What do Muslims believe about the Day of Resurrection and Judgement?
Belief in the Hereafter and resurrection is one of the articles of faith and an integral part of Muslim belief. Often, it is mentioned in the Holy Quran immediately after believing in Allah because denying this belief makes all other beliefs meaningless.
This belief highlights that the world will perish someday in a cosmic disaster, and the dead will rise from their resting place for their final and fair trial. Similarly, we believe that Qiyama is preordained by Allah but is unknown to man. It is eminent that our existence is not eternal, and we are bound to taste death. The Holy Quran mentions this in the following words, “Every human being must taste of death.” (15:29)
According to Muslim belief, when a person is buried after death, angels known as Munkar and Nakir visit him and ask questions about his lord, religion, and prophet. Anyhow, the decision of grave life will depend upon the given answers; he will face either luxurious treatment (similar to Heaven) or disastrous (similar to Hell).
However, their souls move to a place called Barzakh (the period between death and resurrection) till the Day of Judgement. The Quran says, ”anyone who denies God, His book, His messenger and the Day of Judgement has gone far, far astray.” (4:136) While the Day of Judgement will emerge after the appearance of some signs that are clearly in the ahadith of the Holy Prophet (S.A.W). These signs include the arrival of Dajjal, the descent of Issa (A.S) rising of the Sun from the West etc.
First and foremost, on the Day of Judgement, Angel Israfil (A.S) will blow up the trumpet by Allah’s order. This trumpet will cause enormous destruction in the universe. As a result, the Sun and the Moon will fuse, oceans will boil, mountains will turn into carded wool, and the earth will produce earthquakes, leading to all life forms being perished and the initiation of a new world under a different sky. The Quran describes this as, “And when the Trumpet is blown there will be no kinship among them that day, now will they ask of one another.” (23:101-102)
At the blowing of the second trumpet, there will be the resurrection of everything that existed in this world. A new world will arise with a new sky. All humans will rise again from their graves for accountability. Allah will then set the scale of Ultimate Justice. This day is known as Hashar. Allah says in the Quran, “Allah will raise those who are in graves.” (22:7)
Hence, Allah will account for our acts. Every individual will sense the immense heat and fatigue of that day. At the moment, the book of deeds will be shown and asked to read. Dwellers of Paradise will be given their books in their right hand, while on the contrary, dwellers of Hell will be given their books in their left hand. No one will face any injustice on the Day of Judgement. Every good and evil act will sort out. If we oppressed or harmed anyone, we will lose some of our good deeds in compensation for that act to them, and if we have no good deeds left, then their evil deeds will be deposited into our account.
Allah will interrogate some people in secrecy, and if they confess their sins honestly, fearing Allah, they will be pardoned. Whereas some will be questioned severely, they will have to justify every deed and utterance. That day, nobody will be competent to deny the content of his record; even their body organs (like the tongue, hands, feet etc.) will bear witness against their owners. There will not accept any bargaining, friendship, intercession or excuses. Parents, children, spouses or relatives, none will be supportive. They all will look after themselves solely.
That day Allah will fulfil His promise of eternal dwelling in Heaven for righteous people, and the sinners will receive horrible punishments. Allah says in the Quran: “then he whose scales (of good deeds) will be found heavier, will live a life of rejoicing and he whose scales (of good deeds) will be found lighter, will be driven to Haaviah (a bottomless pit).” (101:6-11)
Eventually, after the judgement, a bridge (Sirat) will be stretched out there over the top of the pit of Hellfire to reach Heaven, which everyone will have to cross. Prophets and righteous people will zoom through this bridge to enter Heaven without difficulty, while the wrongdoers will not be able to pass it and will fall into the pit of Hellfire. Thus, Divine justice and its outcome will be flawless. And humans will encounter this entire experience in physical form through the new bodies with which Allah will raise man on the day of resurrection.
How does this belief affect the daily living of Muslims?
A strong belief in the Hereafter directly influences the conduct of every believer. This belief reminds us of the concept of our limited existence in this world. Moreover, the sense of the outcomes of disobeying Allah’s commands generates fear of God in humans. Hence, a believer avoids indulging in the luxuries of this world and resists becoming slaves to their desires.
Its critical purpose is to implant patience and piety in believers so that rather than the world, they strive to prepare for their everlasting life and focus on performing the works of righteousness and trust in Allah alone in every circumstance. The Quran warns the Muslims in this regard: “O you who believe! Fear God as He should be feared and see that you do not die except in a state of Islam.” (3:102)
In addition, the concept of being resurrected in the afterlife reminds unique powers of Allah to believers, which plays a prominent role in strengthening their belief in Tawheed. That’s why a true believer will always try to follow the right path as shown by the Quran and Sunnah. He will strictly follow the five pillars of Islam and the moral code of conduct. He will never be discouraged by the trials and setbacks of this temporary life. In the bargain, he would perform many good deeds as possible for eternal living in Heaven, as guaranteed in the Quran. Prophet (S.A.W) directed, “The world is a cultivating ground for the hereafter.”