the description of the land of resurrection?

[ابوالوليد المسلم]

the description of the land of resurrection?

‘Abdullah bin Hamoud al-Furaih

The Gathering (4)

Has anything come regarding the description of the land of resurrection?

Yes, may Allah have mercy on you. The land that people will be gathered on the Day of Resurrection is different from this land of ours that we live on. There is discrepancy regarding the differences as will follow. Allah Almighty says clarifying the land that the people will be gathered on:
{يَوْمَ تُبَدَّلُ الأَرْضُ غَيْرَ الأَرْضِ وَالسَّمَاوَاتُ وَبَرَزُواْ للّهِ الْوَاحِدِ الْقَهَّارِ}
“[It will be] on the Day the earth will be replaced by another earth, and the heavens [as well], and all creatures will come out before Allah , the One, the Prevailing” [Ibrahim: 48]
Shortly before the Hadith of Sahl ibn Saad (may Allah be pleased with him) was mentioned where there was a clarification of this change. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “
The people will be gathered on the Day of Resurrection on Afra[1] land like a pure Naqi (made of pure fine flour)." Sahl added: That land will have no Ma’lam for anybody (to make use of).”[2]


The people have two sayings regarding this exchange:
It is said: the whole of the earth will change, meaning that the gathering of people will be on a land other than ours. It is said: the changes are made with the characteristics of the earch so that nobody on it has anything, nor is there any sign as if it is a new earth. For each of the sayings there are signs that prove them.
• Benefit: from the people of knowledge there are those who described a new division for the gathering. They have divided it into 3 types:
The first:the people are gathered after their resurrection as mentioned earlier.


The second:the gathering of people to the Land of Reckoning. That is after Allah Almighty takes the earth in his grip and takes the heavens in his right (hand).


Proof to that:
The Hadith of Mujahid (may Allah be pleased with him) who said: Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “do you know what the capacity of Hell is? I said: no. He said: of course and by Allah you would not know. `A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) told me that she asked the Prophet (peace be upon him) about His saying:
{وَالْأَرْضُ جَمِيعًا قَبْضَتُهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ وَالسَّمَوَاتُ مَطْوِيَّاتٌ بِيَمِينِهِ}
“They have not appraised Allah with true appraisal, while the earth entirely will be [within] His grip on the Day of Resurrection, and the heavens will be folded in His right hand. Exalted is He and high above what they associate with Him.” [Al Zumar: 67]
She said: I said: so where will the people be on that day oh Messenger of Allah ((peace be upon him))? He said: “They will be detained on the bridge between Paradise and Hell.” The Hadith has a story.[3]
There is the Hadith of Muslim of `A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) that she said: I asked the Prophet (peace be upon him) about His words Almighty:
{يَوْمَ تُبَدَّلُ الأَرْضُ غَيْرَ الأَرْضِ وَالسَّمَاوَاتُ}
““[It will be] on the Day the earth will be replaced by another earth, and the heavens [as well], and all creatures will come out before Allah, the One, the Prevailing” [Ibrahim: 48]
So where will the people be oh Messenger of Allah? He said: “They would be on the Sirat.” [4]
From the Hadith of Thoban (may Allah be pleased with him) about Muslim, a Jew asked the Prophet (peace be upon him): where will people be on the day when the earth will be different from the earth and the heavens? The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “They are in darkness without a bridge”…the Hadith.[5]


The third:the gathering of people for Paradise and Hell. That is after the issuing of reckoning and separating between the believers and non believers. The disbelievers are gathered in Hell on their faces. The believers are gathered on their feet. Those close to the believers are gathered riding on animals.
Proof to that:
His words Almighty:
{الَّذِينَ يُحْشَرُونَ عَلَى وُجُوهِهِمْ إِلَى جَهَنَّمَ أُوْلَئِكَ شَرٌّ مَّكَاناً وَأَضَلُّ سَبِيلاً}
“The ones who are gathered on their faces to Hell - those are the worst in position and farthest astray in [their] way.” [Al Furqan: 34]
Qutada said: Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) said: a man said: how the non-believers would be made to assemble on the Day of Resurrection (by crawling) on their faces? Thereupon he said: Is He Who is powerful to make them walk on their feet is not powerful enough to make them (crawl) upon their faces on the Day of Resurrection? Qatada said: Of conrse, it is so. (He adjured): By the might of our Lord.”[6]
His words Almighty:
{يَوْمَ نَحْشُرُ الْمُتَّقِينَ إِلَى الرَّحْمَنِ وَفْداً}
“On the Day We will gather the righteous to the Most Merciful as a delegation” [Maryam: 85]
Meaning: riding animals[7]
Narrated Bahz ibn Hakim from his father from his grandfather who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) say: “You shall be gathered walking, riding, and dragged upon your faces.”[8] Abu Isa (may Allah be pleased with him) said: this is a good, authentic Hadith. Al Hafith (may Allah be pleased with him) said in Al Fath: “it’s a strong chain of narration.”
This is the narrative of the gathering. Here are two points that you might read, oh blessed one, for the horrors of that difficult day:
• The first point: the discrepancy of the people of knowledge in the order of the situations of the people on the Day of Resurrection:
This is what happens on the Day of Resurrection. What is narrated in the book and the Sunnah are many things: the standing of people, the basin, the scales, the scrolls, the reckoning, the display, the flying of the scrolls, taking the book, the Sirat and the darkness. These are many things


The ordering might be:
First:there is no correct literature regarding their order and therefore there is discrepancy regarding this issue.


Secondly:I will give a valid explanation of what will come and then go into its detail. This valid explanation was mentioned by the Sheikh Saleh Al Sheikh (may Allah protect him). He is the one who mentioned it among the people of knowledge:
The ordering is as follows:
1. If the people are resurrected and come out of their graves, they will go to the land of gathering and then stand in it for a long time. The situation becomes difficult on them and their thirst. They are extremely frightened because of their long standing and their realisation of the reality of the account and what Allah Almighty will do with them


2. If the standing takes a long time for them, Allah Almighty will raise His Prophet (peace be upon him) at the mentioned basin, the basin of the Prophet (peace be upon him). (This is) the basin of resurrection. (This will be) if their stance for the Lord of the worlds becomes difficult on them, on a day that spans 50,000 years


The one who dies on his status does not change, is not renewed nor changed. The basin will be presented to him and he will drink from it. It is the first salvation for him to drink from the basin of our Prophet (peace be upon him). After that, a basin is raised for each Prophet so the righteous from their communities will drink from them.


3. After that, people stand for a long time and the great intercession happens, the intercession of the Prophet (peace be upon him), that Allah Almighty should hasten the reckoning for the creation. In the long Hadith that is known, they ask Adam, then Nuh, then Ibrahim, etc. until they come to the Prophet (peace be upon him) and say to him: oh Mohammed; and they describe the situation to him and to release the people from the extreme (situation) by hastening the account. He says (peace be upon him) after their request, “intercede with your Lord for us” “I am for it, I am for it.” He goes to the throne and prostrates. He praises Allah Almighty with praises that Allah, His Majesty, opens for him. It is said: “Oh Mohammed, raise your head and intercede so you will (receive) intercession. Ask and you will be given what you ask for.” His great intercession is for the hastening of the reckoning


4. After that, there is the display –the display of actions


5. After the display there are the reckoning


6. After the first reckoning, the scrolls fly. The first reckoning are part of the display because there are excuses and controversies in them. After that, the scrolls fly. Those on the right side are given their books in their right (hands). Those on the left side are given their books in their left (hands). There is the reading of the book


7. After reading the book, there are also reckoning to cut the excuses and place the ruling by reading what is in the book


8. After that, there is the weight (the scale) so the things that we mentioned are weighed


9. After the scale people are divided into groups and Azwaj. Azwaj meaning: every person is with their group. The banners are raised; the banner of the Prophets PBUT, the banner of Mohammed (peace be upon him), the banner of Ibrahim (peace be upon him), the banner of Musa (peace be upon him), etc. People gather under the banners based on their categories, each person is with their group.
The wrong doers and disbelievers will also be gathered in Azwaj, meaning: similar to each other as Allah Almighty said:
{احْشُرُوا الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا وَأَزْوَاجَهُمْ وَمَا كَانُوا يَعْبُدُونَ * مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ}
“[The angels will be ordered], "Gather those who committed wrong, their kinds, and what they used to worship. Other than Allah” [Al Saafaat: 22-23]
Meaning with their Azwaj: their groups and their counterparts. The disbelieving scholars are gathered with the disbelieving scholars, the wrong doers with the wrong doers, the deniers of the resurrection with the deniers of the resurrection, the deniers of the message with the deniers of the message and likewise into categories.


10. After this, Allah Almighty beats the wrong doers towards Hell (we seek refuge from Allah). People pass by with what they are given from light so the people from this community pass and among them are the hypocrites. Then as they pass with their light, the known gate is slammed:
{فَضُرِبَ بَيْنَهُمْ بِسُورٍ لَهُ بَابٌ بَاطِنُهُ فِيهِ الرَّحْمَةُ وَظَاهِرُهُ مِنْ قِبَلِهِ الْعَذَابُ * يُنَادُونَهُم ْ أَلَمْ نَكُنْ مَعَكُمْ قَالُوا بَلَى }
“And a wall will be placed between them with a door, its interior containing mercy, but on the outside of it is torment. The hypocrites will call to the believers, "Were we not with you?" They will say, "Yes” [Al Hadid: 13-14]
Allah Almighty will give the believers light so that they can see the path of the Sirat. As for the hypocrites, they are not given light so they are with the disbelievers scrambling in the fire. They are walking and Hell is in front of them (we seek refuge from Allah)
11. Then the Prophet (peace be upon him) comes first and he is on the Sirat. He asks Allah Almighty for his safety and for his community. He says: “Oh Allah, give safety, oh Allah, give safety.” The Prophet (peace be upon him) passes by and his community passes over the Sirat. Everyone passes by the level of their deeds and they have light with their level of deeds. The ones who Allah Almighty has forgiven will pass by. There remains in the fire so there is the statement: (they) fall into the fire a level of the united whoever Allah Almighty wishes to punish
If they finish with the fire, they gather at the arsat of Paradise, meaning: in the fields that Allah Almighty has promised so that the people of faith can be tested among themselves. Jeleousy is forbidden until they enter Paradise. In their hearts there is no jeleousy.


12. The first to enter Paradise after the Prophet (peace be upon him) are the poor among the Muhajiroon, then the Ansar until they finish, then the poor among the community and the rich are delayed because of the reckoning among them and the (others from the) creation and because of their accoutablity for that[9]
It is said that the ordering is not as has been mentioned, as I mentioned previously regarding the issue in the previous question. This is because of the absence of clear proof regarding the ordering. There remain events and conditions that we did not mention. They will be claried later, by the grave of Allah.
• The second stance:so that you know that the start after the resurrection is on the land of resurrection. At that time, I know that the horrors of that day are great. Prepare for that day (a great preparation) as it is long with great difficulty. It is up to you to imagine that in it there are horrors that make the young age, the breastfeeding and pregnant (women) stop and make the people drunken but they are not drunk, but the punishment of Allah Almighty is extreme. It is a great day.
{ أَلَا يَظُنُّ أُولَئِكَ أَنَّهُم مَّبْعُـوثُـونَ * لِيَوْمٍ عَظِيـمٍ *يَوْمَ يَقُومُ النَّـاسُ لِرَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ}
" Do they not think that they will be resurrected. For a tremendous Day. The Day when mankind will stand before the Lord of the worlds?" [Al Mutaffifeen: 4-6]
It is a day where the hearts and eyes are turning and trembling:
{يَوْماً تَتَقَلَّبُ فِيهِ الْقُلُوبُ وَالْأَبْصَارُ}
"A Day in which the hearts and eyes will [fearfully] turn about" [Al Noor: 37]
The relationships will be cut. It is a long day.
{ تَعْرُجُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ وَالرُّوحُ إِلَيْهِ فِي يَوْمٍ كَانَ مِقْدَارُهُ خَمْسِينَ أَلْفَ سَنَةٍ }
" The angels and the Spirit will ascend to Him during a Day the extent of which is fifty thousand years" [Al Maarij: 4]
I do not think, oh blessed one, that the day will be 24 hours. No, as Allah Almighty has told us with His words:
{وَإِنَّ يَوْماً عِندَ رَبِّكَ كَأَلْفِ سَنَةٍ مِّمَّا تَعُدُّونَ }
" And indeed, a day with your Lord is like a thousand years of those which you count." [Al Hajj: 47]
What a long day! How ignorant are our hearts? Allah knows best. It is a day that is coming for (meeting) Allah Almighty so on what condition will you be presented to your Lord, His Highness?
{ذَٰلِكَ يَوْمٌ مَّجْمُوعٌ لَّهُ النَّاسُ وَذَٰلِكَ يَوْمٌ مَّشْهُودٌ * وَمَا نُؤَخِّرُهُ إِلَّا لِأَجَلٍ مَّعْدُودٍ}
" That is a Day for which the people will be collected, and that is a Day [which will be] witnessed. And We do not delay it except for a limited term." [Hud: 103-104]
By Allah if it is said to us: a presence is requested from you for a judge among the judges of the world or a king from the kings of the world, we would have taken heed and occupied ourselves with food, drink and talk and tasted relaxation and sleep. Then we would have become frightened, because we would have pictured very well what we are approaching. How will we stand then on the Day of Resurrection between the hands of the King of Kings and Judge of Judges, Allah, the Lord of the Heavens and the Earth?

Take the departure seriously. You are not vigilant

Then you would have fled from your family and homelands

Oh Neglectful of What You Have Been Created For; take heed

If you knew the horrors of the Day of Resurrection

Oh Allah awaken our hearts from ignorance, our tongues from slipping, our eyes from aberration. Oh Listener, oh Answerer (of supplication). Sustain us oh our Lord and approach you in the Hereafter and to be pious in the world. Oh Hearer of supplications.
I will stop my blessed brother following (the discussion) of the steps of that day and our questions regarding the land of gathering so that we can take two important chapters.
The first of them: a chapter about: The Horrors of the Day of Resurrection. Second of them: a chapter about: “The Conditions of People on the Day of Resurrection.” Then we will return and go towards (discussing) once again the land of gathering. To you are the discussions of these two chapters.

[1] Afra: white going towards red. Al Naqi: flour. Al Ma’lam: a sign that indicates a place, a way, a mountain, house or the like, so nobody knows about it and there is no sign.

[2] Narrated by Al Bukhari number (6521). Narrated by Muslim number (2790)

[3] Narrated by At-Tirmidhy number (3241). He said: “this is a good authentic Hadith that is strange from this angle” Al Arnut authenticated it in Jami’ Al Awsal (10/520).

[4] Narrated by Muslim number (2791)

[5] Narrated by Muslim number (2806)

[6] Narrated by Muslim number (2806)

[7] Look at: the Tafseer of Ibn Katheer (3/173)

[8] Narrated by At-Tirmidhy number (2424)

[9]Look at: the book Itihaf Al Saail because of the questions that it has from Saleh Al Sheikh mentioned in question 9