Explanation of the statement of Imam al-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) regarding what he quoted: “... and the Last Day ...” along with a mention of the ultimate destination of creation, namely Paradise and the Fire.
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The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and I send prayers and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and his Companions, and upon those who follow them with excellence until the Day of Judgment. As for what follows:
We have previously discussed some of what will occur on the Last Day, belief in which is one of the six pillars of faith. We mentioned lastly our belief in the Sirat, which is placed over the back of Hellfire. People will pass over it according to their deeds. Some will pass as quickly as a flash of lightning, some as quickly as a bolt of lightning, some as quickly as the wind, some as quickly as a swift horse, some as quickly as a camel rider, some will walk, some will crawl, and some will be snatched and thrown into Hellfire. When they have crossed it, they will stop at a bridge between Paradise and the Fire, where they will take retribution from one another. This retribution is different from the retribution that takes place on the plain of Resurrection. This retribution, and Allah knows best, is intended to purify the hearts of grudges, hatred, and resentment so that they enter Paradise in the best possible state.
This is because even if a person is given retribution from the one who wronged him, something of resentment and hatred will remain in his heart toward the one who wronged him. However, the people of Paradise do not enter Paradise until complete retribution is taken for them, so they enter it in the best manner. Once they are refined and purified, they are permitted to enter Paradise. However, the gate of Paradise is not opened for anyone before the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). Therefore, he (peace and blessings be upon him) intercedes for the people of Paradise to enter Paradise, he himself, just as he interceded for the creation so that judgment would be carried out between them and they would be relieved from the terror, distress, and sorrow that befell them on the plain of Resurrection. He himself (peace and blessings be upon him) intercedes for the people of Paradise to enter Paradise. These two intercessions are specific to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), namely the intercession for the people of the standing place so that judgment is carried out between them, and the intercession for the people of Paradise so that they enter Paradise. Thus, he (peace and blessings be upon him) will have two intercessions: one for the salvation of people from distress and sorrows, and the second for the attainment of their desire, which is the opening of the gate of Paradise.
It will be opened, and the first to enter Paradise will be the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) before all people. The first to enter it from the nations will be the nation of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). As for the people of the Fire, may Allah protect us from it, they will be driven into the Fire in groups, entering it nation after nation. Whenever a nation enters, its sister nation curses it, may Allah protect us from it. Whenever a nation enters, the second one curses the first, and so on, and some of them will disavow others. We ask Allah for safety. When they reach the Fire, they will find its gates open until they are overwhelmed by its punishment, may Allah protect us from it. They will enter it and be immortalized in it forever, to an eternity with no end, as Allah the Mighty and Majestic said in His Book:[An-Nisa 4:168-169] And He the Exalted and Majestic said: [Al-Ahzab 33:64-68] And He the Exalted and Majestic said: [Al-Jinn 72:23] These are three verses from the Book of Allah the Exalted, all of which explicitly state that the people of the Fire are immortal in it forever. No one has a say after the speech of Allah the Exalted, just as the people of Paradise are immortal in it forever.
We have previously discussed some of what will occur on the Last Day, belief in which is one of the six pillars of faith. We mentioned lastly our belief in the Sirat, which is placed over the back of Hellfire. People will pass over it according to their deeds. Some will pass as quickly as a flash of lightning, some as quickly as a bolt of lightning, some as quickly as the wind, some as quickly as a swift horse, some as quickly as a camel rider, some will walk, some will crawl, and some will be snatched and thrown into Hellfire. When they have crossed it, they will stop at a bridge between Paradise and the Fire, where they will take retribution from one another. This retribution is different from the retribution that takes place on the plain of Resurrection. This retribution, and Allah knows best, is intended to purify the hearts of grudges, hatred, and resentment so that they enter Paradise in the best possible state.
This is because even if a person is given retribution from the one who wronged him, something of resentment and hatred will remain in his heart toward the one who wronged him. However, the people of Paradise do not enter Paradise until complete retribution is taken for them, so they enter it in the best manner. Once they are refined and purified, they are permitted to enter Paradise. However, the gate of Paradise is not opened for anyone before the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). Therefore, he (peace and blessings be upon him) intercedes for the people of Paradise to enter Paradise, he himself, just as he interceded for the creation so that judgment would be carried out between them and they would be relieved from the terror, distress, and sorrow that befell them on the plain of Resurrection. He himself (peace and blessings be upon him) intercedes for the people of Paradise to enter Paradise. These two intercessions are specific to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), namely the intercession for the people of the standing place so that judgment is carried out between them, and the intercession for the people of Paradise so that they enter Paradise. Thus, he (peace and blessings be upon him) will have two intercessions: one for the salvation of people from distress and sorrows, and the second for the attainment of their desire, which is the opening of the gate of Paradise.
It will be opened, and the first to enter Paradise will be the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) before all people. The first to enter it from the nations will be the nation of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). As for the people of the Fire, may Allah protect us from it, they will be driven into the Fire in groups, entering it nation after nation. Whenever a nation enters, its sister nation curses it, may Allah protect us from it. Whenever a nation enters, the second one curses the first, and so on, and some of them will disavow others. We ask Allah for safety. When they reach the Fire, they will find its gates open until they are overwhelmed by its punishment, may Allah protect us from it. They will enter it and be immortalized in it forever, to an eternity with no end, as Allah the Mighty and Majestic said in His Book: