Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "When the people of Paradise have entered Paradise and the people of the Fire have entered the Fire, death will be brought and will be placed between the Fire and Paradise, and then it will be slaughtered, and a call will be made (that), 'O people of Paradise, no more death ! O people of the Fire, no more death ! ' So the people of Paradise will have happiness added to their previous happiness, and the people of the Fire will have sorrow added to their previous sorrow."
The Slaughtering of Death: A Profound Eschatological Event
This noble hadith from Sahih al-Bukhari's "To make the Heart Tender (Ar-Riqaq)" presents one of the most remarkable scenes of the Hereafter. The scholars explain that death, which Allah created as a tangible being, will be brought in the form of a ram and slaughtered between Paradise and Hell. This physical manifestation demonstrates Allah's absolute power over all creation.
The Dual Proclamation of Eternal Destiny
The announcement "O people of Paradise, no more death!" brings infinite joy, confirming their eternal bliss without interruption. For the people of the Fire, "no more death!" signifies perpetual punishment without the relief of annihilation. This represents the ultimate fulfillment of divine justice - eternal reward for believers and eternal punishment for disbelievers.
Spiritual Lessons and Heart-Tendering Reflections
Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani explains in Fath al-Bari that this hadith serves to soften hearts by emphasizing the finality of the Hereafter's conditions. The addition of happiness upon happiness for Paradise-dwellers shows Allah's infinite generosity, while the increased sorrow for Hell's inhabitants demonstrates the severity of rejecting faith. This scene should motivate believers to strive for Paradise and fear the eternal Fire.
Imam al-Qurtubi notes that the slaughtering of death symbolizes the complete transformation from temporal existence to eternal reality. The scholars unanimously affirm that this event occurs after all creation has entered their final abodes, sealing their destinies forever according to their deeds in worldly life.