Characteristics of the Day of Judgment, Paradise, and Hell

From Sahih Muslim, Hadith 2800 c

The command "Bear witness to this" in the Islamic tradition calls believers to affirm the fundamental truths of faith. Classical scholars interpret this as bearing witness to Allah's Oneness (Tawhid), the truth of Prophet Muhammad's message, and the reality of the Hereafter.

Imam al-Nawawi comments that this testimony encompasses both verbal declaration and practical implementation in one's life. The believer must witness through words, actions, and sincere conviction.

This bearing of witness extends particularly to the Day of Judgment, where all deeds will be exposed before Allah. The scholar Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali emphasizes that true testimony requires internalizing these truths until they become manifest in one's character and conduct.

The ultimate fulfillment of this command occurs on Judgment Day itself, when every soul will bear witness against itself regarding what it sent forth, as mentioned in Quran 75:14. Thus the present life serves as preparation for that ultimate testimony.