85. The textual “jami`an” qualifying the earth does not denote “the whole of it” but rather, “all of the earths” there being seven of them (Zamakhshari, Razi, Qurtubi).

86. Their disbelief in Allah is the proof that they did not give Allah the regard due to Him. Had they esteemed Him in the true measure, they would have believed in Him (Ibn Jarir).

Ibn Jarir also writes as the context of revelation (as do Qurtubi and Ibn Kathir) that there are several reports of the following nature: On the authority of `Abdullah ibn Mas` ud, “One of the Jewish scholars went to the Prophet and said, ‘O Muhammad! We find (in our Scriptures) that Allah will place the heavens on one Finger, the earths on another, the trees on another, water and dust on another Finger, and the rest of the creations on another Finger and say, “I am the King.” The Prophet (saws) smiled so broadly that his teeth became visible as if attesting the Jewish scholar’s statement. Then he recited, “And they esteemed not Allah, in the manner of estimation due to Him while the whole of the earth shall be but His handful on the Day of Standing and the heavens rolled around His right hand. Glory to Him, high above what they associate (with Him)."

Ibn Kathir adds: The above is as reported in the Sahihayn, as well as in Tirmidhi and Nas a’ i (with minor differences). According to another version in Bukhari and Muslim, the Prophet said, “Allah will hold the earth in one hand, and wrap the heavens in His Right Hand and say, ‘I am the King. Where are the kings of the earth?’”

As regards the statement in the above report to the effect, “as if attesting the Jewish scholar’s statement,” Nawawi writes in his commentary, that these are words of the commentator. There is every possibility that the Prophet smiled in disapproval (and then stated the correct version: Au.).

When dealing with such reports, adds Ibn Kathir, we treat the words (such as Finger or Hand) literally, without offering an interpretation or futher explanation.

Qurtubi and Alusi clarify the situation on the Day of Judgment by quoting a hadith from Tirmidhi who declared it Hasan-Sahih-Gharib:

`A’isha says she asked the Prophet in reference to Allah’s words, “the whole of the earth shall be but His handful on the Day of Standing, and the heavens rolled around His right hand,” as to where will the people be on that Day? He answered, “On the Bridge laid over Jahannum.”

Yet another report that could be cited in this connection – adds Alusi - is in Muslim and others. It says,Abu Sa` id al-Khudri reports the Prophet as having said, “The earth will be like a single disk of bread that the Compeller will turn over in His hand, as one of you turns bread over in his hand (to flatten and shape it), in preparation of the dwellers of Paradise.”

Another report quoted by Ibn Jarir, (in Ahmad, Muslim, Nas a’ i and others: Ibn Kathir and Alusi) says,The above is Muslim’s version reported by Ibn `Umar. To put various versions together:

The Prophet once recited this verse on the mimber waving his hands, moving forward and backward and saying, “The Lord exalts Himself. He says, ‘I am the Enforcer. I am the Proud. I am the King. I am the Powerful. I am the Noble.’” The mimber began to vibrate with him, and, says the narrator, “we feared he might fall off.”

According to another version in Muslim, “I could see the mimber vibrating at its base and I thought it will bring the Prophet down in a fall.”

But of course, the statement to the effect that Allah (swt) will wrap the universe around His Hand, should not be treated literally. The allegorical nature of the statement, so forcefully presented, cannot be missed. The Hand, for example, expresses Might, and by the “wrapping of the Universe,” the allusion is to absolute Power (Zamakhshari).

Qurtubi offers a similar meaning and cites other examples; while Shabbir quotes a hadith to demonstrate the allegorical nature of the term “Hand.” (He quotes only a part, but the whole, as in Abu Ya`la’s collection – declared trustworthy by Haythami, is as follows: Au.),`Ikrimah said, “Both the Hands of Allah are Right Hands. He will wrap the heavens on the Day of Judgment then take them into His right Hand and say, ‘I am the Sovereign. Where are the tyrants? Where are the arrogant ones?‘ Then He will take the earths in His other hand and say, ‘I am the Sovereign. Where are the tyrants? Where are the arrogant ones?‘”

When S alim was informed of the above, he said that he had heard `Abdullah ibn `Umar narrate this hadith from the Prophet himself (but without the statement, “Both the Hands of Allah are Right Hands: Au.).

Strangely, Imam Razi, after quoting Zamakhshari, (from whom he draws quite often) criticizes him at this point for rejecting the apparent meaning, but, after some discussion states what sounds like adopting a position that is close to Zamakhshari’s. He elaborates in the following manner: We say, “The house is in somebody’s hand,” or, as the Qur’an says about slaves, “what your right hands possess,” in all such cases there is no need to resort to the allegories. The “apparent” and “real” meaning, in this case of the word hand, is the expression of power and possession. In short, what Zamakhshari considers as allegorical expression, Imam Razi thinks is the true meaning. He denies of course, parts and limbs for Allah.

Ibn Kathir remarks, however, that the understanding of such statements is beyond human intellect and hence it is best to submit the mind and say that the meaning is best known to Allah Himself. The “Right Hand” of the Qur’an and the “Fingers” of the ahadith should be treated as mere words meaning exactly what they say viz. “Right Hand” and “Fingers” - without offering any explanation, without suggesting a form, and without venturing an interpretation.

87. Qurtubi offers us a report from Ibn Majah to the effect that there are two in charge of the Trumpet: Jirbril and Isr afil (and so, anyone or both could blow into it. But Haythami declared it weak. The consensus is that Isr afil alone is in charge of the Trumpet: Au.).

Ibn Kathir cites a lengthy narrative on this topic which can be found in Ahmad and Muslim,Someone said to `Abdullah ibn `Amr, “I believe you say that the Day of Reckoning will happen in such and such a manner?” He said something to disown it and then added, “I am considering whether to stop narrating to you altogether. What I have said is that after a while you will witness a few major events.” Then he said about the Prophet that he said, “Dajjal will appear in my Ummah and abide among them for forty. (I do not know whether it will be for forty days, forty months or forty years). Then Allah will send `Isa ibn Maryam as if he is `Urwah ibn Mas` ud the Thaqafi. He will go after him (Dajjal) and destroy him. Thereafter, the people will live for seven years without any enmity between them. Then Allah will send a cold wind from the Syrian direction so that no one who had an atom weight of faith in him will remain on the earth but that it will take away his soul, until if one of you happened to be in the interior of a mountain, it will enter upon him and seize his soul.” He (Ibn `Amr) added that he heard the Prophet say, “Thereafter the worst of the people will remain: as light as birds and endowed with beastly characteristics; not knowing a good nor disapproving a reprehensible thing. Shaytan will go to them in the form of a human and say, ‘Will you not respond?’ They will ask, ‘So what do you suggest?’ He will command them to worship idols and they will worship them. They will then be in the best of conditions: abundant food and good quality living. Then the Trumpet will be blown and none hears it but he will bend his neck and stretch it forward (trying to pick up the sound). The first to hear will be a man who will be repairing his cistern for his camels. He will faint and no one will remain but will fall unconscious. Then Allah will send rains, as if a short shower (or maybe he said “shades,” Nu`man was doubtful), and bodies of the people will grow thereby. Then another blow will follow and there they will be, standing, looking around. Then it will be said, ‘People: unto your Lord.’ But, ‘Hold them on. They will be questioned.’ Then it will be said, ‘Remove those destined for the Fire.’ It will be asked, ‘How many?’ It will be said, ‘Nine hundred and ninety-nine out of every thousand.’ It is then that the young will turn old. It is that day when the Calf will be revealed.”

(The above version is from Imam Muslim: Au.)

88. A report in Ibn Jarir would have it that with the second blow of the Trumpet, all the living beings in the heavens and the earth will die, except martyrs in heaven who will be spared because they would have already tasted death. The report names Jibril, Mik a’il, Isr afil, the carriers of `Arsh, and even the angel of death as those that will suffer death.

(The report however, as in Ish-aq b. Rahwayh, has not been declared Sahih by any of the well-known Hadith masters: Au.).

Shawkani on the other hand states that Jibril, Mik a’il, and Isr afil are exempt; and perhaps even the carriers of the `Arsh, and keepers of Paradise and Hell. He quotes a hadith from Abu Ya`l a, D ara Qutni (in his Ifrad), Ibn al-Mundhir, and H akim who declared it Sahih that the Prophet said that martyrs are exempt who will have drawn-swords in their hands going about the `Arsh. Yet another report in Al-Faryabi, Ibn Jarir, Abu Nasr Sijzi (in his Ibanah), and Ibn Marduwayh exempts Jibril, Mik a’il, the angel of death, Isr afil and the carriers of `Arsh.

(This is also an unverified report: Au.).

Ibn Jarir (as also Qurtubi and Alusi) offer another report (found in the Sahihayn: Shawkani). It says,

A Jew went to the Prophet and complained, “Muhammad. One of your Ansari companion slapped me in the face.” The Prophet asked the man to be brought and asked him why he had slapped him. He said, “I passed by this Jew and I heard him say, ‘By Him who chose Musa over all the people..’ I asked, ‘Over Muhammad also?’ And anger overtook me and so I slapped him.” The Prophet remarked, “Do not declare me better than the Prophets, for, the people will swoon on the Day of Standing, and I will be the first to regain myself, and behold I will find Musa holding one of the posts of `Arsh. Now, I do not know whether he came to himself before me, or spared because of his swoon on the T ur of the Mann and Salwa.”

89. What will be the time gap between the two? Abu Hurayrah has a report, but he refused to specify it. It is as follows:Abu Hurayrah reported that the Prophet (saws) said, “Between the two blows, it will be forty.” (Abu Hurayrah was asked), “Forty days?” He (Abu Hurayrah) replied, “I reject.” He was asked, “Forty months?” He replied, “I reject.” He was asked, “Forty years?” He replied, “I reject.” Then he added, “Thereafter Allah will send down water from the heaven and they will begin to grow like vegetation appears. There is nothing in man but undergoes decay except for a single bone and that is his spinal tail-bone. It is upon this that the creation will be rebuilt” (Ibn Jarir).

The hadith is in Bukhari (Au.).

90. Ibn Jarir reports at this point the state in which the believers will be raised:The Prophet said, “The believers will be raised on the Day of Standing naked, beardless, of age thirty.”

The above hadith is variously reported and Haythami declared one of the versions as trustworthy. Other reports tell us that the entire humankind will be raised naked (Au.).

91. The allusion of course, by “the earth” is to another “earth,” since, as another Qur’anic passage tells us, the present earth will be destroyed. The reference is to (19: 48),“The day when the earth will be replaced with another earth.”

There are other verses supporting the destruction of the earth in which we live (Razi).

92. The “nur” of this occurrence has been interpreted by authorities such as Hasan and Dahh ak as meaning “justice,” (that is, the earth will shine because of the complete justice rendered to everyone: Au.).

Ibn `Abbas however said that Allah will create a “nur” specifically for that Day which will engulf the earth (Qurtubi, Alusi).

Imam Razi refutes the anthropomorphists who use this present verse and others of the Qur’an to believe that Allah is made of “nur.” Several errors are committed. Firstly, the true meaning of the term “nur” has not been established. If by any chance it could be established, we cannot be sure that the word as used in this context, carries the same meaning. Again, (as Zamakhshari has pointed out) it is said, “the rule of such a sovereign has filled the land with light,” or, it is said, “the oppression of such and such a ruler has filled the land with darkness.” Is the usage literal?

93. That is, said Suddi and Qat adah, the Record of Deeds (Ibn Jarir, Ibn Kathir).

94. That is, said Ibn `Abbas, when nations will deny that any Prophet ever came to them, witnesses will be brought forward to testify that the Prophets did deliver the message (Ibn Jarir).