Understanding the Horn/Trumpet in Islam: Its Significance and Consequences
1 – What is the Horn (الصُّور)?
The word “الصُّور” means a horn, like a trumpet or bugle. Allāh says,
وَيَوْمَ يُنْفَخُ فِي الصُّورِ فَفَزِعَ مَنْ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَنْ فِي الأَرْضِ إِلا مَنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ
“And (remember) the Day on which the Trumpet will be blown, and all who are in the heavens and all who are on the earth, will be terrified except him whom Allāh will (exempt). And all shall come to Him, humbled.” Sūrah al-Naml (27): 87.
2 – Who will blow the horn?
With regard to the one who will blow into it, it is well known that he is Isrāfīl. Some of the scholars narrated that there is consensus on this, and it is stated clearly in some Prophetic narrations. See Fath al-Bāri (11/368).
3 – What day will the blowing of the horn be?
It will be on a Friday. The Prophet ﷺ said: “Among the most excellent of your days is Friday; on it Ādam was created, on it he died, on it the last trumpet will be blown…”
Sunan Abī Dāwūd (no. 1047). Classed as Sahīh by Imām An-Nawawī in Majmū’ (5/448).
4 – How many times will the horn be blown?
- 1st View: Two times blown:
The majority of scholars are of the view that the Trumpet will be blown twice: the first time all creatures will swoon and the second time the resurrection will come to pass. Allāh says,
وَنُفِخَ فِي الصُّورِ فَصَعِقَ مَنْ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَنْ فِي الأَرْضِ إِلا مَنْ شَاءَ اللَّه ثُمَّ نُفِخَ فِيهِ أُخْرَى فَإِذَا هُمْ قِيَامٌ يَنْظُرُونَ
“And the Trumpet will be blown, and all who are in the heavens and all who are on the earth will swoon away, except him whom Allāh wills. Then it will be blown a second time, and behold they will be standing, looking on (waiting)” Sūrah Az-Zumar (39): 68.
Who took this view: ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās, Qatādah, Ḥasan Al-Baṣrī, Ibn Kathīr and Al-Qurṭubī.
- 2nd View: Three times blown:
This view is based on the verses – Sūrah Naml: 87 and Sūrah Zumar: 68.
This view means the following:
• After first blowing people will be terrified.
• Second blowing the people will fall dead.
• Third blowing resurrected.
Who took this view: Ibn Taymīyyah, Imām Mālik, Imām Ash-Shawkānī and others.
- 3rd View: Four times Blown:
Imām Ibn Hazm went as far as saying that the number of blows are 4: the blow of death, the blow of resurrection and then the blows of panic and shock. They shock those who have fainted from them and then awaken them from that shock.
This is the view of Imām Ibn Ḥazm.
See Majmū’ Al-Fatāwa (4/260), Fath Al-Bāri (11/369), Tadhkirah (p. 184), Nihaya wal Bidāyah (1/253), al-Qiyaamah al-Kubra (pg. 33-42) by Shaykh ‘Umar al-Ashqar and A’lām As-Sunnah al-Manshūrah (122).
5 – The time between each blowing of the horn?
The Messenger of Allāh ﷺ said: “Between the two blowings of the Trumpet there will be forty….”
Sahīh Bukhārī (no. 4651) and Sahīh Muslim (no. 2955). When the narrator Abū Hurayrah was asked about the forty he refused to say if it was days, weeks, months or years as he was not sure.
6 – First person to hear the horn?
The first person to hear that trumpet will be someone busy in setting right the tank meant for providing water to the camels.
Sahīh Muslim (no. 2940) from ʿAbdullāh bin ʿAmr.
7 – Who are the exempted ones?
وَنُفِخَ فِي الصُّورِ فَصَعِقَ مَنْ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَنْ فِي الأَرْضِ إِلا مَنْ شَاءَ اللَّه
“And the Trumpet will be blown, and all who are in the heavens and all who are on the earth will swoon away, except him whom Allāh wills.” Sūrah al-Zumar (39): 68.
This is the blowing of the horn of death, and everyone in the heavens and earth will die except whom Allāh wills. The scholars differed on who are the ones that Allāh will exempt from perishing after the second blowing of the horn.
The main views are the following:
1st View: Ibn Ḥazm mentions “All Angels since they do not have the physical body or soul.”
2nd View: Muqātil mentions “Jibrīl, Mīkāīl, Isrāfīl, Mālik Al-Mawt and the bearers of the throne”.
3rd View: Imām Ibn Taymīyyah mentions Those who are in Jannah (Ḥūr ul-‘Ayn, servants of Jannah etc) – there is no death in Jannah.
4th View: Imām Qurṭubī mentions “All those who are already dead.”
5th View: Prophets and Shuhada – This was the view of Abū Hurairah, Ibn Abbas and Sa’īd ibn Jubayr.
Shaykhul-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah said that there is no definitive evidence as to what will survive and what will die at the blowing of the Horn.
See Kitāb Ar-Ruh (pp. 50) of Imām Ibn Qayyim, Fath bari (6/370 371) and Majmoū’ Al-Fatāwa (4/261)
8 – After the second blowing of the horn:
The angel Isrā’fīl will be commanded to blow for the second time
ثُمَّ نُفِخَ فِيهِ أُخْرَىٰ فَإِذَا هُمْ قِيَامٌ يَنظُرُونَ
“Then it will be blown again, and at once they will be standing, looking on.” Sūrah Az-Zumar (39): 68.
The people will stand up from their graves for the Lord of the worlds. Their souls will fly into their bodies (at the second blowing).
9 – The souls will come out like locusts?
Souls will be coming out as if they were swarming locusts. They will come out from their graves on that day, and will travel to the place of assembly as if they were spread out locusts, flying to the place of gathering.
فَتَوَلَّ عَنْهُمْ يَوْمَ يَدْعُ الدَّاعِ إِلَی شَيْءٍ نُّكُرٍ (6) خُشَّعًا أبْصَارُهُمْ يَخْرُجُونَ مِنَ الْأجْدَاثِ كَأنَّهُمْ جَرَادٌ مُّنتَشِرٌ
“So leave them, (O Muhammad). The day the caller calls to something forbidding. Their eyes humbled, they will emerge from the graves as if they were locusts spreading.” Sūrah Qamar (54): 6-7.
Compiled by Abū Ismā’īl