The day the earth will change to another earth, and so will follow the heavens. People will be then coming forth unto Allah, The One, The Almighty. Hence, it will be heard: "What number of years did you stay on Earth?" (23:112). This question will melt the hearts out of worries and fear. It will fill the ungrateful with remorse and regret. Alas! It is the End.
One of the actions that expresses our gratefulness to Allah (swt) is to reflect on Allah's words … to be thankful for the knowledge we have been gifted with, which defines for us the path – the way of thinking and the way of acting. Reflecting today on what will be tormenting the ungrateful tomorrow, is indeed a great reminder, inviting us to check the way of our life today.
Imam Al Hareth Al Muhasabi, known for his teachings in the field of Tazkya (purification) that influenced many scholars after him (among them Imam Al Ghazali) initiated the school of envisioning. In this school, students are invited to visualize themselves living the sure reality, to envision being in the land of resurrection and imagine witnessing its difficult moments that are described in the Quran and the Sunnah. This method changed many lives and helped many people change their lifestyle toward the good. Should we not try implementing such a method, and hope it may have the same impact on us as it did for the students of Al Muhasabi?
Let's envision being on that day ... terrified! … seeking to avoid any one you know, consumed by the terror of the great day.
"At length, when there comes the deafening noise - that Day, man shall flee from his own brother, and from his mother and his father, and from his wife and his children. Each one of them, that Day, will have enough concern (of his own) to make him indifferent to others” (80:33-37).
In the midst of this debacle, you hear "What number of years did you stay on Earth?" (23:112). Your thoughts will speak to you: Earth?! Earth is no more! Only the record of the deeds of creation remains from its time ...
Where are gold and silver now?
"They who hoard up gold and silver and spend it not in the way of Allah, unto them give tidings of a painful doom. On the day when it will (all) be heated in the fire of hell, and their foreheads and their flanks and their backs will be branded therewith. (And it will be said unto them), ‘Here is that which you hoarded for yourselves. Now taste of what you used to hoard’” (9:34-35).
Where are the wealth and the children now?
"That day neither wealth nor sons will avail. But only he (will prosper) that brings to Allah a sound heart” (26:88-89).
How long have we stayed on Earth?
"The Day when the Trumpet is blown. On that day, we assemble the guilty, white-eyed (with terror), murmuring among themselves, (saying): ‘You have stayed but ten (days).’ We are best aware of what they utter when their best in conduct say: ‘You have stayed but a day’” (20:102-104). The answer will be then "You stayed not but a little, if you only knew” (23:114).
Whatever the length of time lived on earth, it will always be little compared to the length of the last day, which will last, in our count, 18.25 billion years. Will someone dream to live a thousand years in this life after having envisioned living a tiny moment in the terror of the last day? Could living a thousand years save someone for the doom of hell fire?
"And you will find them greediest of mankind for life and (greedier) than the idolaters. (Each) one of them would like to be allowed to live a thousand years. And to live (a thousand years) would by no means remove him from the doom. Allah is All-Seer of what they do” (2:96).
But on that day, the believers will not be addressed with the question, "What number of years did you stay on Earth?" (23:112), because they believed that eternity is not on Earth. They worked to live in the realm that never perishes, in the realm of the Mercy of Allah. They will be spared, then, from the terror of that day.
"Those for whom the good (record) from Us has gone before, will be removed far therefrom. Not the slightest sound will they hear of Hell. What their souls desired, in that will they dwell. The Great Terror will bring them no grief. But, the angels will meet them (with mutual greetings of), "This is your Day, (the Day) that you were promised" (21:101-103).
A righteous Salaf (predecessor) once said, “If only we will be granted as a bliss in paradise, the sweetness and joy felt today in the prayer, it will be plenty enough for us as a great reward."
Envisioning the worst for the last day will help us, inshaAllah, enter paradise from today!
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