The Events of That Day

As the Qur'an reveals, the Day of Judgment is "the Day mankind will stand before the Lord of all the worlds" (Surat al-Mutaffifin, 6). It is a fierce day of events never seen before, a day during which the universe and all of its contents will be destroyed. On that Day, everyone will witness and understand Allah's power. The unbelievers will suffer great fear, terror, and suffering, and all of their hidden remorse, fear, and debasement will be experienced.

The Qur'an presents several allegories of this event. This chapter provides a general description of this Day's events and explores their meanings. Allah knows best, and only His knowledge is infinite. We, on the other hand, can understand and relate only what He has revealed and taught.

Everything related in this chapter comes from the Qur'an, and therefore is beyond doubt. These incidents might happen differently than we expect. We only know the following facts for certain: His promised events will take place, people on the Day of Judgment will come face to face with a spectacular scene unlike anything seen before, and that the universe and all of its contents will be completely destroyed. People will not have the opportunity to learn the reason for this, to escape and save themselves, or to strive for a solution. Everyone will realize that Allah and the Hereafter exist.

The Sound of the Trumpet

The Day Begins When the Trumpet Is Blown

The sounding of the trumpet proclaims that the Day of Judgment, promised by Allah, has finally come, that this world has ended, and that the Hereafter has begun. Everyone has been informed of this great Day and what it holds, and has been warned that they would be brought to account. Now, they are face to face with this promised reality. This unexpected sound, which is unlike anything ever heard before, will cause people to realize that their time is up, for it indicates the beginning of infinite fear, terror, and hopelessness for the unbelievers—a very hard Day for them indeed. Allah reveals the following in the Qur'an:

Those who are fooled by the world order's temporary attractions and attach themselves tightly to such things are blind to the reality of Allah's existence and unity. They are supposedly happy and content with this illusion, and live without any consideration for Allah, the Creator of all or for his creation and its progress toward its end. In reality, since Allah created this order, He will cause this spectacular system to cease to be, by giving a single command, in a mind-blowing fashion. Those who do not think that they will meet such a day will awake from their slumber immediately when the trumpet sounds. However, their new state will provide no benefit to them, for by this time it will be far too late to do anything for Allah and the Hereafter.

But why is it too late? Allah informs us that the reason behind this is that such people wasted their lives and ignored the trial and also the reality of the Hereafter with a grave ignorance. Such an attitude engenders a severe punishment, for its source is the individual's satisfaction with this limited world and ignoring the possibility of a past and future. People holding this attitude crave this life's temporary pleasures and disregard creation's purpose, and so spend their lives without wondering why they live, why they were created, what the Creator expects of them, and why they will die. They know about death, but are also aware that its reality raises questions that beg for answers. Therefore, they turn away and try to distance themselves from these thoughts as much as possible. In reality, however, the sole purpose for each person's creation and short life on Earth is to serve Allah. People who are aware of death's proximity, the shortness of this life, and that whatever happens to them is part of their trial, are also aware that they will meet with what Allah reveals to them in the Qur'an. Therefore, they understand that their sole purpose for being alive is to live for Allah. Realizing this while alive is a great benefit, for it causes people to distance themselves from the deceptive world and turn to their real home: the Hereafter.

The greatest desire of those who chase after pleasure and lust is that this order will go on forever. But even that sometimes does not make them content, for life always contains problems and difficulties. Moreover, satan has countless tactics to keep them from believing in the infinite sufferings of the Hereafter and has them prefer this life of hardship and sadness over faith. But when such people hear the trumpet sound, maybe while driving to work or while getting ready for bed, they will realize that all of their postponed ambitions and expectations are for naught, and thus will fall into a state of utmost despair. The deviant order that they had hoped would go on forever has ended, as have their own lives. Everything that they refused to believe in, despite knowing about them, now has caught up with them. Those people who lived in the shadow of false powers that were "protecting them" now have nowhere to seek refuge, because all people except the believers are in the same hopeless situation. They have surrendered to the inevitable, and all people whoever lived are now assembled together in Allah's Presence:

For the unbelievers, this event means "meeting the very thing from which he or she ran away," as well as "the end of the last opportunity to correct one's errors." The fear of that moment is indescribable, for such panic and terror has never been heard of or seen before. It might have been possible to make good mistakes or they might have been forgotten over time, but the trumpet's sound proclaims that no more time is left. On that Day, this sound will bring great fear to the unbelievers, and everybody will surrender to this reality. Allah reveals that:

All people are aware of this Day, for Allah has warned people with His messengers and verses about a "day of no return." In addition, He has reminded them to turn to Him and has told them that those who refuse to do so will not be helped after death. The Qur'an reveals the regret experienced by those who met with punishment at a moment they did not expect, and the reality that they will not be helped, in the following way:

This life of temporary pleasure comes to an end when the trumpet sounds. All people have come face to face with what was promised. The fear and terror that they experience when confronted with such events is beyond words. All people are following the same call and realize that they have met with a reality from which they cannot escape.

Earth

Earth will Be Shaken by Quakes

On the Day of Judgment, an ear-shattering sound will follow the sounding of the trumpet, and an unequalled tremor will rock Earth. Massive mountains, trees, skyscrapers, buildings—in fact every place on Earth—will begin to rock at the same time. People will panic and be gripped by great fear. The most fear-inspiring aspect is that no one can escape it or find any sort of refuge, for this tremor is not like the ones with which we are familiar; rather, this tremor will continue until Earth has been flattened. (Allah knows the truth) Allah describes these tremors, as follows:

Try to imagine how much the tremors known to us affect those who experience them. These tremors lasted only for seconds, but the results were nevertheless devastating. Hundred of thousands died in or under collapsed buildings, and survivors were left destitute. Homes, property, earnings, and savings were destroyed in no time. These calamities were seen by everyone and, in those seconds, no person or force could resist them. The tremors of the Day of Judgment will have no equals in terms of severity, consequence, and the size of area affected. When they are over, there will be no ruins or life left on this planet.

No matter how severe the tremor, people who are prepared for such an event often find a means to survive. However, upon hearing the trumpet sound, even they will realize that this is no ordinary tremor and that there is no possibility of escape.

In the Qur'an Allah warns man of this event and of the tremors, as follows:

At that moment, nothing on Earth will have any meaning. Everything that led people astray (e.g., luxurious cars, gigantic skyscrapers, 5-star hotels, ambitiously accumulated life savings, houses, decorations, palaces, bridges, all of the most famous buildings, the Pyramids that have survived all natural disasters so far, historic castles, and whole cities) all will crumble like sand castles on the beach. The workplaces people pin their hopes upon, luxurious places, in short all material wealth that people feel proud to possess will be destroyed in an instant. The fame, honor, prestige, and power people attained will become meaningless and unimportant instantaneously, for:

When the entire planet gives way, those who found all kinds of excuses to deny Allah and who did not engage in any acts of worship, despite knowing what was required, finally will realize that there is refuge only in Allah. However, it now is too late for them to make amends, and their remorse is of no use either.

After fear, the next most-felt emotion on that Day will be incapacity. Humanity, who took precautions against every possible calamity and deadly disaster (e.g., severe earthquakes, fierce hurricanes, and even nuclear war), will be unable to hide from or survive this event. His devilish intelligence which caused him to see denial supposedly reasonable and which he assumed to be indispensible and people whom he believed to have power, will not be able to come up with a solution for this tremor and there will be no way out for them.

Earth Disgorges Its Charges

Earth's core, beginning at a depth of 5,000-6,000 kms (3,000-3,700 miles) from the surface, consists of highly pressurized magma that has an estimated temperature of 4,500oC (9,000oF).1 The lava flows from volcanic eruptions come from areas close to the core. Throughout history, volcanic eruptions have caused terror, brought death to many people, and, in some cases, buried whole cities. Lava emerges from cracks in Earth's crust and, the higher the pressure, the higher it spurts into the sky. The main factor in this process is the presence of various gases that separate from the liquid substance on the way to the surface, for they form a layer above the magma and increase the pressure. The higher the proportion of gases, the greater the force of the resulting explosions. The boiling lava turns the area's surface into a quasi Hell. Such localized eruptions affect only a limited area. Researchers can anticipate such calamities and ensure that the necessary precautions are taken.

Allah says in the Qur'an that "Earth will disgorge its charges," indicating that, in addition to the many other things underground, the magma will spill over. The rocking tremors that are cracking the planet's crust on a global level, will prepare the ground for such a disaster. On the Day of Judgment, devastating earthquakes will turn Earth upside down, and people trying to escape the debris falling on them will get caught in the lava spilling out of Earth's cracked surface. Once again, they will realize that there is no escape from death. Disaster will follow disaster, and people will get caught in one or the other. (Allah knows the truth.)

Earth bows to Allah's will, for:

The Final Day has arrived, humanity's time is up, and everything has ended. No living thing can escape this day, for when it finally ends, there will be nothing left: no seed, plant, microorganism—not even Earth itself.

Magma is not the only load that will be emptied out on that Day. Magma conducts heat and chemical reactions to the outer layer (the mantle) and between the mantle and the crust. Therefore, it probably will carry intense heat and many other subterranean substances to the surface, thereby increasing the surface temperature to previously unknown levels. Such events will cause Earth to spew forth all of its contents: minerals, coal, crude oil, fossils, corpses, ruins, and so on. Earth will be turned upside down, for:

Ground water will emerge from the cracks and, due to its highly pressurized nature, will cause damage in the vicinity and flood the entire planet.

Volcanic eruptions will send pollutants into the higher atmosphere. History shows us that following such eruptions, dust and ash rain down on the affected area and sometimes even bury it. Allah says that "the mountains become scattered dust in the air" (Surat al-Waqi'a, 6). Based on this, it is highly probable that such explosions and eruptions will happen everywhere on Earth on the Day of Judgment.

People will be met by a devastating punishment. The dust and smoke clouds blanketing every place, as well as the gases spreading out all at once, will suffocate people and cause great suffering. All of these events will make the unbelievers realize the scale of the eternal suffering awaiting them in Hell. Allah ends the life of this world with such a shocking spectacle, and for the unbelievers He has prepared an unspeakable spiritual and physical suffering. In the face of such overpowering events, a devastating fear of death will cover the planet, and nothing but fear and remorse will be left.

The Mountains

Mountains will Be Uprooted and Scattered as Dust

As we know, mountains act as quasi shock absorbers. In the Qur'an Allah says:

The most severe earthquake ever recorded measured 9.5 on the Richter Scale.2 Such an earthquake devastates the surrounding area in a matter of seconds. The tremors of the Day of Judgment, unless Allah decrees otherwise, will be of a force never seen before. Even the mountains, which usually reduce the effects, will be unable to withstand it. The most solid buildings and rock-solid mountains will be shaken up and begin to slide, as follows:

A great part of our planet is covered by mountains. Without a doubt, seeing all of them shaken from their places, pushed across Earth's face, and smashed up against one another, thereby flattening the whole planet, will be one of the most shocking scenes ever seen. Even envisaging such a moment is scary.

Imagine that the Himalayas, the Alps, and the Taurus mountains, which people consider unshakable and climbers struggle to ascend, all of a sudden were rocked and began to collapse and flatten themselves, as well as the surrounding towns.

Building roadways through mountainous areas requires great technological means, machines, and tools. But even then, they are often used to no avail. Using dynamite to make a path is of little use, because it has only a local effect, or sometimes no effect at all. For this reason, many mountainous areas cannot be reached. On the Day of Judgment, all mountains will be pulverized. This is a very effective example of the destruction that will be wrought on that Day. Simultaneously, all mountains will be reduced to dust and spectacular buildings will collapse—a truly awe-inspiring situation. These events help us understand Allah's infinite power. In the Qur'an Allah says that:

In the Qur'an Allah also states that Earth will be devoid of hills and craters, for the destruction of the mountains will cause the planet's surface to become level, as follows:

The uneven ground we see today will becomeflat on that Day, for all people will be assembled on an endless plain:

Mountains will Be Scattered like Colored Fluffs of Wool

On that Day, the mountains, together with all of the plants, flowers, vegetation, minerals, and differently colored soils will be scattered around together. The mountains, having become dust and smoke, will be dispersed. This color scheme is described in the verses:

On that Day, the Subduer's command will have everything under its control, living or nonliving. A great fear will dominate every scene. People who panic at the slightest tremor, and who, fearing for their lives, cannot return to their homes for hours afterwards, will be in an unbearable situation when they see the mountains shaken from their places, the ground spitting out everything that it had concealed, graves being turned inside out, disaster chasing disaster, and all people being gathered together. There will be no one left to trust, and no safe refuge. The event's terror will pass far beyond their limits of endurance. There will be nothing that they can do, no starting over, and no place left to go. The new beginning is in the Hereafter, which is endless and full of suffering and remorse for those who did not seek Allah's good pleasure while they were alive. All of their worldly pleasures, ambitions, and life are finished. The terror they encounter will reflect Allah's infinite power.

In truth, Allah's Messengers and the believers have informed them of these facts. But this devastating Day seemed far off, and so they relied on temporary possessions and themselves. Allah reveals that the unbelievers have been warned, as follows:

Now they are all alone amidst the danger. Everybody fears for their own lives, and no one cares for anyone else. No one can escape, for Allah's promised day has arrived. Fleeing one's house will be of no use, for everything is being destroyed, and the ground and mountains are shifting all at once. There is no refuge, no protector, and no preventive action. In the Qur'an Allah describes the mountains' destruction on the Day of Judgment, as follows:

The Oceans

We should remind ourselves of an important matter when describing all of these scenes, which are based upon Qur'anic verses: All of these events will take place according to Allah's will, for He has promised that they will occur. Allah Who had created everything that exists, doubtlessly has the Power to destroy and level everything. As Allah had informed us in the verses of the Qur'an, on the Day of Judgment everything will be destroyed with a chain of disasters. This is the promise of Allah. In the Qur'an Allah commands as follows: :

People who were proud of themselves will be worth nothing. Man, who foolishly considered himself great and powerful before Allah, who denied Him out of self-conceit, will be forlorn and weak amid these events. Everything that people considered greater than themselves will surrender on this Day, as decreed by Allah. Mountains, oceans, the whole universe—all will lose their rock-solid appearance and bow to Allah's will. Everything will be finished by Allah's command "Be!," for they have obeyed Allah's order and fulfilled their roles as His submissive servants. When the mountains are destroyed and scattered like colored wool, and when the ground gives up its contents, Allah's infinite greatness will be reflected. As Allah reveals in the Qur'an, the oceans will be ablaze and boil over on that Day.

The Inferno of the Oceans

It is almost impossible to imagine the oceans, which cover three-fourths of Earth's surface, coming to a furious boil all at once. Even when forcing the limits of their minds, people can have only a vague idea of just how terrifying that event will be. So far, our personal experience probably consists of images of erupting volcanoes or burning crude oil tankers seen on television or in photographs. However, the descriptions given in the verses are beyond comparison. Only our knowledge of Allah's infinite greatness, power, and might can give an idea about the scale of these expected calamities, for He can alter or overturn the universe's order.

Along with everything else being spewed out of the ground, hot lava, having an estimated temperature of 4,500oC (9,000oF) will spill over wherever it can, including into the oceans. Those who have seen lava emerging from the bottom of the ocean in documentaries have witnessed this really amazing scene. The scenes on the Day of Judgment, however, will be very different, for they will be all-encompassing and far more terrifying. The oceans will burn, and an inescapable wall of fire will engulf people. On that Day, all oceans will be set alight.

As Allah says in the Qur'an:

As a result of this, all aquatic life, as well as all terrestrial life, on Earth will cease. The oceans, usually soothing and cooling, suddenly will spread an incredible heat. Instead of huge waves, there will be waves of fire, and oxygen will be replaced by smoke. The scene of oceans burning ferociously, boiling over and spewing forth their contents, will dominate a great part of the world and bring vast devastation.

The Oceans will Spill Their Contents

In addition to all of the above, the oceans will also rise, as mentioned in the following verse:

By Allah's will, calamities also will come from the oceans. As Allah is the All-Mighty and the Creator of Earth and all of its contents, all He has to do is utter the command "Be!," and whatever He wills occurs. The probable circumstances (only Allah knows the exact ones) leading up to these events serve to remind us of, and to be awed by, Allah as we draw closer to Him.

Some of the probable events have to do with the rising of the oceans. As we know, earthquakes on the ocean floor cause tidal waves on the surface. The resulting tremors can send waves racing toward the shore at speeds of up to 750 kms (466 miles) per hour. Waves that start out as less than a meter (3 feet) high in the open sea can be 60 meters (200 feet) high by the time they reach the shore. A 25-35 meters (80 to 100 feet) high tidal wave created by a strong earthquake in Japan in 1896 swept over the town of Honshu, killing 25,000 people.

Volcanic eruptions are another cause of tidal waves. The tidal wave created by the eruption of the volcano on Krakatoa in 1883 caused Krakatoa Island, located between Java and Sumatra, to submerge suddenly and unleash a tidal wave that hit one of the most densely populated stretches of Java's coastline. The wave, which destroyed 165 villages and killed 36,000 people, was more than 35 meters (110 feet) high when it reached the shore. Such events demonstrate that underwater earthquakes or volcanic eruptions can have a localized effect and cause flooding and widespread death further afield. On the Day of Judgment, every place on Earth, whether underground or underwater, will be shaken. The violent tremors on the ocean floor will arouse the oceans and cause tidal waves and flooding on a global scale, something that we can hardly imagine.

The oceans will rise for other reasons as well. Their calm nature depends on the laws of nature. On that Day, however, these laws will be overturned, just like all the other laws upon which the delicate balances of the heavens, Earth, and people rest. The pillars of this perfect equilibrium, all of which were created by Allah's will, will be destroyed at once again by His will. Also, it is quite probable that the underground heat will increase the atmospheric temperature, thus melting the ice at both poles and raising the water levels.

We also know that landslides and the sliding rocks, by filling a bay, lake or a dam and can cause unusually high regional waves. On the Day of Judgment, not one mountain will be left standing, and Earth's surface will be leveled. Rocks rolling down the mountains will fill the ocean beds and cause floods.

Once Allah's appointed time has come, such fear-inspiring events will unfold one after another: a deafening blast; the pulverizing of mountains; lava erupting from under people's feet; dust, gas, and smoke clouds suffocating Earth's surface; and scolding hot water overflowing onto people… a sudden remorse befalling those who did not contemplate Allah's existence or His might while alive… an overwhelming torment that subdues everyone indiscriminately, that exposes people's helplessness, the worthlessness of all that they valued while alive… The people's fear and the terror will be indescribable. They will be running from place to place, hunting for cover and salvation, knowing that there is no escape.

The Skies

The Day of Judgment's terror and destruction is not limited just to the events taking place on Earth. On that Day, all beings as well as all that we consider to be habitual and familiar and take for granted will be destroyed. It is also the universe's final day, the scale of which has defied human comprehension throughout history, along with the incredibly huge stars that we only began to understand in the last century. The sky, the Moon and the Sun, stars and planets, will all be destroyed, in accordance with what Allah has revealed:

For those who can sense just how extraordinary everything is and wish to perceive Allah's existence, many signs, in the form of objects and events that He has created since time began, lead them to faith in Him. Allah created the stars, planets, and all other objects in the infinite universe by a single command and sustains all of them in perfect equilibrium. The events of the Final Day will reflect the Creator's greatness, for Allah has prepared a unique and spectacular end for the heavens, just as he has for everything in existence.

The sky has always been like a ceiling to people, certain to exist and persist; a glorious ceiling raised and sustained without pillars by Allah: a fabulous screen between the vast universe and them.

This ceiling has protected our world and its inhabitants from countless dangers (e.g., ultraviolet radiation, meteorites, and the freezing temperatures of space) without fail for ages, and remains an absolute necessity for the continuation of life. The light coming through the darkness of space is distributed on Earth as it is because of the atmosphere's qualities, and warms and lights the planet. And, the delicate balance of the atmosphere's oxygen content enables humanity to breathe and live. However, on that Day the sky will no longer fulfill its functions, for it will have reached its end. The Qur'an reveals these events, as follows:

Air, so essential for life, also will lose its function, for the laws that apply on that Day will be different from the usual laws. The atmosphere, so delicately sustained in a stable equilibrium by the laws of physics, will just melt and flow away. The end of the heavens is described, as follows:

The atmosphere will melt and be ignited, and people will see the usual blue sky as flame-red, split apart, molten, and just like oil:

The Day of Judgment is a day of great remorse for those who did not acknowledge Allah's greatness and power and turned away from Him knowingly. This regret will be eternal, for there will be no more time for reflection, learning, or redemption. Every person will have to realize that Allah, Who has infinite power and might, is the only friend, helper, and protector. No person will be able to deny or persist in denying Allah and the Day of Judgment at such a time, as Allah reveals:

On that Day, all of the familiar rules will disappear. The heavens and Earth, which responded to Allah's command of "come willingly or unwillingly" with "we come willingly" upon their creation, will again submit to their true Owner and Creator: Allah. Allah reveals His call to the heavens and Earth:

One of the materialists' most prominent unscientific claims is that matter formed by itself. In addition, all of the beauty they behold in their environment is mindlessly ascribed to the imaginary power of the nature. The remaining details or how this intelligent design could issue from a lifeless nature, when nature itself did not even exist, are ignored. According this irrational claim, nature created everything. In other words, the awesome wonder of harmony and balance is inherent in the soil, stones, air, and water. But on the Day of Judgment, people will see what happens to the mountains, rocks, and soil, and finally will realize that nature in itself has no power, for although thought to be the source from which everything living or nonliving issued, it will be unable to save itself. Allah will demonstrate that everything exists only by His Will and Power and depends upon His protection and sustenance. Many will remember at that very moment, and thus feel great regret, the truths that they ignored even though their own consciences acknowledged them. Allah reveals the events of the Day of Judgment, as follows:

The Stars, The Sun, and The Moon

Contrary to space's cold darkness, Earth has an atmosphere that accommodates the Sun's light and an average temperature that supports life. In other words, the atmosphere, our planet's protective ceiling, has light and heat diffusing properties that allow the rays of sunlight to reach, heat, and light our world. Like everything else that exists, on the Day of Judgment the heavens will split apart and lose their functions, melt, and flow. In the Qur'an, the phrase "When the Sun is compacted in blackness" (Surat at-Takwir, 1) refers to this Day. From this expression, we understand that the Sun's light will no longer benefit the world.

On the Day of Judgment, the Sun and the Moon, Earth's two sources of light, will be darkened one after the other. The disappearance of the atmosphere is not the only reason why there will be no light on Earth on that Day; rather, the Qur'an reveals that not only will the heavens, Earth and everything in between be destroyed, but that it is the final day for the entire universe. As the first few verses of Surat at-Taghabun say, Allah is the One Who creates everything complete and perfect, and He has the power to bring about anything He wills when He wills. He created the universe, which contains billions of stars in each of the billions of galaxies, and He will destroy it again just by uttering the command "Be!" when He wills.

It is quite impossible for the human mind to truly grasp the vastness of the universe. However, we can try to estimate its scale. The Sun is one of the predicted 200-250 billion stars in our Milky Way galaxy. Considered one of the smaller stars, even though it is 333,000 times as massive as our own Earth, it is located 28,000 light years away from the center of the Milky Way, which itself is 100,000 light years across (one light year is equal to 9,460,800,000,000 kms or 5,879,000,000,000 miles.) Earth rotates around its axis at a speed of 1,670 kms (1,040 miles) per hour, and weighs 6,000 quintillions of metric tons (6 x 1021). The Sun moves around the center of the galaxy at a speed of 792,000 kms (492,000 miles) per hour, and the Milky Way spins through space at around 2.1 million kms (1.3 million miles) per hour. But on the Day of Judgment, this awesome universe will be destroyed, and stars of indescribable proportions will be extinguished.

Every spot in the universe is another sign of Allah's existence, greatness, and power. They have existed until now only by His will and permission, and for the duration that He wills for them. Certainly Allah, Who creates and sustains this balance, can destroy it whenever He wills. The universe's death will occur only when and where He wills. Everything that awed people with its greatness will be destroyed, for all planets and stars, the Sun and the Moon, will leave their orbits. Stars will fall, and all that exists will die out one by one as in "When the stars are strewn about." (Surat al-Infitar, 2)

The Sun is a star that diffuses energy incessantly. Many other stars are far larger and hold much more energy. But on the Day of Judgment, all of them will lose their power, fade, and fall, as Allah relates in the Qur'an:

The Sun, which has been this planet's source of life and energy forever, will darken, as will the stars that have decorated the heavens. And people will once again realize that Allah, their true owner, maintained their orbits and made them shine until that Day, for they existed only by His will.

Moreover, He will not help the unbelievers, and no other power will be able to do so. Even if technological advances enables travel to the far corners of the universe, people will not be able to avoid Allah's punishment, because the Day of Judgment will envelope the whole universe and everything, bowing to His will, will be destroyed. The Qur'an describes humanity's helplessness on that Day, as follows:

And the Moon is eclipsed, and the Sun and the Moon are fused together. On that Day man will say: "To where can I run?" No indeed! There will be no safe place. That Day, the only resting place will be your Lord. That Day man will be told what he did and failed to do. (Surat al-Qiyama, 8-13)

People on the Day of Judgment

All of the events related so far begin with hearing a previously unrecognized sound at an unexpected time. All people who had thought until that moment that everything would remain unchanged and undamaged will be proven wrong.

Everything that takes place just before the trumpet sounds is no different from the day before. Earth is revolving at the same pace, the Sun is illuminating our planet, life goes on, and many people continue to live according to their habitual routines without wondering why and by whom they were created and what end they will meet. People will be thinking about the meal to be served that night, focusing on an upcoming business meeting, shopping, or sleeping, and many will be denying Allah's existence when they hear this sound. Everything will begin and end in one instant.

Their bodies, which people think of as strong and brag about, will be unexpectedly gripped by death from all sides. Their only concern will be for survival. Out of sheer terror, people will cease to care about the things that they so valued, craved, and took risks for while alive.

All of this fear, terror, and shock results from many people living in ignorance. The Day's unbearable hardship will never cease to pursue the unbelievers. Each unfolding event will increase their panic and terror, and each passing moment will bring fresh suffering and peril. The awesome events they encounter will demonstrate Allah's majesty, Whom they had denied until then. Humanity, who will be utterly weak and helpless in the face of this power, will be able to do nothing but feel remorse, helplessness, and fear. As the seconds pass, their realization of the frightening punishment that Allah has prepared for them in the Hereafter will only increase. During these frightening minutes, they will encounter only a fraction of the suffering awaiting them. The Qur'an recounts this fear in some detail.

People's Fear

Allah tells people that although they passionately cling to the worldly life, their passion will not benefit them in the Hereafter. All of the things that they value, hold dear, and take risks for will bring nothing but loss if they were not done to win Allah's good pleasure. Every worldly attraction has been created as a test for humanity. The true life is in the Hereafter as Allah reveals in the Qur'an:

Some people desperately desire the worldly attractions mentioned in the verses, and can spend their entire lives pursuing them. In the Qur'an Allah says the following about the worldly life:

For some who lives far removed from the morality of the Qur'an, one of life's biggest ambitions is to show off one's wealth, sons and daughters, and other valuables. One of the most highly prized possessions is children. This is true for all societies and is indicated in the Qur'an. The desire to have children is learned at a young age. Children are simultaneously a cause for unnecessary competition between people as well as a source of reassurance for their future. The desire to have children is of course a nice and natural desire. However when sincere Muslims have children, in the knowledge that it is Allah Who gave them these children, they raise them in the way they hope that would gain the approval of Allah in the highest level and do not have any expectations from them other than the approval of Allah. For the ones who are deceived and fooled by the life of this world, the love they feel towards their children aims either their own interests or their showing off to the society.

Another ambition is the craving for property and wealth. As we know, people's aims, plans and efforts center around these ambitions. The craving for money and wealth clouds some people's vision, moral values lose their importance, and materialism becomes the defining factor for their character. The Qur'an's morality, together with its commands and prohibitions, lose their precedence in the lives of the mentioned people; amassing wealth almost becomes a goal itself, and personal gain becomes preeminent in relationships.

On the Day of Judgment, however, everything will be reversed. People will forget all about what they used to value, for now they will realize that the objects of their desires have no more meaning. Their values will alter in moments, for wealth and children will have no value and parental emotions will lose their meaning for such people. In the face of this Day's terror, they will forget their most loved people: their children. No one will remember his or her children, much less inquiring about their well-being. In every way, this will be a very hard Day for the unbelievers.

Families will desert infants, and people will be confused as to what to do. The fear will strike so suddenly and forcefully that pregnant women will miscarry and mothers will forget about their breast-feeding children:

All people who rejected the appeals to believe and so became oblivious to their only true Friend and Creator, Allah, will want to avoid one another. They will be so preoccupied with themselves, that friendship, lineage, and family bonds will cease to exist:

People will Act as if Drunk

People will lose all their calmness, self-control, and, self-confidence. When the Day of Judgment is met, everything loses its value, and facial expressions, behavior, and speech all change.

We witness people's fear and terror in the face of death in films. Their responses are enough to explain their state of mind. In most scenarios, people have a hope, no matter how slim, of escaping. Even those who realize that death has come do not know what is awaiting them, or they simply believe that they will become nothingness. However, this Day's events will leave no doubt in people's mind that escape is impossible, even before death comes to them. The unbelievers will find themselves confronted with a Day that they did not expect to meet, despite being warned of it, a Day on which the existence of a Creator and a Sustainer of the universe will become clear for everyone to see, but also on which everything will be destroyed in submission to His will.

They never reflected on what comes after death, because they did not believe in Allah's or the Hereafter's existence, but they will come to realize clearly Allah's existence and power. They also will realize that there is no hope for salvation and that their new life is eternal. Their eternal suffering and sorrow will be incomparably worse than that Day's events, and Allah says in the Qur'an that the unbelievers will prefer death over such a life:

People's panic, terror and astonishment will make them appear drunk, for:

The physical and behavioral changes in people experiencing extreme fear are very similar to those of drunken people. In such instances, dizziness, hysteria, and impeded sight are common.

As we see from what has been revealed so far, people will experience great panic on that hard day. Allah compares this chilling fear and the resulting behavior to drunkenness, for people will display uncontrolled behavior and run from place to place as if drunk. Allah makes a comparison in the Qur'an:

The Terror in Their Eyes

The eyes are the first organs to reveal people's fear. The eyes of people who witness the fearful events of that Day will spring from their sockets in terror. The phrase "the eyes of those who did not believe will be transfixed" describes the scale of their fear. Instantly, the pupils widen, the whites of the eyes are exposed, and they freeze. All the unbelievers will taste this fear, and nothing can prevent what is coming in the face of hair-raising events. The only thing they feel will be terror.

Children

This fear will even grip small children. Children who do not understand this Day's true nature and that this is the first day of eternal damnation for unbelievers will have a different kind of fear. People will be full of remorse for their wrongdoings during their temporary worldly lives; but children, who lack the capacity to comprehend what is happening, will have their hair turned gray. Such a physical change is an important illustration of that Day's severity. People have seen many calamities, and they have instilled a deep fear into their hearts and affected them severely. But none of these, when compared to this Day's events, will be shocking enough to turn the children's hair gray.

Animals

Try to imagine wild animals, leopards, lions, wolves, jackals, bears… These animals will cease to fight with one another and come together due to these events. It is clearly an awe-inspiring sight to see thousands of wild animals like this. Allah reveals in many verses that major changes will affect Earth and humanity on the Day of Judgment. Likewise, wild animals will be completely affected, as Allah relates in the Qur'an: