Allah The Almighty distinguished His Prophet, , with a group of characteristics in the Hereafter to show, on the one hand, how high his status will be and to reveal the privilege of this nation and its precedence over other nations, on the other.
These characteristics include the following:
- The Prophet, , will be first upon whom the Earth is cleft open on the Day of Resurrection. On the authority of Abu Sa‘eed Al-Khudri, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Prophet, , said: “I shall be the first from whom the Earth will be cleft open.” [Al-Bukhari]
- The Prophet, , will be the leader of all mankind and the one to carry their banner on the Day of Resurrection. It was narrated on the authority of Abu Sa‘eed, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Prophet, , said: “I shall be pre-eminent among the descendants of Aadam on the Day of Resurrection and in my hand will be the Banner of Praise, and this is no boast. There will be no prophet, Aadam or any other, who will not be under my banner.”[At-Tirmithi]
- Allah The Almighty will honor the Prophet, , by resurrecting him to a Praised Station at the beginning of reckoning on the Day of Judgment. It was narrated in Saheeh Al-Bukhari that the Prophet, , mentioned that all people will ask him to intercede for them with Allah The Almighty so that He would begin the reckoning on the Day of Judgment, and then he said: “This is the Praised Station that Allah has promised to your Prophet.”
- The followers of the Prophet, , will be more than the followers of any other prophet on the Day of Resurrection. He will be the first one to knock on the door of Paradise and the first to intercede for people with Allah The Almighty to enter it. Furthermore, it was authenticated that his nation will be distinguished with 70,000 people who will enter Paradise without being taken to reckoning or torment. On the authority of Ibn ‘Abbaas, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Prophet, , said:
I was shown the past nations. I saw a prophet who had a very small group [less than ten in total] with him and another with nobody with him. Suddenly, I was shown a huge crowd and I thought that they were my Ummah [nation], but I was told, “This is Moosaa (Moses, may Allah exalt his mention) and his people, but look towards the other side.” I looked and beheld a great assemblage. I was told, “These are your people and amongst them there are 70,000 who shall enter Paradise without being taken to account or torment, whose faces will be as glowing as the full moon.” [Al-Bukhari]
Additionally, At-Tirmithi narrated on the authority of Abu Umaamah, may Allah be pleased with him, that Allah The Almighty added seventy thousand to each one thousand of those who will enter Paradise without being taken to account or torment. This is certainly an indescribable bounty bestowed by Allah on this Ummah.
- The Prophet, , and his nation will be witnesses over other nations that their prophets, may Allah exalt their mention, conveyed the message of Allah to them and established evidence against them. Allah The Almighty Said (what means): {And thus we have made you a just community that you will be witnesses over the people and the Messenger will be a witness over you.}[Quran 2:143]. It was also narrated in Saheeh Al-Bukhari on the authority of Abu Sa’eed Al-Khudri, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Prophet, , said: “Allah The Almighty will call out to Nooh [Noah, may Allah exalt his mention] and his nation on the Day of Resurrection. Nooh, will say, ‘Here I am! At Your service, O my Lord.’ Allah will ask him, ‘Did you convey [the Message]?’ He will reply, ‘Yes!’ Then Allah will ask his nation, ‘Did Nooh convey My Message to you?’ They will reply, ‘No, no prophet came to us.’ Then Allah will ask Nooh, ‘Who will stand as a witness for you?’ He will reply, ‘Muhammad and his Ummah [will stand witness for me].’ So, they will stand as witnesses for him that he had conveyed the Message of Allah.”
- The Prophet, , will be the first one to cross over the Siraat (bridge over the Hellfire) with his Ummah. It was narrated on the authority of Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Prophet, , said: “And the Siraat will be laid across Hell and I [Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam] shall be the first amongst the prophets to cross it with my followers.”[Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
- The great river of Al-Kawthar that Allah The Almighty promised to give to the Prophet, , in Paradise is among the characteristics distinguishing him in the Hereafter. Only the followers of the Prophet, , will drink from that river. Anas ibn Maalik, may Allah be pleased with him, reported that the Prophet, , said: “While I was walking in Paradise, I came across a river whose banks were made of domes of hollow pearls. I asked Jibreel [Gabriel], ‘What is this river?’ He replied, ‘This is the Kawthar which your Lord has kept for you.’”[Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
- The status of Al-Waseelah that was interpreted in the Hadeeth in which ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr ibn Al-‘Aas, may Allah be pleased with him, said that he heard the Prophet, , saying: “Beseech Allah to grant me Al-Waseelah, which is a high rank in Paradise, fitting for only one of the servants of Allah - and I hope that I will be that one.”[Muslim]
- The Ummah of the Prophet, , will constitute half of the people of Paradise. It was narrated on the authority of ‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ood, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Companions were once with the Prophet, , in a camp when he said: “Would you be pleased if you would constitute one-fourth of the inhabitants of paradise?” We said, “Yes”. He said: “Would you be pleased if you would constitute one-third of the inhabitants of Paradise?” We said, “Yes!”Upon this, the Messenger of Allah said:“By Him in Whose Hand Muhammad's soul is, I hope that you will constitute one half of the inhabitants of Paradise.”[Al-Bukhari]
These are some of the unique characteristics with which Allah The Almighty distinguished the Prophet, , from other prophets, may Allah exalt their mention, in the Hereafter; these characteristics show us the high status of the Prophet, , in the sight of his Lord.