Qiyamah: Encyclopedia II - Qiyamah - The Gathering

Qiyamah - The Gathering

Alamin (humankind, the Jinn, and all other living beings), will be gathered upon a vast, white, featureless ground, under the intense heat of a Sun overhead. They will be naked, uncircumcised and crowded together to the point where some are submerged in their own sweat, as in the beginning of creation (Qur'an 21.104; Sahih Bukhari, book 55 "accounts of the prophets", number 656; Qur'an 5.117-118). The degree to which one is submerged in sweat depends on the extent of his or her piety and goodness. The faces of those who practiced good adab by following the Five Pillars of Islam in their daily lives are nadirah, shining and radiant, whereas the faces of disbelievers are basirah, dark, sad and frowning (Qur'an 75.22-24). Despite being unclothed the anxiety and fear of the situation will be so great that no one would think to look at another's nudity. The creatures thus wait to be brought before God for their judgement. Humans will be so fearful on this "day" that the prophets themselves will repeatedly address God with the phrase sallim, sallim, or spare, spare — that is, "spare your followers, O God," and followers of Muhammad during his lifetime who strayed from Islam after his passing will be engulfed in fire (Qur'an 5.117-118, Sahih Bukhari, book 55 "accounts of the prophets", number 568). Even the angels are fearful, as some hadiths state that on that day, Allah will be angrier than he has been or ever will be.

The Qu'ran mentions the duration of the day of judgement as 50,000 years (Qur'an 70.4) and that it may have already begun (Qur'an 42.17, 47.18, 70.6-7). People will beseech the prophets to intercede on their behalf, first Abraham, then Moses, then Adam, and finally Noah, all of whom decline to do so and instead point to the prophet Muhammad, who will intercede behalf of the world (Qur'an 74.48; Sahih Bukhari, book 55 "accounts of the prophets", number 555, 569). Abraham will meet his father Azar whose face will be basirah. When Abraham demands that his father not be disgraced he is informed that on this day no one is above reproach (Sahîh al-bokhârî, book 55 "accounts of the prophets", number 581). Abraham finds a blood-stained Dhabh beneath his feet and throws him into Jahannam.

Other notable relatives who are among those cast into Jahannam include the wives of Noah (Nuh) and Lut (Qur'an 66.10). When Lut and his family left Sodom and Gomorrah, his wife disobeyed the commands of the two angels not to look back at the burning city, thus she is not among Al-Ghurr-ul-Muhajjalun.

Adam is ordered by Allah to bring all of those who rejected Islam to Jahannam. He asks how many he should bring and Allah answers, "From every one thousand, take out nine-hundred-and ninety-nine." At that time children will become hoary headed (Qur'an 73.12), previously healed wounds will reappear (Sahih Bukhari, book 4 "Ablution", number 238), every pregnant female will have a miscarriage, and one will see mankind as drunken, yet they will be sober, but dreadful will be the Wrath of God (Qur'an 69.47, Sahih Bukhari, book 55 "accounts of the prophets", number 567.)

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "The Gathering", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki