In the name of Allah most gracious most merciful.

Faith into the Day-After

Written by Sk. Dr. Younis Saleh

Translated by: Dr. Faheem Bukhatwa

05 June 2009 ad

12 Jumada Al-Thani 1430 H



All thanks be to Allah the Lord of the worlds, and peace and prayers by upon the most honorable of all messengers.

Allah says: {Or did you think We only created you for fun or futility? and that you shall not be returned? For Allah is elevated, the King, the Truth, no other God but He, the Lord of the Almighty throne} 23:115.

I know that Allah may He be praised is immaculate and virtuous in His acts and rulings and commandments. And the ending of this worldly life without a return to be judged is futility. That is one reason why faith into the day after is a corner stone whoever denies is a disbeliever. What is the day after? And why? What are the facts about it? And what is the attitude of a Muslim towards it?

What is the Day After?

The day after: is the day of reward, and the Day of Judgment, and it is the second or next life which comes after death. And it is the day when the Godly justice is established amongst the creations.

You ought to know that believing into the day after can not be disassociated from believing into Allah. And whoever denies it is an unbeliever. And it is one of the corner stones of faith for a Muslim. The messenger (ppbu) commanded us to believe into Allah, His angels, His books, and His messengers and believe into the Day After, and believe into fate the good and the bad in it. Allah named the Day after with many other names which reflect the facts and enormity of events which would truly be happening on that day. Some of those names are:

·       The day of Faith: because of the reward and punishment of the creations for their deeds.

·       The day of coming out: Because on that day people will come out of their graves into the life after.

·       They day of pity: because on that day the infidel and those who were disobedient will be disappointed for exceeding and breaking Allah’s rules and limits.

·       The home after: (or the life after): it is the next life which comes after death.

·       Calamity day (or Dooms day): because of all the tragedies that can happen on that day.

Why the Day After?

Why there has to be a Day After? So no one who transgressed will go unpunished. And the victim of injustice will go uncompensated. Allah says: {Whosoever does a good deed as little as a dust particle (or atom) he/she will see it, and whosoever does a bad deed as little as a dust particle (or atom) he/she will see it} 99:7-8. Allah also say: {Faces are afflicted and distressed seeking the Ever living and Established God. And he shall be disappointed this who carries a transgression} 20:111.

It is that they will not be the same, the disbeliever criminal with the one who has faith. Allah say: {Shall we make the same Muslims like criminals. What is wrong with you, how do you make such judgment?} 68:36-37. and also says: {Or is it that those who committed sins think that We shall make them the same in life and death as those who had faith and did good deeds. What a terrible judgment of theirs.} 45:21.

There has to be a Day After so the springs of goodness will burst in the humanity getting ready for that magnificent day. For example the son will take care of the parent, and wife will obey the husband, and those in charge will respect their flocks or citizens, and the businessman and the shopkeeper will cease and refrain from the forbidden and the indecent and excessive profit, and the rich will spend and provide for the needy. Allah say: {And those who despite their love for it, give the food to the poor, and to the orphans, and to the prisoner of war. We feed you for the sake of Allah, from you we do not seek any reward or thanks. We fear from our Lord a dull and very hot day} 67:9-10.

And it is because human souls differ in the way they are encouraged to do the good. Some people are encouraged to be obedient through the want for Paradise, and what Allah has waiting for His good slaves. And there are those will be frightened into obedience from the fear of the tremendous punishment Allah has prepared for those who deny. And there are those who just agreed with Allah and His guidance just because they knew of Allah, and that is the worship of the free.

What are the facts about They Day After?

Fact 1: The Resurrection.

That is the rebuilding of those human bodies after their disintegration and demise. And putting life back into them after it was taken away from it. Allah says: {It is He who starts the creation then redo it. And it is easer to Him to redo it} 30:27. Allah also say: {and the hour is coming without doubt. And Allah resurrects those who are in the graves} 22:7.

Allah has assigned to the angel Israfeel (pbu) to blow the horn. When it is blown first time, all creatures shall die. Then it shall be blown once again and that is when resurrection starts. The messenger (ppbu) said: {All son of Adam shall be eaten away to nothing by earth except the end part of the spine. From that he was created, and from that will be re-put together}. Between the first blow of the horn and the second shall be forty. We don’t know whether it is 40 days, months or years.

Fact 2: The Big Gathering

This is event where all creation of humans, Jin, and animals and birds shall be gathered for retributions and compensation and justice. All wrongs will be undone no matter how big or small. On that day, the son shall be much closer to earth. The heat will make people sweat. To the point that some will walk into sweat up to their ankles, and some to their knees, and some to their groin, and some will be up to their faces. People will be resurrected bare footed and naked.

Fact 3: Parading, Questioning, Accounting, Balanced Scales, The Journals or Books, and Deeds

A)         Parading:

Allah says: {They are paraded by your Lord in a line. You have come to us jus as we created you at first time. You have claimed that we shall not make you such an appointment to meet} 18:48. At Allah’s well and discretion, there are those whom Allah shall be merciful to and not go through the accounting with him. The messenger (ppbu) said: anyone who gets to the point of being questioned then they are lost.

B)         Questioning and Accounting:

Whoever Allah wished to bestow His mercy upon will cover him from the rest of the creation. Allah gets close to a believer on the day of resurrection until He places the palm of His hand on to his shoulder (meaning He has given him the cover). Allah affirms it by saying: Do you know that sin you committed in such a day? The person says: I know. The Almighty Allah says: I have covered up for you in the first life, and I forgive you for it today. And then he or she is given their journal of good deeds. The infidel and the hypocrite on the other hand get called and witnessed by all creations. Those are the ones who lied to their Lord. Allah’s curse is upon the transgressors.

C)         The Scale:

Allah says: {and we will setup the fair and just scales for the day of resurrection so no soul shall be oppressed or victimised not in the least, even if it was as much as the weight of grain of charlock or mustard seed, we would bring it and be assured We shall sufficient in taking an account} 21:47. Anas Ebn Malik said: the individual is brought and placed between the two scales. If his/her good deeds outweigh his/her bad deeds an angel calls aloud such that all creatures will hear it: It is good tiding for such and such person. Happiness that shall never be followed by sadness ever. And if his bad deeds outweigh his good deeds the angel calls aloud such that all creatures will hear it: hard luck and commiseration to such and such person. Misery that shall never be followed by happiness ever.

D)         The Deeds Journal (or the Books):

The faithful shall take their journals and hold them by the right hand, and the people of the left will carry them with their left hands. People on the day of resurrection will be presented in one of three groups. Two of the groups: are full of arguments and excuses. The journals are flung into the hands. Some with the right and some with the left. Allah says: {Then as to him who is given his book (journal) into his right. He shall be reckoned with by an easy reckoning. And he shall go back to his people joyful. And as to his who is given his book behind his back. He shall call for doom or perdition. And enter into burning fire} 84:7-12.

Fact 4: The Cross over Bridge (Seraat)

This is a bridge which runs across and over the hell fire. All people must pass over it. The faithful will be saved over it according to individual situations in different speeds based on the levels of their good deeds. The rest will fall in getting snatched by clutches of hell fire. The messenger (ppbu) said: {slippery, tripping with clutches and pincers and flattened hooks. The faithful believer will pass in the blink of an eye, or like the lightening, or like the wind or like riding on horse, or riding on a journey, or just a survivor, or an injured survivor, or piled over in hell fire, until the last of them is forcibly pulled over it}. The Faithfull’s slogan on the bridge is: “God, save us, save us”

Fact 5: The Eternal and Final Destination, Paradise or Hell fire

Finally, it is to Paradise as the final refuge and destiny of the believers and faithful where the greatest reward of all. Or, it is to hell where it is the final destination for the disbelievers and infidels where the ultimate punishment may God save us.

The disobedient from the believers by Allah’s will, He shall punish them for their sins with His justice and wisdom, or He shall pardon them and overlook their sins. They will be permitted to enter paradise with Allah’s mercy praise be to Him.

What is the attitude of a Muslim towards the Day After?

The Muslim attitude towards the Day After is the absolute acceptance and full belief in all the facts mentioned in the Book. No hesitation, no doubting and not hanging on to false hopes of the unbelievers and the atheists which will seize to exist. Do not to listen to Satan.

Allah say: {On that day you will see the faithful men and the faithful women-- their light running before them and on their right hand-- good news for you today: gardens beneath which rivers flow, to abide therein, that is the grand achievement.(12)

On the day when the hypocritical men and the hypocritical women will say to those who believe: Wait for us, that we may have light from your light; it shall be said: Turn back and seek a light. Then separation would be brought about between them, with a wall having a door in it; (as for) the inside of it, there shall be mercy in it, and (as for) the outside of it, before it there shall be punishment. (13)

They will cry out to them: Were we not with you? They shall say: Yea! but you caused yourselves to fall into temptation, and you waited and doubted, and vain desires deceived you till the threatened punishment of Allah came, while the arch-deceiver deceived you about Allah. (14)} 57:12-14

Atheists who think that there is no return, and no judgment, no paradise and no fire, they think it is a worldly life with no other life to follow. Remember two points:

1)              This who made this creation is capable of recreating it or restarting it again.

2)              Creating a human being is not more difficult than all the other creations in the earths and heavens. And as a Muslim have faith in the absolute power and capabilities of the Almighty Allah then doubt should never seep into his or her heart about the inevitability of the Day After. The day when all will return to the true owner, and when all shall be judged and rewarded each according to their deeds.

Notes:

Adhan - The call to prayer.

Ansar (or Al-Ansar): The inhabitants of the city of Al-Medina that received and supported the messenger (PPBU) when he immigrated from Mekkah in the very early years of Islam.

Assalam Alaikum - The Islamic greeting, literately means: Peace be with you. Used when approaching or leaving. When used during approaching it will be like saying: I bring no harm to you . and when said during leaving somebody it will mean: No harm will come to you after I leave.

Aya (or Ayah): is a verse of the Koran. It also means a miracle or a sign from God.

Arafa (or Arafah or Arafat): is a mountain outside the city of Mecca that represents the climax of the Hajj worship. All doing Hajj must stay at this location on the same day.

Badr - The place of the first significant battle between the Muslims and the pagans of the Quraish. It is located in Saudi Arabia.

Caliph - A Muslim ruler. See: (Khalifa)

Dajjal - Antichrist or the False Massiah.

Dawah - The proliferation of Islamic teachings through word and deed.

Deen (Din) - Religion or way of life.

Duaa: a prayer in the form of talking to Allah; praising him and asking him for help.

Fatwa - Legal verdict given based on the Qur'an (Koran) and the Sunnah which are the recorded sayings and deeds of Muhammad.

Ferdose: is the highest level of the all the gardens of Eden or paradise.

Fiqh - Religious law.

Hadeeth: is something reported that the messenger have said. It includes all the speeches and ceremonies he gave. It is usually narrated or told by one of his companions. There is a list of hadeeths approximately 14000 that are reported and checked to be genuine. No more hadeeths are acceptably added to this list.

Hajar - The Black Stone set into the corner of the Ka'aba in Mecca. It is said to be a stone from Heaven.

Hajj - The pilgrimage to Mecca which takes place in the last month of the Islamic calendar. One of the five pillars of Islam.

Hasana or hasanas: is the reward for a good deed. a hasana is a point or a merit for a good deed.

Hadith - The sayings and not deeds of the prophet Muhammad recorded by his followers. Considered authoritative and perfect.

Hajj: is the worship of pilgrimage.

Hijra (or Hejrah): the event of the immigration of the messenger from Mekkah to Madina. This event marks the start of the Islamic calendar. the Islamic calendar has 12 months based on the lunar cycle, each is 29.5 days. Hijra is also used as a name for the Islamic dating system.

Ibadah - Worship. All the words and deeds with which Allah is pleased. These deeds could be prayer and charity.

Iblis - (Ibleese): On of Satan's names.

Ibn (Ebn): the son of. Used by Arabs as part of an individual's name. Example: Ali whose father is Omar or the son of Omar, would be called: Ali Ibn Omar.

Imam (or Emam)- The leader for a prayer. In the Shiaa sect, an Imam is the individual who has the religious authority.

Iman: belief or faith

Injil (Enjeel) - The Bible. The book inspired to Jesus for the Christians.

Islam - Submission, the religion of all the prophets of Allah culminating in Muhammad.

Jannah - The heavenly garden, Paradise. The place of the faithful in the afterlife.

Jihad: is striving in the line of Allah in many forms. Includes a very wide scope varying from improving oneself to fighting a defensive war in protection of Allah's word. The greatest Jihad is the fight one's self against temptations. It also means "holy war."

Jinn - Supernatural, invisible beings race of beings, below angels. They were made from fire. Like humans, there amongst them are the faithful and the non beleivers and Jinn shall be judged on Judgment Day.

Ka'aba: A cube shaped building in Mecca containing a stone laid there by Abraham and Ishmael. Some say Ka'aba was first built by Adam, and some say by Abraham. It is the holiest place for Muslims. It is where all Muslims face in their daily prayers. Ka'aba also makes a major part of the pilgrimage in a ritual known as Tawaf.

Khalifa: is the Muslim ruler. Head of the Islamic empire. Exact translation: "Successor".

Khutbah - A sermon given in a Mosque, usually on Friday.

Kufr - Denial or Disbelief. A term Muslims use for anyone who denies existence of Allah or the prophecy of Muhammed.

Koran - Also spelled Qur'an. The holy book of Islam revealed to Muhammad by Allah through the Archangel Gabriel. Koran literally means "the recital." It is the final revelation of Allah given to the prophet Muhammad. It consists of 114 surahs (or chapters.)

Madinah - (Medinah): A city in the Arabian peninsula (in the country known now as Saudi Arabia). A city where the messenger had to immigrate to. Then it was called Yathrib.

Masjid - A center for Muslim activity. It is referred to as a mosque.

Masiah - A sin, or a sinful act

Mecca or Makkah: is the holiest city for Muslims. It contains the Ka'aba mosque with the famous black cubical shape. Mecca is the birth place of the messenger (PPBU).

Mosque - A Muslim house of worship.

Muhajir - (Muhajireen) Immigrant, one who leaves his home town due to lack of religious freedom. It was first used to describe early Muslims immigrating from Mecca to Median and Ethiopia.

Muhammad - the final messenger and prophet of God whose message abrogated all previous revelations. He received the Koran through the angel Gabriel over a 23 year period. Born in Mecca and died in Medina at the age of 63. His full name: Muhammad ibn Abd-Allah

Muslim - One who holds faith to the religion of Islam.

Nafilah: a voluntary prayer other than the five obligatory prayers; performed at any time.

Nasara - Christians. Nasrani: A Christian individual. Nasraniah: Christianity.

Ommah: is the Arabic word for a nation. It usually refers to the Islamic nation unless otherwise specified.

Paradise - Another word for heaven. A garden of bliss, fruits, rivers and all forms of pleasures imaginable and imaginable. No suffering, disease or death. Service is provided by angels. All live in it an ever lasting youthful life. Promised by Almighty Allah to all faithful, true Jews, true Christians and True Muslims. Paradise is one of two places every person will go to, either Paradise or Hellfire.

PPBU (P.B.U.H.) : Peace and Prayers Be Upon him. A statement Muslims use any time they mention the name of the messenger or make a reference to him.

Qadar - Fate. Preordainment is the teaching that all things, good and bad, are preordained to occur.

Qadr - (night of Qadr): The night when the first revelation of the Koran took place. Most likely it happened during one of the last ten nights of the month of Ramadan. Or when the Koran was brought down to the nearest heaven in one go, and from there it was brought down in bits and few verses at a time over a period of 23 years. This night is considered the holiest night for Muslims with tremendous advantages.

Qibla - The direction which Muslims turn for daily prayers, towards Mecca.

Quraish - An ancient Arab tribe to which the messenger Muhammad belonged.

Ramadan - The ninth month of the Islamic calendar which is the month of the fast. The holiest month in the Muslim colander.

Salat - Prayers. Generally it covers all forms of worship, but more specifically refers to the Muslim rituals which is performed to worship Allah five times daily.

Shiaa: A sect of Islam that teaches that a religion leader (Imam) should be the political ruler and must be direct descendants of the messenger (PPBU). Therefore, disapproving of all Muslim leaders who ruled After the messenger (PPBU) except Ali, the messenger's grandson.

Shirk - Associating another god with Allah. Or associating anyone or anything with Allah. Or using anyone or anything as a medium to Allah. The opposite of Monotheism or Tawheed.

Siam or Soam- Fasting

Sunni: is a the title of those Muslims who are suppose to be following the life style of the messenger. This differentiates them from the Shiaa of Iran.

Sunna (Sunnah): Is how the Messenger PPBU lived, what he did or said. It includes the way he dressed, ate, drank, prayed, interacted with other people and fought. Basically, sunnah is the life style of the messenger PPBU. It is considered the second source of legislation in Islamic laws and it is considered to be an important reference to be used for concluding arguments and disputes. It is also a title give to the main stream Muslims who make 90% if all Muslims.

Surah - A chapter of the Koran.

Tawaf: part of the pilgrimage (Hajj) ritual. It involves walking round the Ka'aba Mosque in anti-clock wise direction a number of seven circles.

Tauhid - Tawheed - Monotheism, in Islam is the teaching that there is only one God who alone is worthy of worship. The first requirement of becoming a Muslim. It is included in the testimony of faith for new Muslims when declaring that God is one: (No God but Allah)

Taqwah - Proper fear and veneration of Allah. A divine spark that enables the person to understand God.

Taurat: The old Testaments and scriptures of Mosa.

Ummah - the word means: a Nation. Usually refers to the Islamic nation unless otherwise stated.

Umrah - (Amrah): A mini hajj. A Minor form of pilgrimage to Mecca. Unlike Hajj which can only be done on the 12th month of the Islamic year, Umrah can be performed at any time.

Wathoo (wadoo): a washing up ritual done by Muslims before each of the five daily prayers known as ablution.

Zaboor - The Psalms

Zakat - The third pillar of Islam. Alms giving, charity that is given to the poor.

Faheem Bukhatwa, my email address is : faheemfb@gmail.com