The Day of Resurrection will be a Day of Tremendous import and immense horror, the like of which mankind will never have seen. Several things point to the enormity of its terrors. Allah described that Day as being great. His description of it as such is sufficient for us to know that it is more serious than we can ever imagine. He said: “Think they not that they will be resurrected for reckoning, On a Great Day, the Day when all mankind will stand before the Lord of the world.” (Al-Mutaffifin: 4-6) 

Elsewhere, Allah, the Almighty, All-Powerful, describes it as being heavy, and as being hard: “Verily, these (believers) love the present life of this world, and put behind them a heavy Day.” (Al-Insan: 27). He further said: “Truly, that Day will be a Hard Day-far from easy for the disbelievers.” (Al-Muddathir: 9-10)

The fear and terror which will befall mankind on that Day will be so great that the mother who would readily sacrifice herself for her infant will, on that Day, be heedless of him. Pregnant women will miscarry, and people will be like drunkards who have lost their senses. Allah said: “O Mankind! Fear your Lord and be dutiful to Him! Verily, the earthquake of the Hour (of Judgement) is a terrible thing. The Day you shall see it, every nursing mother will forget her nursing and every pregnant one will drop her load, and you shall see mankind as in a drunken state, yet they will not be drunken, but severe will be the Torment of Allah.” (Al-Hajj: 1-2)

Because of the intensity of the terror, on that Day eyes will be not blinking and not looking to the right or the left. Because of their great fear, their hearts will be empty, nor comprehending anything at all. Allah said: “Consider not that Allah is unaware of that which the wrongdoers do, but He gives them respite up to a Day when the eyes will stare in horror. They will be hastening forward with necks outstretched, their heads raised up (towards the sky), their gaze returning not towards them and their hearts empty.” (Ibrahim: 42-43)

Because of their extreme terror, the hearts of the evildoers will rise to their throats, but they will not come out, neither will they settle back in their places: “And warn them O Muhammad of the Day that is drawing near (i.e. the Day of Resurrection), when the hearts will be choking the throats, and they can neither return them (hearts) to their chests nor can they throw them out……..” ( Al-Mu’minun: 18)

Elsewhere, Allah describes what will happen to people’s hearts and eyes on that Day:“ They fear a Day when hearts and eyes will be overturned.” (An-Nur: 37). He further said: “Some hearts that Day will shake with fear and anxiety. Their eyes will be downcast.” (An-Nazi’at: 8-9)

It suffices to know that hair of the child who has never committed sin will turn grey because of the intense horror of what he is seeing: “Then how can you avoid the punishment, if you disbelieve, on a Day that will make the children grey-headed? Whereon the heaven will be cleft asunder? His promise is certainly to be accomplished.” (Al-Muzzammil: 17-18)

Blood ties (bond of kinship) will be severed on the Day of Resurrection, as Allah said: “Then, when the Trumpet is blown, there will be no kinship among them that Day, nor will they ask of one another.” (Al-Mu’minun: 101)

On that Day, each person will care only about himself, and will not think of anyone else. Indeed, a man will run from those who are dearest to him, from his brother, his mother, his father, his wife and his sons: “Then when there comes the second blowing of the Trumpet on the Day of Resurrection, that Day shall a man flee from his brother, and from his mother and his father, and from his wife and his children. Every man that Day will have enough to make him careless of others.” (Abasa: 33-37)

On the Day of Resurrection, the disbelievers will be prepared to give up everything to save them from the punishment. If they possessed everything on earth, they would try to ransom themselves with it. Allah said: “And if every person who had wronged (by disbelieving in Allah and by worshipping others besides Allah) possessed all that is on the earth and sought to ransom himself there with, it will not be accepted….” ( Yunus: 54). Even if they had as many times as what is on earth, they would not be able to ransom themselves with it. They will be prepared to sacrifice what they have, even if it were an earthful of gold, if they were possible, but Allah will not accept it from them. (to be continued)    

(Prepared by Dr. Umar. Al-Ashqar)