As man is deluged by the numerous and enticing facets of life, which may make him negligent of the Afterlife and his eventual answerability to Allah on the Day of Judgement, the Qur’ān employs shock tactics by way of presenting a graphic, harrowing picture of the Last Day when the present order will be destroyed beyond recognition. Attention is first drawn to the devastating change in the landscape with which man is most familiar since his birth. Massive mountains, which man tends to regard as something permanent and fixed, will disappear altogether on the Last Day, reducing the earth to a plain, level field shorn of any structure such as trees and buildings. The truth is that nothing in the universe, including imposing mountains or the present landscape, is permanent. At Allah’s single command the scenario will change completely.
Man is, no doubt, mortal. Yet his death is not some terminal point, signifying the end of everything. Rather, it marks his entry into the final phase of resurrection and retribution. All this might sound incredible to unbelievers and those given to materialism. Yet it is the truth that all men born and dead since day one until the Last Day will be brought back to life. The entirety of mankind, of all time and place, will stand in ranks before Allah. Among them will be the unbelievers as well, who contemptuously ruled out this eventuality. To their utter bewilderment and dismay, they would be told that notwithstanding their rejection of the Afterlife, they will have to face the final judgement and bear its terrible consequences. This is another truth of abiding value which man must imbibe throughout his life in this world – of his resurrection and of his accountability to Allah. Man should not disregard this even momentarily during his hectic life. For, on the Day of Judgement man will appear before Allah in the state He created him in the first place, dispossessed of all his worldly belongings, particularly his wealth and sons for whom he might have done something unlawful. His deeds alone will matter in the final reckoning. All worldly attainments, no matter how glamorous and coveted these might appear presently, will prove worthless. Man’s good deeds prompted by his belief in Allah will carry weight.
In this context reference is made to man’s record of deeds which is scrupulously maintained by Allah. This record will be adjudged on the Day of Judgement. This will add to the unbelieving sinners’ anguish and distress. For it will contain full details of all their misdeeds. This is another truth which man should bear in mind for all his actions are being recorded and will serve as evidence against him in the final reckoning, the consequences of which will be long lasting. The perception of this important truth can help man shun sin and pursue the way shown by Allah. Worldly pursuits should not make him oblivious of this truth. The mass of first-hand evidence will decide man’s fate on the Day of Judgement. For Allah, being the best of judges, will not treat anyone unfairly. The divine scheme of things is error-free and unbiased.
The most valuable element of this Qur’ānic passage is its elucidation of one of the major articles of faith in Islam – the Afterlife – in simple, easy-to-understand language and with the help of an appealing parable. Furthermore, the passage is remarkable for pressing home the following important points.
Related Qur’ānic passages for self-study
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The Qur’ān
And if you (O mankind) are in doubt about what We have sent down upon Our servant, then produce a sūrah like it and call your witnesses or helpers besides Allah, if you are truthful.
But if you cannot, and certainly you cannot [produce it], then fear the Fire whose fuel is men and stones. Hellfire is prepared for the unbelievers.
(al-Baqarah 2:23-24)
APART from stressing that the Qur’ān is a unique and inimitable Book, this passage defines the important concepts of the Scripture, Revelation and its bearer, Allah’s Messenger. Such clarification was necessary as the Qur’ān