The Metaphysical Realm of Barsakh and the Day of Gathering Which Is the Day of Resurrection

Published in August 6, 2018

Translated by: Ahmed Fathy

Introduction:

1- Our writings about the metaphysical realm of Barsakh have brought many comments and positive feedback; many of our fellow Quranists reflected on this thought-provoking topic and they re-read the Quranic verses about the Hereafter within deeper reflection and a renewed sense of grasping new meanings; this shows that all of us are still at the coastline of the Quranic knowledge and of pondering the Quranic text. This also means that God's Great, Glorious Book, the Quran, is never appreciated, valued, or esteemed until now, as it should be, by the Muhammadans who do not value God as He should be valued. Of course, the Muhammadans have abandoned the Quran and use it now as a song which is sung loudly in gatherings and in public places. They place above the Quran the lies/myths which fill their earthly/terrestrial, fabricated religions of Satan; they misuse, misquote, and manipulate Quranic verses while claiming that the Quranic legislations are replaced/supplanted by hadiths and fiqh. Of course, our first book about the topic of Barsakh is titled "The Book of Death" (found in English on this link: http://www.ahl-alquran.com/arabic/book_main.php?main_id=120), whose first edition in Arabic appeared in Cairo, Egypt, in 1990, but its revised edition is published in Arabic and in English on our website now. We continue in our writings here to explore, within the Quran, more facts about this topic of Barsakh and also about the Hereafter. Since we have reached the conclusion, in 1977, that Islam is only the Quran and that it is the Only Criterion, we are continue to find trough research many Quranic facts which have been previously unknown to our person. We are still amazed by the Greatness of the Quranic text which is the Miracle of the Lord God. Even if we were to live for a thousand years, our amazement derived from finding less known Quranic facts through research will never cease. Indeed, no one can gain full, complete knowledge of the entire Quranic text. Consequently, our sorrow for the fate of the Muhammadans is deepened; they take the Quran as a jest or a joke; they never take it seriously enough; within their foolishness and spare time, the ignoramuses among them never stop asking about the fate of non-Muslims who never heard of the Quranic message.          

2- We consider every comment we receive on our website or via email as a positive one, even if it contains stances/views that differ from ours; all Quranists are still in the stage of dialogue; many questions we receive via these comments/messages are positive feedback that drives us to ponder more deeply to find answers and to learn more from the Glorious Quran: God's Word.

3- Among the questions posed to us is one about quoting the silly Sunnite-Sufi hadith of (when one dies, one's resurrection begins at once). This silly hadith contradicts the Quran and it is mentioned/fabricated for the first time by the Sufi pioneer and author Al-Ghazaly in his many-volume, seminal book titled (Ehiaa Olom Eddine), a title which is roughly translated as follows: "The Revival of Religious Sciences". This book is filled with lies, falsehoods, mythology, and fabrications in which Sufi extremists believe without questioning such an author whom they deify as a saint! For instance, the Sunnite imam/author Al-Nawawi wrote that he considered the book of Ehiaa as if it were a second Quran! this flagrant lie has been repeated by sheikh Abdel-Haleem Mahmoud, the head of Al-Azhar in the 1970s during the reign of Sadat in Egypt. This silly Sunnite-Sufi hadith can be refuted by the Quranic fact that Muhammad never knew the metaphysical realm of the future (of this world and the next one); therefore, he never spoke about it; thus, he never spoke about the Hour, Barsakh, the Hereafter, etc. outside reading the Quranic verses about these topics. Thus, to refute this silly hadith of Al-Ghazaly, we feel bound to write here about the function of Barsakh within the topic of the Last Day; we arrange the ideas related to this topic in the points below.

Firstly: the Barsakh realm in the Quranic methodology:

1- Within the previous article titled "The Problematic Issue of Time On the Last Day within the Hereafter" (found in English on this link: http://www.ahl-alquran.com/English/show_article.php?main_id=18716), we talk about the Quranic methodology of talking about the Last-Day events, and how the focus is on guidance, warning, and preaching; this is the reason why the Last-Day events are not mentioned in the chronological order and some of them are not mentioned in several Quranic contexts while they are mentioned in other contexts. The Quran mentions once that the Barsakh level is where souls of the dead are located and remain there until the Day of Resurrection of all human souls: "Until, when death comes to one of them, he says, "My Lord, send me back. That I may do right in what I have neglected." By no means! It is just a word that he utters. And behind them is a barrier/Barsakh, until the Day they are resurrected." (23:99-100). In two other Quranic contexts in the Quranic Chapters 6 and 50, the Barsakh realm is not mentioned while the verses are talking about dying and Resurrection following it directly. Despite not mentioning Barsakh in such contexts, the Hour and the Resurrection Day are mentioned and how all humanity will be resurrected and gathered after the total destruction of the universe to be judged: "The daze of death has come in truth: "This is what you tried to evade." And the Trumpet is blown: "This is the Promised Day." And every soul will come forward, accompanied by a driver and a witness." (50:19-21). This is repeated in the Quranic Chapter 6; e.g., after the severe rebuke addressed to the dying unjust ones who fabricated lies about God, they (and all disbelievers) will hear this severe reproach on the Day of Resurrection: ""You have come to Us individually, just as We created you the first time, leaving behind you everything We gave you. We do not see with you your intercessors - those you claimed were your partners. The link between you is cut, and what you had asserted has failed you."" (6:94).   

2- In fact, Barsakh is the barrier phase between the day/time of the world and the Last Day or Eternity. Of course, within this day of the temporary, transient world, people are born and they die individually and alone; when one dies, one's soul enters into the Barsakh level until the Hour comes and the Resurrection and other Last-Day events take place. Thus, all these Last-Day events occur for all humanity at the same time and for once, when humanity will meet with their Lord God for Judgment: "No-when the earth is leveled, pounded, and crushed. And your Lord comes, with the angels, row after row. And on that Day, Hell is brought forward. On that Day, man will remember, but how will remembrance avail him? He will say, "If only I had forwarded for my life."" (89:21-24).

3- The silly Sunnite-Sufi hadith/lie of Al-Ghazaly contradicts the Quranic fact that all humanity will witness together the Last-Day events and that the Day of Resurrection is also called the Day of Gathering.  

Secondly: brief examples of the generality of the Last-Day events for all people:

1- God has created all human souls together at one point in time and He will resurrect them together at the same time: "Your creation and your resurrection are only as a single soul. God is Hearing and Seeing." (31:28).

2- When the Hour comes, the physical universe will be destroyed with its heavens, earth, and Barsakh levels and an Eternal Realm will emerge with another earth and heavens and people will be made to stand in a row before the Presence of their One, Dominant Lord God: " On the Day when the earth is changed into another earth, and the heavens, and they will emerge before God, the One, Dominant Lord." (14:48).

3- God mentions in the Quran that all people will be resurrected together to stand before Him for Judgment: "Do these not know that they will be resurrected? For a Great Day? The Day when the humankind will stand before the Lord of the Worlds?" (83:4-6).

4- God mentions in the Quran that all humanity will be gathered together on the Last Day: "...and We gather them together, and leave none of them behind. " (18:47).

5- All human beings will be brought and made to stand in a row before the Dominant Lord God; no one will be absent from this event: "They will be presented before your Lord in a row. "You have come to Us as We created you the first time. Although you claimed We would not set a meeting for you."" (18:48); "And the angels will be ranged around its borders, while eight will be carrying the Throne of your Lord above them that Day. On that Day you will be exposed, and no secret of yours will remain hidden." (69:17-18).

6- All human beings will see/read their Books of Deeds at the same time: "On that Day, the people will emerge in droves, to be shown their works. Whoever has done an atom's weight of good will see it. And whoever has done an atom's weight of evil will see it." (99:6-8); "And the book will be placed, and you will see the sinners fearful of its contents. And they will say, "Woe to us! What is with this book that leaves nothing, small or big, but it has enumerated it?" They will find everything they had done present. Your Lord does not wrong anyone." (18:49).

7- Of course, besides each individual's Book of deeds, there will be a Collective Book of Deeds for each nation/society/community or those who lived at the same era and place and intermingled and interacted with one another within good/evil deeds: "You will see every community on its knees; every community will be called to its Book: "Today you are being repaid for what you used to do. This Book of Ours speaks about you in truth. We have been transcribing what you have been doing." As for those who believed and did righteous deeds, their Lord will admit them into His mercy. That is the clear triumph. But as for those who disbelieved: "Were My Verses not read to you? But you turned arrogant, and were guilty people."" (45:28-31).

8- As per the above points, each human soul will receive its Book of Deeds within the Book of Deeds for each society/community/nation in which this soul lived on earth: "On the Day when We call every people with their leader. Whoever is given his record in his right hand - these will read their record, and they will not be wronged one bit. But whoever is blind in this, he will be blind in the Hereafter, and further astray from the way." (17:71-72); "As for him who is given his book in his right hand, he will say, "Here, take my book and read it. I knew I would be held accountable." So he will be in pleasant living. In a lofty Garden. Its pickings are within reach. "Eat and drink merrily for what you did in the days gone by." But as for him who is given his book in his left hand, he will say, "I wish I was never given my book." (69:19-25); "For every person We have attached his fate to his neck. And on the Day of Resurrection, We will bring out for him a book which he will find spread open. "Read your book; today there will be none but yourself to call you to account."" (17:13-14); "O man! You are laboring towards your Lord, and you will meet Him. As for him who is given his book in his right hand. He will have an easy settlement. And will return to his family delighted. But as for him who is given his book behind his back. He will call for death. And will enter into Hell." (84:6-12).

9- All humanity will have their deeds weighed simultaneously: "The Day when the people will be like scattered moths. And the mountains will be like tufted wool. As for he whose scales are heavy. He will be in a pleasant life. But as for he whose scales are light. His home is the Abyss. Do you know what it is? A Raging Fire." (101:4-11); "The scales on that Day will be just. Those whose weights are heavy - it is they who are the successful. But as for those whose weights are light - it is they who have lost their souls, because they used to misuse Our verses." (7:8-9); "When the Horn is blown, no relations between them will exist on that Day, and they will not ask after one another. Those whose scales are heavy - those are the successful. But those whose scales are light - those are they who have lost their souls; in Hell they will dwell forever." (23:101-103).

10- No human beings and no non-human creatures (i.e., angels, jinn, and devils) will be absent during the Last Day; Gabriel (i.e., the Holy Spirit) and the angels will stand in a row and will not talk: "There is none in the heavens and the earth but will come to the Dominant Lord as a servant. He has enumerated them, and counted them one by one. And each one of them will come to Him on the Day of Resurrection alone." (19:93-95); "Lord of the heavens and the earth, and everything between them - The Dominant Lord - none can argue with Him. On the Day when the Spirit and the angels stand in row. They will not speak, unless it be one permitted by the Most Merciful, and he will say what is right." (78:37-38).

11- This is followed by the Judgment of each soul among humanity, with no difference between prophets and non-prophets; there is no room for injustice on the Last Day and each soul will argue for itself in order to defend itself: "On the Day when every soul will come pleading for itself, and every soul will be paid in full for what it has done, and they will not be wronged." (16:111); "We will question those to whom messengers were sent, and We will question the messengers. We will narrate to them with knowledge, for We were never absent." (7:6-7).

12- The silly hadith of Al-Ghazaly means that no one will meet one's relatives on the Last Day if there were a 'last-day' for each individual separately once he/she dies; thus, this hadith contradicts these Quranic verses: "O people! Be conscious of your Lord within piety, and fear a Day when no parent can avail his child, nor can a child avail his parent, in anything. The promise of God is true. Therefore, do not let this life deceive you, nor let illusions deceive you regarding God." (31:33); "But when the Scream comes to pass. The Day when a person will flee from his brother. And his mother and his father. And his consort and his children. Every one of them, on that Day, will have enough to preoccupy him." (80:33-37).

13- The Muhammadans never value/esteem the Lord God as He ought to be valued/esteemed; on the Last Day, they will see that He is the One, Dominant Lord: "They have not esteemed God as He ought to be esteemed. The entire earth will be in His grip on the Day of Resurrection, and the heavens will be folded in His right. Glorified and Transcendent He is beyond the associations they make. And the Trumpet will be sounded, whereupon everyone in the heavens and the earth will be stunned, except whomever God wills. Then it will be sounded another time, whereupon they will rise up, looking on. And the earth will shine with the Light of its Lord; and the Book will be put in place; and the prophets and the witnesses will be brought in; and Judgment will be passed among them equitably, and they will not be wronged. And every soul will be fully compensated for what it had done. He is well aware of what they do." (39:67-70). We infer from these verses that all humanity in general will attend together all of the Last-Day events simultaneously, until some people will enter into Hell and then some people will enter into Paradise: "Those who disbelieved will be driven to Hell in throngs. Until, when they have reached it, and its gates are opened, its keepers will say to them, "Did not messengers from among you come to you, reading to you the verses of your Lord, and warning you of the meeting of this Day of yours?" They will say, "Yes, but the verdict of punishment is justified against the disbelievers." It will be said, "Enter the gates of Hell, to abide therein eternally." How wretched is the destination of the arrogant. And those who feared their Lord will be led to Paradise in throngs. Until, when they have reached it, and its gates are opened, its keepers will say to them, "Peace be upon you, you have been good, so enter it, to abide therein eternally."" (39:71-73); this is followed by the Judgment of the angels: "And you will see the angels hovering around the Throne, glorifying their Lord with praise. And it will be judged between them equitably, and it will be said, "Praise be to God, Lord of the Worlds."" (39:75).

Thirdly: the Day of Resurrection is for all human beings; it will be attended by all of them:

1- The gathering of all humanity on the Day of Resurrection must never be doubted; We quote these Quranic verses about this topic in the points below.

1/1: "...and to warn of the Day of Gathering, of which there is no doubt; a group in Paradise, and a group in Hell." (42:7); this reminiscent of the description of the Quran here: "This is the Book in which there is no doubt..." (2:2)

1/2: "God - there is no God except He. He will gather you to the Day of Resurrection, in which there is no doubt. And who speaks more truly than God?" (4:87); we are to believe in the most truthful narration (i.e., the Quranic text itself) and never in hadiths (of Al-Ghazaly and others) fabricated and written during the Abbasid Era. The verse 4:87 predicts in an implied manner that such narratives/lies/fabrications named as hadiths will spread later on.

1/3: "How about when We gather them for a Day in which there is no doubt, and each soul will be paid in full for what it has earned, and they will not be wronged?" (3:25); there will be no room for injustice on the Day of Judgment.

1/4: "Say, "To whom belongs what is in the heavens and the earth?" Say, "To God." He has inscribed for Himself mercy. He will gather you to the Day of Resurrection, in which there is no doubt..." (6:12); there is an assertive style here in Arabic/Quranic tongue.

1/5: God says in the Quran that most human beings in all eras deny the Hereafter: "Say, "God gives all of you life, then He makes you die; then He gathers you for the Day of Resurrection, about which there is no doubt. But most people do not know."" (45:26).

2- As per the verses quoted above, God gathers all humanity on the Last Day; this is asserted further in the following verses.

2/1: "The Day when He gathers you for the Day of Gathering - that is the Day of Assembly..." (64:9).

2/2: " n that is a sign for whoever fears the torment of the Hereafter. That is a Day for which humanity will be gathered together - that is a Day to be witnessed. We only postpone it until a predetermined time." (11:103-104).

2/3: "The Day of Judgment is the appointed time for them all." (44:40).

3- All human beings of all eras, sans exception, prophets and non-prophets, will be gathered on the Last Day, as per the following verses.

3/1: "Say, "The first and the last. Will be gathered for the appointment of the Known Day."" (56:49-50).

3/2: "On the Day when God will gather the messengers, then say, "What response were you given?" They will say, "We have no knowledge; it is You Who are the Knower of the unseen."" (5:109).

3/3: The human beings will be divided into three groups: two in Paradise (Forerunners + those on the Right) and one in Hell (those on the Left): "And the Forerunners, the Forerunners. Those are the nearest. In the Gardens of Bliss. A throne from the ancients. And a small band from the latecomers." (56:10-14); "For those on the Right. A throng from the ancients. And a throng from the latecomers. And those on the Left - what of those on the Left?" (56:38-40).

Lastly: about the importance of Barsakh here:

1- If there were no Barsakh phase, Resurrection would have been an individual process for each dead soul; this is not the case as per the Quranic verses we have quoted in the above points. The Quran asserts that all humanity will be resurrected at eh same time for Judgment; this entails that souls of the dead are stored in a Barsakh level until all human beings are tested and die eventually before the Hour takes place so that all of them are resurrected together on the Last Day.

2- Souls in Barsakh are in a state of timelessness and senselessness; upon Resurrection, they will feel as if they slept for a day or for a part of a day: "On the Day when the Hour takes place, the sinners will swear they had stayed but an hour. Thus they were deluded. But those endowed with knowledge and faith will say, "You remained in God's Book until the Day of Resurrection. This is the Day of Resurrection, but you did not know."" (30:55-56); "On the Day when they witness it - as though they only stayed an evening, or its morning." (79:46); the relativity of their brief space of time spent on earth is expressed further here: "On the Day when He rounds them up-as if they had tarried only one hour of a day to get to know one another..." (10:45).

3- This means the following points.

3/1: The man who died 100.000 years ago and the man who will die when the Hour comes will feel the same on the Last Day upon Resurrection; i.e., both will feel that they have slept for a day or for a part of a day.

3/2: As for those living now, the time left before the Day of Resurrection is what remains within one's lifetime plus a day or a part of a day. Let us suppose that we would die after one year; this means that for our person, the Day of Resurrection is after one earthly year plus a day or a part of a day of the Barsakh slumber. This means that the Last Day is very near to all human beings; this is why God has addressed the following verses to the disbelievers of the Qorayish tribe during Muhammad's lifetime. 

3/2/1: "Say, "I offer you a single advice: devote yourselves to God, in pairs, or individually; and reflect. There is no madness in your friend. He is just a warner to you, before the advent of a severe torment."" (34:46); this threat of a near severe torment means that the Day of Judgment is very near: the time remains before it is what is left from one's life duration plus a day or a part of a day within the Barsakh senselessness.

3/2/2: " We have warned you of a near torment..." (78:40); this near torment is not to be measured by the 14 centuries that passed since the descent of the Quran in Arabia; rather, this is about the remainder of the lifetimes of those disbelievers and then their death which will be felt as merely a day or a part of a day of deep slumber.

3/3: Those criminals/sinners use their freedom on earth to commit sins and to disobey the Lord God within this transient world and its fleeting time; the remainder of their life duration is not much; they will lose their freedom on their death bed and on their death moment; they will lose their freedom forever within the Last-Day events and inside Hell for eternity since they have died without repentance. Hence, to misuse one's freedom of action in this temporary, physical world means to lose one's freedom forever once the sinners die and within Hell for eternity.   

4- Why do not the Middle-Eastern tyrants and their people ponder on this fact?!