THE JOURNEY INTO THE HEREAFTER (PART 6 OF 8): THE UNBELIEVER ON JUDGMENT DAY

Description: Some of the trial the disbeliever will face on Judgment Day.

A great terror will befall the resurrected on the mighty Day of Resurrection:

“…He only delays them until a Day when eyes will stare (in horror).” (Quran 14:42)

The unbeliever is resurrected from his ‘grave’ as described by God:

“The Day they will emerge from the graves rapidly as if they were, toward an erected idol, hastening.  Their eyes humbled, humiliation will cover them.  That is the Day which they had been promised.” (Quran 70:43-44)

The heart will be trembling, confused about what evil retribution lies in store for it:

“And (other) faces, that Day, will have upon them dust.  Blackness will cover them.  Those are the unbelievers, the wicked ones.” (Quran 80:40-42)

“And never think that God is unaware of what the wrongdoers do.  He only delays them (i.e., their account) until a Day when eyes will stare (in horror).  Racing ahead, their heads raised up, their glance does not come back to them, and their hearts are void.” (Quran 14:42)

The disbelievers will be gathered as they were born – naked and uncircumcised – upon a great plain, driven on his faces, blind, deaf, and mute:

“We will gather them on the Day of Resurrection (fallen) on their faces – blind, dumb, and deaf.  Their refuge is Hell; every time it subsides We increase them in blazing fire.” (Quran 17:97)

“And whoever turns away from My remembrance – indeed, he will have a depressing life, and We will gather him on the Day of Resurrection blind.” (Quran 20:124)

Three times they will “meet” God.  The first time they will attempt to defend themselves in futile argument against God Almighty, saying things such as: “The prophets did not come to us!” Even though Allah revealed in His Book:

“…And never would We punish until We sent a messenger.” (Quran 17:15)

“…Lest you say: ‘There came unto us no bringer of glad tidings and no warner….’” (Quran 5:19)

The second time, they will present their excuses while acknowledging their guilt.  Even the devils will try to excuse themselves from their crimes of leading men astray:

“His (man’s) personal demon will say: ‘Our Lord!  I did not push him to transgress.  Rather, he was himself in error, far astray.’” (Quran 50:27)

But God, Most High and Just, will not be fooled.  He will say:

“Dispute not in front of me.  I have already advanced before you the threat.  The sentence that comes from Me cannot be changed.  And I am not unjust (in the least) to the slaves.” (Quran 50:28-29)

The third time the wicked soul will meet its Maker to receive its Book of Deeds[1], a record omitting nothing.

“And the record [of deeds] will be placed [open], and you will see the criminals fearful of that within it, and they will say: ‘Oh, woe to us!  What is this book that leaves nothing small or great except that it has enumerated it?’  And they will find what they did present [before them].  And your Lord does not do injustice to anyone.” (Quran 18:49)

Upon receiving their records, the wicked ones will be rebuked in front of the whole ofmankind.

“And they will be presented before your Lord in rows, (and He will say), ‘You have certainly come to Us, just as We created you the first time.’  But you claimed that We would never have an appointment!” (Quran 18:48)

The Prophet Muhammad said: “These are the ones who did not believe in God!”[2]  And it is these whom God will question regarding the blessings they took for granted.  Each one will be asked: ‘Did you think We would meet?’  And as each one will answer: ‘No!’  God will tell him: ‘I will forget about you as you forgot Me!’[3]  Then, as the disbeliever will attempt to lie his way out, God will seal his mouth, and his body parts instead will testify against him.

“That Day, We will seal over their mouths, and their hands will speak to Us, and their feet will testify about what they used to earn.” (Quran 36:65)

Besides his own sins, the disbeliever will also bear the sins of those he misled.

“And when it is said to them: ‘What has your Lord sent down?’  They say: ‘Legends of the former peoples,’ that they may bear their own burdens (i.e., sins) in full on the Day of Resurrection and some of the burdens of those whom they misguide without knowledge.  Unquestionably, evil is that which they bear.” (Quran 16:24-25)

The psychological pain of deprivation, loneliness and abandonment will all to the physical torture.

“…and God will not speak to them or look at them on the Day of Resurrection, nor will He purify them; and they will have a painful punishment.” (Quran 3:77)

While the Prophet Muhammad will intercede on behalf of all believers, no intercessor will the disbeliever find; he who worshipped false deities besides the One, True God.[4]

“…And the wrongdoers will not have any protector or helper.” (Quran 42:8)

Their saints and spiritual advisors will dissociate themselves, and the disbeliever would wish he could come back to this life and do the same to those who now disown them:

“(And they should consider that) when those who have been followed disassociate themselves from those who followed (them), and they [all] see the punishment, and cut off from them are the ties [of relationship]. Those who followed will say, ‘If only we had another turn [at worldly life] so we could disassociate ourselves from them as they have disassociated themselves from us.’  Thus will God show them their deeds as regrets upon them.  And they are never to emerge from the Fire.” (Quran 2:167)

The sorrow of the sin-ridden soul will be so intense that he will actually pray: ‘O God, have mercy on me and put me in the Fire.’[5]  He will be asked: ‘Do you wish you had a whole earth-full of gold so you could pay it to set yourself free?’  To which he will answer: ‘Yes.’  Whereupon he will be told: ‘You were asked for something much easier than that – worship God alone.’[6]

“And they were not commanded except that they should worship Allah (alone), being sincere to the upright religion (of Islam)….” (Quran 98:5)

“But the disbelievers – their deeds are like a mirage in a lowland which a thirsty one thinks is water until, when he comes to it, he finds it is nothing, but he finds God before Him, Who will pay him in full his due; and God is swift in account.” (Quran 24:39)

“And We shall turn to what deeds they have done, and We shall make them as dust dispersed.” (Quran 25:23)

The disbelieving soul will then be handed in his left hand and from behind his back, his written record which was kept by angels who noted his every deed in his earthly life.

“But as for he who is given his record in his left hand, he will say: ‘Oh, I wish I had not been given my record, and had not known what is my account.’” (Quran 69:25-26)

“But as for he who is given his record behind his back, he will cry out for his destruction.” (Quran 84:10-11)

Finally, he will be made to enter Hell:

“And those who disbelieved will be driven to Hell in groups until, when they reach it, its gates are opened and its keepers will say: ‘Did there not come to you messengers from yourselves, reciting to you the verses of your Lord and warning you of the meeting of this Day of yours?’  They will say: ‘Yes, but the word (i.e., decree) of punishment has come into effect upon the disbelievers.’” (Quran 39:71)

The first to enter Hell will be the pagans, followed by those Jews and Christians who corrupted the true religion of their prophets.[7]  Some will be driven to Hell, others will fall in it, snatched by hooks.[8]  At that point, the disbeliever will wish that he had could have been turned into dust, rather than reap the bitter fruits of his evil works.

“Indeed, We have warned you of a near punishment on the Day when a man will observe what his hands have put forth and the disbeliever will say: ‘Oh, I wish that I were dust!’” (Quran 78:40)