Belief in the Day of Judgment

from A Book of Religious Knowledge

After belief in One God, belief in the Day of Judgment is the most emphasized doctrine in the Quran. No other revealed book draws such a vivid picture of the Day of Judgment as does the Holy Quran. According to the Quran, on the Day of Judgment this entire universe will come to an end. Then the dead will be resurrected and accounts taken of their deeds. People with good records will be rewarded and welcomed into heaven while those with bad records will be punished and cast into hell. The concept of hell in Islam is more of a reformatory, where people will spend limited time before eventually entering heaven, which will last for ever. The Day of Judgment is referred to by many names in the Holy Quran, some of which are mentioned below:

• yaum ad din – the Day of Judgment

• yaum al akhir – the Last Day

• yaum al qiyama – the Day of Resurrection

• yaum al fast – the Day of Distinction

• yaum al jami – the Day of Gathering

• yaum al talaqi – the Day of the Meeting

• as sa’at – the Hour (of Doom)

• al qariah – the Calamity

In the Quran are given many signs of the coming of the Hour but its exact timing is known only to God. Following is a description of the Day of Judgment taken from Surah al Qariah, the 101st Chapter of the Holly Quran:

The Great Calamity; What a Great Calamity! And what should make thee know what the Great Calamity is? The day when men will be like scattered moths; And mountains will be like carded wool; Then as for him whose scales are heavy, He will have a pleasant life. But as for him whose scales are light, He will have hell as his resort. (101:2-10)