I am a girl who believes in Allah the Exalted and strives hard to adhere to the noble teachings of Islam. I am often visited by many thoughts about the destiny and the Reckoning.
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The questioner : She says in her letter that she is a girl who believes in Allah the Exalted and strives hard to adhere to the noble teachings of Islam. She says: I am often visited by many thoughts about the destiny and the Reckoning and the Day of Resurrection, where Allah resurrects the creatures and holds a person accountable for what he did. My question, O honorable Shaykh, which confuses me, is whether the Day of Resurrection on which the Reckoning takes place is a single day, and nothing else, on which the Reckoning of all creatures is completed, or what? Or is it not permissible for us to think about that? We ask for your guidance in this matter?
The Shaykh : This question currently presented by this woman contains an issue that requires an answer, as she said. It also contains the woman praising herself by stating that she believes in Allah the Exalted and strives hard to apply the Islamic Shari'ah. This self-praise, if a person intends by it to speak of the blessing of Allah Mighty and Majestic, or for others of his peers and counterparts to emulate him, then there is nothing wrong with it.
And if he intends by it for a person to purify himself and boast to his Lord Mighty and Majestic with his deeds, then this contains some of the sin of boasting. And Allah the Exalted said:[Al-Hujurat 49:17].
And if what is intended by it is merely reporting the news, then there is nothing wrong with it, but it is better to leave it. So the situations in such speech where a person praises himself are four:
The first situation: that he intends by it to speak of the blessing of Allah upon him in what He has granted him of faith and steadfastness.
The second: that he intends by it to encourage his peers and counterparts to be like what he was, so these two situations are praiseworthy for what they contain of this good intention.
The third situation: that he intends by it boasting and showing off and boasting to Allah Mighty and Majestic with what he is of faith and steadfastness, and this is not praiseworthy for what we mentioned of the verse.
The fourth situation: that he intends by it merely reporting about himself what he is of faith and steadfastness, and this is permissible, but it is better to leave it.
As for the problem mentioned in her question and for which she seeks an answer, which is whether the Day of Reckoning is one day or more?
Her answer is: that the Day of Reckoning is one day, but it is a day whose measure is fifty thousand years, as He the Exalted said:[Al-Ma'arij 70:1-4] meaning that this punishment befalls the disbelievers in a day whose measure was fifty thousand years. And in Sahih Muslim from the hadith of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Sahih Muslim 987a.
And this long day is a difficult day for the disbelievers, as He the Exalted said:[Al-Furqan 25:26] And He the Exalted said: [Al-Muddaththir 74:10] And the implication of these two verses is that it is easy for the believer, and it is so. So this long day, with what it contains of terrors and great things, Allah the Exalted makes it easy for the believer and it becomes difficult for the disbeliever. I ask Allah the Exalted to make me and my Muslim brothers among those for whom Allah makes it easy on the Day of Resurrection.
And thinking and delving deeply into such matters of the unseen is from the excessive strictness about which the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: And the function of a person in these matters of the unseen is submission, and taking things by their apparent meaning without delving deeply or trying to compare them with matters in this world, for the matters of the Hereafter are not like the matters of this world, even if they resemble them in the original meaning and share in that, but there is a great difference between them.
And I give you an example of what Allah Glorified and Exalted is He mentioned in Paradise of: dates, pomegranates, fruits, meat of birds, honey, water, milk, intoxicants, and the like, along with His saying Mighty and Majestic:[As-Sajdah 32:17] And His saying in the Qudsi hadith: Sahih al-Bukhari 7498 So these names which have named things in this world do not mean that the named thing is like the named thing, even if they share in the name and in the original meaning.
So all the matters of the unseen that share with what is seen in this world in the original meaning are not similar to it in reality. A person should be aware of this rule and take the matters of the unseen by submission according to what their apparent meaning requires, and not try for anything beyond that. For this reason, when Imam Malik (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked about the saying of Allah the Exalted:[Taha 20:5] How did He rise above? He (may Allah have mercy on him) lowered his head until sweat covered him, meaning the sweat, and he began to drip with sweat, and that was because of the greatness of the question in his mind. Then he raised his head and said his famous saying which was a measure for all that Allah described Himself with. He (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "The rising above is not unknown, and the how is not comprehensible, and belief in it is obligatory, and asking about it is an innovation".
So the deep question in such matters is an innovation, because the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), who were more eager than us for knowledge and for good, did not ask the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) such questions, and they are sufficient as a model.
And what I said now regarding the Last Day applies to the attributes of Allah Mighty and Majestic by which Allah described Himself, such as: knowledge, power, hearing, sight, speech, and the like. For the named things of these words regarding Allah Mighty and Majestic are not similar to anything that shares in this name regarding a person. So every attribute is attached to its attributed one. So just as Allah Glorified and Exalted is He has no peer in His essence, He has no peer in His attributes.
And the summary of the answer now is that the Last Day is one day, and that it is difficult for the disbelievers and easy for the believers, and that what has come regarding it of types of reward and punishment is a matter whose depth is not grasped in this worldly life, even if the original meaning of it is known to us in this worldly life.
The Shaykh : This question currently presented by this woman contains an issue that requires an answer, as she said. It also contains the woman praising herself by stating that she believes in Allah the Exalted and strives hard to apply the Islamic Shari'ah. This self-praise, if a person intends by it to speak of the blessing of Allah Mighty and Majestic, or for others of his peers and counterparts to emulate him, then there is nothing wrong with it.
And if he intends by it for a person to purify himself and boast to his Lord Mighty and Majestic with his deeds, then this contains some of the sin of boasting. And Allah the Exalted said:
They consider it a favor to you that they have accepted Islam. Say, "Do not consider your Islam a favor to me. Rather, Allah has conferred favor upon you that He has guided you to the faith, if you should be truthful."
يمنون عليك أن أسلموا قل لا تمنوا علي إسلامكم بل الله يمن عليكم أن هداكم للإيمان إن كنتم صادقينAnd if what is intended by it is merely reporting the news, then there is nothing wrong with it, but it is better to leave it. So the situations in such speech where a person praises himself are four:
The first situation: that he intends by it to speak of the blessing of Allah upon him in what He has granted him of faith and steadfastness.
The second: that he intends by it to encourage his peers and counterparts to be like what he was, so these two situations are praiseworthy for what they contain of this good intention.
The third situation: that he intends by it boasting and showing off and boasting to Allah Mighty and Majestic with what he is of faith and steadfastness, and this is not praiseworthy for what we mentioned of the verse.
The fourth situation: that he intends by it merely reporting about himself what he is of faith and steadfastness, and this is permissible, but it is better to leave it.
As for the problem mentioned in her question and for which she seeks an answer, which is whether the Day of Reckoning is one day or more?
Her answer is: that the Day of Reckoning is one day, but it is a day whose measure is fifty thousand years, as He the Exalted said:
(1) A supplicant asked for a punishment bound to happen (2) To the disbelievers; of it there is no preventer. (3) [It is] from Allah, owner of the ways of ascent. (4) The angels and the Spirit will ascend to Him during a Day the extent of which is fifty thousand years.
سأل سائل بعذاب واقع للكافرين ليس له دافع من الله ذي المعارج تعرج الملائكة والروح إليه في يوم كان مقداره خمسين ألف سنةIf any owner of gold or silver does not pay what is due on him, when the Day of Resurrection would come, plates of fire would be beaten out for him; these would then be heated in the fire of Hell and his sides, his forehead and his back would be cauterized with them. Whenever these cool down, (the process is) repeated during a day the extent of which would be fifty thousand years, until judgment is pronounced among servants
ما من صاحب ذهب ولا فضة لا يؤدي منها حقها إلا إذا كان يوم القيامة صفحت له صفائح من نار وأحمي عليها في نار جهنم فيكوى بها جنبه وجبينه وظهره كلما بردت أعيدت في يوم كان مقداره خمسين ألف سنة حتى يقضى بين العبادAnd this long day is a difficult day for the disbelievers, as He the Exalted said:
And it will be upon the disbelievers a difficult Day.
وكان يوماً على الكافرين عسيراًFor the disbelievers - not easy.
على الكافرين غير يسيرAnd thinking and delving deeply into such matters of the unseen is from the excessive strictness about which the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
The extremists have perished, the extremists have perished, the extremists have perished.
هلك المتنطعون هلك المتنطون هلك المتنطعونAnd I give you an example of what Allah Glorified and Exalted is He mentioned in Paradise of: dates, pomegranates, fruits, meat of birds, honey, water, milk, intoxicants, and the like, along with His saying Mighty and Majestic:
And no soul knows what has been hidden for them of comfort for eyes as reward for what they used to do.
فلا تعلم نفس ما أخفي لهم من قرة أعين جزاءً بما كانوا يعملونI have prepared for My righteous slaves (such excellent things) as no eye has ever seen, nor an ear has ever heard nor a human heart can ever think of.
أعددت لعبادي الصالحين ما لا عين رأت ولا أذن سمعت ولا خطر على قلب بشرSo all the matters of the unseen that share with what is seen in this world in the original meaning are not similar to it in reality. A person should be aware of this rule and take the matters of the unseen by submission according to what their apparent meaning requires, and not try for anything beyond that. For this reason, when Imam Malik (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked about the saying of Allah the Exalted:
The Most Merciful [who is] above the Throne established.
الرحمان على العرش استوىSo the deep question in such matters is an innovation, because the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), who were more eager than us for knowledge and for good, did not ask the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) such questions, and they are sufficient as a model.
And what I said now regarding the Last Day applies to the attributes of Allah Mighty and Majestic by which Allah described Himself, such as: knowledge, power, hearing, sight, speech, and the like. For the named things of these words regarding Allah Mighty and Majestic are not similar to anything that shares in this name regarding a person. So every attribute is attached to its attributed one. So just as Allah Glorified and Exalted is He has no peer in His essence, He has no peer in His attributes.
And the summary of the answer now is that the Last Day is one day, and that it is difficult for the disbelievers and easy for the believers, and that what has come regarding it of types of reward and punishment is a matter whose depth is not grasped in this worldly life, even if the original meaning of it is known to us in this worldly life.