The Day of Judgment in Islam: A Simple Guide from the Quran


The Day of Judgment, known as Yawm al-Qiyāmah in Arabic, is a central belief in Islam. It is the day when this world ends and the eternal life of the Hereafter begins. The Quran describes it as a day of absolute justice, where every person will be held accountable for their beliefs and actions in this life.


This article provides a simple and clear step-by-step explanation of the events that will happen on the Day of Judgment, as described in the Holy Quran.


1. The End of the World: The Blast of the Trumpet


Everything begins with a mighty and terrifying event. An angel named Israfil will blow into a special trumpet called the Sur.


· The First Blast: The first blow will cause the entire universe to shatter. Everyone and everything in the heavens and the earth will die. Mountains will turn to dust, stars will fall, and the world as we know it will be completely destroyed. The Quran says, “And the Trumpet will be blown, and all who are in the heavens and all who are on earth will fall unconscious, except whom Allah wills” (Quran 39:68).

· The Second Blast: After a period known only to God, the trumpet will be blown a second time. This blast will be a signal for resurrection. Every single human being, from the first to the last, will be brought back to life from their graves to stand for judgment.


2. The Resurrection and Assembly


After being brought back to life, all of humanity will be gathered in a vast, flat plain called Al-Mahsher. People will be barefoot, naked, and in a state of utter panic and confusion. Even the prophets will be concerned on this day.


People will look for anyone to help them, but no one will have the power to intercede except by Allah’s permission. The Quran paints a vivid picture of this fear: “O mankind, fear your Lord. Indeed, the convulsion of the [final] Hour is a terrible thing. On the Day you see it every nursing mother will be distracted from that [child] she was nursing, and every pregnant woman will abort her pregnancy, and you will see the people [appearing] intoxicated while they are not intoxicated; but the punishment of Allah is severe” (Quran 22:1-2).


3. The Reckoning: Accounting for Every Deed


This is the core of the Day of Judgment—a day of perfect justice where not an atom’s weight of wrong will be overlooked.


· The Book of Deeds: Every person will be given a book that contains a complete record of their entire life’s actions, both good and bad, public and secret.

  · The Successful: Those who receive their book in their right hand will be overjoyed. They will know their judgment will be easy and that they are destined for Paradise.

  · The Unsuccessful: Those who receive their book from behind their back or in their left hand will be filled with despair and regret. They will wish they had never received this book.

· The Scales of Justice (Mizan): God will set up scales of justice to weigh everyone's good deeds against their bad deeds. The value of a deed depends on the intention and sincerity behind it.

· The Testimony of Body Parts: In a stunning event, a person’s own hands, feet, eyes, and skin will speak against them, bearing witness to the sins they committed. The person will cry out, “Why do you testify against me?” and their body will reply, “God, who has made everything speak, made us speak.”

· Questioning: People will be questioned about the blessings they were given in life—their health, wealth, time, and knowledge—and how they used them. Special attention will be paid to the rights of other people.


4. Settling Rights (Qisas)

One of the most difficult parts of the reckoning involves settling injustices between people. If someone wronged another person—through theft, slander, or harm—they must settle the score on this day. If they have no good deeds left to give, the sins of the wronged person will be transferred to them. This ensures God’s justice is perfectly served.


5. Intercession (Shafa'ah)


On this day of terror, people will desperately look for someone to intercede for them with God. They will go to the prophets and righteous people, but initially, all will decline, saying they are afraid themselves.


Finally, permission will be granted to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) to intercede. His intercession will be for those who believed but committed sins. However, those who died without faith in God (disbelievers and polytheists) will not be eligible for any intercession.


6. The Bridge over Hell (As-Sirat)


To reach their final destination, everyone must cross a bridge that stretches over the depths of Hell. This bridge is called As-Sirat. It is described as being sharper than a sword and thinner than a hair.


· The Righteous: Will cross it with lightning speed, like a flash of light, and enter Paradise with ease.

· The Moderate: Will cross it carefully, some stumbling but eventually making it across.

· The Wicked: Will slip and fall down into the Hellfire below.


7. The Pond of the Prophet (Al-Kawthar)


The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) will have a magnificent pond called Al-Kawthar in the Hereafter. Its water is whiter than milk and sweeter than honey. His faithful followers will drink from it to quench their great thirst on that day. Those who turned away from his message or innovated against it will be prevented from drinking.


8. The Final Destination: Paradise or Hell


Ultimately, every person will arrive at their eternal home. There are only two destinations:


· Paradise (Jannah): This is the eternal home of those who believed in God and did good deeds. The Quran describes it as gardens with flowing rivers. It contains everything a soul could desire: beautiful mansions, delicious fruits, pure drinks, and pure spouses (houris). The greatest blessing of all will be the pleasure of God and the permission to see Him. The people of Paradise will remain forever young, healthy, and free from all sorrow, pain, and death.

· Hellfire (Jahannam): This is the destination for those who rejected God’s truth and were unjust. Hell has seven gates and is a place of intense fire and severe punishment. Its torments include burning fire that constantly renews the skin, boiling water to drink, and painful, thorny food to eat. The people of Hell will beg for a second chance, but it will be too late.


Conclusion: A Day of Certainty


The Quran’s description of the Day of Judgment is not meant to just frighten, but to awaken and remind us of our ultimate accountability. It teaches that this world is a test and our true, everlasting life is in the Hereafter. Our beliefs and actions here directly shape our destiny on that Final Day—a day of undeniable truth and perfect justice from God.