the souls, and people sway upon its surface. This is what Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, says: "On the Day when the blast shall convulse, there will follow it the subsequent one. Hearts on that Day shall be beating in fear, their eyes humbled." Nursing mothers shall become distraught, pregnant women shall cast off their burdens, and children shall turn white-haired. The demons will fly, fleeing from the terror until they reach the corners [of the earth], then the angels will meet them and strike their faces, causing them to return. People will turn back, fleeing, calling out to one another. This is what Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, refers to: "The Day of Calling, the Day when you will turn your backs and flee; you will have no protector from Allah." While the people are in that state, the earth will split open from end to end, and they will see a momentous matter, the likes of which they have never seen. They will be seized by such anguish and horror that only Allah knows. Then they will look at the sky, and it will be like molten copper, split from end to end, its sun and moon eclipsed, and its stars scattered. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said: "And the dead know nothing of that."

His saying, the Exalted: "Except whom Allah wills."

16628 - By the same chain, from Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, that he said: The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, narrated to us while he was among a group of his companions and said: "Indeed, Allah, the Almighty and Majestic, commanded Israfil to sound the first blast and says to him: 'Blow the blast of terror.' So he will blow the blast of terror, and the inhabitants of the heavens and the earth will be terrified, except whom Allah wills." Abu Hurayrah asked: "O Messenger of Allah, who are those whom Allah has excepted when He says: 'And whoever is in the heavens and whoever is on the earth will be terrified, except whom Allah wills'?" He replied: "Those are the martyrs; they are alive with their Lord, being provided for. Allah protected them from the terror of that Day and secured them from it; it is a punishment from Allah that He sends upon the wicked of His creation." This is what Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, refers to: "O mankind, fear your Lord! Indeed, the convulsion of the Hour is a terrible thing. On the Day you see it, every nursing mother will be distracted from that which she was nursing, and every pregnant woman will cast off her pregnancy, and you will see the people as if they were intoxicated, while they are not intoxicated; but the punishment of Allah is severe." They will be fixed in the tribulation, except whom Allah wills; He will prolong that over them. Then Allah will command Israfil to sound the blast of stunning, and He will say to him: 'Blow the blast of stunning.' So the inhabitants of the heavens and the earth will be stunned, except whom Allah wills. When they have expired, the Angel of Death will come and say: 'O my Lord, the inhabitants of the heavens and the earth have died, except whom You willed.' Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, will say—though He is more knowing: 'And who remains?' He will say: 'O my Lord, You remain, the Living Who does not die, and the bearers of Your Throne remain, and Jibril and Mika'il remain, and I remain.' Allah, the Almighty and Majestic, will say: 'Let Jibril and Mika'il die.' The Throne will speak and say: 'O my Lord, Jibril and Mika'il are to die?' Allah, the Almighty and Majestic, will say to it: 'Be silent; I have decreed death upon everyone who is under My Throne.' So they will both die. Then the Angel of Death will come to the Compeller, the Almighty and Majestic, and say: 'O my Lord, Jibril and Mika'il have died.' Allah, the Almighty and Majestic, will say to him—though He is more knowing: 'Who remains?' He will say: 'You remain, O my Lord, the Living Who does not die, and the bearers of Your Throne remain, and I remain.' Allah, the Almighty and Majestic, will say: 'Let the bearers of My Throne die.' They will die, and Allah will command the Throne, and it will receive the Horn from Israfil. Then the Angel of Death will come and say: 'O my Lord, the bearers of Your Throne have died.' Allah will say to him—though He is more knowing: 'Who remains?' He will say: 'O my Lord, You remain, the Living Who does not die, and I remain.' Allah, the Almighty and Majestic, will say: 'O Angel of Death, you are a creation among My creation; I created you for what you saw, so die; then you shall not live again.' When none remains but Allah, the One, the Unique, the Eternal Refuge, who neither begets nor is born, He will be the Last, just as He was the First. Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, will say: 'There is no death for the people of Paradise, nor death for the people of the Fire.' Then Allah will fold up the heavens and the earth like the rolling up of a scroll for books, then He will flatten them, then He will grasp them and say: 'I am the Compeller.' Then He will flatten them, grasp them, and say: 'I am the Compeller.' Then He will flatten them, grasp them, and say: 'I am the Compeller.' Then He will call out with His voice and say: 'To whom belongs the dominion this Day?' Then He will say: 'To whom belongs the dominion this Day?' Then He will say: 'To whom belongs the dominion this Day?' Then He will say to Himself: 'To Allah, the One, the Prevailing.' Then He will substitute the earth for another earth and the heavens, and He will spread it out, level it, and stretch it like the stretching of the 'Ukazian leather; you will not see in it any crookedness or unevenness."

His saying, the Exalted: "And all of them will come to Him humble."

16629 - By the same chain, from Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, that he said: The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, narrated to us while he was among a group of his companions and said: "Then He will substitute the earth for another earth and the heavens, and He will spread it out, level it, and stretch it like the stretching of the 'Ukazian leather; you will not see in it any crookedness or unevenness. Then He will call out with His voice and say: 'Behold, whoever had a partner for Me, let him come. Behold, whoever had a partner for Me, let him come. Behold, whoever had a partner for Me, let him come.' But no one will come to Him. Then Allah will send down upon you water from beneath the Throne called 'the Life-giving' (al-hayawan). So the sky will rain upon you for forty days, until the water is above you by twelve cubits. Then Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, will command the bodies to sprout, so they will sprout like the sprouting of truffles and like the sprouting of vegetables."