Quranic Verses on Geology.

 The Glorious Qur’an is basically a book of guidance, revealed by The Creator (all glory be to Him) to man in areas that cannot be answered by the human intellect such as the essence of faith, the acts of worship, the moral code and the rules and regulations that govern the various transactions between human beings.

Besides this guidance, the Glorious Qur’an refers to the cosmos (the earth and the heavens, as well as to many of their components, inhabitants and phenomena) in numerous verses, that exceed 1000 in number. Such references come in the context of testifying for the unlimited might, knowledge and wisdom of The Creator Who has brought this universe into being, and is capable of this annihilation and of its recreation. Consequently, the Qur’anic cosmic verses are not meant to be pieces of scientific information per se, as scientific knowledge has been left for man to gain (through observation and conclusion or experimentation, observation and conclusion) over a long span of time.

This is simply due to the limitations of the human senses and the cumulative nature of the scientific knowledge. Yet, the illustrious Qur’an, being the word of The Creator, and hence, the absolute truth, Qur’anic verses with cosmic reflections must convey a number of absolute facts about the universe. Of these verses, a large number speaks of the earth, which is mentioned 461 times throughout the Glorious Qur’an to describe the whole planet, its outer rocky layer or the soil section that covers its rocky surface. Verses of geological interest amongst these amount to more than 110, and can be grouped into 11 categories as follows:

 

1- One verse that instructs man to travel through the earth, make his own observations and use such surveillances to reflect on how creation was originated

"Say: "Travel in the land and see how (Allah) originated creation, and then Allah will bring forth (resurrect) the creation of the Hereafter (i.e. resurrection after death). Verily, Allah is Able to do all things."

(Surat Al-'Ankabut (The Spider): 20).

2- A group of verses that refer to the shape of the earth

" And it is He Who spread out the earth, and placed therein firm mountains and rivers and of every kind of fruits He made Zawjain Ithnain (two in pairs-may mean two kinds or it may mean: of two varieties, e.g. black and white, sweet and sour, small and big).He brings the night as a cover over the day. Verily, in these things, there are Ayat (proofs, evidences, lessons, signs, etc.) for people who reflect."

(Surat Ar-Ra'd (The Thunder): 3);

"And the earth We have spread out, and have placed therein firm mountains, and caused to grow therein all kinds of things in due proportion."

(Surat Al-Hijr (The Rocky Tract): 19);

"{Musa (Moses)} said: "Lord of the east and the west, and all that is between them, if you did but understand!"

(Surat Ash-Shu'ara (The Poets):28);

 

"He has created the heavens and the earth with truth. He makes the night to go in the day and makes the day to go in the night. And He has subjected the sun and the moon. Each running (on a fixed course) for an appointed term. Verily, He is the All-Mighty, the Oft-Forgiving."

(Surat (Az-Zumar (The Groups): 5) ;

"And the earth! We have spread it out, and set thereon mountains standing firm, and have produced therein every kind of lovely growth (plants)."

(Surat Qaf: 7);

"(He is) the Lord of the two easts (places of sunrise during early summer and early winter) and the Lord of the two wests (places of sunset during early summer and early winter)."

(Surat Ar-Rahman (The Most Gracious):17);

"It is Allah Who has created seven heavens and of the earth the like thereof (i.e. seven). His Command descends between them (heavens and earth), that you may know that Allah has power over all things, and that Allah surrounds (comprehends) all things in (His) Knowledge."

(Surat At-Talaq (The Divorce):12);

"Who has created the seven heavens one above another; you can see no fault in the creation of the Most Gracious. Then look again: "Can you see any rifts?"

(Surat Al-Mulk (Dominion):3);

"So I swear by the Lord of all the (three hundred and sixty (360)) points of sunrise and sunset in the east and the west that surely We are Able, To replace them by (others) better than them; and We are not to be outrun."

(Surat Al-Ma'arij (The Ways of Ascent):40-41);

Its motions "And He it is Who has created the night and the day, and the sun and the moon, each in an orbit floating."

(Surat Al-Anbiya' (The Prophets):33);

"It is not for the sun to overtake the moon, nor does the night outstrip the day. They all float, each in an orbit."

(Surat Ya-Sin: 40);

"And you will see the mountains and think them solid, but they shall pass away as the passing away of the clouds. The Work of Allah, Who perfected all things, verily! He is Well-Acquainted with what you do."

(Surat An-Naml (The Ants): 88);

"And it is He Who spread out the earth, and placed therein firm mountains and rivers and of every kind of fruits He made Zawjain Ithnain (two in pairs-may mean two kinds or it may mean: of two varieties, e.g. black and white, sweet and sour, small and big).He brings the night as a cover over the day. Verily, in these things, there are Ayat (proofs, evidences, lessons, signs, etc.) for people who reflect."

(Surat Ar-Ra'd (The Thunder): 3);

"And by the sun and its brightness; By the moon as it follows it (the sun); By the day as it shows up (the sun's) brightness; By the night as it conceals it (the sun);"

(Surat Ash-Shams (The Sun):1-4);

"By the night as it envelops. By the day as it appears in brightness;"

(Surat Al-Lail (The Night): 1-2);

"He it is Who has appointed for you the night that you may rest therein, and the day to make things visible (to you). Verily, in this are Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) for a people who listen (i.e. those who think deeply)."

(Surat Yunus (Jonah):67);

"And have made the night as a covering (through its darkness), And have made the day for livelihood."

(Surat An-Naba' (The Great News): 10-11);

"If you were to ask them: "Who has created the heavens and the earth and subjected the sun and the moon?" They will surely reply: "Allah." How then are they deviating (as polytheists and disbelievers)?"

(Surat Al-Ankabut (The Spider):61);

"See you not (O Muhammad (pbuh)) that Allah merges the night into the day (i.e. the decrease in the hours of the night are added in the hours of the day), and merges the day into the night (i.e. the decrease in the hours of day are added in the hours of night), and has subjected the sun and the moon, each running its course for a term appointed; and that Allah is All-Aware of what you do."

(Surat Luqman: 29);

"He merges the night into the day (i.e. the decrease in the hours of the night is added to the hours of the day), and He merges the day into the night (i.e. the decrease in the hours of day is added to the hours of night). And He has subjected the sun and the moon: each runs its course for a term appointed. Such is Allah, your Lord; His is the kingdom. And those, whom you invoke or call upon instead of Him, own not even a Qitmir (the thin membrane over the date-stone)."

(Surat Fatir (The Originator of Creation, or The Angels):13);

 

"He merges night into day (i.e. the decrease in the hours of the night is added into the hours of the day), and merges day into night (i.e. the decrease in the hours of the day is added into the hours of the night), and He has full knowledge of whatsoever is in the breasts."

(Surat Al-Hadid (Iron): 6);

"And a sign for them is the night. We withdraw therefrom the day, and behold, they are in darkness."

(Surat Ya-Sin: 37);

"Verily! In the creation of the heavens and the earth, and in the alternation of night and day, and the ships which sail through the sea with that which is of use to mankind, and the water (rain) which Allah sends down from the sky and makes the earth alive therewith after its death, and the moving (living) creatures of all kinds that He has scattered therein, and in the veering of winds and clouds which are held between the sky and the earth, are indeed Ayat (proofs, evidences, signs, etc.) for people of understanding."

(Surat Al-Baqarah (The Cow):164);

"Verily! In the creation of the heavens and the earth, and in the alternation of night and day, there are indeed signs for men of understanding."

(Surat Al-'Imran (The Family of Imran):190);

"Verily, in the alternation of the night and the day and in all that Allah has created in the heavens and the earth are Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) for those people who keep their duty to Allah, and fear Him much."

(Surat Yunus (Jonah): 6);

"And it is He Who gives life and causes death, and His is the alternation of night and day. Will you not then understand?"

(Surat Al-Mu'minun (The Believers):80);

"And in the alternation of night and day, and the provision (rain) that Allah sends down from the sky, and revives therewith the earth after its death, and in the turning about of the winds (i.e. sometimes towards the east or north, and sometimes towards the south or west sometimes bringing glad tidings of rain etc., and sometimes bringing the torment), are signs for a people who understand."

(Surat Al-Jathiyah (The Kneeling):5);

 

And its origin "Have not those who disbelieve known that the heavens and the earth were joined together as one united piece, then We parted them? And We have made from water every living thing. Will they not then believe?"

(Surat Al-Anbiya' (The Prophets):30);

 

Where both the earth and the heavens are clearly described to have constituted (in their distant past) a single entity (the initial singularity~ primordial body) before they split apart (or the so-called Big Bang). Such group also includes verses that emphasize the vastly distant positions of stars

"So I swear by the setting of the stars. And verily that is indeed a great oath, if you but know. "

(Surat Al-Waqi'ah (The Event):75-76);

The expanding nature of the universe

"With power did We construct the heaven. Verily, We are Able to extend the vastness of space thereof." (Surat Adh-Dhariyat (The Winds that Scatter):47) ~ The smoky nature of the early sky (universe)"Then He rose over (Istawa) towards the heaven when it was smoke, and said to it and to the earth: "Come both of you willingly or unwillingly." They both said: "We come willingly. Then He completed and finished from their creation (as) seven heavens in two Days and He made in each heaven its affair. And We adorned the nearest (lowest) heaven with lamps (stars) to be an adornment as well as to guard (from the devils by using them as missiles against the devils). Such is the Decree of Him the All-Mighty, the All-Knower."

(Surat Fussilat (They are explained in detail):11-12),

The existence of the interstellar matter

"Surely, in disbelief are they who say that Allah is the Messiah, son of Maryam (Mary). Say (O Muhammad (pbuh)): "Who then has the least power against Allah, if He were to destroy the Messiah, son of Maryam (Mary), his mother, and all those who are on the earth together?" And to Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth, and all that is between them. He creates what He wills. And Allah is Able to do all things. And (both) the Jews and the Christians say: "We are the children of Allah and His loved ones." Say: "Why then does He punish you for your sins?" Nay, you are but human beings of those He has created, He forgives whom He wills and He punishes whom He wills. And to Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth and all that is between them; and to Him is the return (of all)."

(Surat Al-Maidah (The Table spread with Food): 17-18);

"If you ask them (about this), they declare: "We were only talking idly and joking." Say: "Was it at Allah (ÚÒ æ Ìá), and His Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) and His Messenger (pbuh) that you were mocking?"

(Surat At-Taubah (The Repentance): 65);

"And let not their speech grieve you (O Muhammad (pbuh)), for all power and honour belong to Allah. He is the All-Hearer, the All-Knower."

(Surat Yunus (Jonah):65);

"Who created the heavens and the earth and all that is between them in six Days. Then He Istawa (rose over) the Throne (in a manner that suits His Majesty). The Most Beneficent (Allah)! Ask Him (O Prophet Muhammad SAW), (concerning His Qualities, His rising over His Throne, His creations, etc.), as He is Al-Khabeer (The All-Knower of everything i.e. Allah)."

(Surat Al-Furqan (The Criterion):59);

"{Musa (Moses)} said: "The Lord of the heavens and the earth, and all that is between them, if you seek to be convinced with certainty."

(Surat Ash-Su'ara (The Poets):24);

"Do they not think deeply (in their ownselves) about themselves (how Allah created them from nothing, and similarly He will resurrect them)? Allah has created not the heavens and the earth, and all that is between them, except with truth and for an appointed term. And indeed many of mankind deny the Meeting with their Lord."

(Surat Ar-Rum (The Romans) ;

"Allah it is He Who has created the heavens and the earth, and all that is between them in six Days. Then He rose over (Istawa) the Throne (in a manner that suits His Majesty). You (mankind) have none, besides Him, as a Wali (protector or helper) or an intercessor. Will you not then remember (or receive admonition)?"

(Surat As-Sajdah (The Prostration):4);

"So he looked down and saw him in the midst of the Fire."

(Surat As-Saffat (Those Ranged in Ranks): 55);

"Or is it that the dominion of the heavens and the earth and all that is between them is theirs? If so, let them ascend up with means (to the heavens)!"

(Surat Sad: 10);

"The Lord of the heavens and the earth and all that is between them, the All-Mighty, the Oft-Forgiving."

(Surat Sad: 66);

"And Blessed is He to Whom belongs the Kingdom of the heavens and the earth, and all that is between them, and with Whom is the knowledge of the Hour, and to Whom you (all) will be returned."

(Surat Az-Zukhrf (The Gold Adornments):85);

"We created not the heavens and the earth and all that is between them except with truth, and for an appointed term. But those who disbelieve turn away from that whereof they are warned."

(Surat Al-Ahqaf (The Curved Sand-hills):3);

"And indeed We created the heavens and the earth and all between them in six Days and nothing of fatigue touched Us."

(Surat Qaf: 38);

And the concentric nature of both heavens and the earth (the universe) {"See you not how Allah has created the seven heavens one above another,"

(Surat Nuh (Noah):15);

 

"It is Allah Who has created seven heavens and of the earth the like thereof (i.e. seven). His Command descends between them (heavens and earth), that you may know that Allah has power over all things, and that Allah surrounds (comprehends) all things in (His) Knowledge."

(Surat At-Talaq (The Divorce): 12) ;}.

3- One verse that emphasizes the extraterrestrial origin of iron in our planet

"Indeed We have sent Our Messengers with clear proofs, and revealed with them the Scripture and the Balance (justice) that mankind may keep up justice. And We brought forth iron wherein is mighty power (in matters of war), as well as many benefits for mankind, that Allah may test who it is that will help Him (His religion), and His Messengers in the unseen. Verily, Allah is All-Strong, All-Mighty."

(Surat Al-Hadid (Iron):25).

4- One verse that describes the deeply fractured (faulted) nature of the earth and reflects on the relationship between such fractures (faults) and the recurrence of earthquakes

"And the earth which splits (with the growth of trees and plants),"

(Surat At-Tariq (The Night-Comer):12).

 

5- A group of verses that describe some of the most recently discovered oceanographic phenomena such as:

(a)The superheated nature of the bottoms of certain seas and oceans (implying intensive submarine volcanic activity associated with sea-floor spreading)

"Verily, the Torment of your Lord will surely come to pass," (Surat At-Tur (The Mount): 6).

(b)The complete separation of different bodies of water (fresh and saline, as well as saline waters of different compositions) that do not mix completely or immediately due to the constant presence of impassable barriers in between

"And it is He Who has let free the two seas (kinds of water), one palatable and sweet, and the other salt and bitter, and He has set a barrier and a complete partition between them."

(Surat Al-Furqan (The Criterion):53);

"He has let loosed the two seas (the salt water and the sweet) meeting together."

(Surat Ar-Rahman (The Most Gracious):19).

6- One verse that describes mountains as pegs or pickets

"And the mountains as pegs?" (Surat An-Naba' (The Great News):7),

emphasizing their relatively small, above-ground elevations, compared to their much more deeply hurried parts (roots), and their role in the fixation of continental masses as well as of the whole planet. This fact is emphasized in ten other verses that also ascribe more functions to mountains such as their part in the process of precipitation of rain and in the formation of natural heads for running streams

" And it is He Who spread out the earth, and placed therein firm mountains and rivers and of every kind of fruits He made Zawjain Ithnain (two in pairs-may mean two kinds or it may mean: of two varieties, e.g. black and white, sweet and sour, small and big). He brings the night as a cover over the day. Verily, in these things, there are Ayat (proofs, evidences, lessons, signs, etc.) for people who reflect."

(Surat Ar'Ra'd (The Thunder):3);

"And the earth We have spread out, and have placed therein firm mountains, and caused to grow therein all kinds of things in due proportion." (Surat Al-Hijr (The Rocky Tract): 19);

"And He has affixed into the earth mountains standing firm, lest it should shake with you; and rivers and roads, that you may guide yourselves."

(Surat An-Nahl (The Bees):15);

"And We have placed on the earth firm mountains, lest it should shake with them, and We placed therein broad highways for them to pass through, that they may be guided."

(Surat Al-Anbiya (The Prophets):31);

"Is not He (better than your gods) Who has made the earth as a fixed abode, and has placed rivers in its midst, and has placed firm mountains therein, and has set a barrier between the two seas (of salt and sweet water).Is there any ilah (god) with Allah? Nay, but most of them know not."

(Surat An-Naml (The Ants):61);

"And the earth! We have spread it out, and set thereon mountains standing firm, and have produced therein every kind of lovely growth (plants)."

(Surat Qaf: 7);

"And the mountains He has fixed firmly;"

(Surat An-Nazi'at (Those Who Pull Out):32).

In the twelfth verse of this group, the Qur’an asks the human beings to contemplate on a number of observations in the universe including how mountains are made to stand up on the surface of the earth" And at the mountains, how they are rooted (and fixed firm)?"

(Surat Al-Ghashiyah (The Overwhelming):19).

Such speculation has led to the formulation of the concept of isostacy which is currently used to explain such phenomenon. In another verse of this group

"See you not that Allah sends down water (rain) from the sky, and We produce therewith fruits of various colors, and among the mountains are streaks white and red, of varying colors and (others) very black."

(Surat Fatir (The Originator of Creation, or The Angels):27);

The Qur’an describes mountains as being composed of white and red tracts of various shades of colors and of others that are black and intense in hue. This is probably referring to both acidic mountains (which are dominantly granitic in composition, with overwhelming white and red colors of various shades) and basic to ultra basic mountains (which are dominantly basaltic I gabbroic in composition with black colored ferromagnesian minerals). Each of these major primary rock groups have its specific chemical and mineralogical composition as well as its specific temperature of separation from its mother magma. Their dominant colors are also reflected in their secondary and or tertiary products of sedimentary and metamorphic rocks, and hence, the Importance of these three principal colors (white, red and black) in the classification of igneous rocks and of their derivatives.

7- A group of verses that reflect on the earth’s hydrosphere and atmosphere, which are both clearly stated to have been out gassed from within the earths a fact that is only very recently discovered

"And after that He spread the earth; And brought forth therefrom its water and its pasture;"

(Surat An-Nazi'at (Those Who Pull Out):30-31).

Other verses in this group comment on the protective nature of the atmosphere for life on earth" And We have made the heaven a roof, safe and well guarded. Yet they turn away from its signs (i.e. sun, moon, winds, clouds, etc.)."

(Surat Al-Anbiya (The Prophets):32);

"By the sky (having rain clouds) which gives rain, again and again."

(Surat At-Tariq (The Night-Comer):11),

The absolute darkness of the outer space

"And even if We opened to them a gate from the heaven and they were to keep on ascending thereto (all the day long). They would surely say (in the evening): "Our eyes have been (as if) dazzled (we have not seen any angel or heaven). Nay, we are a people bewitched." (Surat Al-Hijr (The Rocky Tract), the reduction of atmospheric pressure with elevation" And whomsoever Allah wills to guide, He opens his breast to Islam; and whomsoever He wills to send astray, He makes his breast closed and constricted, as if he is climbing up to the sky. Thus Allah puts the wrath on those who believe not." (Al-An'am (The Cattle):125) and the glowing nature of the early nights of our planet before the formation of its protective atmospheric layers

"And We have appointed the night and the day as two Ayat (signs etc.). Then, We have obliterated the sign of the night (with darkness) while We have made the sign of the day illuminating, that you may seek bounty from your Lord, and that you may know the number of the years and the reckoning. And We have explained everything (in detail) with full explanation."

(Surat Al-Isra' (The Journey by Night):12).

8- A group of verses that emphasize the thinness of the earth’s crust

"And Allah has made for you the earth a wide expanse."

(Surat Nuh (Noah):19),

The constant leveling and degradation of the earth’s surface and the gradual change in the geographic dimensions of continental masses, and even the contraction of the whole planet and the deformation of its surface" See they not that We gradually reduce the land (of the disbelievers, by giving it to the believers, in war victories) from its outlying borders. And Allah judges, there is none to put back His Judgment and He is Swift at reckoning."

(Surat Ar-Ra'd (The Thunder):41);

"Nay, We gave the luxuries of this life to these men and their fathers until the period grew long for them. See they not that We gradually reduce the land (in their control) from its outlying borders? Is it then they who will overcome."

(Surat Al-Anbiya' (The Prophets):44);

"Have We not made the earth as a bed,"

(Surat An-Naba' (The Great News):6).

9- Verses emphasizing the fact that Groundwater is generated from rain, thus reflecting on the hydro geological cycle

"And We sent down from the sky water (rain) in (due) measure, and We gave it lodging in the earth, and verily, We are Able to take it away."

(Surat Al-Mu'minun (The Belivers):18),

And others relating life on earth to water

"Have not those who disbelieve known that the heavens and the earth were joined together as one united piece, then We parted them? And We have made from water every living thing. Will they not then believe?"

(Surat Al-Anbiya' (The Prophets):30);

"Allah has created every moving (living) creature from water. Of them there are some that creep on their bellies, and some that walk on two legs, and some that walk on four. Allah creates what He wills. Verily, Allah is Able to do all things." (Surat An-Nur (The Light):45) or reflecting on the possibility of classifying life forms" Have they not seen how many a generation before them We have destroyed whom We had established on the earth such as We have not established you? And We poured out on them rain from the sky in abundance, and made the rivers flow under them. Yet We destroyed them for their sins, and we created after them other generations."

(Surat Al-An'am (The Cattle):38).

10- Verses emphasizing the fact that the process of creation took place in successive stages over tremendously long spans of time

"Say (O Muhammad (pbuh)):" Do you verily disbelieve in Him Who created the earth in two Days? And you set up rivals (in worship) with Him? That is the Lord of the 'Alamin (mankind, Jinn and all that exists). He placed therein (i.e. the earth) firm mountains from above it, and He blessed it, and measured therein its sustenance (for its dwellers) in four Days equal (i.e. all these four days were equal in the length of time) for all those who ask (about its creation). Then He rose over (Istawa) towards the heaven when it was smoke, and said to it and to the earth: "Come both of you willingly or unwillingly." They both said: "We come willingly." Then He completed and finished from their creation (as) seven heavens in two Days and He made in each heaven its affairs. And We adorned the nearest (lowest) heaven with lamps (stars) to be an adornment as well as to guard (from the devils by using them as missiles against the devils). Such is the Decree of Him the All-Mighty, the All-Knower."

(Surat Fussilat (They are explained in detail):9-12);

 

"And they ask you to hasten on the torment! And Allah fails not His Promise. And verily, a day with your Lord is as a thousand years of what you reckon."

(Surat Al-Hajj (The Pilgrimage):47);

 

"He manages and regulates (every) affair from the heavens to the earth; then it (affair) will go up to Him, in one Day, the space whereof is a thousand years of your reckoning (i.e. reckoning of our present world's time)."

(Surat As-Sajdah (The Prostration):5), etc.)

 

11- Verses that describe the end of our planet and of the whole universe by reversing the process of its creation (the so-called Big Crunch)

"And (remember) the Day when We shall roll up the heavens like a scroll rolled up for books. As We began the first creation, We shall repeat it. (It is) a promise binding upon Us. Truly, We shall do it." (Surat Al-Anbiya' (The Prophets):104),after which the eternal universe will be created" On the Day when the earth will be changed to another earth and so will be the heavens, and they (all creatures) will appear before Allah, the One, the Irresistible."

(Surat Ibrahim (Abraham):48).

Such knowledge was not available before the turn of the present century, and most of it has just started to be understood through the painstaking analysis of massive amounts of scientific observations. The Qur’anic precedence with such precise and comprehensive knowledge points to only one of the multifarious miraculous nature of this Glorious Book, being the last Divine Message, and the only one that has been kept intact with exactly the same language of revelation word to word and letter to letter for more than 14 centuries. From the above mentioned discussion it is obvious that Qur’anic verses with geological notions exceed 110 in number and need voluminous texts to explain. Consequently, the present paper concentrates on verses which represent established facts and concepts in the area of Earth Sciences and are only given as examples of the miraculous nature of the Glorious Qur’an as follows:

 

A-The Fractured earth. And by the Earth which has its own fault " And the earth which splits (with the growth of trees and plants)," (Surat At-Tariq (The Night-Comer):12)

Accountancy and perspectives of Islam in light of Quran.

 

Accounting (Hisab)

Allah says in the Qur’an,

“Their reckoning has drawn near to men, and in heedlessness are they turning aside.” (Surah al-Anbiya, 21:1)

“And how many a town rebelled against the commandment of its Lord and His Apostles. So we called it account severely and we chastised it (with) a stern chastisement. So it tasted the evil result of its conduct, and of its affair was perdition. Allah has prepared for them severe chastisement, therefore be careful of (your duty to) Allah, O men of understanding.” (Surah at Talaq, 65:8-10)

Who will take the Accounting?

According to the Qur’an and the traditions (Ahadeeth) it is proved that Allah Himself will take account of all people.

“And He is swiftest in taking account.” Surah al-An’am, 6:62

But also according to some traditions this work will be assigned to the Angel. According to some reports it is related that Allah will take account from His prophets (Anbiya), while the prophets will take account from their Vicegerents (Awsiya), while they in turn will take account from their Ummat, as Quran says: (Ehsanul Fawaed)

“(Remember) the day when we will call every people with their Imam.” (Surah Bani Israel, 17:71)

It is narrated from Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (a.s.) in the third volume of Bihar-ul-Anwar of Allamah Majlisi and Amali of Shaikh Mufeed then he said, “when the day of Qayamat will dawn, Allah will command us to take account from our Shiahs (followers). We will question them about the Rights of Allah (Huququllah) and Allah will forgive them (because of their intimacy with us). Then we will also forgive them our rights (due on them).” Then Imam (a.s.) recited the following verse:

“Surely to Us is their turning back, then surely upon Us is the taking of their accounts.” Surah al-Ghashiyah, 88:25, 26

In the same book it is related from Ma’soom (a.s.) that after the forgiveness of the Rights of Allah and the Rights of Aimmah (a.s.), the rights still due on our Shi’ahs will be compensated for by the Holy Prophet (s) himself

May Allah place us amongst the Ummat of the Holy Prophet (s) and the Shi’ahs of Ahlulbait (a.s.), and resurrect us with them.

On the day of Qayamat, when Allah will appoint over the ummat their Imams to take accounts, it is a felicity for us Shiahs that our accounts will be taken by no other than the Imam of our Age -Hazrat Mahdi (a.t.f.s.), when we will be brought to his presence with heads bowed down in shame and repentance, and with a blackened face, but with heads full of their love (Walayah), we have faith that he will cause our accounts to be scrutinized by a benevolent son of a benevolent father, who himself holds a high status in the eyes of the Almighty.

Whose Account will be taken?

On the day of Qayamat people who will be accounted for their deeds will be classified into four groups. The first group of people will be the ones who will be made to enter paradise without accounting. They will be the ones who loved Ahlulbait (a.s.) in their lifetime and had not committed any sins, or died after repenting and seeking forgiveness from Allah.

The second group will be averse to the first one; they will be the enemies of Ahlulbait (a.s.). They will be thrown headlong into the fire of hell without taking their accounts. The following verse speaks about such people:

“These are they who disbelieve in the communications of their Lord and His meeting, so their deeds become null, and therefore we will not set up a balance for them on the day of resurrection.” Surah al-Kahf, 18:105

Shaikh Kulaini relates from Imam Ali Zainul Abadeen (a.s.) that he said, that the polytheists (mushreqeen) and unbeliever’s (kafereen) deeds will not be weighed weighing of deeds (meezane a’mal), accounting (hisab), and scroll of deeds are meant for the Muslims only, while according to the Qur’an the polytheists and unbelievers will remain in eternal chastisement.

The third group will consist of people who will be made to wait for accounting. They will be the ones whose evil deeds would be surpassing their good deeds. When their sins will be compensated for (by waiting long), they will find freedom. The Holy Prophet (s) said to Abdullah ibne Abbas, “Some people will have to wait for a hundred years for accounting, and only then will they be made to enter paradise.” But for which particular sin will he be made to wait is not specified. Hence a believer (mo’min) should keep himself away from all sins, so that he may not have to wait that long.

Shaikh Sadooq relates from Imam Ja’far -as- Sadiq (a.s.) that he said, that on the day of Qayamat two types of people from the followers of Ahlulbait (a.s.) will have to wait for long. One will be the indigent and poor person, while other a rich and wealthy person. The poor man will cry out, “O my Lord why do I have to wait so long. I swear by your Glory and Majesty that in the world you had given me no kingdom or empire so that I may oppress anyone or commit injustice therein or usurp other’s rights. And you had given me only that which You thought was enough for me, and I remained patient and never grumbled. Then Allah will reply, “O believer surely you speak the truth,” thus he will be made to enter paradise.

The rich man will have to wait so long that he will sweat profusely, so much so that forty camels could quench their thirst with it. Only then will he be made to enter paradise. In paradise when they will meet each other, the poor man will ask him the reason for having made to wait so long. The rich man will reply, “I was made to wait for a long time giving account of my enormous wealth, so to how I earned it (whether lawfully or unlawfully), as how I spent it. Then the merciful Lord blessed me, forgave my sins and accepted my repentance.” Then he will ask the poor man as to who he was? He will reply that he is the same indigent fellow who was with him in the plains of Qayamat. The rich man will say, “Verily the blessings and bounties of paradise have transformed you to such an extent that even I could not recognize you.” (Matalib)

The fourth group will consist of people whose bad deeds will be more than their good ones. And only if Allah’s mercy, blessings and forgiveness will give way, they will be made to enter paradise. If not they will be punished at that very place, the punishment appropriate for them. They will be chastised in that way till they become clean of all sins. Then people in whose hearts even an atom’s weight of faith (eeman) exists, will not have to stay long in hell, they will be brought back to paradise. While only the polytheists and unbelievers will remain there.

Wasting of Good deeds (Ehbat) and Expiation of Sins (Takfeer)

“And (as for) those who disbelieve, for them is destruction, and He has made their deeds ineffective. That is because they hated what Allah revealed, so He rendered their deeds null.” (Surah al-Muhammad, 47: 8-9).

“And (So for) those who believe and do good, and believe in what has been revealed to Muhammad (S), and it is the very truth from their Lord, He will remove their evil from them and improve their condition.” (Surah al –Muhammad, 47:2).

Ehbat (wasting of good deeds): If a person was a Muslim in the former part of his life and did good deeds, but turned away from the Right Path (Siratal Mustaqeem) during death and died a non -believer, none of his previous (good) deeds will benefit him and they will go wasted. If someone could argue that it is written in the Qur’an:

فَمَنْ يَعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ خَيْرًا يَرَهُ 

“Then shall anyone who has done an atom's weight of good, see it!” (Surah az-Zilzal, 99:7).

The answer to it is that the person who died disbelieving himself wasted his (good) deeds. It is impossible for Allah to accept a non-believer’s (good) deeds and make him enter paradise. But the Just Lord gives them the reward for it in this very world, like ease during death, health and wealth etc. as discussed earlier. But it is possible that there may be leniency in their punishment, as in the case of Hatim Tai or Nawshirwane Adil who were generous, they shall be made to enter hell, but the fire will not harm them. As said in the Qur’an:

“Nor (for) those who die while they are unbelievers.” (Surah an-Nisa, 4:18)

In another place it is stated:

“And (as to) those who reject our communications and the meeting of the Hereafter, their deeds are null. Shall they be rewarded except for what they have done.” (Surah al-A’raf, 7:147).

Many verses (ayah) of the Qur’an prove that disbelief (kufr) and polytheism (shirk) wastes away all good deeds. Then there are also such sins that obliterate good deeds and stop them from being accepted. The Holy Prophet (s) has said regarding a disobedient child: “O the one shunned away by his parents do whatever you like, for none of your (good) deeds will be accepted.” If a person has upon him the curses and woes of his mother, he will be thrown into hell even if his good deeds are equal to the size of a mountain.

So also is the case with slander and jealousy. Ma’soom (a.s.) says, “Jealousy consumes faith (eeman) just as fire consumes wood.” Shaikh Kulaini quotes Abu Baseer who narrates from Imam Ja’far- as Sadiq (a.s.) that he said, “Disbelief (kufr) has three roots (foundations): greed, pride, and jealousy.” And as these roots start gaining strength, faith starts moving away and good deeds go waste. Thus man becomes a fuel for the fire of hell. Shaitaan’s good deeds lay wasted because of his pride. But he was given a long span of life in compensation for his (good) deeds. The whole narration is stated in the Qur’an.

Takfeer (Expiation of sins): It means that the sins, which a person commits, are compensated for acceptance of faith (eeman) destroys all the sins committed in the past. If a person was a non-believer in the former part of life, but later accepted Islam, then the sins, which he committed during that period will be forgiven and will not be taken into account. The sins he committed during that period will be forgiven if he truly repents and seeks pardon. It is stated in the Qur’an:

“Allah changes the evil deeds to good ones.” Surah al-Furqan, 25:70

It is written in the fifteenth volume of Biharul-Anwaar, that once a man came to the presence of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (s) and said, “O Master my sin is very big (in his pre-Islamic days he had buried his daughter alive as was the custom then), you recommend to me a deed whose performance would act as compensation for it, and Allah may forgive me.” The Prophet (s) asked him, “Is your mother alive?”. The man said that she had passed away. The Prophet asked, “Then is your maternal aunt (mother’s sister) alive”? He replied “Yes, she is”

The Prophet (s) told him to go and serve her (for she had a very near relation with his mother, thus serving her would mean serving his mother). Then He (s) said, “Had his mother been alive, it would have been the best compensation (for his sins).

Incident of Ehbat and Takfeer

It is written in trustworthy narratives that in the former days there lived two brothers. One was a believer in the unity of Allah (Tawheed) and the other a polytheist and a worshipper of idols. They both lived in the same house; the believer lived on the ground floor and his (non-believer) brother on the top one. The non-believer was wealthy and lived a lavish life, while the believer was poor and passed his days in hunger and poverty.

Sometimes the non-believer would tell his brother, “If you prostrated before the idols and accepted them as your Gods, I will share half of my wealth with you. Why do you wish to live such a hard and bitter life? Come and prostrate before my idols so that both of us may enjoy life together.” The believer would answer, “Why do you not fear Allah and the day of Qayamat”. This happened many times and days passed by. Whenever they met the same conversation took place between them.

One night the believer was sitting in the courtyard of his house when he smelt the cooking of delicious food from his brother’s house. He said to himself, “Till when will you keep worshipping Allah and glorifying His name, when even after such a long time of surrender you have not had a good dress to wear, nor a soft and comfortable bed to sleep on? You have turned old due to eating loaves of dry bread, and your teeth cannot chew them anymore. Verily my brother speaks the truth, let me go and prostrate before his idols and feast upon the delicious food and enjoy myself. He got up and started ascending the stairs leading to his brother’s place and accept his pagan religion.

There his brother too was engrossed in deep thoughts and wondered, “I fail to understand the reality of idol worship, and it has no benefit as such. Verily my brother speaks the truth, I should go and accept his true religion and worship only one Allah.” He too got up and started descending the stairs to go to his brother’s place. Both brothers met each other on the stairs and exchanged their thoughts.

At that moment Allah ordered the Angel of death (Malekulmaut) to remove the spirits of both of them. Hence they both died, and whatever good deeds the believer (brother) had performed in his life were transferred to the account of the non-believer (brother) who had left his house with the intention of professing the true faith. And whatever bad deeds the non-believer (brother) had done in his lifetime were likewise transferred to the account of the believer who had left his house with the intention of abandoning the faith.

The believer’s entire life was spent in performing good deeds but died a death of infidelity, while the non-believer spent his entire life sinning yet died a faithful. The above incident is the best example of turning from the right (ehbat) and expiating for sins (takfeer).

Hence O Believers, shaitaan is your sworn enemy. He is on the constant move (till your last moment) to turn you away from the Right Path (Siratal Mustaqeem). Put yourself in the habit of righteous by performing good deeds frequently worshipping Allah so that you may not fall prey to the evil intentions of shaitaan, and thus remain steadfast on the Right path (Khazeenatul Jawahir).

Questioning about deeds

It is said in the Qur’an:

“And most certainly we will also question the Apostles.” (Surah al -A’raf, 7:6),

that “we had sent you to guide?” They will reply, “O our Lord we have not kept even an atom’s weight of Your message from being passed on to them.” They will be asked, “Who are your witness”? They will reply, “ O Allah You are our witness and besides Thee is, it is Muhammad (s), as it is said in the Qur’an,

“And thus we made you a medium (just) nation that you may be the bearers of witness to the people and (that) the Apostle may be a bearer of witness to you.” Surah al-Baqarah, 2:143.

It the same way it will be asked to Prophet Isa (a.s.),

“O Isa, son of Mariam, did you say to men, Take me and my mother for two gods besides Allah”? Surah al-Maidah, 5:116.

Prophet Isa (s) will tremble (with fright) due to Allah’s Glory and reply, “O Allah, if I had ever told them I would surely have known it. But I had always said that,

“surely I’m a servant of Allah, He has given me the book and made me a prophet.” (Surah al –Marium, 19:30).

Prophet Isa (s) only worshipped Him who created him and the others.

Then their people will be questioned, “Did your prophet not remind you of this day of Judgment”? They all will reply, “Surely they did so.” Then they shall be questioned about the blessings sent to them by Allah and as to how they spent it

“Then on that day you shall most surely be questioned about the blessings.” Surah al –Takasur, 102:8).

Did you thank Allah for His bestowing His blessings on you, or you rebelled? It is stated that the blessings of Allah referred to here means the love of the Holy Prophet (s) and his progeny (a.s.).

Imam (a.s.) asked Qatada, “What do you (Sunnis) interpret of the following verse (Ayah),

“Then on that day you shall most surely be questioned about the blessings.” Surah al -Takasur: 8)

He replied, “It means that on the day of Qayamat we will be questioned about the food and drink that we consumed in this world.” Imam (a.s.) replied, Verily Allah is far beyond this, so as to question anyone about this. If you invited someone for food to your house, would you then question him as to how much he ate”? Qatada replied, “No, but then what does this blessing means”? Imam (a.s.) replied, “The blessing referred to here is the love of us Ahlulbait (a.s.)”. It will be asked as to how did you treat the Ahlulbait (a.s.), did you love them and follow them, or you disobeyed Allah by bearing grudge towards them.

“They recognize the favors of Allah, yet they deny it.” (Surah an-Nahl: 83)

Regarding sustenance, it will only be asked as to how one earned it whether lawfully or unlawfully. Why did he squander it or spend it on unlawful means, “I kept asking from you but you kept deaf ear. The wealth was My wealth, and the poor were My children, and their questioning (from you) was My questioning.”

Shaikh Sadooq relates that on the day of Qayamat man will not be able to move an inch till he is questioned about four things: (i) the way he spent his life, (ii) how did he wore out his youth, (iii) about wealth, as to where he got it from and in what way did he spend it, and (iv) And about the love of us the Household (Ahlulbait) of prophet.

Rights of Allah or the Worship Acts

The first thing about which a person will be questioned is prayers (namaz). Did he say his prayers in time? Did he serve (rightly) this pillar of Islam and the legacy of prayers, or did he recite it to show off. After this people will be questioned about fasting (siyam), pilgrimage (hajj), zakat, khums, the Holy War (jehad) etc. and then the rightful recipients will catch hold of their shirts (and ask for their rights).

Rights of people (Haqqun Naas)

Allah will deal with His servants in two ways, (1) with justice (adl), and (2) with mercy (fazl).

Allah’s Justice (adl): If a person has upon him someone’s right (haqq), then his good deeds (of equal weight or merit) will be handed over to the rightful owner. For example, in case of backbiting (gheebat), defaming etc, the good deeds of the person who has backbited or has defamed anyone, will be transferred to the account of the person whom he backbited or defamed, and in turn that person’s bad deeds will be transferred to the account of the person who backbited and defamed him. Many traditions (ahadees) are quoted to support this.

There is a lengthy tradition (hadees) from Imam Ali Zainul Abedeen (a.s.) in “Rawzae Kafi” that on the day of Qayamat people will be questioned about the rights of men. At the concluding part of this tradition it is quoted that a person asked Imam (a.s.), “O son of the Prophet, if a non-believer who has been thrown into hell owes something to a believer, how will the deeds be exchanged when the non believer has no more good deeds left.”

Imam Zainul Abideen (a.s.) replied, “The punishment equivalent to the right that he owes will be incurred on him. Likewise the good deeds of the oppressor will be transferred to the account of the oppressed.” The person asked, “But if the Muslim oppressor does not have any good deeds left”? He (a.s.) replied, “The load of sins of the oppressed will be placed on the shoulders of the oppressor, and verily this is true justice”

It is narrated in “Lu’ali Akhbar” that once the Holy Prophet (s) asked his companions as to who was an indigent (muflis) person, they replied that, “That an indigent person is one who does not possess wealth or property.” He (s) replied, “The indigent from my ummah on the day of Qayamat will be the one who even after having offered namaz, keeping fasts, performing the Hajj, paying the zakat, have simultaneously abused anyone, or usurped the rights of anyone, or killed or physically tortured someone. Hence the oppressed ones will be given the good deeds of the oppressor and these deeds will be theirs. If the good deeds of the oppressor are exhausted, the bad deeds of the oppressor will be given to the oppressor, and he will be thrown into the raging fire.” (Ma’ ad)

Allamah Jaza’eri quotes a tradition in his book that if a person owes someone even one dirham and returns it back to it’s owner, this act of his is greater than worship of a thousand years, freeing one thousand slaves in the way of Allah, and performing one thousand Haj and the lesser pilgrimage (Umrah).

In another tradition Ma’soomeen (a.s.) says, that whosoever pleases his debtors (by repaying their loans), will be made to enter paradise without taking account, and in paradise they will be among the friends of Prophet Ismail (a.s.) Allah’s mercy on the day of Qayamat when a person owes some rights to someone is that they drown in their own sweat (due to fear).

Allah will reveal to the people the palaces of paradise and call out to the person who owes something from His servants: O people who owe something from my servant, if you wish to enter paradise, forgive him the rights that he owes you, and thus free him of this responsibility. Fortunate is the person on whom Allah is Merciful. For verily if Allah does not straighten his affair, his state will become bad. Imam Ali Zainul Abedeen (a.s.) wept (in fear) with the Justice of the Merciful Lord.

It is appropriate to quote here the Supplication (du’a) of Abu Hamza Sumali. Abu Hamza Sumali says that Imam Ali Zainul Abedeen used to recite the following du’a every night at the time of sehar in the month of Ramazan. This du’a is quoted in many books of supplications and also in the first volume of ‘Mafateehul Jinaan’ by the same author.

The recitation of Namaze Radde Mazalim (Namaz for expiation of rights due) is also beneficial. It’s method is as follows: Recite four Rak’at Namaz (two Rak’at each), in first Rak’at after Surah al-Hamd recite Surah at-Tawheed Twenty five times, and in the second Rak’at after Surah al Hamd recite Surah at- Tawheed fifty times, in the third seventy five times, and in the fourth hundred times. After ending Namaz ask Allah’s forgiveness.

Incident 1

This incident is quoted in one of the writing of Shaikh Shaheed, Ahmed bin Abil Hawaree. He says that I had a wish to see in my teacher Abu Salman Duraani (vis. Abdul Rehman bin Aytiyyah, a virtuous person who died in Dariyah in Damascus in 235 A.H. and his grave is renowned there). After a year I saw him in my dream and asked him, “O dear teacher, how was your treatment (after death)”? Abu Salman replied, “O Ahmed one day while coming from Babe Sagheer I saw a camel laden with hay. I casually removed a straw from it. Now I do not remember whether I put in my mouth or threw it away without chewing it. One year has passed and I am still being accounted for it.”

This narration is not an imaginary work, but can be supported by the following verse (ayah) of the Qur’an:

“O my son surely if it is the very weight of the grain of a mustard seed, even though it is in (the heart of) a rock, or (high above) in the heavens, or (deep down) in the earth, Allah will bring it (to light)” Surah al-Luqman, 31: l6

Amirul Mo’mineen Ali (a.s.) in one of his sermons says, “Will not the souls be accounted for their good or bad deeds on the day of Qayamat, even if it be of the weight of a mustard seed.”

Hazrat Ali (a.s.) sent Muhammad ibn Abu Bakr with a pronouncement, “O servants of Allah You should know that on the day of Qayamat Allah will certainly question you about your actions, big or small, open or concealed.”

Hazrat Ali (a.s.) wrote to Abdullah ibne Abbas. “Are you not afraid of the ‘Umanaqesha’ of accounting”? In reality ‘Umanaqesha’ means a thorn pierced in the body. As a person faces great difficulty in removing a (minute) thorn, in the same manner on the day of Qayamat people will have to bear hardships. Some researchers say that on the day of Qayamat one will be safe from the fear of the weighing scale (mizan), except the one who in his lifetime started taking account of all his good and bad deeds. The Holy Prophet (s) says that, “O people take account of your selves before your account is taken (in Qayamat), and weight your actions before they are weighed in Qayamat.”

Incident 2

It is said about Tawbah bin Samah that he daily took account of himself. One day he calculated his age and concluded that sixty years of his life had passed. Then he counted the days in sixty years and that came to twenty one thousand six hundred. He was shocked and said to himself, “Woe be to me. Will I face Lord having committed twenty one thousand six hundred sins.” After having uttered these words he fell down unconscious and passed away (in grief).

It is also narrated that once the Holy Prophet (s) was sitting on the barren ground with no grass on it. He ordered his companions to gather fuel to lit a fire. They replied that they were in a place where it was impossible to find dry grass for fuel. The Prophet (s) told them to gather whatever they could. Each one of them collected a small quantity and slowly it became plenty. The Prophet (s) looked at the heap of grass and said, “In the same manner sins of people will be collected on the day of Qayamat.”

The Prophet (s) wanted to tell his companions that as the dry grass cannot be seen in that barren land, but when searched for can turn out to be a heap. In the same manner the small sins, which a person commits cannot be seen, but on the day of Qayamat when all sins will be gathered they will amount to a large stock. Thus Tawbah bin Samah calculated one sin (the least) committed in one day, which amounted to twenty one thousand six hundred sins in sixty years.