Life After Death

Condition of the people on the day of judgment

      As already stated in the previous article that when the trumpet shall be blown, the souls will be breathed into the final forms for the Day of Resurrection for the final Tudgement. The blow in the forms means the time when everyone will assume his final form and according to authentic traditions, on the Day of Judgment, people will be grouped in accordance with their deeds and characters, performed in the presentlife and each group will assume its form according to its character.

      In Surab An-Naba, Allah (s.w.t.) says: 'The day when the Trumpet shall be blown so you shall come forth in (huge) groups." (78:18)

      Commenting on the above verse AyatuHah Agha Pooya writes that when Israfil will blow the Trumpet which will give effect to all the violent changes in the present state of existence, heralding the dawn of day of Judgement, people will rise from their graves and run to report to the seat of judgement in hosts, under their respective religious leaders.

 

CONDITION OF THE PEOPLE ON THE DAY OF JUDGMENT

 In reply to a question asked by Ma'aaz bin Jabal the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) said: "Ten kinds of my followers will be presented for Judgement:

(1)  Some will be with the face of monkeys and they will be back-biters and the tale-          bearers.

(2) Some with the face of swine and they will be those who ate the forbidden things           (Haraam)

(3)  Some walking on the heads and they will be usurer~ who earned interest on their        lending.

(4)  Some will be blind who had acted unjustly

(5)  Some deaf and dumb who had been proud of their righteous deeds

(6)  Some biting their tongues which will be hanging on their breasts with a liquid giving   out foulest smell, flowing out of their tongues which will be tormenting the people             assembled there, and they will be the unjust judges, the hypocrites and the scholars           who preached piety and goodness to the others, but themselves behaved otherwise.

'7)  Some with their hands and legs severed, they will be the ones who teased their             neighbours.

(8)  Some will be hanging on the gallows of fire, they will be the critics who sought the      defects and the short comings of the others.

(9)  Some who will emit a very foul smell and will be those who defied the limits of the       laws prescribed by Allah (s.w.L), in seeking enjoyment of their carnal desires and       passions and those who obstructed the disposition of the rights of others and         depriving the others from getting their legitimate due.

(10) And some will be clad in the garments made of 'Qataran' a kind of oily matter,           which will be sticking to one another, and they will be the proud and the haughty            ones.

      (Foot-note No. 2846 in the Quran by S.V Mir Ahmed Ali) (Ayatullah Dastghaib quoting Tafsir Majma-ul Bayan in his book-Ma'aad. Page 125)

      Amirul Momineen Imam Ali (a.s.) in one of the sermons said: "They are emulating each other and proceeding in groups towards the final objective and the rendezvous of death, till when matters come to a close, the world dies and resurrection draws near. Allah would take them out from the corners of the graves, the nests of birds. the dens of beasts and the centres of death. They hasten towards Him command and run towards the place fixed for their final return group by group, quiet, standing and arrayed in rows. They will be within Allah's sight and will hear every one who would call them.

      They would be having the dress of helplessness and covering of submission and indignity. (At this time) contrivances would disappear, desires would be cut, hearts would sink quietly, voices would be curbed down, sweat would choke the throat, fear would increase and ears would resound with the thundering voice of the announcer calling towards the final judgement, award of recompense, striking of punishment and paying of reward." (Sermon No.82 p.208)

      In another sermon (No.101) Ali (a.s.) said: "That day would be such that Allah would collect on it the anteriors and the posteriors, to stand in obedience for exaction of accounts and for award of recompense for deeds. Sweat would flow upto their mouths like reins while the earth would be trembling under them. In the best condition among them would be he who hasjound a resting place for both his feet and an open place for his breath."

      Imam Mohammad Baqir (a.s.) said: "When the Day of Resurrection will come, Allah (s.wt) will gather the people in one vast field; they will be bare footed, naked; then they will be made to stand in 'Mahshar' till they will sweat profusely, and their breathing will become heavy) they will remain in that condition for 50 years as Allah (s.w.t.) says: "On that day they shall follow the inviter, there is no crookedness in him, and the voices shall be low before the Beneficent Allah so that you shall not hear aught but a soft sound." (20:108)

      Then an announcer will call out from the 'Arsh': 'Where is Ummi" (i.e. Meccan) Prophet?' Some people will say, "while you are announcing, better announce his name.' Then he will announce, 'where is the Prophet of Mercy, Mohammad son of Abdullah? Then the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a.) will advance before all mankind, till he will reach the Hauz' (Kauser) and he will stand on it. Then Imam Ali (a.s.) will be called, and he will advance before the people and will stand with the Holy Prophet...." (Beharul Anwar, Vol, 7, p. 101-102)

      Sayeda Fatemah Zehra (s.a.) once asked the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.): '0 Father tell me what will be (the condition of) the people on the Day of Qiyamat?'

      The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.) said: "0 Fatmah! Every one will be busy (i.e. One will be submerged in ones own worries). Thus nobody will look towards his son nor the son towards his mother."

      Sayeda Fatemah Zahra (s.a.) asked: 'will there be shrouds on them when they will come out of the graves?"

      The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.) said: '0 Fatemah": Shrouds will perish, and the bodies will be preserved; (but) the private parts of a believer will remain hidden,

while those of the unbelievers will be without any cover.

      Sayeda Fatemah Zahra (s.a.) asked: '0 Father! What will be the cover of the believers?

      The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.) said: 'A light dazzling in brilliance; their bodies will not be seen because of that light.'

      Sayeda Fatemah (s.a.) asked: "O Father! Where should I meet you on the Day of Qiyamat'?

      The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.): "Look (for me) near the weighing scale (mizan) and I shall be entreating, 'My Lord!' Increase the weight of (the good deeds of) him who solemnly declared that there is no god except Allah'; and look (for me) near the Books (of deeds) when the scrolls of deeds will be distributed, and I will be pleading, My Lord! Take account of my Ummah leniently! and look (for me) at the place of my intercession near the Bridge of Jahannam (Hell) when every man will be busy in his own affairs and I will be pre-occupied with (the salvation of) my Ummah, praying, My Lord! Save my Ummat; and the prophets will be around me praying: 'Our Lord! Save the Ummah of Mohammad (s.a.w):' (Ibid)

 

WITNESSES WILL BE CALLED FOR ALL PEOPLE OF EVERY AGE

On the day of Judgement Allah (s.w.t.) will first ask all the Prophets and Imams whether they had properly played their respective roles in guiding the human race towards the right thought and right path before questioning the people of all ages.

      In Surah An-Nisa, Allah (s.w~t.) says: "How will it be, then, when We bring from every, people a witness and bring you as a witness against these?" (4:41)

      Commenting on the above verse Ayatullah Aqha Pooya writes: '...the address in the verse is to the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.). The question arises can anyone who was not present on any event bear witness over the situation, the verse says that a witness will be called of every people of every age and the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.) would be called to bear witness over all these witnesses. This clearly indicates that the Holy Prophet was essentially present with every Prophet in every part of the earth and in all times. And according

to verse 143 of Surab Al-Baqarah he remains similarly present with every Holy Imam until the Day of Judgement to bear witness over all of them. The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.) said: I was a Prophet when Adam (a.s.) was still in water and clay, i.e. I existed as the Apostle of Allah (s.w.t.) Even when Adam (a.s.) was yet to be created." (Foot Note No.530, Quran by S.V.Mir Abmed Ali)

      Noted scholar Maulana Sayyid Saeed Akhtar Rizvi writes, "The Light of our Holy Prophet (s.a.w.) was created thousands of years before the creation of Adam (a.s.). And from the same light (Noor) were created his daughter Sayeda Fatemah Zahra (s.a.) and Twelve Imams (a.s.). It is a fact which is beyond doubt in the Islamic faith. Even after his death, the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.) is alive, and so are Sayeda Fatemah Zahra (s.a.) and the 11 Imams who have departed from this world. So far as the twelfth Imam (a.s.) is concerned, he is alive in this world, and is awaiting the order of Allah to reappear (Day of Judgement, p. 75)

      In Surah Al-Maidah Allah (s.w.t.) says: "On the day when Allah will assemble the apostles, then say: What answer were you given? They shall say: We have no knowledge, surely Thou art the great Knower of the unseen things." (5:109)

      It is quite evident from this verse that every Apostle of Allah (s.w.t.) will be summoned to give an account of his mission and the response he had from his people. And when the apostles will affirm that they had conveyed the message of Allah (s.w.t) to their people they will proclaim that the Holy Prophet (s.w.t.) is their witness.

      Imam Ali  (a.s.) has said: "When the Day of Judgement will come, and the weighing scale will be erected, and the Prophets and Witnesses (i.e. Imams) will be present, then every Imam will testfy on the people of his time that he stood before them with the commands of Alloh (s.w.t.) and called them towards the way of Allah..." (Behar-ul  Anwar, Vol. VII, p. 283)

      Imam Mohammad al-Baqir (a.s.) said: "No group or close of men can bear witness to the deeds of men except the inerrant Imams and the Messengers of Allah (s.w.t.); the generality of the community has not been described by Allah (s.w.t.) as witnesses, because in this world there are people whose testimony cannot be trusted even for a handful of grass." (Tafsir Mizan Vo. I, p. 332)

 

ON THE DAY OF JUDGEMENT THE PEOPLE WILL  BE  RECOGNIZED  BY  THEIR COUNTENANCES

      In Surab Ar-Rahman, Allah (s.w.t.) says: "The guilty shall be recognized by their marks, so they shall be seized by the forelocks and the feet." (55:41)

 

CONDITION OF DRUNKARDS

      Ayatullah Dasta-Ghaib, quoting 'Ain-ul-Yaqin' writes that when a drunkard will appear in Mahshar, a bottle of wine would be hanging in his neck and the peg of wine would be stuck to his hands. A very foul smell would emit from his body. All the people at Mahshar would recognize him and he would be cursed by them.

 

CONDITION OF SINGERS

      Musical instruments would be stuck with the hands of singers and musicians, which would be hitting their heads. (Ma'ad, Page 127)

 

CONDITION OF THE HYPOCRITES

      The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.) said: "The two-faced hypocrite shall be resurrected with two tongues. One tongue will be at the back of his head and the other in front. Flames shall dart forth from both of his tongues engulfing his body. Then it will be said - 'This is the man who confronted people in the world with two faces and spoke with two tongues.' (Bihar-al-Anwar, Vol.111, p. 128)

 

HOW THE PEOPLE WILL WALK WITH THEIR UGLY FACES

      On the Day of Judgement some people will assume the form, worse than the form of monkey, swine and dog and that shows that the body in the Hereafter will be the manifestation of the soul.

      The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) said: "On the Day of Qiyamat, the people will be resurrected in three different ways - some mounted, some walking on their fact and some walking by their heads down. When some people asked- 'How the people will walk by their heads down?' The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) said: 'the same Allah (s.w.t.) who had made them walk on their feet in this world, He has all the power to make them walk by their heads." (Ma'aad, Page 127-128)

 

THE HEARTS WILL CHOKE THE THROATS

      In Surah Al-Mu'min, Allah (s.w.t.) says: 'And warn them of the day that draws near, when hearts shall rise up to the throats, grieving inwardly; the unjust shall not have any compassionate friend nor any intercessor who should be obeyed." (40:18)

      The Day of Judgement will be so dreadful that with the profoundness of the fear the hearts of the people shall rise up to their throats and choke them and they will be unable to breathe. (Ibid)

 

PEOPLE WILL BE MADE TO STAND IN SCORCHING HEAT

      In Surah At-Tatfif Allah (s.w.t.) says; "The day on which men shall stand before the lord of the worlds." (83:6)

      Commenting on the above verse Ayatullah Pooya writes, "It is said that men will be made to stand in the sun brought over their heads perspiring profusely according to the degree of their individual position in their sins. The heat will be so scorching and strong that it will be melting the elements in the body of the wicked." (FN. No. 2928. Quran S.V.Mir Ahmed Ali)

 

MOTHERS SHALL FORGET SUCKLING

      Affected with the heart-rending horror of the Day of Judgement, mothers shall forget even their suckling babes whom in dearest to her than any other being.

      In Holy Quran Allah (s.w.t.) says: "The Day you shall see it, every suckling mother shall forget her suckling babe, and every pregnant female shall drop her load and you will se the people intoxicated, but they will not be drunk; but dreadful will be the wrath of Allah."

 

EVERYONE WILL FORGET THE CLOSEST TIES OF EVEN THE NEAREST RELATIONS

      The dawn of the Day of judgement will be so horrible and violent and the people will be so agonised and tumulted that each one will be for himself running away from the nearest relations, his own parents, spouses and issues. No friend will even enquire about a friend.

      As in Surab al-Ma'arij Allah says: 'And friend shall not ask of friend. (Though) they shall be made to see each other. The guilty one would fain redeem himself from the chastisement of that day by (sacrificing) his children, And his wife and his brother. And the nearest of his kinsfolk who gave him shelter, (70:10-13)

      In Surah Abasa Allah (s.w.t.) says "The day on which a man shall fly from his brother, And his mother and his father, And his spouse and his son Every man of them shall on that day have an affair which will occupy him." (80:34-37)

      The above verses indicate that the day of the Great Event would be so dreadful that no one will care for the other, however closely related or most intimately connected in this world, lest any one of them claims for his/her rights. (Ibid)

 

PEOPLE WILL READILY RECOLLECT AND RECOGNIZE THEIR OWN CLASS

      On the Day of Judgement People's memory of the past will be so sharp that they will immediately recollect as though they had hardly stayed for an hour on the earth and zhev will recognize each other. As in Surah Yunus Allah (s.w.t.) says, "And on the day when He will gather them as though they had not stayed but an hour of the day, they will know each other. They will perish indeed who called the meeting with Allah to be a lie, and they are not followers of the right direction." (10:45)

 

PARTS OF ONE'S OWN BODY SHALL BEAR WITNESS

      On the day of Resurrection every part of the physical body with the different faculties they serve, would be caused to bear witness as to the use it was put to. The hands, feet, tongues and even the skin of the sinners will disclose the hidden sins that they committed during their life on the earth.

      In Surah An-Nur Allah (s.w.t.) says:- "On the day when their tongues and their hands and their feet shall bear witness against them as to what they did." (24:24)

      In Surah Ha Mim Sajda Allah (s.w.t.) says: "And on the day that the enemies of Allah shall be brought together to the fire, then they shall be formed into groups. Until when they come to it, their ears and their eyes and their skins shall bear witness against them as to what they did. And they shall say to their skins: Why have you born witness against us? They shall say: Allah Who makes everything speak has made us speak, and He created you at first, and to Him you shall be brought back. And you did not veil yourselves lest your ears and your eyes and your skins should bear witness against you, but you thought that Allah did not know most of what you did. (41:19-22)

      In Surah Yasin Almighty Allah reveals: "On that day We will set a seal upon their mouths and their hands shall speak to Us, and their feet sha1l bear witness of what they earned." (36:65)

 

FORTUNATE PERSONS WHO WILL BE IN PEACE

      The Day of Judgement shall be a horrible day of the revelation of the truth both hidden and manifest.

      There will be some groups about whom the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.) has promised that they will be protected from the horror of that day of the Great Event.

      Some of them will be those who spent their lives as true Muslims and respected their parents in their old age.

      The second group will be of those who had helped the people in distress and Almighty Allah has also promised to redress their grievances on the Day of Qiyamat as they had helped the oppressed ones in this world. The third group will be of those people who used to prefer others on their own selves in fulfilling their needs by any means.

      Another group, who will be protected from the horror of the Day of Judgement will be of those people who used to control their anger and who would forgive others only to seek the pleasure of Allah (s.w.t.) although they had the right and power to take revenge.

Some persons will also remain in peace who did not commit a sin not because of the fear of loss of life or property but pnly because of the veneration of Almighty Allah.

      According to some traditions it is said about dead persons that they will be protected from the horrors of that Day, if a momin would put his hand on their graves and recite Surah Qadr seven times. (Ma'ad, p. 131 and Safinat-al-Behar, Vol. II, p. 360)

In Surah Al-Zukhraf Allah (s.w.t.) says: "0 My servants! there is no fear for you this day, nor shall you grieve.  Those  who  believed  in Our communications and were submissive." (43:6869)

      Love and belief in the Wilayat (Vicegereney) of Imam Ali (a.s.) shall be the guarantee of protection from the horrors of the Day of Judgement. The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) said: "Train your children in three things: the love of your Prophet, the love of his progeny (Ahlul Bayt) and recitation of the Quran." (Al-Jamiul- Saghir, Vol. I, p.14)

      In Holy Quran Allah (s.w.t.) says: "Surely (as for) those for whom the good has already gone forth from Us, they shall be kept far off from it; They will not hear its faintest sound, and they shall abide in that which their souls long for. The great fearful event shall not grieve them, and the angels shall meet them: This is your day which you were promised." (21:101-103)

      Ayatullah Dastghaib records that by the word 'Husna' (the biggest goodness) means the love of Imam Ali (a.s.), and no other goodness would be better than this goodness. The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) said : "0 Ali! You and your Shias shall be secure from 'Faza-ul-Akbar' (the great terror) on the Day of Judgement." (Maad, page 132)

      Many noted Shia and non-Shia traditionalists have recorded that the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) told Imam Ali (a.s.): "Even if a person worshipped Allah (s.w.t.) As long as Noah (a.s.) stayed with his people (i.e. 950 to 2500 years) and spent gold equal to the Uhud Mountain in the path of Allah (s.w.t.), and got such long life that he performed one thousand Hajj on foot, then was killed unjustly between the Safa and Marwa, but did not love thee 0 Ali! He would not smell the scent of the Paradise and would not enter it" (Dayalami, Tafsir Kashshaf Zamakhshari Tafsir Kabir Fakhr Raazi, Tafur Ruhul Bayan)

      Imam Mohammad Baqir (a.s.) told Jabir: 'Is it enough for a person to merely embellish (oneself) as Shia by professing love of us, Ahlul Bait? Nay! By Allah (s.w.t.), a person is not our follower (Shia) except the one who fears Allah (s.w.t.), and obeys Him. Our followers are not recognized save by humility, submission, honesty; praising Allah (s.w.t.) abundantly; fasting and prayers; attending to the poor needy debtors, and orphans, saying the truth, reciting the Quran and being trustworthy."

 

HOW THE PEOPLE WILL ARISE FROM OF THEIR GRAVES

      On the day of Resurrection all the people who have ever lived, shall be gathered. However, when they raise their heads from their graves their conversations will be different. The pious ones shall raise their heads saying: "All praise is due to Allah (s.w.t.), who has made good to us His Promise" (39:74)

      Whereas the wicked ones shall say: 0 woe to us! who has raised us up from our sleeping-place? This is what the Beneficent Allah promised and the apostles told the truth. (36:52)

      According to one tradition - One of their facts shall be inside the grave and the other one outside it and in this state they shall remain standing dumbfound and flabbier gasted for three hundred years. This would be the beginning of their torment. (Ma'ad, Page 139)

 

TWO RANKS OF THE PEOPLE

      The people who were weak and degraded in this world but were enriched with the qualities of goodness and piety (Taqwa) shall be the masters and respectable ones on the Day of Judgement whereas those who were masters and dignified in this world but were not pious shall be villain and disgraced on that Day.

      The appearance of the consequences of evil acts is a clear sign that Almighty Allah does not accept corruption and wrong doing and that all sinners will receive their due punishnient in the next world.

      However, on the Day of Judgement terror and confusion shall overwhelm the whole of the creation. The heavens and the earth, the young and old, men and animals, all creatures will be bewildered; fear will sever all natural relations, and people will care only from themselves.

      This will be the genral state of all people but the impius and impure will be subject to their own special terror; they will desperately desire to return to the earth in order to make up for their shameful past of disobeying Allah (s.w.t.) and His messengers. But it will be too late, a fearful and majestic silence will embrace all things and none will be able to disobey Allah (s.w.t.) At the same time the blessed ones shall also regret.

      The Holy Prophet  (s.a.w.) said: "There is no creature that will not be overtaken by remorse and regret on the Day of Resurrection, but regret will be of no avail. When the blessed would look upon Paradise and the infinite bounties that Allah (s.w.t.) has prepared for the pure and the god-fearing, they will regret not having performed righteous deeds equal to theirs. As for the wretched, the peopIe of Hell fire, they will groan and lament when they would see the fire and hear its roar, and they will regret not having atoned for their sins in the world." (Lo'ali al-Akhbar, p. 469)

      The reckoning of men's deeds that shall take place in the Hereafter will then be a unique process. No one can hope to obscure the truth or to deny the contents of the precise record that would be placed before him on that Day.