Understanding the Day of Resurrection: A Comprehensive Guide
Hereafter Series: The Day of Resurrection [Al-Ba’th]
Stages of the Resurrection
1 – A new land will be created?
Allāh will create a new land where everyone would be gathered. Allāh says,
يَوْمَ تُبَدَّلُ ٱلْأَرْضُ غَيْرَ ٱلْأَرْضِ وَٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتُ ۖ وَبَرَزُوا۟ لِلَّهِ ٱلْوَٰحِدِ ٱلْقَهَّارِ
“[It will be] on the Day the earth will be replaced by another earth, and the heavens [as well], and all creatures will come out before Allāh, the One, the Prevailing.” Sūrah Ibrāhīm (14): 48.
Sahl ibn Sa’d said: “I heard the Prophet ﷺ say, ‘The people will be gathered on the Day of Resurrection on reddish (‘afra) white land like a pure loaf of bread (made from pure fine flour).'” Sahīh Bukhārī (no. 6521).
‘Afra – Reddish means dull white according Al-Khattābi. Iyādh said: ‘Afra is white which has a hint of red. Ibn Fāris sadi: ‘Afra means pure white. See Fath Al-Bārī (11/372).
2 – A short rainfall will occur and from that the bodies will be formed:
Abū Huraira added, “Then (after this period) Allāh will send water from the sky and then the dead bodies will grow like vegetation grows.” Sahīh Bukhārī (no. 4651) and Sahīh Muslim (no. 2955).
3 – Who is resurrected first?
1) The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ will be resurrected first:
Abū Huraira said: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “I will be the first person to be resurrected and will see Mūsa holding the Throne.” Sahīh Bukhārī (no. 7427)
He will see prophet Mūsa عليه السلام holding onto the throne of Allāh so he will think maybe Mūsa was among those that were exempt after the blowing of the horn. See the narration of Abū Hurairah in Sahīh Bukhārī (no. 2411) and Sahīh Muslim (no. 2278).
2) Prophets and Messengers:
There after all the Prophets and Messengers will be resurrected.
3) Everyone else:
There after all of creation will be resurrected – mankinf, jinn and animals.
4 – Who will be gathered?
Mankind:
The whole of mankind will be resurrected. Allāh says,
إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لَآيَةً لِمَنْ خَافَ عَذَابَ الْآخِرَةِ ذَلِكَ يَوْمٌ مَجْمُوعٌ لَهُ النَّاسُ وَذَلِكَ يَوْمٌ مَشْهُودٌ
“Indeed in that (there) is a sure lesson for those who fear the torment of the Hereafter. That is a Day whereon mankind will be gathered together, and that is a Day when all (the dwellers of the heavens and the earth) will be present” Sūrah Hūd (11): 103.
Jinn:
On the day of resurrection jinn will also be brought to account.
Animals:
Shaykh al-Islām Ibn Taymīyyah said: As for the animals, they will all be gathered by Allāh, as is indicated by the Qur’ān and Sunnah. Allāh says,
وَمَا مِنْ دَابَّةٍ فِي الأَرْضِ وَلا طَائِرٍ يَطِيرُ بِجَنَاحَيْهِ إِلا أُمَمٌ أَمْثَالُكُمْ مَا فَرَّطْنَا فِي الْكِتَابِ مِنْ شَيْءٍ ثُمَّ إِلَى رَبِّهِمْ يُحْشَرُونَ
“There is not a moving (living) creature on earth, nor a bird that flies with its two wings, but are communities like you. We have neglected nothing in the Book, then unto their Lord they (all) shall be gathered” Sūrah Al-An’ām (6): 38.
See Majmoū’ Al-Fatāwa (4/248).
Narrated by Abū Huraira that the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ said: “All rights will be restored on the Day of Resurrection, until even the hornless sheep will settle its score with the one that has horns.” Sahīh Muslim (no. 2582).
The animal thereafter will be turned into dust and this is when the disbelievers will look at them and wish that that was them.
إِنَّآ أَنذَرْنَـٰكُمْ عَذَابًۭا قَرِيبًۭا يَوْمَ يَنظُرُ ٱلْمَرْءُ مَا قَدَّمَتْ يَدَاهُ وَيَقُولُ ٱلْكَافِرُ يَـٰلَيْتَنِى كُنتُ تُرَٰبًۢا
“Indeed, We have warned you of an imminent punishment—the Day every person will see ˹the consequences of˺ what their hands have done, and the disbelievers will cry, “I wish I were dust.” Sūrah An-Naba (78): 40.
Angels:
The angels will be present on the day of resurrection. As for the opinion that they perish after the blowing of the horn then they will be resurrected on that day.
5 – Description of the people on the day of resurrection:
Everyone will be naked, uncircumcised and Barefoot:
Aishah reported: The Messenger of Allāh ﷺ said, “The people will be assembled barefoot, naked, and uncircumcised.” I said, “O Messenger of Allah, will the men and women look at each other?” The Prophet ﷺ said, “The matter will be too serious for them to notice.”
In another narration, the Prophet ﷺ recited the verse,
كَمَا بَدَأْنَا أَوَّلَ خَلْقٍ نُعِيدُهُ وَعْدًا عَلَيْنَا إِنَّا كُنَّا فَاعِلِينَ
“As We began creation, so shall We repeat it, a promise binding upon Us. Surely, We will do it.” Sūrah Anbiyā (21): 104.
Sahīh Bukhari (no. 6075) and Sahīh Muslim (no. 5107)
6 – Who will be clothed first?
The first person will be Prophet Ibrāhīm عليه السلام.
Ibn Abbās reported: The Prophet ﷺ said, “The first to be clothed on the Day of Resurrection will be Ibrāhīm.” Sahīh Bukhari (no. 3171) and Sahīh Muslim (no. 2860)
This is so powerful because he was stripped of his clothes when he was about to be thrown into the fire and so his clothes will be given to him first on the Day of Judgement and he will be honoured.
Following him will be the remaining Prophets and Messengers, straight away.
Following them everyone else will be clothed. They will be clothed in the clothes that they die in.
It was narrated that when Abū Sa’īd Al-Khudri was dying, he called for new clothes and put them on, then he said, “I heard the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ say, ‘The deceased will be resurrected in the clothes in which he died.’”
Sunan Abū Dawūd (no. 3114). Classed as Sahīh by Shaykh Al-Albānī in As-Silsilah As-Sahīhah (no. 1671).
Everyone will be raised naked then when the Prophets, truthful, martyrs etc have been clothed, everyone else will be clothed in the same kind of clothes as those in which they died.
7 – The state of the people:
Everyone in general are resurrected as they had died:
Jābir reported: The Messenger of Allāh ﷺ said, “Every servant will be resurrected upon the way that they died.” Sahīh Muslim (no. 2878).
The martyrs (Shuhadā):
They will be resurrected in the clothes they died in and blood will be gushing out the wounds.
The Prophet ﷺ said: “Every wound that the Muslim receives for the sake of Allāh will appear on the Day of Resurrection as it was at the time when it was inflicted; blood will be flowing from the wound and its color will be that of blood but its smell will be the fragrance of musk.” Sahīh Bukhārī (no. 237).
The Muhrim (The one in the state of Ihrām):
They will be resurrected saying the Talbiyah.
Ibn ‘Abbās who said: “Whilst a man was at ‘Arafah, he fell from his mount and broke his neck (or it broke his neck). The Prophet ﷺ said, ‘Wash him with water and lotus leaves, and shroud him in two garments, but do not apply perfume or cover his head, for he will be raised on the Day of Resurrection reciting the Talbiyah.’” Sahīh Bukhārī (no. 1265).
Some will be resurrected on there faces, dumb, deaf and blind:
Allāh says,
وَمَن يَهْدِ ٱللَّهُ فَهُوَ ٱلْمُهْتَدِ ۖ وَمَن يُضْلِلْ فَلَن تَجِدَ لَهُمْ أَوْلِيَآءَ مِن دُونِهِۦ ۖ وَنَحْشُرُهُمْ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ عَلَىٰ وُجُوهِهِمْ عُمْيًۭا وَبُكْمًۭا وَصُمًّۭا ۖ
“And whoever Allāh guides – he is the [rightly] guided; and whoever He sends astray – you will never find for them protectors besides Him, and We will gather them on the Day of Resurrection (fallen) on their faces – blind, dumb and deaf.” Sūrah Isrā (17): 97.
Compiled by Abū Ismā’īl