إِذَا زُلْزِلَتْ الْأَرْضُ زِلْزَالَهَاوَأَخْرَجَتْ الْأَرْضُ أَثْقَالَهَاوَقَالَ الْإِنسَانُ مَا لَهَايَوْمَئِذٍ تُحَدِّثُ أَخْبَارَهَابِأَنَّ رَبَّكَ أَوْحَى لَهَايَوْمَئِذٍ يَصْدُرُ النَّاسُ أَشْتَاتًا لِيُرَوْا أَعْمَالَهُمْفَمَنْ يَعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ خَيْرًا يَرَهوَمَنْ يَعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ شَرًّا يَرَه(99: 1-8)

[They should remember the Day] when the earth is shaken the way it should be shaken, and it casts forth its burdens. And man cries out: “What is the matter with her?” On that Day, she will narrate all her story at the intimation of your Lord. On that Day, men will issue forth individually so that their deeds can be shown to them. Then whoever has done the smallest bit of good he also shall see it, and whoever has done the smallest bit of evil, he also shall see it. (99:1-8)

Belief in the Hereafter is one of the most important tenets of Islam. It occupies the central position in the preaching mission of prophets. It is on the foundation of this belief that the pillars of shariah, virtue and righteousness stand. Prophethood is also based on it. A nabi (prophet) is a nabi because he actually foretells this al-naba’ al-azim (the great news). [1] A rasul (messenger) is a rasul because he brings the message of its advent. John (sws) and Jesus (sws), Moses (sws) and Abraham (sws) all have proclaimed it. The Torah tacitly refers to it and the Psalms clearly mention it. In the Gospel, Jesus (sws) has warned that on the Day of Judgement only those people will enter the Kingdom of Heaven who will please his heavenly father. The Quran is a bearer of warnings and glad tidings for this Day. It says that the manner in which people wake up from sleep (39:42), the manner in which rain enlivens a dead and desolate terrain (7:57; 35:9), the manner in which a whole human being comes into existence from a mere drop of water (75:36-40), in the same manner mankind will be made to rise one day from their graves. Raising up mankind on that Day would not be of any bother for the Almighty. When the addressees of the Quran expressed their wonder on being re-created and inquired after the being who would enliven these decayed bones, the Almighty replied in the Quran (36:78) that the very being Who created them the first time would create them again. This whole process is as easy for Him as uttering a word for us is:

فَوَرَبِّ السَّمَاء وَالْأَرْضِ إِنَّهُ لَحَقٌّ مِّثْلَ مَا أَنَّكُمْ تَنطِقُونَ (23:51)

Thus, I swear by the Lord of heavens and the earth that this shall definitely come [with the same ease] as you speak. (51:23)

The Quran says that it is man’s own nature, his quest for justice and his awareness of good and evil that require the coming of a Day of Judgement. If God is just and fair, then such a day must come. His providence, mercy, power and wisdom as well as His laws and practices all entail that man face a day of accountability. Without belief in such a day, religion is mere wishful thinking. The concepts of virtue, piety, justice, reward and punishment become baseless. Without such a day, the universe has no purpose and can only be regarded as the playground of divine forces.

The testimonies, indications, sites and events of this day are described both in the Quran and the Hadith. In the following paragraphs, these details are mentioned.

1) Testimonies (Arguments):

Discussion 22470

2) The Signs:

Discussion 30985

3) The Events:

Discussion 34130

4) Phases and Abodes:

Discussion 34708

(Javed Ahmed Ghamidi)

(Translated by Dr. Shehzad Saleem)

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[1]. This is a reference to the words of a Quranic verse: 78: 2. (Translator)