ar, مُحَمَّد;  570 – 8 June 632 CE) was an Arab religious, social, and political leader and the founder of Islam. According to Islamic doctrine, he was a prophet divinely inspired to preach and confirm the monoth ...
was invested with the function of intervening on behalf of the Muslims on the day of judgment". Verse Q.43:86 authorizes "true witnesses" to grant intercession, and in this category "has been found for the inclusion" of Muhammad "as an intercessor for the Muslim community. "One of the most popular and often-cited" stories about Muḥammad as intercessor ("validating" his ability to intercede) revolves around sinners turning to him after being turned down for intercession by all the other prophets. In by al-Ghazali, this happens "between the two soundings of the trumpet".al-Ghazālī, Abū Ḥāmid Muḥammad ibn Muḥammad. ''al-Durra al-fākhira''. Ed. M. Gautier. Leipzig, 1877. MS pp. 59–65. quoted in Smith & Haddad, ''Islamic Understanding'', 1981: p.80 Another story found in relates
he Prophet Muḥammadwill come with the prophets and will bring out from the Fire all who used to say "There is no God but God and Muḥammad is the Messenger of God. ... " He will then bring them out all together, charred from the Fire having eaten at them. Then he will hurry with them to a river near the gate of the Garden, called
he river of He or HE may refer to: Language * He (pronoun), an English pronoun * He (kana), the romanization of the Japanese kana へ * He (letter), the fifth letter of many Semitic alphabets * He (Cyrillic), a letter of the Cyrillic script called ''He'' ...
life. There they will bathe and emerge from it as beardless youths, with kohled eyes and faces like the moon.


Paradise and Hellfire

The "events" of "the judgment process" are concluded with the arrival of resurrected at their final "abode of recompense": either paradise for the saved or hell for the damned. The Quran describes habitation within the abodes in "exquisite detail", while "a wealth of picturesque specifics" (their shapes, structures, etc.) are elaborated on by hadith and other Islamic literature. Much of Islamic cosmology comes from "earlier world views" (the circles of damnation, seven layers of heaven above the earth, fires of purgation below of Mesopotamian and/or Jewish belief) with Quranic verses interpreted to harmonize with these. Smith & Haddad, ''Islamic Understanding'', 1981: p.9 While critics have charged that the concept of afterlife in Islam is "very materialistic", the afterlife punishment of hell and pleasure of heaven are all not only physical, but psychic and spiritual. Their characteristics having matching features or direct parallels with each other. The pleasure and delights of ''Jannah'' described in the
Quran The Quran (, ; Standard Arabic: , Quranic Arabic: , , 'the recitation'), also romanized Qur'an or Koran, is the central religious text of Islam, believed by Muslims to be a revelation from God. It is organized in 114 chapters (pl.: , ...
, are matched by the excruciating pain and horror of ''
Jahannam In Islam, the place of punishment for unbelievers and other evildoers in the afterlife, or hell, is an "integral part of Islamic theology", Thomassen, "Islamic Hell", Numen, 56, 2009: p.401 and has "occupied an important place in the Muslim imagi ...
'', Thomassen, "Islamic Hell", Numen, 56, 2009: p.405 Smith & Haddad, ''Islamic Understanding'', 1981: p.86 Both are commonly believed to have seven levels, in both cases, the higher the level, the more desirable—in ''Jannah'' the higher the prestige and pleasure, in ''Jahannam'' the less the suffering. Both feature prominent trees – the
Zaqqum According to the Quran, Zaqqoum or Zaqqum ( ar, زقوم) is a tree that "springs out of the bottom of Hell". It is mentioned in verses 17:60 (as the "cursed tree"), 37:62-68, 44:43, and 56:52, of the Quran. Religious references The Qur'an say ...
tree of hell opposite the lote tree of paradise. The common belief among Muslims holds that both abodes coexists with the temporal world, rather than being created after Judgement Day. ;Paradise Paradise, ''Jannah'' ( ar, جَنّة, janna, or 'the garden'), is the final abode of the righteous. Jannah is described with physical pleasures such as gardens, rivers, fountains; lovely
houri In Islamic religious belief, houris (Pronounced ; from ar, حُـورِيَّـة ,حُورِيّ, ḥūriyy, ḥūrīya), "literally means having eyes with marked contrast of black and white", group=Note are women with beautiful eyes describe ...
s that no man has touched before, wine that does not make drunk, and "divine pleasure". Their reward of pleasure will vary according to the righteousness of the person.Tom Fulks, ''Heresy? The Five Lost Commandments'', Strategic Book Publishing 2010 p. 74 ;Hellfire Punishment and suffering in hell in mainstream Islam varies according to the
sin In a religious context, sin is a transgression against divine law. Each culture has its own interpretation of what it means to commit a sin. While sins are generally considered actions, any thought, word, or act considered immoral, selfish, s ...
s of the condemned person. It is commonly believed by Muslims that confinement to hell is temporary for Muslims but not for others.A F Klein ''Religion Of Islam'' Routledge 2013 page 92 Hell is described physically in different ways by different sources of Islamic literature. It is enormous in size,Qurṭubī, ''Tadhkira'', 93; quoted in "Christian Lange, p.14" Lange, "Introducing Hell in Islamic Studies", 2016: p.14 and located below heaven. Different sources give different descriptions of its structure. There are seven levels but it is also said to be a huge pit over which the bridge of
As-Sirāt As-Sirāt ( ar, الصراط ''aṣ-ṣirāṭ'') is, according to Islam, the bridge which every human must pass on the Yawm al-Qiyamah ("Day of Resurrection") to enter Paradise. It is mentioned in the Quran, and is described in hadith. A ...
crosses;Bukhārī, Ṣaḥīḥ, k. al-riqāq 52; Muslim, Ṣaḥīḥ, k. al-īmān 299; quoted in , Lange, "Introducing Hell in Islamic Studies", 2016: p.12 to have mountains, rivers, valleys and "even oceans" filled with disgusting fluids; Lange, "Introducing Hell in Islamic Studies", 2016: p.15 and also to be able to walk (controlled by reins), and ask questions, much like a sentient being.


Literal or figurative interpretation

While early Muslims debated whether scripture on Judgement day should be interpreted literally or figuratively, the school of thought that prevailed ( Ash'ari, Ashʿarī) "affirmed that such things as" connected with Judgement day as "the individual records of deeds (including the paper, pen, and ink with which they are inscribed), the bridge, the balance, and the pond" are "realities", and "to be understood in a concrete and literal sense." Smith & Haddad, ''Islamic Understanding'', 1981: p.65 Regarding heaven and hell, today, "the vast majority of believers", (according to Smith and Haddad), understand verses of the Quran on Jannah (and hellfire) "to be real and specific, anticipating them" with joy or terror, Smith & Haddad, ''Islamic Understanding'', 1981: p.84 although this view "has generally not insisted that the realities of the next world will be identical with those of this world". On the other hand, since "the time and chronology are less important than the ultimate significance of resurrection and judgement "as a whole", the point of stories of Judgement day in the eschatological manuals is to be "didactic" not accurate, i.e. to raise awareness of "the threat and promise" of the message of Islam even if most of the story is based not on the verses of the Quran but on the author's imagination. The eschatological manual , for example, describes the Fire/Hell terrifyingly but implausibly as having "four legs (between each leg 1000 years), thirty heads with 30,000 mouths each, lips like 1000 mountains, and so on".''Kitāb aḥwāl al-qiyāma'', pp. 90. quoted in Smith & Haddad, ''Islamic Understanding'', 1981: p.85


See also

*
Islamic eschatology Islamic eschatology ( ar, علم آخر الزمان في الإسلام, ) is a field of study in Islam concerning future events that would happen in the end times. It is primarily based on hypothesis and speculations based on sources from ...
*
Signs of the coming of Judgement Day In Islam, the Day of judgement is preceded by "signs" ( ar, علامات الساعة ''alāmāt al-sā'a'', also ''ishārāt al-sāʿa'') or portents of its arrival. Judgment Day, also known as the Final Judgement, ( ar, یوم القيامة, Y ...
*
Jannah In Islam, Jannah ( ar, جَنّة, janna, pl. ''jannāt'',lit. "paradise, garden", is the final abode of the righteous. According to one count, the word appears 147 times in the Quran. Belief in the afterlife is one of the six articles of f ...
*
Jahannam In Islam, the place of punishment for unbelievers and other evildoers in the afterlife, or hell, is an "integral part of Islamic theology", Thomassen, "Islamic Hell", Numen, 56, 2009: p.401 and has "occupied an important place in the Muslim imagi ...
* Final Judgement *
Eschatology Eschatology (; ) concerns expectations of the end of the present age, human history, or of the world itself. The end of the world or end times is predicted by several world religions (both Abrahamic and non-Abrahamic), which teach that nega ...


References


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Citations


Bibliography

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Further reading

* "'' Fath al-Bari''" (from ''
Sahih al-Bukhari Sahih al-Bukhari ( ar, صحيح البخاري, translit=Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī), group=note is a ''hadith'' collection and a book of '' sunnah'' compiled by the Persian scholar Muḥammad ibn Ismā‘īl al-Bukhārī (810–870) around 846. A ...
'' by
ibn Hajar al-Asqalani Ibn Ḥajar al-ʿAsqalānī or ''Ibn Ḥajar'' ( ar, ابن حجر العسقلاني, full name: ''Shihābud-Dīn Abul-Faḍl Aḥmad ibn Nūrud-Dīn ʿAlī ibn Muḥammad ibn Ḥajar al-ʿAsqalānī al-Kināni'') (18 February 1372 – 2 Febru ...
). * Esposito, John, ''The Oxford Dictionary of Islam'', Oxford University Press, 2003, . * Richard C. Martin, Said Amir Arjomand, Marcia Hermansen, Abdulkader Tayob, Rochelle Davis, John Obert Voll, ''Encyclopedia of Islam and the Muslim World'', MacMillan Reference Books, 2003, . * Lawson, Todd (1999).
Duality, Opposition and Typology in the Qur'an: The Apocalyptic Substrate
'. Journal of Quranic Studies. 10: 23–49. {{Theology *