Events on the Day of Judgment (part 3 of 3): Judgment Begins

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Description: What happens when each person finally stands before Allah.

Published on 28 Aug 2014 - Last modified on 24 Feb 2015

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Objective

·To be familiar with what we know about the events on the Day of Judgment and to understand that each person is able to predict the outcome.

Arabic Terms

·Hadith - (plural – ahadith) is a piece of information or a story. In Islam it is a narrative record of the sayings and actions of Prophet Muhammad and his companions.

·Sirat - means path or road. In reference to the Day of Judgement, it refers to a long narrow bridge that everyone will cross before entering either Paradise or Hell.

·Sunnah - The word Sunnah has several meanings depending on the area of study however the meaning is generally accepted to be, whatever was reported that the Prophet said, did, or approved.

Your new everlasting life is about to begin. This is the Day of Judgment. All of humanity will be judged by Allah according to their beliefs and deeds. This is the culmination of the message of all the prophets. Worship One God and know that you will one day be accountable for all that you say and do. This day has arrived. It is a shock, all of humanity are standing together in awe. What happens now?

“Verily, We have warned you of a near torment, the Day when man will see that (the deeds) which his hands have sent forth, and the disbeliever will say: ‘Woe to me! Would that I were dust!’" (Quran 78:40)

The Scales of Justice

The scales of justice sometimes referred to as the balances or the scale of deeds will be set up and each deed will be weighed and tallied.

No deed even an atom’s weight will be overlooked whether it be the backbiting that was forgotten or the kind word that was said without thinking.

“Whoever brings a good deed shall be rewarded ten times the like of it, and he that does evil shall only be rewarded the like of it, and they shall not be wronged.” (Quran 6:160).

Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of Allah be upon him, also reminded us of the mercy of Allah. He said, ‘There is nothing that will be placed in the Balance that will weigh more heavily than a good conduct. The one who has a good conduct will attain thereby the status of one who fasts and prays (a great deal).’[1]

The Book of Deeds

"‘…Woe to us! what sort of book is this that leaves neither a small thing nor a big thing, but has recorded it with numbers!’ and they will find all that they did, placed before them, and your Lord treats no one with injustice. (Quran 18:49)

Each person will be given a book in either their right or left hand. Everything we do in this world has been recorded by angels. The good and the bad, things we have forgotten or never given a thought to, it is all recorded and Allah might choose to question us about each and every word. Those who are given the book in their right hand will begin to relax and feel happy and honoured.

“Then as for him who will be given his Record in his right hand, He surely, will receive an easy reckoning, And will return to his family in joy!” But whosoever is given his Record behind his back He will invoke (for his) destruction, And he shall enter a blazing Fire”(Quran 84:7-12)

Sadly though, many will receive their book in their left hand or behind their back. And the fear rises.

The Accounting

The first thing that each person will be questioned about is his prayer.Prayer is what is known as one of the rights we owe to Allah. Each person will be asked about the quality of their prayers. This is confirmed and reinforced by the words of Prophet Muhammad.

It is recorded in an authentic hadith that Prophet Muhammad said, “The first thing the people will be held accountable for on the Day of Judgment is prayer, Allah will say to His angels (even though He already knows), ‘Look at my slave’s prayers. Were they complete or not?’ If they were complete it will be written as complete. If they were not fully complete Allah will say: ‘See if my slave has voluntary prayers’, if he has them Allah will say, ‘Complete the shortage in his obligatory prayers with his voluntary prayers.’ Then the rest of his deeds will be dealt with in the same manner.”[2]

The words of Prophet Muhammad help us to paint a very clear picture in our minds of what will happen to us when we stand before Allah on the Day of Accounting. He also said, “The son of Adam will be questioned by Allah about five things: how he lived his life, and how he utilized his youth, by what means did he earn his wealth, how did he spend his wealth, and what did he do with his knowledge.”[3]

We should be grateful that we are able to prepare ourselves adequately before the great Day occurs, as we even know the type of questions that we will be asked and the types of behavior that we will be questioned about. The good believer prepares for this difficult event, so that he or she will not be among those whose body parts testify against them.

"On the Day when their tongues, their hands, and their feet will bear witness against them as to their actions.” (Quran 24:24)

“And they will say to their skin, ‘Why did you bear witness against us?’ They will say ‘Allah has caused us to speak, as He cause all things to speak..."(Quran 41: 21)

Crossing the Sirat

After the questioning and accounting all people will pass over the sirat. A bridge that is sharper than a sword and thinner than a hair.[4] There will be no natural light but each person will be guided by their own light. The light will shine with a brightness dependent upon the piety and goodness of the person.

Some will cross it in the twinkling of an eye; some, like lightning; some, like a falling star; some, like a running horse. He who has very little light will creep facedown. His hands and feet will slip, and he will cling to it again. At long last, he will break free from it by creeping and creeping.[5]

The bridge has hooks that will scratch and snare people causing them to fall into Hell. Those who successfully cross the bridge will enter Paradise. The Day of Judgment comes to a close as the people are judged and make their way across the bridge. As believers we must be mindful that Allah has given us the road map to Paradise, He has shown us the pitfalls. The Day of Judgement can become an easy ordeal for a believer if they follow the guidance given in the Quran and the authentic sunnah of Prophet Muhammad.

Footnotes:

[1] At Tirmidhi

[2] Imam Ahmad and others

[3]At Tirmidhi

[4] Saheeh Bukhari & Muslim

[5] At Tabarani

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