the hereafter
Before taking up Traditions concerning life after death it will be advisable to keep a few fundamental points in view. It will be easier then to understand the import of the Traditions and the doubts that are so common in this regard, in the modern materialistic times, will not arise.
(i) The special function of the Divine Apostles [for which they are raised up] is to tell us about the truths we cannot know on our own, though it is essential to have knowledge of them. They are beyond the reach of our intellects.
(ii) A unique source of authentic knowledge for the Apostles, which is not available to the common people, is Divine revelation. It is by this means that the holy Prophets obtain knowledge of things we cannot become aware of through our own eyes, ears or understanding in the same way as anyone possessing a telescope can see remote objects that are not visible to others.
(iii) To believe in anyone as an Apostle and to accept him as such means the unequivocal acknowledgement of the truth that whatever he tells about things we do not know or cannot see ourselves is from the knowledge vouchsafed to him by God and that every word of it is true. There is no question of doubting the genuineness and accuracy of what the Apostle teaches or reveals.
(iv) The Apostles never tell anything that is opposed to reason. It is a different matter that our intellectual faculties may not be capable of understanding independently the principles and doctrine expounded by them. It could, of course, not be otherwise because if the Prophets were merely to teach the truths we could ourselves perceive through study and observation their raising up would have no meaning.
(v) There is nothing in what the Apostles have told about life after death, i.e. Barzakh [the state of the grave] and Futurity that may not be logically feasible. It does, however, contain certain truths, which we cannot know ourselves and since a similitude of these things does not exist in the material world we, naturally, fail to comprehend them the way we do the visible objects that surround us here.
(vi) The range and strength of the natural means of knowledge and perception that have been granted to us, like the eyes, ears, nose and intellect is very limited. Our everyday experience is that with the aid of modern scientific instruments we can come to know of things that could not be imagined in the past. For example, the microbes present in water or blood can today, be seen through the microscope, we can hear the voice coming from thousands of miles over the wireless, and with the help of knowledge derived from books the human mind can reflect to a much greater extent than what it could on the basis of information acquired through the physical faculties like hearing and seeing. It shows that to reject a truth simply on the ground that we do not see, hear or understand it today is patently wrong and erroneous. As the Quran tells: And of knowledge ye have been vouchsafed but little. (xvii : 85)
(vii) Man is made up of two things: the body which is visible and the soul which, though it cannot be seen, is accepted by everyone as a reality. Moreover, the relation between them in this world is such that whatever condition of pain or pleasure, suffering or happiness, comes to pass here happens primarily to the body and the soul is affected by it only secondarily. Thus, when a person is hurt or gets burnt by fire, the injury or burn is related directly to the body but his soul also feels the agony of it. Similarly, the pleasures of eating and drinking appertain to the body but the soul, too, participates in them.
In the material world, therefore, body is the main thing and the soul, so to speak, is subservient to it. But if we bestow some thought on what the Quran and the Traditions tell about the Hereafter, we will realise that it will be the other way round in the life to come. In the future existence, all the good and bad things will happen directly to the soul and the body will be affected by them simply in the second place. God has created a likeness of it in the present world as well [probably in order to make it easier for us to appreciate this essential fact]. It is the dream. Everyone who is mentally normal often sees in his life dreams which give him intense pain or pleasure. But the pain or pleasure in the dream is, in fact, related to the soul and the body is affected only indirectly by it. For instance, when a person dreams that he is eating a delicious food, he does not see that he is doing so with his soul or imagination but with the mouth with which he usually eats in the waking state. Likewise, when he dreams that someone is beating him, he does not see that it is his soul which is being beaten but the body and his body feels the hurt in the same way as it does in the waking hours though whatever happens in the dream is to the soul and the body is affected only secondarily. Occasionally, the body feels the effects of the strokes or blows so strongly that marks of injury are actually found on it when one wakes up.
Anyhow, the nature of whatever one sees in a good or bad dream is that it happens directly to the soul and its effect is felt by the body only in the second place. That is why, even a person lying next to him who dreams does not see any sign of what he is passing through physically, the reason being that we, in this world, can observe only such states as are related directly to our physical self. In the same manner, the nature of what is going to happen to virtuous or wicked people during the state of Barzakh [a few details of which are given in the sayings of the Prophet we will now discuss] is that it will directly befall the soul and the body will feel its effect in the indirect way.
It is hoped that after knowing the difference between the present world and Barzakh the trivial doubts and questions will not arise which are typical to the skeptical or unintelligent people about the Traditions pertaining to the interrogation of the dead and the reward and punishment of the grave.
(A) Barzakh
(69) It is related
by Barai bin ‘Azib that the Apostle of God said [while speaking
about the interrogation of the dead and the reward and punishment of
the grave] : “When a faithful bondsman of the Lord departs from
this world and arrives in the World of Barzakh [i.e., is buried in the
grave], angels come to him [and] they make him sit up and ask, ‘Who
is your Lord?’ The bondsman replies, ‘Allah is my Lord.’
The angels, thereafter, ask, ‘What is your Faith?’ He replies,
‘Islam is my Faith.’ The angels, then, inquire from him,
‘What do you think of the man who was raised up among you [as
the Apostle]?’ ‘He is the truthful Apostle of God,’
the bondsman replies. Upon it, the angels ask, ‘Who told it to
you [i.e., how did you come to know about the Apostleship of Mohammad]?’
He replies, ‘I read the Book of Allah [and from it I learnt that
Mohammad is the Apostle of God].’ The Prophet, then, remarked
that ‘this is the reply of the faithful Believer about which it
has been said in the Quran. Allah confirmeth those who believe by a
firm saying [i.e., by a correct faith and a correct reply] in the life
of the world and in the Hereafter.’ (xiv : 27)
“Afterwards, the Prophet observed, ‘[When the truthful Believer
gives the correct replies to the aforementioned questions of the angels],
a herald proclaims from the heavens [i.e., it is announced from the
heavens on behalf of God]: ‘My bondsman told the right thing and
gave the correct answers. So, lay out the carpet of Paradise for him
and dress him up in the robe of Paradise and open a door for him in
the direction of Paradise.’ Thereupon, the door is opened through
which comes the cool and fragrant breeze of Paradise and the Paradise
is stretched for him as far as the eye can see [i.e., the curtains are
lifted so that he can revel, in full measure, in the wonderful sights
of Heaven]’.
“After it, the Prophet told about the death of the Unbeliever
[Infidel]. He said, ‘[After his death], the soul is returned to
his body and two angels also come to him who make him sit up and ask,
‘Who is your Lord?’ He replies ‘Alas ! I know nothing’.
The angels, then inquire from him, ‘What was your Faith?’
He, again, replies ‘Alas ! I know nothing.’ The angels,
further, ask, ‘What do you think of the man who was raised up
among you [as the Apostle]?’ He, again, says, ‘Alas ! I
know nothing.’ After these questions and answers a herald proclaims
from the heavens [on behalf of God], ‘He is a liar. [The innocence
he professes is false for he was really a denier of the Oneness of God,
of His faith – Islam – and of His truthful Apostle]. So
lay out for him the carpet of Hell and dress him up in the robe of Hell
and open a door for him in the direction of Hell.’ [All this will,
then, be done]. [The Prophet went on to say]: ‘The heat of Hell
and its leaping flames and scorching wind will reach him incessantly
[through the door], and his grave will be made extremely narrow and
it will press him so hard that his ribs will move from one side to the
other. After it, an angel will be appointed for his punishment who will
neither see nor hear anything. He will be carrying a hammer of iron,
a stroke of which can reduce a mountain to a heap of ashes. With this
hammer the angel will strike him once and he will scream so loudly that
all the things that exist between the East and the West except men and
djinn will hear it. At this stroke he will turn into dust, and, then,
the soul will be put into him again’.”
-Musnad-i-Ahmad
and Abu Dawood
(70) It is related by Anas that the Apostle of God said: “When
[after death] the bondsman is buried in the grave and his Companions
[i.e., those who came with his funeral] depart [but they are still so
near that he can hear their footsteps], two angels come to him and make
him sit up and, then, ask, ‘What did you say about the man [i.e.,
about the Holy Prophet]?’ Thus, if the bondsman is a Believer
he replies, ‘[I have always testified and even now] I testify
that he is the bondsman and the truthful Apostle of God.’ [On
hearing it, the angels say], ‘See also the place that was going
to be your abode in the Hereafter [if you had not made the affirmation].
Now, instead of it, God has granted to you a place in Paradise [which
is this]. See it also [i.e., both the places of Heaven and Hell will
be brought before him].’ He will, thus, see them at the same time.
Similarly, he who is a Hypocrite or an Infidel is, also, asked [after
his death] about the Prophet as to what did he think of him. The Hypocrite
or the Infidel replies, ‘I myself do not know anything about him.
I only used to repeat what the others said.’ [Upon it], he will
be told, ‘You neither knew yourself nor followed the example [of
those who believed after knowing]’, and will be beaten with the
clubs of iron due to which he will scream so loudly that everything
nearby will hear it except men and djinn.”
Commentary.-From the preceding Tradition it appears that the angels
will ask three questions from the dead person while in the present saying
only one question is mentioned. The reason is that this one question
covers the other two and the reply to it denotes the replies to them
as well. Thus, in some accounts only one question is stated.
We have emphasised it as an elementary principle already and wish to
bring it to the notice of the readers again that the Traditions of the
Prophet are not in the nature of written discourses but informal talks,
and in the conversation of a teacher or benefactor it is quite natural
that, sometimes, a thing is described in full detail, and, sometimes,
only a few aspects of it are discussed.
In the above report, as also in a few others, the word ‘grave’
has been used but it does not mean that what has been described in them
applied only to those who are buried after death. It is merely for the
reason that in Arabia the general practice was to bury the dead and
its people knew only of this method of the disposal of dead bodies.
Otherwise, the interrogation by the angels takes place with everyone
who dies, no matter whether he is buried in the grave or cremated or
his dead body is immersed in the river or eaten up by carnivorious birds
and animals. As we have seen earlier, all this [the interrogation etc.]
happens to the soul, and the body, wherever it may be, is affected only
indirectly by it. The example of the dream is quite sufficient to bring
home the truth. In it, we also can find a reply to the misgiving that,
sometimes, a dead body remains lying before us for three or four days
and yet no sound of the questions and answers is heard by anyone. In
the dream, too, all sorts of things happen to a man, he talks, eats
and drinks but no evidence of it is noticed by those around him
It can, also, be argued that when there is no opening or any other way
of entering into a grave, how do the angels reach there? But only the
unknowing who imagine the angels to be made of flesh and bones like
themselves can raise such a question. The angels do not need an entrance
or a doorway for coming into or going out of a place. Just as the rays
of sun pass through to them by God, go past the walls of bricks and
stones.
(71) It is related by Abdullah bin Omar that the Apostle of God said:
“When anyone of you dies, the place that is going to be his [final]
dwelling-place is brought before his eyes every morning and evening.
If he is among the dwellers of Paradise, the place in the Paradise [that
is going to be his is shown to him every morning and evening], and if
he is among the dwellers of Hell, the place in the Hell [that is going
to be his is shown to him every morning and evening], and it is said
to him: ‘This is going to be your permanent abode [and it will
be so] when God will raise you up on the Day of Resurrection.’”
-Bukhari
and Muslim
Commentary.-It is not possible, in the present world, to form an idea
of the rare joy the dwellers of Heaven will experience on seeing their
eternal dwelling place and the excessive pain and grief the dwellers
of Hell will feel on seeing their permanent abode in the grave.
(72) Osman; the Generous, related to us that [his condition was such
that] he used to weep much when [he happened to] stand by the side of
a grave, to the extent that his beard became wet with tears. On being
asked [how it was] that he did not weep when he remembered Heaven and
Hell but cried so bitterly because of the grave, he explained that the
Apostle of God used to say: “The grave is the first stage among
the stages of the Hereafter. Thus, if a person obtains deliverance from
it, the other stages are easier, and if a person fails to obtain deliverance
from the stage of the grave, the other stages are more difficult.”
The Apostle also used to say: “No sight which I have seen is more
dreadful than the sight of the grave"”
-Tirmidhi
and Ibn-i-Maja
Commentary.-It tells that whenever Hazrat Osman passed by a grave the
words of the Prophet [reproduced above] came to his mind and he began
to weep out of fear and anxiety.
(73) Osma, the Generous, related to us that “it was the practice
of the Prophet that after he had finished with the burial of a dead
body, he would stand by the side of the grave and say: ‘Pray to
God for forgiveness for this brother of yours and also that He may keep
him steadfast in the replies to the questions for now the interrogation
will take place’.”
-Abu
Dawood
(74) It is related by Asma bint Abu Bakr that ‘the Apostle of
God once delivered a sermon in which he spoke of the trial everyone
who dies has to submit himself to. Thus, when he spoke about it, all
the Muslims screamed with fear and there was loud lamentation.”
-Bukhari
(75) Zaid bin Sabit narrated that “once while the Apostle of God
was passing through a grove owned by the tribe of Banu Najar, seated
on his mule, the mule unexpectedly turned its course [and it seemed]
that it would throw him down. All of a sudden, five or six graves came
into view. The Prophet inquired, ‘Does anyone know who are buried
in these graves?’ ‘I do’, replied one of the Companions.
‘When did they die?’ The Prophet asked. The Companion replied,
‘During the days of ignorance.’ The Prophet, thereupon,
remarked, ‘They are undergoing punishment in the grave. Were I
not afraid that you would not be able to bury your dead, I would have
prayed to God to let you, too, hear a part of the chastisement of the
grave that I am hearing.’ After saying this, the Prophet turned
towards us and observed, ‘Seek the protection of God from the
chastisement of Hell.’ We all said, ‘We seek the protection
of God from the chastisement of Hell!’ The Prophet, then, said,
‘Seek the protection of God from the chastisement of the grave.’
We ll said, ‘We seek the protection of God from the chastisement
of the grave.’ The Prophet, then, said, ‘Seek the protection
of God from every mischief, manifest as well as hidden.’ We all
said, ‘We seek the protection of God from every mischief, manifest
as well as hidden.’ The Prophet, then, said, ‘Seek the protection
of God from the [gravest] mischief of Dajjal.’ We all said, ‘We
seek the protection of God from the mischief of Dajjal.’”
-Muslim
Commentary.-From the earlier Traditions we have learnt that God has
kept the chastisement of the grave concealed from men and djinn. They
do not come to know about it at all, but the other creatures become
aware of it to some extent. The above Tradition, also, shows that the
punishment which was being inflicted on the persons buried in the grove
of Banu Najar was perceived not by the Companions of the Prophet but
by the mule on which he was riding. The wisdom of it is plain. If all
of us could see or hear what went on in the grave, the doctrine of ‘Faith
in the Unseen’ would be rendered meaningless and entire functioning
of the universe would be thrown into disorder. When a friend or relative
of ours is in distress we find it hard to concentrate on anything. What
to speak of any other thing, mothers would not be able to suckle their
children if the punishment of the grave was made known or visible to
us.
The Tradition, further, tells that the shrieks that were rising from
the graves were heard by the Prophet but his Companions could not hear
them in the least degree. It was akin to the fact that often the Angel
of Revelation brought a Divine revelation to the Prophet in the presence
of the Companions but they failed to see or hear him. People who are
accustomed to receiving an inspiration from God will have little difficulty
in appreciating it but even commoners like us can obtain some idea of
it from the example of the dream.
The Prophet’s remark that “were I not afraid that you would
not be able to bury your dead, I would have prayed to God to let you
also hear a part of the chastisement of the grave that I am hearing”
denotes that he feared that if God made known to the Companions [i.e.,
to the other people] also the nature of the punishment of the grave
and they, too, could hear like him the screams of those receiving punishment,
they could be seized so terribly with the fear of death that even to
arrange for the burial of the dead would not be possible for them. That
is why, he was not praying to the Almighty for it.
Lastly, the Prophet has advised the Companions to beg the protection
of God which conveys the moral teaching that instead of trying to see
or hear the punishment of the grave the Believers should do their utmost
to save themselves from it. Protection from the chastisement of the
grave, as from every kind of chastisement and calamity, rests, indeed,
with God. We should, therefore, always beseech the Lord for refuge against
the punishment of the grave, and of Hell, and against all the manifest
and hidden calamities, particularly against the greatest of them, that
of Dajjal, and strive our level best to keep away from the iniquities
that are likely to bring on the grievous Penalty of the Hereafter.
O God! I seek refuge in Thee from the punishment of Hell, and from the
punishment of the grave, and from the mischiefs, both manifest and hidden,
and from the calamity of Dajjal.
(B) Last Day
(76) It is related
by Anas that the Apostle of God said: “I and the Resurrection
are like these two fingers.”
-Bukhari
and Muslim
Commentary.-The Prophet, after showing the two, index and middle, fingers
of his hand, observed that his raising up and the Last Day were as close
to each other as them. What he, perhaps, intended to convey was that
all the eras God had ordained for the world had come to an end. It was
the last era that had commenced with his Apostleship and would terminate
with the Hour [i.e., Doomsday]. No Apostle was going to be sent down
now nor would a new community be raised. We should, as such, not be
heedless of the Resurrection imagining that it was far away.
(77) It is related by Jabir that he heard the Apostle of God say a month
before his death: “You ask me about Resurrection and its appointed
time is known only to God, and I can swear by God that there is no living
person on the face of the earth on whom a hundred years pass and he
is still alive at that time.”
-Muslim
Commentary.-It appears from the Quran as well as the Traditions that
people often used to ask the Prophet about the Resurrection as to when
it was to come. The reply of the Prophet always was what is contained
in this Tradition, i.e., its previously fixed time was known only to
God and He alone was aware of the year, month and day on which it was
going to take place. He had not granted its knowledge to anyone.
The Prophet has made another observation in the above Tradition besides
answering the question that was put to him. He has said that those who
were alive in the world at that time would all be dead within a hundred
years. It shows that the appointed time of the Resurrection, when everything
that exists will be destroyed, was not known to him. It was only in
the knowledge of God. What he had, however, revealed to the Prophet
was that the existing generation would come to an end within a hundred
years and those who were alive then would be dead before the passage
of a century. Thus, for them it could be said that the Last Day would
come within a hundred years.
(78) It is related by Anas that the Apostle of God said: “The
Last Day shall not arrive until [such an evil time comes that] Allah,
Allah is not said in the world at all.” [In some reports of this
Tradition it is stated that “the Last Day shall not be established
on anyone who says Allah, Allah].”
-Muslim
Commentary.-It denotes that the Last Day will be set up when the world
will become wholly bereft of the remembrance of God and no one here
will worship Him or carry out His commands. When the things will come
to such a pass the whole of the universe will be destroyed. The remembrance
of the Lord and the rendering of due allegiance to Him is, thus, the
essence of the present world and the justification for its existence.
The day our world will become devoid of it, it will be broken to pieces
at the command of its Creator.
(79) It is related by Abdullah bin Masood that the Apostle of God said:
“The Last Day shall not be set up except on the worst of men.”
-Muslim
Commentary.-It tells that the Last Day will come when no devout and
virtuous man will be left in the world and it will be populated wholly
by sinners and other ungodly people.
(80) It is related by Abu Sa’eed Khadri that the Apostle of God
said: “How can I be happy and free from anxiety when the fact
is that the Angel of the Trumpet is holding the Trumpet in his mouth
and he is listening attentively, and his brow is bent, and he is waiting
eagerly for the command to blow the Trumpet. The Companion inquired,
‘O Apostle of God, what [then] is your order for us? [Meaning
when the situation is so grim, tell us what to do in order to save ourselves
from the horrors of the Last Day]’. The Prophet replied: ‘Say
much and often: Allah is sufficient for us and He is the best of Helpers’.”
-Tirmidhi
(81) Abu Baseen Uqaili related to us that “[once] I asked the
Prophet how will God revive His creatures and bring them back to life
and what are its portents [in the present world]? The Prophet replied,
‘Has it never happened to you that you passed through the valley
of your community and found it dry (due to drought), and, then, coming
upon it again after some time, discovered that it was blooming with
lush-green vegetation [after the rains]?’ ‘Yes my master’,
I said [It has been like that and I have seen both the spectacles].’
The Prophet, thereupon, remarked, ‘This is the portent of Resurrection
in the present world. God will raise all men from death in the same
manner’.”
-Razeen
(82) It is related by Abdullah bin Omar that the Apostle of God said:
“Whoever wishes to know about the Last Day as if the scene of
it was spread before his eyes, should read these chapters of the Quran:
When the sun is overthrown; When the heaven is cleft asunder; and, When
the heaven is split asunder.
-Tirmidhi
(83) Abu Hurairah related to us that “[once] the Apostle of God
recited the verse The day it [the Earth] will relate its chronicles
from Sura-I-Az-Zilzal, and [then] asked those who were present: ‘Do
you know what it means?’ The Companions replied, ‘God and
His Apostle know best.’ The Prophet explained ‘On the Day
of Judgement the earth will bear witness to the deeds performed by men
on it [i.e., at the bidding of God the earth will declare that such-and-such
a person had done such-and-such a thing on it on such-and-such a day.’”
-Musnad-i-Ahmad
and Tirmidhi
Commentary.- It shows that whatever a man does on earth is preserved
by the part of it on which it is done and will remain preserved till
the Last Day when it will testify to it before the Lord.
(84) It is related by Abu Hurairah that the Apostle of God said: “On
the Day of Resurrection all men will be raised in three groups : One,
the pedestrians; two, the riders; and, three, those who will be walking
on their faces.” On being asked how would the people [belonging
to third group] walk on their faces, the Prophet replied, “God
who has made them walk on foot also possesses the power to make them
walk on their faces.” [Be it known that it is through their faces
that they will avoid obstacles like mound and a thorn].
-Tirmidhi
Commentary.-Commentators have described the three groups indicated in
the above saying as follows: those walking on foot will be the general
body of Believers; the second group which will be of riders will be
made up of the favourites of the Lord and His devout bondmen who will
be treated with honour and ceremony in the Hereafter from the very beginning;
and the men who will be walking on their heads or faces will be the
ill-fated ones who did not follow the teachings of the Divine Apostles
in their earthy existence but pursued wrong and crooked paths till the
end of their lives. The initial category will be that instead of walking
on foot they will be made to walk on their faces and just as we negotiate
obstacles on the road and avoid thorns and stones with the aid of our
feet they will have to do so with the aid of their faces.
(85) Abu Hurairah related to us; he relates that the Apostle of God
said: “Whoever will die shall repent and feel sorrow [over his
life].” “Cur Master,” he was asked, “Why will
he repent?” The Prophet replied, “If he has been a virtuous
man, he will regret that he did not practise greater virtue [and won
greater reward], and if he has led a sinful life, he will regret that
he did not abstain from evil-doing.”
-Tirmidhi
(C) The Hereafter
(86) Adi bin Hatim
related to us; he relates that the Apostle of God said: “[At Resurrection]
the Lord will speak directly and face-to-face to everyone of you so
that there will neither be a spokesman nor a screen intervening [between
Him and you]. [At that time, the condition of the bondsman will be such
that he will be looking hither and thither in astonishment and helplessness].
Thus, when he will look towards the right, he will see nothing but his
deeds, and when he will look towards the left, he will see nothing but
his deeds, and when he will look in front, he will see nothing but fire.
Hence, O men, save yourselves from the Fire of Hell even through a dry
piece of a dried date.”
-Bukhari
and Muslim
Commentary.-It calls upon men to practise charity in order to save themselves
from Hell and even if they have nothing to give away except a piece
of a dried date, they should try to ward off the punishment of Hell
by giving it in the way of God.
{Note:-Whenever in the Quran and the Traditions the Day of Final Requital
and its horrors are described and the severity of the chastisement of
Hell is mentioned the object is only to warn the bondmen so that they
tried their utmost to guard themselves against the dreadful sequel of
the Hereafter. In the above saying this purpose has been distinctly
indicated but the aim of the Traditions in which it has not been done
should also be taken to be the same].
(87) It is related by Abdullah bin Omar that the Apostle of God said:
“On the Last Day, the Lord will draw His faithful bondsman [towards
His Mercy] and cover him up with His mantle and ask him, ‘Do you
recognise this sin and that [i.e., do you remember having committed
them]’? The bondsman will reply, ‘Yes, O Lord, I remember.’
God will, thus, make him confess all of his misdeeds and he will begin
to fear in his heart that he was doomed to a sorrowful end. God will,
then, say, ‘I had concealed these sins of yours in the world and,
today, I condone them and grant you forgiveness.’ After it, the
record of his good actions will be handed over to him [i.e., only the
record of his virtuous deeds will come to the knowledge of the people
gathered for the Judgement and God will settle the question of his sins
away from their sight]. But, with the Infidels and the Hypocrites it
will be different. About them, it will be declared openly that these
are the men who attributed fictitious things to the Lord [i.e., invented
their own faith by entertaining baseless notions about God]. Beware
! The curse of God is upon the unbelievers.”
-Bukhari
and Muslim
(88) Ayesha Siddiqa narrated that, once, she began to cry at the thought
of Hell. The Prophet asked her, “What made you cry?” “I
thought of Hell and the fear of it made me weep. Will you remember the
members of your family on the Day of Judgement?” She said. “No
one will remember anyone [or care for him] at three places,” the
Prophet observed. “One, when the Scales of Justice will be set
up and up to the time it will not be known whether the weight of one’s
[good] deeds is heavy or light; two, when the Book of Deeds will be
handed over and, on receiving it in the right hand, one truthful Believer
will joyously say to the other, ‘Read it’, and up to the
time it will not be known in which hand the Book of Deeds is to be given,
in the right hand, or in the left, or from behind; and, three, when
the Bridge will be placed over the Bottomless Pit [and everyone will
be commanded to pass over it].”
-Abu
Dawood
Commentary.-The substance of the Prophet’s reply is that, on the
Day of Judgement, three occasions will be so terrible that everyone
will be concerned only with his own fate and no one will be able to
come to anyone’s rescue: (i) when the deeds will be weighed and
till the time the result is known; (ii) when people will be waiting
for the Book of Deeds and everyone will be wondering whether it is given
to him in the right hand or the left [i.e., he is found worthy of forgiveness
and reward or wrath and punishment]; and, three, when the Bridge of
Sirat will be placed over Hell and everyone will be called upon to pass
over it.
In brief, all of us should strive earnestly for the Hereafter and refrain
from depending upon anyone for our salvation.