“I am convinced about the veracity of my opinions, but I do consider it likely that they may turn out to be incorrect. Likewise, I am convinced about the incorrectness of the views different from mine, but I do concede the possibility that they may turn out to be correct.” — Imam Shafa’i

Even an elementary knowledge of the Arabic knowledge allows you to enjoy and appreciate the simultaneous grandeur and simplicity of the Quranic language. The index ayahs portray the scenario of the Aakhirah or Qiyaamat in very clear and simple terms. This is in sharp contrast to the complicated, bizarre and fantastic vision of this day (like the pul sirat) that spring up on reading the precious hadith literature, primarily a human and therefore potentially an imperfect effort.

The dialogue in the Quran starts with a simple question: أَفَلا يَعلَمُ “But does he not know that”. As if the Quran is saying, “he ought to know”.

Know what? The Quran explains: إِذا بُعثِرَ ما فِي القُبورِ “when all that is in the graves is raised and brought out.”
Nasr et al label this as an “example of apocalyptic inversion”. They state “The image of graves being turned inside out is another example of apocalyptic inversion that evokes the idea of all one’s past being resurrected for judgment”.
The meaning of ‘بُعْثِرَ’ is to scatter something collected for review. That is, on that day, nothing will be hidden, but everything will be exposed. The recovery of dead bodies from the graves is obvious and easily comprehensible. But ayah goes a step further. It is warning its audience of ungrateful and selfish folks that even the treasures that they have collected illegally by-passing the rights of God and HIS beings and buried in the grounds will be un-earthed. “That is, the dead men will be raised back as living men from whatever state and wherever they would be lying buried in the earth”.

The word القُبورِ needs some elaboration. The usual interpretation is graves that is dug up to lodge the physical remnants of the deceased. For the survivors of the deceased this is a great emotional need. It helps to keep alive the memory of the departed loved one and provides a nidus for the recollection and remembrance of the departed soul. All sorts of mechanisms are devised to perpetuate this keen desire: starting from weekly deposition of flowers or flower nets on the site to building mausoleum of all sizes, value, quality, or intensity. The Taj Mahal is a glaring and world famous example.

However all this fanfare is completely and totally irrelevant to the deceased. The moment he is pronounced as dead, his soul/spirit/essence which is “regarded as immaterial, immortal, separable from the body at death, capable of moral judgment, and susceptible to happiness or misery in a future state” is within a nanosecond transported to the land of Barzakh. Now onwards his physical framework ceases to be part of his life and is totally ceded to the survivors to bury, burn or leave it for the birds to devour.
Barzakh is an intermediary station in man’s jaunt from this world to the aakhiraa. I have discussed this topic in one of my earlier sessions as “AL-BARZAKH; BETWEEN DEATH AND THE DAY OF JUDGEMENT IN ISLAMIC SHARI’AH”. This is rather a controversial state with a lot of ambiguity about the details. Primarily folks are sleeping here all the time till they they are إِذا بُعثِرَ ما فِي القُبورِ “when all that is in the graves is raised and brought out.” There are various opinions about the state of mind during this sleeping state, as detailed in my original article.

The description of the affairs on the day of aakhiraa continues in the index ayahs by a simple statement of facts: وَحُصِّلَ ما فِي الصُّدورِ “and all that is [hidden] in men’s hearts is bared”. No discussions and debate about how and why! Apart from the physical bodies, secret plots and the evil thoughts and planning will be in the open. Not only the acts but the reason, intentions and motives behind them will be exposed, examined and sorted out. This is done to establish an argument on each person as to what action he has taken with what intention and under what motive. This is not possible and feasible in any human court of law as it does not have the means to bring out the sentiments behind the act. Only the Court of God can accomplish this feat. It should be noted that judgement will not be pronounced merely on the basis of knowledge of Allah—which is complete and far reaching—but these acts will be born out in the open and subject to a thorough scrutiny in the Court of God Almighty. Only then will the verdict be pronounced. This is specially true for those who are in the position of leadership or aspire to be in that position; these people usually manage to keep their true self hidden from the folks around. Such people are forewarned in this ayah that on that day the full record of their deeds including their motives will be presented to them by their Lord.
Nasr et al , in their modern tafseer “the Study Quran” underscore a special point in this ayah. The Day of Judgement is referred to in this ayah as the day when everyone’s true nature will be laid open and these secrets will be open to scrutiny. However, these authors point out that these facts— God is at all times aware of all that human beings do and of what lies within breasts—has been discussed umpteenth times all over the Holy Book. “Why this specific reference to God’s Awareness on the Day of Judgment in this verse” they enquire and reply “on this day human beings will themselves become cognizant of the fact of God’s ever present awareness and will no longer be able to deceive themselves or deny the intentions that lay behind their actions”.

One of the common judgement and evaluation of Muslims by non-Muslim authors and commentators is that the God in Islam is portrayed as a cruel and vindictive being. The comments of the outstanding scholar Sayyid Qutb on these ayah in his monumental tafseer “Fee Dhilalil Quran” appear to support this view. He states “Hence, the final touch in the sūrah (the index ayahs) provides the cure for ingratitude, greed and miserliness. It portrays the scene of resurrection in a way that makes man shudder, and puts his love for wealth and indulgence in worldly riches out of his mind, unshackling his soul and setting it free from earthly attachments”. He further adds “It is a violent and frightening scene in which we witness the scattering about of the contents of the graves and the bringing out of closely-guarded secrets”. He further explains that the terms bu`thira and huşşila (بُعثِرَ and وَحُصِّلَ) used here for scattering and pulling are very forceful, suggesting an atmosphere of violence and force. He concludes “All in all, this sūrah (containing the index ayahs) is a swift, vehement and breathless piece, with a sudden terminus of meaning, expression and rhythm all at the same time”.

I need to quote two more set of ayahs from the Holy Text to complete the Quranic description of the Day of Judgement.^[3]

First: “ On that Day will men proceed in companies sorted out, to be shown the deeds that they (had done). Then shall anyone who has done an atom’s weight of good, see it! And anyone who has done an atom’s weight of evil, shall see it”.

This could mean either that each person will appear in his individual capacity—away from families or fraternity or nation— or the the whole humanity who died at different spots on the earth over the centuries will be converging in groups to receive the judgement. Although the Quran declares on several occasions that humans will stand in groups according to their particular religious communities on the Day of Judgment, every person will be resurrected alone and face the enquiry alone.

The most trivial deeds—good or bad—of an individual will be laid out that day and sorted out to find out the degree of good and evil. The word Ẓarrāt (ذَرَّةٍ ) means the weight of an ant, the smallest living weight an ordinary man can think of. It indicates that the subtlest form of good and evil will then be brought to account, and it will be done openly and convincingly: so that “he shall see it”. Does it mean that such minor deeds will call for a reward or punishment. This has led to a debate in the literature. The majority opinion, if not the consensus is that these acts will be noted but not immediately implemented. If these are repeated and build up, these minor offenses may then qualify t0 be punished or rewarded. So these ayahs should encourage folks to perform even small acts of kindness which will add up in the end.

There is another angle to this discussion. What if the “good” referred to in this ayah is done by a disbeliever? This will not be recognised in the Hereafter, according to Mufti Mohammed Shafi in is popular tafseer “Ma’aarif-ul-Quran” though he may be rewarded in this world for it. This ayah is also the basis of the wide and wild claim that any believer who has an atom’s weight of Faith, even if he has not done any righteous deeds will eventually be transferred out of hell (Mufti Mohammed Shafi). After all 
Faith in itself is a great act of righteousness. On the other hand tons of good deeds by a disbeliever may help him in this world but but he is doomed in the Hereafter. However a sincere repentance by the disbeliever will surely save him from this bereavement.

It is reported that the Messenger of Allah warned Sayyidah Aisha to be ware of the sins that are belittled, for indeed they will be taken account of by Allah. Sayyidna Abdullah Ibn Masud has said that this verse is most robust and comprehensive verse of the Holy Qur’an. Sayyidna Anas in a lengthy narration reports that the Messenger of Allah referred to this verse as “the unique and most comprehensive verse”.

In this background, Maulana Maudoodi says in his tafseer “Tafheem-ul-Quran” that the Quran has stated, in principle, certain things explicitly. He enumerates them with the supporting ayahs:

First, that the deeds of the disbelievers, idolaters and hypocrites (i.e. the deeds regarded as virtuous) have been rendered vain; they will receive no reward for them in the Hereafter. If at all they deserve a reward for them, they will receive it here in the world.

Second, that evil will be punished to the extent that evil has been committed, but the good deeds will be rewarded much more generously than what they will actually deserve.

Third, that if the believers abstained from major sins, their ordinary offenses will be forgiven.

Fourth, that the righteous believer shall have an easy reckoning, his evils will be overlooked and he will be rewarded according to his best deeds.

He then quotes ahaadith to support his view. One of them says “Anas says that once Abu Bakr Siddiq was having his meals with the Prophet (peace be upon him). In the meantime this verse was revealed. Abu Bakr withdrew his hand from food and said: O Messenger (peace be upon him) of Allah, shall I see the result of every little evil that I have happened to commit? The Prophet (peace be upon him) replied: O Abu Bakr, whatever unpleasant and troublesome things you experience in the world, will compensate for the little evils that you happened to commit, and Allah is reserving every little good that you do for your Hereafter”. On the other hand, Maudoodi adds “there are certain other sayings of the Prophet (peace be upon him), which show that although the good done by a disbeliever cannot save him from the fire of Hell, yet in Hell he will not be subjected to the severe punishment which will be the lot of the wicked, sinful and villainous disbelievers, e.g. according to a Hadith, Hatim Tai in view of his generosity will be subjected to a light punishment in Hell (Ruh al-Maani)”.

Once again, in the tafseer of the ayahs under discussion the great scholar Sayyid Qutb uses a language to bring out harshness and cruelty: “At this point when man is astonished, puzzled and crying out, and as the rhythm gasps with dread and terror, surprise and wonder, tottering and shuddering, crying out: What is the matter with her? What has happened to her? — at this point he encounters the scene of resurrection, reckoning, weighing and recompense. ……..It is a scene indescribable in human language. It is both ghastly and astonishing. All these adjectives and all their synonymous and analogous terms cannot describe it. It would be better conceived with a stretch of imagination and contemplation within the limits and capacity of our minds.” I seem to have a gut feeling against this harsh interpretation.

Finally, the third and last set of ayahs to complete the Quranic version of the scenario of Aakhiraa^[4]

“Then, he whose balance (of good deeds) will be (found) heavy; Will be in a life of good pleasure and satisfaction; But he whose balance (of good deeds) will be (found) light; Will have his home in a (bottomless) Pit”.

There are many other ayahs in the Quran about weighing of deeds on the Day of Judgment. The details are provided in several ahaadith

These ayah declare the beginning of the second stage of the Final Day. Having been resurrected initially, now the folks will be presented in the Court of God Almighty. Mufti Mohammed Shafi stresses a point at this juncture in his powerful tafseer. He wants us to note that the deeds will not be counted but weighed on the Day of Judgement. It is possible therefore that fewer good deeds consistent with the Sunnah and done with high degree of faith and sincerity may turn out to be heavier than great number of good deeds like prayers, fasting, charity and pilgrimage but at variance with Sunnah and wanting in faith and sincerity.

Ahadith provide many details about this process of assessment. There are many of them stating that human deeds will appear in particular shapes and forms during Barzakh (the post-death-pre-resurrection state) and Aakhiraa. For example, a hadith declares that good deeds in beautified forms will be companions in the grave whereas “evil deeds would crawl all over in the form of snakes and scorpions”. A Hadith says that a person who has not paid the Zakah due against his wealth, that wealth will reach his grave in the shape of a poisonous snake to bite him and say: “I am your wealth, I am your treasure”. Mufti Mohammed Shafi asserts that “Similarly, there are countless narrations from Hadith, all authentic and reported reliably, which indicate that once these good and bad deeds of ours pass away from this mortal world, they will transform into particular shapes and forms and be there on the day of Resurrection in a material presence”.

It is debated if the balance mentioned here is the standard or spring variety. Neither. The reference to balance is obviously figurative. The deeds will be thoroughly appraised taking into account “motives, temptations, provocations, surrounding conditions, antecedents, subsequent amends, and all possible connected circumstances”.

There is a debate and controversy in the hadith literature about the details of this process of assessment of deeds. It starts with the assertion in ahaadith that the pan in the scale with the Kalimah will out weigh all the evil deeds and sins in the other. This will obviously lead to injustice and confusion. The jurists have resolved this dilemma by suggesting that the assessment is a two stage exercise. First, the believers will be separated from the disbelievers. At this stage the weight of Kalimah is over powering. In the second stage the believers alone are tested. Now the good will be contrasted with the bad, Kalimah being a common trait.

There is another perspective to this controversy. Who or what will be weighed? The doers of the deeds or the books of deeds or the deeds themselves would be personified and weighed? Ibn Kathīr (ابن كثير), an Arab historian, exegete, scholar, an expert on Tafsir (Quranic exegesis) and Fiqh (jurisprudence), has said after reporting all these narrations “that it is possible that the weighing is repeated several times in different ways and, it is obvious, the full reality of these matters is known to Allah Ta’ala alone – and for doing what one does in real life, it is, for all practical purposes, not necessary to know this reality. Quite sufficient for us is to know that our deeds shall be weighed”. I am very happy personally to whole heartedly accept this conclusion.

Some ahaadith are very conducive to understand the character and intention behind deeds that establish their true weight. Regarding character, a ḥadīth states, “There is nothing placed in the Balance that is heavier than goodness of character (ḥusn al-khuluq).” Regarding intention, another ḥadīth states, “Deeds are only in accord with their intentions. And every person has only what he intended.” However, deeds alone will not see you through; you need Gods mercy. A ḥadīth states, “None of you will enter Paradise by his deeds.” Someone asked, “Not even you, O Messenger of God?” He said, “Not even me, save that God shelter me with His Mercy.”

The term “mother” (umm) used here, idiomatically denotes something that embraces or enfolds. Literally, it runs “his mother [i.e., goal] will be an abyss” of suffering and despair. Just as the mother’s lap is the child’s abode, so Hell will be the culprits’ only abode in the Hereafter. The ayah declares فَأُمُّهُ هاوِيَةٌ ummu hu hawiyah: his mother will be hawiyah. The scholars have defined Hawiyah, from hawa, as meaning to fall from a height to a depth, and hawiyah is the deep pit into which something falls. Hell has been called Hawiyah because it will be very deep and the culprits will be thrown into it from the height.

To summarise before I end, the plain and clear image of the Aakhiraa by the Quran runs as follows.

“The contents of the graves will be scattered, all that is in the hearts will be made public and their Lord will be perfectly informed concerning them. On that day mankind will issue forth in scattered groups to be shown their deeds. Whoever has done an atom’s weight of good will see it. And whoever has done an atom’s weight of evil will see it. Finally, one whose scales are heavy [with good deeds] will be in a pleasant life. But one whose scales are light, will have his home in a (bottomless) Pit.”

……..and Allah knows best.
May Allah Ta’aala bless us with true understanding–“fahm”–of our Deen, Aameen.