FRIDAY LEARNING ZONE FROM WESSEX JAMAAT
19th Safar 1428 AH / 9th March 2007
No. 10
THE BLOWING OF THE TRUMPET – CON’T
Three questions that arise are:
In answer to the first question as to what the people will be doing at that time when the first trumpet is blown, they will be engrossed in the worldly affairs as usual. Some will be feeding the cattle; some will be busy in their factories and places of work; some will be weighing things & some will be absorbed in sins. Every thing will appear normal and they will be taken by surprise such that they will not have time to make will or to return to their families. “They will not be able to make any will, nor will they return to their folks”. (36:50). This is why we have been told not to be negligent about Allah (SWT) in this life otherwise we will regret. Imam ‘Ali (as) says: “One who is negligent for very long meets his doom suddenly”. (Ghurar al-Hikam) Do whatever work you want to do in life but don’t forget that Allah (SWT) is watching over you! Therefore, wherever you are, make sure that your every action is in accordance to His commands and pleasure!
What will happen between the two trumpets –when we die and before we rise? And how long will this period last? We cannot even imagine! There will be total darkness and everything will have perished. “Everything on it (earth) will perish; but the supreme being of your glorious and gracious Lord will remain forever”. (55:26-27) At that time, Allah (SWT) shall speak: Where are those men who arrogantly walked on the earth? Where are the kings & the emperors who prided upon their empires? Where are those who claimed to be gods? Where are your kingdoms? “To whom belongs the kingdom today? To Allah, the One, the All-Paramount!” (40:16) The entire universe will remain destroyed till Allah (SWT) wishes.
Somebody asked a Ma’soom (as) about this period and the Ma’soom (as) replied, “Verily, in between the two blows of the trumpet, there will be a gap of 40 years”. (Payaam-e-Quran) In other traditions, it has been mentioned that the gap will be of 100 years. However, Ayatullah Naser Makarem states: It is unknown whether the years mentioned will be equivalent to the years of this life or of the Hereafter, in which, every day is equal to 50,000 years. (Tafseer-e-Namoona)