Characteristics of the Day of Judgment, Paradise, and Hell

كتاب صفة القيامة والجنة والنار

Chapter 6: The Words Of Allah: "Verily, Man Does Transgress Because He Considers Himself Self-Sufficient."

Abu Huraira reported that Abu Jahl asked (people) whether Muhammad placed his face (on the ground) in their presence. It was said to him

Yes. He said: By Lat and `Uzza. If I were to see him do that, I would trample his neck, or I would smear his face with dust. He came to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as he was engaged in prayer and thought of trampling his neck (and the people say) that he came near him but turned upon his heels and tried to repulse something with his hands. It was said to him: What is the matter with you? He said: There is between me and him a ditch of fire and terror and wings. Thereupon Allah's Messenger (may peace he upon him) said: If he were to come near me the angels would have torn him to pieces. Then Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, revealed this verse- (the narrator) said: We do not know whether it is the hadith transmitted by Abu Huraira or something conveyed to him from another source: "Nay, man is surely inordinate, because he looks upon himself as self-sufficient. Surely to thy Lord is the return. Hast thou seen him who forbids a servant when he prays? Seest thou if he is on the right way, or enjoins observance of piety? Seest thou if he [Abu Jahl] denies and turns away? Knowest he not that Allah sees? Nay, if he desists not, We will seize him by the forelock-a lying, sinful forelock. Then let him summon his council. We will summon the guards of the Hell. Nay! Obey not thou him" (lcvi, 6-19). (Rather prostrate thyself.) Ubaidullah made this addition: It was after this that (prostration) was enjoined upon and Ibn Abd al-Ala made this addition that by "Nadiyah" he meant his people.

Chapter 7: The Smoke (Ad-Dukhan)

Masruq reported

We were sitting in the company of Abdullah and he was lying on the bed that a person came and said: Abd Abd al-Rabmin, a story-teller at the gates of Kinda says that the verse (of the Qur'an) which deals with the" smoke" implies that which is about to come and it would hold the breath of the infidels and would inflict the believers with cold. Thereupon Abdullah got up and said in anger. O people, fear Allah and say only that which one knows amongst you and do not say which he does not know and he should simply say: Allah has the best knowledge for He has the best knowledge amongst all of you. It does not behove him to say that which he does not know. Allah has the best knowledge of it. Verily Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, said to His Prophet (ﷺ) to state:" I do not ask from you any remuneration and I am not the one to put you in trouble," and when Allah's Mesqenger (ﷺ) saw people turning back (from religion) he said: O Allah, afflict thern with seven famines as was done in the case of Yusuf, so they were afflicted with famine by which they were forced to eat everything until they were obliged to eat the hides and the dead bodies because of hunger, and every one of them looked towards the sky and he found a smoke. And Abu Sufyan came and he said: Muhammad, you have come to command us to obey Allah and cement the ties of blood- relation whereas your people are undone; supplicate Allah for tlicm. Thereupon Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, said:" Wait for the day when there would be clear smoke from the sky which would envelop people and that would be grievous torivent" up to the words:" you are going to return to (evil)." (if this verse implied the torment of the next life) could the chastisement of the next (life) be averted (as the Qur'an states): On the day when We seize (them) with the most violent seizing; surely We shall exact retribution" (xliv. 16)? The seizing (in the hadith) implies that of the Day of Badr. And so far as the sign of smoke, seizing, inevitability and signs of Rome are concern- ed, they have become things of the past now.

Masruq reported that there came to Abdullah a person and said

I have left behind in the mosque a man who explains the Qur'an according to his personal discretion and he explained this verse:" So wait for the day when the Heaven brings a clear smoke." He says that a smoke would come to the people on the Day of Resurrection anl it will withhold breath and they would be inflicted with cold. 'Abdullah said: He who has knowledge should say something and he who has no knowledge should simply say: Allah is best aware. This reflects the understanding of a person that he should say about that which he does not know that it is Allah who knows best. The fact is that when the Quraish disobeyed Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) he supplicated Allah that they should be afflicted with famine and starvation as was done in case of Yusuf. And they were so much hard pressed that a person would ace the sky and he would see between him and the sky something like smoke and they were so much hard pressed that they began to cat the bones, and a person came to Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) and said: Allah's Messenger. seek forgiveness for the tribe of Mudar for (its people) have been undone. The Messenger (ﷺ) said: For Mudar? You are overbold, but he supplicated Allah for them. It was upon this that this verse was revealed:" We shall remove the chastisement a little, but they will surely return to evil" (xliv. 15). lie (the narrator) said: There was a downpoor of rain upon them. When there was some relief for them they returned to the same position as they had been before, and Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, revealed this verse:" So wait for the day when the heaven brings a clear smoke enveloping people. This is a grievous torment on the day when We seize them with the most violent seizing; surely, We shall exact retribution." And this (seizing) implied (Battle) of Badr.

Abdullah said that five signs have (become things) of the past (and have proved the truth of the Holy Prophet)

(Enveloping) by the smoke, inevitable (punishment to the Meccans at Badr), (the victory of) Rome, (violent) seizing (of the Meccans at Badr) and (the splitting up of) the Moon.

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of A'mash with the same chain of transmitters.

Ubayy b. Ka'b reported that the words of Allah, the Exalted and Glorious

" We will, surely, make them taste the lesser punishment before the severer punishment (that haply they may return)" (xxxii. 21) imply the torments of the world. (victory of) Rome, seizing (of the Meccans), or smoke. And Shalba was in doubt about seizing or smoke.

Chapter 8: The Splitting Of The Moon

Abu Ma'mar reported on the authority of Abdullah that the moon was split up during lifetime by Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) in two parts and Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said

Bear testimony to this.

This hadith has been transmitted on the authority of Abdullah b. Mas'ud (who said)

We were along with Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) at Mina, that moon was split up into two. One of its parts was behind the mountain and the other one was on this side of the mountain. Allah's Messenger (may peace be upbn him) said to us: Bear witness to this.

'Abdullah b. Mas'ud reported that the moon was split up in two parts during the lifetime of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ). The mountain covered one of its parts and one part of it was above the mountain and Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said

Bear witness to this.

Another chain of transmitters reported the like of this hadith.

This hadith has been transmitted on the authority of Shu'ba with a slight variation of wording.

Anas reported that the people of Mecca demanded from Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) that he should show them (some) signs (miracles) and he showed twice the splitting of the moon. This hadlth has been narrated on the authority of Anas through another chain of transmitters.

Anas reported that the moon was split up in two parts and in the hadith recorded in Abu Dawud, the words are

" The moon was split up into two parts during the life of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)."

Ibn 'Abbas reported that the moon was split up during the lifetime of Allah's Messenger (may peace he upon him).

Chapter 9: The Disbelievers

Abu Musa reported that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said

There is none to show more patience at listening to the most irksome things than Allah, the Exalted and Glorious. 'Partnership is associated to Him (polytheism), and (fatherhood) of a child is attributed to Him, but in spite of this He protects them (people) and provides them sustenance.' This hadith has been transmitted on the authority of Abu Musa with a slight variation of wording.

Abdullah b. Qais reported from Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) that none is more forbearing in listening to the most irksome things than Allah, the Exalted. They associate rivals with him, attribute sonhood to Him, but in spite of this He provides them sustenance, grants them safety, confers upon them so many things.

Chapter 10: The Disbeliever Seeking Ransom With An Earthful Of Gold

Anas b. Malik reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying

Allah, the Exalted and High, would say to one who shall have to undergo the least torture (on the Day of Resurrection): Would you like to go as ransom if you had all worldly riches; he would say: Yes. Allah would say to him: When you were in the loins of Adam, I demanded from you something easier than this that you should not associate anything with Me. (The narrator says): I think He also said: I would not cause you to enter Hell-Fire but you defied and attributed Divinity (to others besides Me).

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Anas b. Malik through another chain of transmitters, but with a slight variation of wording (and the words are)

I shall cause him to enter Hell." (The words subsequent to these) have not been mentioned.

Anas b. Malik reported that Allah's Messenger (may peace be u n him) said

It would be said to the non-believers on the Day of Resurrection: If you were to possess gold, filling the whole earth, would you like to secure your freedom by paying that? He would say: Yes. Thereupon it would be said to him: Something easier (than this) was demanded from you (but you paid no heed to it).

Anas reported this hadlth through another chain of transmitters and the words are

" It would be said to him: You have told a lie; what had been demanded from you was quite easier than this (the belief in the Oneness of Allah)."