Introduction

It is understood from the Holy Qur’an, that the establishment of the Resurrection is not restricted to restoring life to human beings; rather the system of this world will change fundamentally, and another world with different characteristics will come into existence i.e. an unpredictable world about whose particularities we cannot acquire any exact insight. All human beings from the entire time span of creation will then be presented with the results of their deeds and meet eternal bliss or chastisement.

There are numerous Qur’anic verses in relation to this subject, and we will present here a brief summary of their contents.

The Conditions Of The Earth, Sea And Mountain

There will be a horrific earthquake1; the earth will bring forth that which it contains2; it will explode3; the seas will split4. The mountains will move5, explode6, change into hills of sand7, and will later change into blown cotton8, and scatter in the sky9; nothing except a mirage will remain where once the highest mountains existed10.

The Condition Of The Sky And Stars

The moon11, the sun12, and the larger stars (some of which are far bigger and brighter than our sun), will become dark and cool13, and will face disorders in their movement14. For example, the sun and the moon will come together15, and the sky, which has surrounded the world like a strong ceiling will become loose and trembling16 it will split and tear17, and become totally annihilated18. Other heavenly bodies will change into melting metals19 and the whole atmosphere will become full of smoke and clouds20.

The Trumpet Of Death

It will be under these circumstances that the trumpet of death will be blown and cause all living things to perish21, no sign of life will remain. Terror and fear will grip all22 except those who know the facts and secrets of existence, their hearts will be filled will the knowledge and love of God the Supreme.

The Trumpet Of Life And The Beginning Of Resurrection

Then, another world with the capability of being eternal will be established23, and the whole universe will be illuminated in the light of God24, and the Horn of Life will be blown25. All human beings, even animals26 will become alive at once27, and like grasshoppers and butterflies which scatter in the air28, will move quickly29, fearfully and excitedly30 towards God31. All the people will gather together32 and most of them will think that their stay between the material world and the Resurrection has been for one hour, one day or a few days33.

The presence of God’s government and the disappearance of consanguine and relative-in-law relations. In the other world, the facts will be revealed, and God’s government and Kingdom will reign supreme. The people will become so affected that no-one will dare to speak aloud; everybody will be concerned with his/her own faith, even the children will escape from their parents and the relatives from each other. Any kind of relationship among the people will be destroyed. Friendships based on worldly and satanic benefits and standards will change into enmity and the hearts will be full of sorrow and regrets about the sins of the past.

The Divine Court Of Justice

The Divine court of justice will be established after the resurrection, and the deeds of all God’s servants will be presented to them34; and the deeds’ documents will be distributed35. The correspondence between the doer and the action is so obvious that there will be no need to ask anyone what he/she has done36. In that court, the angels, the prophets and other selected people by God will bear witness37. The hands, feet, and even the skin of the people will provide evidence (for what their owners have done)38; the case of every single individual will be carefully analysed and all deeds will be measured by the Divine scale Refer to the Holy Qur’an,39, everybody will be judged according to justice40. Every individual will meet with the result of his attempts41, and the doers of good will receive reward tenfold42.

No- one will bear the responsibility of what others have done43 except those who mislead others, who will carry not only the responsibility of their own sins but also those of all the mislead individuals44. However, no reduction will be made in the punishment of the misled. Moreover, no exchange (of deeds) will be accepted from anybody45.

Nobody’s mediation will be accepted46, except that of those who are permitted to do so by God, and they will mediate according to the standards, which are in line with His satisfaction47.

Towards The Eternal Residence

God’s judgment will be announced and the doers of good will be separated from the guilty48. The believers with their happy and glorious faces will move towards Paradise49, while the unbelievers and hypocrites with their unhappy and dark faces move abjectly towards Hell50. Both groups will, nevertheless, pass Hell51: the glory of the believers’ faces will shed light making their way clear52, whilst the unbelievers and hypocrites will remain engulfed in darkness.

The hypocrites who had some connection with the believers in the world will call upon them and ask them, “Look at us so that we can use your light”, but they hear “You should go back to the world to get light”. They will again ask “Weren’t we friends in the world?” and hear that “You were with us outwardly but you made problems for yourselves; you became hard-hearted and surrendered to doubts and today you meet the results of all your deeds; no excuse is accepted from you and the unbelievers”.

Finally, the unbelievers and hypocrites will descend deep into Hell53.

When the believers approach Paradise, its doors will open, the angels will welcome them and together with greetings and respect they will give them the good news of eternal prosperity54. On the other hand, when the unbelievers and hypocrites arrive in Hell, its doors will open and the angels of punishment will harshly blame them and inform them about the eternal punishment55.

Paradise

There will be gardens as vast as the skies and earth in Paradise56. The gardens will be filled with different types of trees with all kinds of ripe fruits, easily accessible57. There will be magnificent buildings, and clear and pure rivers of water58, milk, honey59; whatever the residents of Paradise wish for60, and even beyond their wishes61, will be at their disposal.

Those who enter Paradise will become adorned in clothes made of the softest thread like silk, and different types of jewelry62, they will sit in front of each other, leaning on their soft seats studded with jewels, and praise and worship God63. They will not talk in vain nor hear any meaningless speech64; they will not be disturbed by cold or hot weather65. They will never become tired, and nothing will cause them to suffer66. No fear, sadness67 or rancour68 will they find in their hearts. Beautiful maids will move around them69 and offer glasses of Paradisal drink to them, which will provide them with happiness and refreshment and will suffer them no ill70. They will also eat various fruits and the meat of different kinds of poultry71, and will have dialogues with their pretty, kind and clean spouses72, above all they will enjoy the spiritual pleasure of living in God’s Paradise73. They will be subject to God’s kindness, which will delight them; however, no-one can imagine the degree of such happiness74. This unique prosperity and those indescribable blessings, kindnesses, life in God’s Paradise and residence close to Him continue forever75 and never end76.

Hell

The unbelievers and hypocrites in whose hearts there is no belief in God will reside in Hell77. The capacity of Hell is so that after surrounding the guilty, it will still ask for more78. Hell is but fire and torture. The flames of fire will blaze from everywhere and the ear-splitting and harsh sounds will increase the fright and anxiety of the disbelievers79. The faces will be sad, frowning, dark, ugly and wrinkled80.No sign of love, mercy, or flexibility will even be seen on the faces of the angels of Hell81.

The residents of Hell will be tied in iron chains82, and fire will engulf them from head to toe83; they are in fact, the fuel for the fire84.There is no voice in Hell except the groans, complaints, and screams of the residents and the dreadful shouts of Hell’s guards85. Boiling water, which will cause their insides to melt, will be poured on the inhabitants of Hell86.

When, due to their great thirst and temperature, they ask for water, some hot, polluted, and fetid water will be given to them and they will drink it eagerly and greedily87. Their food will be from the Zaqum tree, which grows from fire and whose fruit will increase the irritation of their insides88. Their clothes are made of a black and sticky material and are by themselves a torture 89. Their companions will be the Satan and Jinn to whom the residents of Hell would wish they had no relation90.

Moreover, they curse and damn each other91. As soon as they start apologizing to God about their deeds, the commands of ‘Go away!’ and ‘Shut up!’ make them quiet92.

They will ask the guards of Hell to intervene and request some decrease in their punishment from God; they will answer “Didn’t God send you His prophets and provide you with all the means of guidance?” (Holy Qur’an, 40:49-50).

Then, they will ask for their death and learn that they will be in Hell forever93. Although death rushes to them from everywhere, they will never die94; as their skins burn, they will be replaced by new skins, so that the punishment continues forever95. They will ask the people in Paradise for some food and water, and will hear in reply that; “God has prohibited you from the blessings of Paradise”96

Then the residents of Paradise ask them “What caused your bad luck and took you to Hell?” They will answer “We didn’t pray and worship God, and didn’t help the poor. In addition, we accompanied wrong doers and rejected the Resurrection”97. They will then start to struggle and fight against each other98; the mislead will tell the misleaders, “You deceived us” and they will reply, “You followed us willingly”99. The inferior will say to their superiors “You caused us to be in such desperate conditions”, and they will answer, “Did we change your way towards God forcefully?”100.

Finally, they will turn to Satan saying, “You mislead us” and he will reply, “God promised you with truth, but you didn’t accept, while I promised you with untruth and you accepted. Therefore, instead of blaming me blame yourselves”. He will then continue, “however, at present, none of us can help the other”101.

Thus, they have no alternative but to accept the results of their own disobedience and face the consequences of remaining in torture forever102.

Questions

1. Describe the conditions of the sky and the earth at the time of Resurrection.

2. Explain the way Resurrection begins and discuss its characteristics.

3. Describe the Divine court of justice.

4. Explain the movement of the believers and disbelievers towards their eternal residence.

5. Describe the blessings in Paradise.

6. Discuss the conditions of Hell and its residents.

7. Explain the dialogues among the residents of Hell.

• 1. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 99:1, 22:1, 56:4, 73:14.
• 2. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 99:2, 84:4.
• 3. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 69:14, 89:21.
• 4. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 81:6, 82:3.
• 5. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 18:47, 16:88, 52:10, 81:2.
• 6. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 69:4, 56:5.
• 7. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 73:14.
• 8. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 70:9, 101:5.
• 9. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 20:105-107, 77:10.
• 10. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 18:8, 78:20.
• 11. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 75:8, 14:2, 100:10, 86:9, 50:22, 69:18.
• 12. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 81:1, 22:65, 25:26, 40:16, 82:19.
• 13. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 81:2, 11:105, 20:108-111, 78:38.
• 14. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 82:2, 80:34-37, 26:88, 70:10-14, 31:33.
• 15. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 75:9, 2:166, 23:101.
• 16. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 52:1, 69:16, 43:67.
• 17. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 55:37, 69:16, 73:18, 77:9, 78:19, 82:1, 84:1.
• 18. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 21:104, 81:11.
• 19. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 70:8, 6:31, 19:39, 10:54.
• 20. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 25:25, 44:10.
• 21. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 39:68, 69:13, 36:49.
• 22. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 27:87-89.
• 23. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 14:48, 39:67, 19:38, 50:22.
• 24. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 39:69.
• 25. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 39:68, 18:99, 50:20, 50:42, 78:18, 79:13-14, 74:8, 37:19.
• 26. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 6:38, 81:5.
• 27. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 16:77, 54:50, 78:18.
• 28. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 101:4, 54:7.
• 29. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 50:44, 70:43.
• 30. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 50:20.
• 31. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 36:51, 83:30, 73:12, 73:30.
• 32. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 18:99, 64:9, 4:87, 6:12, 3:9, 11:103.
• 33. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 30:55, 79:46, 10:45, 17:52, 20:103-104, 23:113, 46:35.
• 34. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 3:30, 81:14, 17:49.
• 35. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 17:13-14, 17:71, 69:19, 69:25, 84:7, 84:10.
• 36. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 55:39.
• 37. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 39:69, 2:143, 3:140, 4:41, 4:69, 11:18, 22:78, 50:21, 16:84, 16:89.
• 38. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 24:24, 36:65, 41:20-21.
• 39. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 7:8-9, 21:47.
• 40. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 10:54, 10:93, 16:78, 39:69, 39:75.
• 41. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 53:40-41, 2:281, 2:286, 6:70, 11:111, 14:51, 20:15, 52:21, 36:54, 39:24.
• 42. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 6:160.
• 43. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 53:39, 6:146, 35:18, 39:7.
• 44. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 16:25, 29:13. Also, it is possible from these verses to guess that those who have helped people move towards God in this world will receive double reward. This is, nevertheless, explicitly stated in the traditions.
• 45. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 2:48-123, 3:91, 31:23, 5:36.
• 46. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 2: 48,123,254, 74:48.
• 47. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 21:28, 2:255, 10:3, 34:23, 43:86, 20:109.
• 48. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 11:105-108, 36:59.
• 49. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 39:73, 19:85, 80:28-29.
• 50. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 39:60-71, 10:27, 19:86, 17:72, 17:97.
• 51. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 19:71-72.
• 52. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 57:12.
• 53. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 57:13-15, 4:140.
• 54. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 39:73, 13:22, 13:24.
• 55. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 39:71-72, 66:6, 21:103.
• 56. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 3:133, 57:21.
• 57. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 69:23, 76:6, 76:1, 76:21.
• 58. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 2:25, 23:15.
• 59. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 47:15, 76:6, 76:18, 76:21, 83:28.
• 60. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 16:31, 25:16, 39:34, 41:31, 43:70-71, 50:35.
• 61. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 50:35.
• 62. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 18:31, 22:23, 35:33, 44:53, 76:21, 7:32.
• 63. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 7:43, 10:10, 35:34, 39:74.
• 64. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 19:62, 78:35.
• 65. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 76:13.
• 66. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 19:62, 78:35.
• 67. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 7:35, 15:48.
• 68. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 7:35, 15:48.
• 69. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 56:17, 76:19.
• 70. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 37:45, 35:47, 38:51, 52:23, 76:5-6, 76:15-19, 78:34.
• 71. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 38:51, 52:22, 55:52, 55:68, 56:20-21.
• 72. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 2:25, 3:15, 4:57, 52:20, 55:56, 55:70-74, 56:22-23, 56:34-37.
• 73. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 3:15, 9:21, 9:73, 57:20, 5:119, 98:8.
• 74. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 32:17.
• 75. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 2:25, 2:82, 3:107, 3:198, 4:13, 4:57, 4:122, 9:22, 9:72, 10:26, 14:23, 18:3, 18:108, 20:76, 29:58, 50:34.
• 76. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 44:56.
• 77. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 4:140.
• 78. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 50:30.
• 79. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 11:106, 21:100, 25:12, 67:7-8.
• 80. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 3:106, 67:27, 39:60.
• 81. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 66:91.
• 82. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 13:5 14:49, 34:33.
• 83. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 14:50, 25:13, 72:15.
• 84. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 2:24, 3:10, 66:6.
• 85. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 25:13-14, 84:11.
• 86. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 22:19-20, 44:48.
• 87. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 6:70, 10:4, 18:29, 56:42-44.
• 88. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 37:62-66, 38:57, 44:45-46, 78:25.
• 89. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 14:17, 20:74, 35:36.
• 90. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 43:38-39, 38:85.
• 91. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 7:38-39, 29:25.
• 92. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 23:108, 30:57, 77:35-36.
• 93. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 43:77.
• 94. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 14:17, 20:74, 35:36.
• 95. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 4:56.
• 96. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 7:50.
• 97. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 74:29-47.
• 98. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 38:59-64.
• 99. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 7:38-9, 37:27-33, 50:27-28.
• 100. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 14:21, 34:31-33.
• 101. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 14:22.
• 102. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 2:39, 3:88, 3:116, 4:169, 6:128, 20:101, 72:23.