The Exposure

Mankind, from Adam  to the last man to be created, will be exposed before their Lord-Allah Almighty- for judgment, as He, The Most Exalted, Says (what means): “And they shall be presented before their Lord in rows.” [Quran 18: 48]

The Prophet  said, “Mankind will be exposed three exposures on the Day of Resurrection. The [first] two exposures shall be disputation and excuses, but at the third [exposure], the scrolls [of deeds] will be distributed, and then some will take them in their right hands, others in their left.” [At-Tirmithi]

So, the first time, people will dispute with one another: the weak with the tyrants who hindered them from faith, the tyrants responding that they are, in the final analysis, not to blame, for each individual believes or disbelieves by his/her own conscious decision. The disbelievers will deny that prophets came to them.

At the second exposure, people will acknowledge their wrongs, and will seek excuses. With the third exposure, the books of deeds will be distributed amongst them. Receiving the book in the right hand signifies success, while receiving it in the left hand or behind one’s back signifies failure.

Allah, the Most Exalted, Says (what means):

"O mankind, indeed you are laboring toward your Lord with [great] exertion and will meet it. Then as for he who is given his record in his right hand. He will be judged with an easy account. And return to his people in happiness. But as for he who is given his record behind his back. He will cry out for destruction. And [enter to] burn in a Blaze." [Quran 84: 6-12]

The Questioning

Allah, the Most Exalted, Says (what means): “So by your Lord, We will surely question them all. About what they used to do.” [Quran 15: 92-93]

“Then We will surely question those to whom [a message] was sent, and We will surely question the messengers.” [Quran 7: 6]

The people will be questioned about whether messengers came to them, and how they responded to them. The messengers themselves will be questioned about whether they conveyed the message.

Belief in the questioning and reckoning of the Hereafter instills a sense of responsibility and accountability in the Muslim. He must be constantly watching over his heart and his deeds, and must be prepared to forego those fleeting, ephemeral pleasures of this world which are available to him on the path of sin. He must be prepared to undergo some suffering and hardship in the temporary abode (worldly life), in order to avoid the inescapable consequences of evil in the Hereafter. He must fear standing before his Lord if he desires safety on that ghastly day. Allah, the Almighty and Majestic, Says in a Hadeeth Qudsi (narration in which the meaning is from Allah and the wording is from Prophet Muhammad ): “By My Might! I shall not combine for My slave two lives of fear, nor two lives of surety.” [Ibn Hibban]

People will be questioned, on the Day of Judgment:

1. About faith, as the Prophet  said: “You will be asked about (the testimony of faith): ‘Laa ilaaha illallaah (none is worthy of worship but Allah)’” [At-Tirmithi]

2. About the five-daily prayers: The Prophet  said “The first thing which the slave will be questioned about on the Day of Resurrection will be his prayer. If it is in order, then he shall have prospered and succeeded, while if it is impaired, then he shall have failed and be ruined.” [At-Tirmithi]

3. About those under one's care: Allah Almighty Says (what means):

“O you who have believed! Protect yourselves and your families from a Fire whose fuel is people and stones...” [Quran 66: 6]

The Prophet  said: “Every one of you is a guardian, and every one of you will be asked about those under his care. The man is a guardian over his family, and will be questioned about those under his care. The woman is a guardian over her husband’s house, and will be questioned about that under her care. The slave is a guardian over his master’s property, and will be questioned for that under his care.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

4. About the bodily organs: Allah Almighty Says (what means):

 “And do not pursue that of which you have no knowledge. Indeed, the hearing, the sight and the heart- about all those [one] will be questioned (by Allah)...” [Quran 17: 36]

5. About delights: Allah Almighty Says (what means): “Then on that Day you shall be asked about pleasure (you indulged in, in this world)!” [Quran 102:8]

6. About intentions: Allah Almighty Says (what means): “Whoever desires the life of this world and its adornments — We fully repay them for their deeds therein, and they therein will not be deprived.” [Quran 11:15-16]

In a long narration reported by Muslim  we are told that the men whose cases shall be judged first on the Day of Resurrection shall be a man who was martyred, a man who acquired knowledge and taught it and who recited the Quran, and a man to whom Allah had been generous and given many varieties of wealth. These men will acknowledge Allah’s favors upon them, and will claim that they did these deeds for His sake. They will be exposed as liars, for they did not do these deeds for the sake of Allah. The man who was martyred had been fighting in order to be called brave, the scholar or reciter of the Quran had acted thus in order to gain a reputation as such, and the benefactor had sought recognition as a generous person. Since deeds are judged according to their intentions, these people received what they had sought through these deeds, and so they will not receive reward for them on the Day of Judgment. Hence, they will be dragged into Hell on their faces.

Additionally, there are four questions which everyone must face on the Day of Judgement. The Prophet  said: “The feet of a slave will not move on the Day of Judgement until he has been questioned about [four things:] his life – how he spent it, his knowledge – how he acted upon it, his wealth – where he earned it and how he spent it, and his body – how he used it.” [At-Tirmithi]

The Reckoning

Allah Almighty Says (what means): “Indeed, to Us is their return. Then indeed, upon Us is their account." [Quran 88: 25-26] People will be brought to account for their deeds, as well as for their resolved intentions. The Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallm, said: “When two Muslims encounter one another with their swords, the murderer and the murdered shall be in the Fire.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

The murdered individual will also enter the Fire because he was intent on killing his brother. However, out of the Grace of Allah, we are excused for fleeting thoughts which we do not consciously entertain or sustain, nor verbalize. Allah Says (what means):  “Allah does not charge a soul except [with that within] its capacity” [Quran 2: 286]

The Prophet  has said: “Allah has forgiven my Nation for those things which their hearts whisper to them.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

There will be some who will enter Paradise without reckoning. In the Hadeeth narrated by Muslim  the Prophet  said that the nations of all the prophets, may Allah exalt their mention, were exposed to him. He  saw some prophets with only one or two people, or their family members with them (i.e. no-one else had believed in them). Then, he  saw a huge crowd, and thought that was his Nation. Jibreel  (the angel Gabriel) told him that it was actually the Nation of Moosa  (Moses) but he indicated to him a larger crowd which stretched across the horizon, and told him that this was his Nation. He  said, “…and with them are 70,000 who shall enter Paradise without reckoning or punishment. They are those who do not seek Ruqyah from others (words from the Quran or Sunnah said for the express purpose of protection or cure), nor draw omens, but rely upon their Lord.” [Muslim]

Martyrs of the battlefield who died in the cause of Allah will also be exempted from the reckoning. The Prophet  has said: “While the slaves (people) are standing at the place of reckoning, a [group of] people will come with their swords (hanging) on their backs dripping blood, and they will assemble at the gate of Paradise. It will be asked: ‘Who are these?’ whereupon it will be said: ‘They are the martyrs; they were alive, receiving sustenance.’” [At-Tabarani]

Belief in the Hereafter is one of the six pillars of Islamic belief required of a Muslim in order to complete his faith.

The Prophet  informed us about the events of the unseen which will occur after death. This fundamental belief is only completed when one has firm faith in his heart in all those matters about which the Prophet  informed us.

Ahlus-Sunnah Wal-Jamaa’ah (mainstream Muslims) believe in all of these events, whereas the people of innovation refuse to accept events such as the questioning in the grave, the bliss and the trials of the grave, the punishment in the grave, the passing over the Siraat (the Bridge set over Hell), and the setting of the scales.

The reason for their denial is that, in their estimation, these matters cannot be proven by mere intellect. Since they consider their intellect to be the judge over everything, they do not believe in matters which are beyond their comprehension.

Materialists refuse to believe in anything which they do not feel. Our answer to this attitude is that our inability to sense the existence of certain things does not justify our denial of the very existence of those things. Certitude through news from an authentic person is as good as the certitude by seeing and feeling. Since the honesty of Prophet Muhammad  in conveying the Divine Message revealed to him has been established for us, we –believers –firmly believe in everything he  told about the unseen, including the Hereafter. Belief in the hereafter entails the following:

(A) Belief in Events of the Grave:

Ahlus-Sunnah Wal-Jamaa’ah believe in the trial of the grave. The Arabic word for trial is 'Fitnah', which linguistically means to place gold in fire in order to remove its impurities; this word was thus later used in the sense of testing and trying.

The Quranic evidence concerning this issue is in the following verse in which Almighty Allah describes the punishment of the people of Fir'awn (Pharaoh); Allah, the Most Exalted, Says (what means): {The Fire: they are exposed to it morning and evening. And the Day the Hour appears [it will be said]: 'Make the people of Pharaoh enter the severest punishment.'} [Quran 40:46]

Also, the Prophet  said: "The grave is either a garden from the Gardens of Paradise, or a pit from the pits of Hell." [At-Tirmithi]

(B) Events of the Day of Judgement

After the duration of this earth is over, Allah will command Israfeel [the Angel in charge of blowing the Trumpet] to blow it. At the first blowing, all the inhabitants of the heavens and the earth will fall unconscious, except those for whom Allah Wills otherwise. Then, the earth will be flattened and the mountains will be made into floating sand dunes. In short, everything will occur that Allah has informed us about in His Book, especially in chapters 81 and 82 of the Noble Quran.

Then, Allah will command the skies to pour rain. This rain will resemble the sperm of men. People will then be resurrected from their graves. This process will start from their vertebral column. The entire body of a person decays after his death except the lower end of the vertebral column. This process of resurrection will continue until they are transformed back into their original shape and bodies. Allah will then command Israfeel to blow the Trumpet for the second time, upon which people will rise from their graves alive. The disbelievers and the hypocrites will then be regretful and will say (what means): "…Woe to us! Who has raised us up from our sleeping place?" [Quran: 36:52] Whereas the believers will say (what means): "…This is what the Most Merciful had promised, and the Messengers spoke the truth." [Quran 36:52]


Then, the angels will drive all of them naked, uncircumcised, and barefooted to the place of Hashr (Gathering).

The first one to be dressed on that Day will be Prophet Ibraheem, may Allah exalt his mention. At the place of Gathering, the sun will descend close to the heads of people, and their sweat will engulf them. It will be up to the ankles of some of them, up to the knees of others, up to the chests of others, and up to the necks of others. The level of their sweat will be in accordance with their deeds.

Some people on that Day will be sheltered by the shade of the Throne of Allah. When the conditions become unbearable for people, and the despair increases greatly, people will ask Allah to allow His Messengers and Prophets to intercede for them and save them from their distress. Every Messenger and Prophet will advise the people to go to the Prophet who came after him, until they come to our Prophet Muhammad . He will respond by saying that he is the appropriate person for it. He will intercede for them, which will result in the beginning of Judgement.

C- The Balances

The balances will then be erected, and the deeds will be weighed. These balances will be real and will have pans and needles. Allah, the Exalted and Glorified, will give the deeds of the creatures a material existence that will have weight. The good deeds will be placed in one pan and the evil deeds in the other, as Allah informs us in the Quran, Saying (what means):

"And We shall set up balances of justice on the Day of Resurrection, then none will be dealt with unjustly in anything. And if there be the weight of a mustard seed, We will bring it. And Sufficient are We to take account." [Quran 21:47]

D-The Records

This will be followed by the disclosure of the record of deeds. He who will receive his record in his right hand will have an easy reckoning. He will return to his family in happiness.


However, he who will receive his record from behind and in his left hand, will seek death on that Day, as he will be thrust into Hellfire. He will be full of regrets on that Day and will wish that he was not handed his record or that he had not known about it. Allah Says (what means): "Then as for him who is given his record in his right hand. He will be judged with an easy account. And return to his people in happiness. But as for he who is given his record behind his back. He will cry out for destruction. And [enter to] burn in a Blaze." [Quran 84:7-12]All the events that are bound to occur after death and on the Last Day, like reward and punishment, Paradise and Hell, the Reckoning and other events are mentioned in detail in the Divine revelations and in narrations from the Prophets. They are also available in the knowledge which the Prophet  has left us as his inheritance; whoever wishes to seek it, will find it.

The Noble Quran and Prophetic narrations contain many references to the Hour (Day of Judgement) and both the major and minor signs which foretell its coming. Herein is a brief summary of the signs of the Day of Judgement. There are many books, articles, and sites etc., which discuss these in greater detail. These Signs are roughly listed in a chronological order, although this order is not necessarily precise, especially for those to happen in the future.

May Almighty Allah enable us to recognize and heed these Signs, and strengthen us in the times of tribulation. Allah Says (what means) {Are they waiting for anything except the Hour, to come to them suddenly? But its Signs have already come!} [Quran 47:18]

Past Sings:

• The prophethood of Muhammad .

• The splitting of the Moon.

• The death of the Prophet Muhammad .

• A form of death, which will kill thousands of Muslims. (Understood to refer to the plague of Amwas during the caliphate of 'Umar Ibn Al-Khattab .

• A major fighting in Madeenah (understood to refer to the battle of Al-Harrah during the caliphate of Yazeed  63 AH).

• A great fire in the Hijaz (in Saudi Arabia), seen by the inhabitants of Busra (in Syria). This took place in 654 H (Hegira)

• The Muslim conquest of Jerusalem in 1187 AD.

• The Muslim conquest of Constantinople in 1453 AD.

• Two large groups of Muslims fighting in war.

• A war between the Muslims and a reddish people with small eyes, wearing sandals made of hair (understood to refer to the Mongol Tatar invasion of the Islamic lands).

• A peace agreement between the Muslims and non-Muslims from the yellow race (Chinese, Mongols, etc.)

• Thirty impostors will appear, each one claiming to be a prophet.

Present signs:

• Naked, destitute, barefoot shepherds will compete in building high buildings.

• The slave-woman will give birth to her master or mistress (this refers to children disrespecting their mothers).

• A tribulation which will enter every Arab household (this may refer to TVs, satellite dishes and the internet-when misused).

• Knowledge will be taken away (by the death of scholars), and ignorance will prevail.

• Wine (intoxicants, alcohol) will be drunk in great quantities.

• Illegal sexual intercourse will become widespread.

• Earthquakes will increase.

• Time will pass more quickly.

• Tribulations will prevail.

• Bloodshed will increase.

• A man will pass by the grave of another and wish he was in the latter's place.

• Trustworthiness will be lost, i.e. when authority is given to those who do not deserve it.

• People will gather for prayer, but will be unable to find an Imam (leader) to lead them in prayer.

Future Signs:

• The following are signs that did not take place yet, but the listing below does not reflect the sequence in which they will take place.

• The number of men will decrease, whilst the number of women will increase, until each 50 women will be looked after by one man. (According to a narration in the book of Imam Al-Bukhari )

• The Euphrates will reveal a treasure of gold, and many will die fighting over it, each one hoping to be the one who gains the treasure.

• The Romans (Europeans) will come to a place called A'maq or Wabiq, and an army of the best people will go forth from Madeenah to face them.

• The Muslim conquest of Rome.

• The Mahdi (guided one) will appear, and be the leader of the Muslims. 'Eesa (Jesus)  will descend in Damascus, and pray behind the Mahdi.

• Jesus will break the cross and kill the swine, i.e. destroy the false Christianity.

• The Antichrist will appear, with all his tools of deception, and be an immense trial. He will be followed by 70,000 Jews from Isfahan (present-day Iran).

• The appearance of Gog and Magog, and the associated tribulations.

• The emergence of the Beast who will speak to the people, telling them they did not believe with certainty in the Divine Signs. This sign is among the major signs, and the scholars say that it will occur in the day where the sun will rise from the west.

• A major war between the Muslims led by the Leader Al-Mahdi, and the Jews plus other non-Muslims led by the Antichrist.

• Jesus will kill the Antichrist at the gate of Ludd (Lod in present-day Israel, site of an airport and a major Israeli military base).

• A time of great peace and serenity during and after the remaining lifetime of Jesus.

• Wealth will come so abundant that it will become difficult to find someone to be eligible for alms (Zakah).

• The Arabian Peninsula will become a land of gardens and rivers.

• Society will then decay.

• The buttocks of the women of the tribe of Daws will again sway in circumambulating (Tawaf) around the idol Thul-Khulasah.

• Three major armies will sink into the earth: one in the east, one in the west, one in Arabia.

• An Abyssinian leader with thin shins will destroy the Ka'bah (Sacred House in Makkah).

• The huge cloud of smoke.

• The sun will rise from the west (its place of setting).

• A gentle wind, which will take the souls of the believers.

• There is no one left on the earth saying, "Allah, Allah" or "There is no god except Allah."

• Eventually the Day of Judgment is established upon the worst of the people, who copulate in public like donkeys.

• The blowing in the Trumpet by the Angel Israfeel upon which everyone will die.

• The second blowing in the Trumpet, upon which everyone will be resurrected.