THOSE WHO HARASSED THEIR NEIGHBOURS, THE
OPPRESSIVE RULERS AND THE PROUD
"Those who will arrive with their hands and feet cut off will be those who had harassed their neighbours. Those who will come blind were oppressive rulers who did not do justice. Who were proud and self-centred will come dumb and deaf. Those who were putting innocent people to trouble by reporting falsely against them before rulers will be clinging to branches of fire. Foul smell will emanate from those who were gratifying their passions by resorting to unlawful sexual pleasures and also those who did not pay poor tax (Zakat or purifying deductions). Those who were making a show of their pomp by wearing clothes of pride will be, on that Day, wearing shirts of fire."
It is mentioned in another tradition that there will also be some people with rods of fire in their eyes. They will be those who were casting their lustful eyes starring at prohibited men and women.
OFFENDERS WILL BE RECOGNISED BY THEIR FACES
IN THE GRAND GATHERING
Muhaddith Faiz quotes in his book Ainul Yaqeen, "When a drunkard will arrive in the Grand Gathering (Mahshar), a bottle of wine will be dangling from his neck and a cup of wine will be stuck to his hand. His body will be spreading obnoxious and foul smell, which will be worse than any dead body's smell. All in the gathering will understand that this fellow was a drunkard in his worldly life. Everyone passing by him will curse him."
The singers and musicians will have their music instruments in their hands, which will be hitting their heads. On that Day everyone will be recognized by his condition as to what he was in the world.
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The guilty shall be recognized by their marks, so they shall be seized by the forelocks and the feet. (55:41)
HOW WILL THEY WALK WITH THEIR DISFIGURED FACES?
In the aforesaid book it is also mentioned that some people will arrive with faces looking worse than the faces of monkeys and pigs. (These animals will seem good looking compared to them).
The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) has said, "People will be made to come to the Mahshar field in three conditions: Some on backs of animals, some on foot and some on their own heads (upside down)." People asked, "0 Messenger of Allah! How will they walk on their heads?" The Prophet replied, "The one who enabled them to walk on their feet in the world will also enable to walk on their heads."
HEARTS WILL STICK TO THROATS
And warn them of the day that draws near, when hearts shall rise up to the throats, (40:18)
The fear and fright of that terrible Day will make hearts jump from their chests and to stick to their throats. They (hearts) will neither go back to their original place (so that they may feel ease) nor they will jump out so that life may end and one may feel freed. On that Day people's hearts will be full of worries and sorrows.
In short, the fear of that Day will make hearts jump from their chests and they will be sticking to throats and block the passage of breathing. This is a Divine Word of the Holy Quran. Lord Almighty has repeatedly warned of such a fear some day and also said that, on that Day, a brother will run away from his brother and hide his face from him. Man will keep distance from his own parents too and so also from his family members.
The day on which a man shall fly from his brother,
And his mother and his father,
And his spouse and his son- (80:34-36)
In this Holy verse the Lord of the universe has described the frightful condition of man saying that the terrific fright will disrupt even the closest relations like that between man and wife, father and
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children and brothers and sisters. All relations will be cut off and everyone will worry breathlessly about himself or herself and will find no time to think about others. So, he will avoid everyone. The reason for such avoidance could also be that he will fear the demand of their rights, which were trampled by him in the world. Man will become almost breathless. Despite such a big gathering the only voice audible on that Day will be like that of bees.
On that day they shall follow the inviter, there is no crookedness in him, and the voices shall be low before the Beneficent God so that you shall not hear aught but a soft sound. (20:108)
THE FORTUNATE ONES WHO WILL BE SAFE FROM
THE FEAR OF QIYAMAT
There will also be some groups about whom the Holy Prophet has promised that they will be in safety and peace on that Day Of Resurrection. One such group will be of those who became old and aged as Muslims. Giving honour and respect to such Muslims will provide safety and peace from the great calamity of Qiyamat. If those (respectable) people were their weak aged parents, then giving respect to them will bring further peace. Secondly, help and assistance to poor and suffering people. If a man had helped such deserving persons, for instance had raised up a fallen man or had removed the worry of someone etc.
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MASJID WILL BE THE ARK OF SALVATION IN QIYAMAT
The mosque in which one was praying regularly with a sincere and zealous heart will be, on the Day of Judgement, be brought in the form of a saddle to the grave of that person and he will be made to ride thereon and thus he will be carried to Paradise.
It is mentioned in narrations that a faithful believer will ask, "Where is Sirat (the Bridge)?" Angels will reply that it has already passed from beneath your mount. He will ask, "What kind of a rider is it? He would be replied, "This is the changed form of those Masjids in which you were regularly and zealously offering Prayers sincerely."
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1 Safinatul Bihar, Vol. 2, p. 360
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Undoubtedly Mosque is the house of God. So it must be given every respect. No stone should be left unturned in maintaining its dignity.
DEATH IN OR EN-ROUTE TO MECCA
Among those who will be saved from the fear and fright of the Day of Judgement are also those who die or get buried either in Mecca or Medina. Similarly those also who die while going to the said Holy places or while returning from there.
Among such fortunate persons are also those who had regarded their desires as their enemies (they did not consider others as their foes). The apparent meaning of a tradition sentence is that while passing life in the society, if he finds unpalatable things in others he would not blame others but only himself. He will scold only himself for having hoped otherwise from others. Such people would ask themselves, "Why not find fault with one's own self? Why find faults with others at all?"
It is no manhood and fortitude to find faults with others. Look also into your own self. You will realize that you too are full of sins.
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PATIENCE IN PASSION AND ANGER
The third group which has been promised to be protected and safe are those who, despite being able to react angrily and thereby to do something unwise, restrain themselves just due to remembrance of God. Thus, they suppress their anger only for God's sake. Such are the people who will be protected from the fright on the Day of Judgement because they did not indulge in any carnal desire and any selfish act to save their prestige but only for fear of Almighty Allah. One of the Divine Mercies mentioned in books is that if a Faithful puts his hand on one's grave and recites Surah Qadr seven times, the body in that grave also remains protected from the fear and fright of Qiyamat.
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1 Persian Couplet.
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THE LOVE AND GUARDIANSHIP (WILAYAT) OF ALI IS A
GUARANTEE OF TRUE SAFETY AND PROTECTION
The real and true guarantee of protection from the terrible fright on the Day of Judgement is the guardianship and love of Amirul Momineen (a.s.). It is called the greatest good (Hasana). No other good can surpass this good. Everyone having this good in his heart will remain safe on the Day of Judgement :
Surely (as for) those for whom the good has already gone forth from Us, they shall be kept far off from it;
They will not hear its faintest sound, and they shall abide in that which their souls long for.
The great fearful event shall not grieve them, and the angels shall meet them: This is your day which you were promised.
On the day when We will roll up heaven like the rolling up of the scroll for writings, as We originated the first creation, (so) We shall reproduce it; a promise (binding on Us); surely We will bring it about. (21:101-104)
The Holy Prophet is reported to have said, "0 Ali! You and Your Shias (followers) will remain in peace from the terrible fright. And this refers only to you."
THE ABSOLUTE 'HASANA' (GOOD) IS THE WILAYAT
OF ALI IBNE ABI TALIB (A.S.)
Similarly, the Hasana, which is the 'absolute good', is the Love and friendship of Ali (a.s.) and the progeny of Ali (a.s.). Quran has promised that on the Day of Resurrection, the one who will come with 'absolute good' will get the best reward and he will remain in peace from the fright of that Day :
Whoever brings good, he shall have better than it; and they shall be secure from terror on the day. (27:89)
In the Quranic commentaries of the Ahle Sunnat people like Tafsir Kashshaf of Zamakhshari, Tafsir Kabir of Fakhruddin Raazi, Tafsir of Tha'labi and Tafsir Ruhul Bayan etc, it is mentioned that the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) said that the one who dies with the love and
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friendship with Aale Muhammad (a.s.) in his heart will die as a repentant and clean one and when he is raised from the grave he would enter the grand field of gathering (Mahshar) happily. He will neither feel afraid nor any uneasiness overtake him. Paradise will be decorated for him just as the bridal apartment is adorned for the bride...(till the end of the lengthy narration).
What I wanted to present was the part showing that the followers of Ali (a.s.) will be in peace in Qiyamat.
PRECAUTION OR PREPARATION FOR THE FUTURE
The aim of this admonition is to create the fear of the Almighty God through these Holy verses and thereby to make ourselves ready for the forthcoming events. So, make arrangements for protecting yourselves from the fears and terrors about which you have read; for example, the three or four matters just mentioned.
EFFORTS FOR BETTERMENT OF FUTURE AND
ENTANGLEMENT IN GREED
All say that we should think and 'worry about the future and make preparation for it. It is true and wise. But what is regrettable is that they take precautions in the wrong way. They do not understand the reality. If we want to prepare for the future (Hereafter/life after death) what is the way to be safe there? Is it to deposit amounts in banks? Is the life span of fifty years (even less in some cases) so insignificant that man should spend this precious time of his life only for gathering wealth and then go away leaving it all here? This is sheer ignorance and nonsense. Is one to remain hungry materially after death so that he should collect more and more wealth and money? How many people have you met who died of hunger?
Yes, of course, if there is a famine, hunger may be one of the reasons for people's death, which has been destined. But, in normal conditions, no one's future is in danger of starvation to death, however long his age. It is so because, God Almighty has guaranteed sustenance for everyone :
And in the heaven is your sustenance and what you are threatened
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with.
And by the Lord of the heavens and the earth! it is most surely the truth, just as you do speak. (51:22-23)
He provides sustenance to every living being and He will continue to do so.
And there is no animal in the earth but on Allah is the sustenance of it, (11:6)
But, in the matter of Hereafter (life after death) it is ordered, with emphasis and encouragement and warning also that everyone must worry before reaching the dangerous place (Hereafter) and make advance arrangement for it. Man must try and make efforts so that he may not stand empty-handed in the grand gathering (for giving accounts) in Mahshar.
THE TRUE SAVINGS ACCOUNT IS WITH GOD
All of us say that God is Bountiful and Generous (Kareem). Quite true. But if we really consider Him bountiful then why do we not regard Him so in the worldly (material) matters. Why do we make so much strenuous efforts in the worldly affairs, especially in the matter of sustenance? This shows that what we say is not based on real conviction. We are not truly convinced that God is Bountiful.
If you really and factually want to make arrangements for your future (after death) then you should open your 'Saving Accounts' with God. These prayers and charity are your savings, which are being credited to your account with God and the Generous God protects it in a better way and also gives better reward for it on the Day of Resurrection and in this world also.
Whatever of good you send on beforehand for yourselves, you will find it with Allah; that is best and greatest in reward; (73:20)
The Lord of the Universe has, in the Holy Quran, told His Prophet (s.a.w.s.): Warn My servants about the events of future (Hereafter). Now all of us know very well that all of us have to face a Day, which will be full of hardships, dangers and anxieties.
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ISRAFIL WILL BLOW THE TRUMPET
When God will intend to bring forth Resurrection, the first thing to happen will be the blowing of the Trumpet as described earlier. God of the Universe mentions this several times in the Holy Quran :
And the trumpet shall be blown, so all those that are in the heavens and all those that are in the earth shall moon, except such as Allah please; then it shall be blown again, then lo! they shall stand up awaiting. (39:68)
Quranic verses, traditions, and narrations show that there will be two blowings of the trumpet. First, when the trumpet will be blown all will die except those about whom God desires otherwise. Then the trumpet will be blown again which will cause all formers and latters to become alive. God says in the above quoted verse: "When the Trumpet will be blown all in the earth and the sky will be destroyed except those whom God may desire that they should not die. Then the trumpet will be blown for the second time when all the formers and the latters will become alive and it will be Resurrection and all will stand staring."
FOUR FAVOURITE ANGELS AND THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES
The summary of this discussion is that there are four favourite or esteemed angels with God (Jibraeel, Mikaeel, Israfil, and Izra'eel). Each of them has a separate and distinct responsibility. Jibraeel has to convey Divine Message (Revelation) from God to Prophets and Messengers (a.s.). Mikaeel has been entrusted with the responsibility of providing sustenance. Izra'eel is in charge of collecting of souls and the job of Israfil is to blow the trumpet at the time of Qiyamat. He is ready to carry out his work with the trumpet in his hands, waiting for Divine Command. (As mentioned in narrations) when Almighty God will order him, he will come down to the earth from the sky and perform his duty.
NOISE IN SKIES AT THE THOUGHT OF QIYAMAT
When Israfil will proceed from the sky, those in the sky will tremble with fear. When he will reach the earth and reaching the Holy House, stand opposite the wall of Ka'ba and announce through the
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trumpet, "Die, all of you." Then no living thing will survive. There will be none who will not breathe his or her last. It is mentioned in narrations that at that time many people will be busy in markets. They will die then and there. No one will get any respite even to make his will or to return home. So the Lord of the Universe says, in the Holy Quran :
So they shall not be able to make a bequest, nor shall they return to their families. (36:50)
Then will come the Divine Command that the trumpet should be blown towards those who are in the sky. So (Israfil will do so). No one in the skies will remain alive. Then Israfil will be commanded, "You too die." So he also will be no more.
ONLY GOD WILL BE THERE
(Of) the day when they shall come forth, nothing concerning them remains hidden to Allah. To whom belongs the kingdom this day? To Allah, the One, the Subduer (of all). (40:16)
Then a voice will be heard: 0 Revolters! 0 Traitors! 0 Arrogants! 0 those who were always shouting T! Where are you now? Tell whose kingdom and rule prevails today?" No one will reply. Then again a voice will be heard, "Today rule and kingdom belongs only to Allah, the Only One, the Almighty." A period of time will pass after the blowing of the first trumpet. Then will come the blow, which will make everyone alive. After that would be the Day of Judgement.
WONDERS BEFORE THE ARRIVAL OF QIYAMAT
People asked the infallibles as to what will be the length of the gap between the first trumpet (killing) and the second one (making all alive)? It is mentioned in narrations that the Imam replied, "Forty years." According to another report it will be a period of four hundred years. Yet another tradition says that astonishing events (as mentioned by us earlier) like splitting of skies, their breaking into pieces, earthquake, crushing of mountains into dust and the flaring up of oceans etc will take place during the said period. Then will
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come the Divine Command for rain. So it will rain for forty years continuously all over the entire earth.
BLOWING OF THE SECOND TRUMPET
After all living things will die and after the intermediate period passes, the first one to become alive will be Israfil who will have to blow the trumpet for the second time. Taking the trumpet to his mouth, Israfil will announce, "0 the souls! Come out of your scattered bodies. 0 flesh and 0 worn out bones and 0 hair! All of you come together so that your account may be taken. Run and rush speedily for giving the account of your deeds."
Then it will be revealed to the earth, "Throw out whatever is inside you,
And the earth brings forth her burdens, (99:2)
Thereafter earth will, through severe jerks, throw out all the particles of bodies lying in it. hi short, all the particles of bodies will come together and retake the form of their earlier bodies. Souls would be put into them once again and all will rise up at once. There is no deterrent or impossibility in the collection of particles and the entering of spirit in them after the second formation of bodies. For God Almighty, there is no difference in the affair of oreating one person and the recreation of millions of people :
Neither your creation nor your raising is anything but as a single soul; surely Allah is Hearing, Seeing. (31:28)
God will command and all would become alive and gather at once.
THANK GOD WHO FULFILLED HIS PROMISE
Though all the earlier and the latter will come together in the grand field of Mahshar their appearance and talk will be different. The obedient and faithful servants of God will, while coming out from their graves, would be praising and thanking their Lord Who fulfilled His promise and held the Judgement so that they may get rewards of their good deeds.
And they shall say: (All) praise is due to Allah, Who has made
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good to us His promise, (39:74)
But, on the other hand, there also will be people who will lament regretfully, "Alas! Who made us rise from our graves?"
They shall say: 0 woe to us! who has raised us up from our sleeping-place? (36:52)
According to some narrations, one of their legs will be in the grave and the other one out of it and they will stand there spell bound for three hundred years. This will be the beginning of the chastisement.
HOW WILL THEY RAISE THEIR HEADS FROM GRAVES?
One day Jibraeel came to the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) and asked, "Would you like to observe the condition of people on the Day of Gathering?" "Yes," the Prophet replied. Jibraeel, the trustworthy angel, took the Holy Prophet to the graveyard of Baqi (Medina). He kicked a grave and said, "Get up at the order of your Lord." The grave split at once and a man with radiant face raised his head from the grave saying,
(All) praise is due to Allah, Who has made good to us His promise, (39:74)
Thereafter, he kicked another grave and said, "Rise up at the command of your Lord." At once, another man with a very ugly and frightened face came out of this grave and said,
O woe to us!
Jibraeel said, "The faithful and the unbelievers will rise up from their graves in this condition."
TWO CONTRADICTORY HOPES ABOUT QIYAMAT
It is mentioned in narrations that the faithful would wish in their graves that God may establish Judgement soon as they had already tasted samples of the bounties of Paradise and hence they desire it early. On the other hand, the unbelievers and offenders will say, "0 God! Let us remain here only, because they have seen samples of the chastisement of hell here."
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Abasing (one party), exalting (the other), (56:3)
On the Day of Resurrection, those who were low and weak materially but had the riches of God's fear will become masters and great. Contrary to this, those who were materially great and powerful in the world but had no piety will become dishonoured and degraded. 'Degrader' and 'Upgrader' are two Quranic names of the Resurrection Day.
ALL SECRETS WILL BECOME KNOWN
Another thing, which will happen on the Day of Judgement, will be that all those things, which were kept hidden in hearts, will become open and manifest. In this world there are veils on everyone's beliefs and deeds. But in Qiyamat both the inner and outer state will become same, fully apparent.
So, 0 people who are very mindful of your positions! Have you also thought about protecting yourselves from shame on that Day? On that Day those whose hearts are clean and bright like angels will have similarly shining faces. Those whose hearts are full of passions and lust will, on that Day, have faces of monkeys and dogs.
Have you done anything for the stages to come after death so that you may not have to be ashamed in front of all the past and later people? Do you know how difficult problems you will have to confront, like being naked in the Great Gathering'? Have you done anything to save your honour on that Day?
THE DRESS ON THE DAY OF JUDGEMENT WILL BE PIETY
And clothing that guards (against evil), that is the best. (7:25)
On the Day of Judgement, when all will come out of their graves, everyone will be naked, except some people who have been promised that they will not be without clothes on that Day. They are those who feared God in the world.
The one who will leave this world as a God fearing person will appear in the Grand Gathering of Mahshar adorned in the Divine attire of Taqwa. Likewise, also those faithful people who died without repenting but who became purified by suffering hardships in
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graves. Of course, God forbid, if anyone enters Field of Mahshar without becoming purified, he will aspire to go to hell at the earliest so that his shamefulness in front of the greatest gathering may end.
ADAM (A.S.) COVERED HIS BODY WITH LEAVES
The father of mankind, Adam erred by discarding a desired thing (Tark-e-Oolaa) and he was driven of out of paradise naked. Now, finding himself naked in front of angels, he hid his organs of shame with foliage at once :
And they both began to cover themselves with the leaves of the garden; (7:21)
Remember that the one who is sinful will not be eligible for Divine raiment. It may be you or I. No day ever passes in which we do not add a sin in our account of deeds. Should we not worry about the hardships of Qiyamat, if we don't have the dress of Piety?
It was the Infallible Imam Zainul Aabedeen (a.s.) who used to pray till dawn during nights of the Holy month of Ramadhan, remembering the nakedness of the Day of Judgement :
I am weeping remembering the naked rising from grave. Come; let us all join the prayer of the sinless Imam (a.s.) :
0 Lord! Dress me in Your Bountiful Mercy so that my mistakes may be covered and forgiven.
THE SINNERS WILL BE RECOGNISED
The guilty shall be recognized by their marks, so they shall be seized by the forelocks and the feet. (55:41)
The first stage in the Gathering field will be astonishment which is mentioned a number of times in the Holy Quran :
Hastening forward, their heads upraised, their eyes not reverting to them and their hearts vacant. (14:43)
Eyes will make no movement due to extreme astonishment when one will be a sinner having a sign of that sinfulness along with him or her, which will make known to all in the grand gathering what sin he
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or she had committed.
A bottle of wine will be stuck to his hand when a drunkard will arrive in the field of Mahshar. (If you can remember, we have quoted the narration of Muaaz while explaining this.) God has sworn by His Might and Honour saying He will make the drunkard drink as much wine in hell as he had drunk in the world.
SCENE OF A DRUNKARD IN THE GATHERING
It is mentioned in the book Layaliul Akhbaar that the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) said, "When a drunkard will arrive in the field of Qiyamat his face will be dark, he eyes blue, his lips hanging and his saliva flowing over his chest upto his feet. His tongue will project out of his mouth. Anyone who passes by him will suffer a lot of uneasiness due to the stench emanating from the drunkard's mouth." The Holy Prophet also said, "By the God Who made me His messenger, the drunkard will die thirsty; that he will remain thirsty in his grave; that he will continue crying due to thirst for a thousand years. Thereafter, he will be made to drink the water of Hell (Hameem)."
FACES OF USURERS AND MUSICIANS
When a usurer will rise from his grave, his belly will be so enlarges that it will drag on the earth. He will not be able to get up despite trying to do so. He will be sitting head bowed down. Everyone in the field of Mahshar will recognize him as the usurer.
THE MUSICIAN'S INSTRUMENTS WILL BE WITH HIM
It is mentioned in the book Anwarun Nomaniya that the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) said, "One who plays violin will have a dark face and will be holding a violin of fire in his hands which will be knocking at his head. Seventy thousand angels of chastisement will hit on his head and face. A singer will rise deaf, dumb and blind."
THE CONDITION OF DOUBLE TALKERS
It is mentioned in narrations that those who have two tongues, meaning those who say one thing in front of people and another (opposite) thing behind their backs will be having two tongues of fire on the Day of Judgement. Those who were harming others with
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their tongues will have their tongues uprooted from their base in their mouths.
ARROGANT PEOPLE AND ADULTERERS
There also will be a group in the field of Mahshar, which will be weak and insignificant like ants. They would be the people who showed their pride before others in the world. Such an offensive smell will emanate from the private parts of adulterers in the field of Mahshar that all will shriek and complain against them. Narrations indicate that every bad and sinful habit will give a similar shape or form to the sinner in Qiyamat whereby all will know what kind of deeds he was doing in the world.
DAY OF FIFTY THOUSAND YEARS' DURATION
The measure of which is fifty thousand years. (70:5)
A tradition related from the Infallible is recorded in the third volume of Biharul Anwar, which says that there will be a halt of one thousand years at every station according to our system of counting of days (solar or lunar).
The measure of which is a thousand years of what you count. (32:5)
WHY QIYAMAT IS CALLED A 'DAY'?
There arises a question that when, in the realm of Qiyamat, there will be no day or night, in the absence of the sun and the moon, then what is the meaning of 'The Day of Judgement'? Why is it called a Day? The answer is: We call that part of time a Day in which things become bright because of the light of the sun and thereby human eyes can see those things which are not visible to them during night. Likewise those things, which were hidden from people in the world such as their inner condition, their right or wrong beliefs, their good or bad deeds and their consequences will come to be known to all and their consequences too would become apparent in Qiyamat.
Qiyamat is the Day on which all the secrets and hidden things of man would be unravelled.
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And what they never thought of shall become plain to them from Allah. (39:47)
