The word “qiyāma” is Arabic, which means like to get up, the rise in rebellion, stand up. According to Islamic belief, the Day of Judgment is when worldly life will end, and all people who have died since the beginning of human history will be resurrected.
There are many verses in the Qur’an in which concepts related to the Hereafter (life after death), such as the apocalypse, the place of Judgment (the place of gathering for reckoning), heaven, and hell, are explained. The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said belief in the Hereafter is one of the conditions of belief.[1] The first stage of the Hereafter is the day of Judgment. Horrible Judgments day scenes are described in the Qur’an, and through this, Allah gave a clear warning to His servants.
According to the verses, the day of Judgment takes place in two stages.[2] The first stage begins with the angel named Israfil blowing on the instrument called the wall.[3] The ground shakes, and people become almost drunk.[4] The sky becomes like melted metal, the mountains are like discarded wool, and no one can even ask about their friend’s condition.[5] The sky will split, the stars will fall, the seas will gush out, and the graves will be turned upside down. [6] Eyes will be dazzled by terror, the moon will be eclipsed, the sun and moon will darken, and people will not be able to find a place to take shelter by escaping.[7] The camels that will give birth will be left unattended, the wild animals will be gathered together, the seas will be boiled, and people will be resurrected in their own bodies with their good and bad deeds in this life world.
The second stage of the Day of Judgment is also described in verses. When the Trumpet is blown for the second time, all people will rise again and be resurrected.[10] While the people who came out of their graves and spread out rushed to the caller, the unbelievers said, “This is a tough day.” they expressed their fears by saying.[11] Everyone will deal with their own problems on that day, and no one will be able to think of their parents, spouse, and children. The faces of believing servants will be bright and happy, while those of unbelievers will be black.[12] All people will be called together with the leaders they follow[13], the prophets will gather to witness their ummah [14], the sky will be divided into white clouds, and the angels will descend in groups.[15] The verses revealed the horrors of that day in detail.In Islamic sources, it is mentioned that after these stages, being taken into account and starting a new life in an endless realm with reward or punishment as a result.[16] There are also verses and hadiths stating that there will be some heralded events before the Day of Judgment and that sure signs will be seen when the time approaches.[17] However, when the Day of Judgment takes place is known only by Allah. [18]
The fact that the Day of Judgment time cannot be known is similar to the fact that one cannot know the time of his own death. These unknowns enable people to live with a balance of fear and hope at all times and to arrange their life accordingly.
[1] Bukhari, Iman 1; Muslim, Iman 1
[2] Az-Zumar/68
[3] An-Naml/87
[4] Al-Hajj/1-2
[5] Al-Ma’aarij/8-10
[6] Al-Infitaar/1-5
[7] Al-Qiyaama/6-12
[8] According to the common practice in pre-Islamic Arab communities, it is stated in the verses that girls considered second class was killed by being buried alive. (Az-Zukhruf/17, At-Takwir/8-9, An’aam/137)
[9] At-Takwir/1-13
[10] Az-Zumar/68
[11] Al- Qamar/7-8
[12] Abasa/33-42
[13] Al-Israa/71
[14] Al-Mursalaat/11
[15] Al-Furqaan/25
[16] An-Nisaa/57, Al-Maaida/119
[17] Muhammad/18, Bukhari, İlim(Science), 21, Bukhari, Al-Fitan, 25
[18] Al-A’raaf/187