Length of that Day

Almighty Allah Says (what means):

{The angels and the Spirit [i.e. Jibreel (Gabriel)] will ascend to Him (Allah) during a Day the extent of which is fifty thousand years. So be patient with gracious patience. Indeed, they see it [as] distant. But We see it [as] near.} [Quran70: 4-7]

The context of these verses clearly indicates that what is referred to here is the Day of Resurrection as reported from Ibn ‘Abbaas, may Allah be pleased with him; this was also the view of Al-Hasan, Ad-Dahhaak and Ibn Zayd, may Allah be pleased with them. [An-Nihaayah, by lbn Katheer, 1/323]

Because that Day will be so long, people, on the Day of Resurrection, will think that they only stayed in this world for a part of a day, as Allah, the Most Exalted, Says (what means):

{And on the Day when He (Allah) will gather them, [it will be] as if they had not remained [in the world] but an hour of the day, [and] they will know each other. Those will have lost who denied the meeting with Allah and were not guided...} [Quran 10: 45]

Ibn Katheer said when interpreting the above verse:

“Allah is reminding mankind of the Hour and when they will be gathered from their graves. ‘And on the Day when He will gather [resurrect] them…’ ; this is like the verses (which mean):

{… On the Day they see it, as though they had not remained [in the world] except for an afternoon or a morning thereof.} [Quran 79: 46]

{We are most knowing of what they say when the best of them in manner [i.e. wisdom or speech] will say, “You remained not but one day.} [Quran 20:104]

{And the Day the Hour appears the criminals will swear they had remained but an hour. Thus they were deluded...} [Quran 30:55]

This indicates how short the life of this world is in comparison with the Hereafter, as Allah Says (what means):

{[Allah] will say, “How long did you remain on earth in number of years?” They will say, “We remained a day or part of a day; ask those who enumerate.” He will say, “You stayed not but a little — if only you had known.’} [Quran 23: 112-114] [Tafseer Ibn Katheer, 3/505]

Some of the features of the horrors of the resurrection

The Quran speaks of the horrors of that Day, which will shock people and leave them staring in terror, when they will be shaken to the core of their being.

One of the greatest of these horrors will be the total destruction of this earth with its mountains, the heaven with its stars, as well as the sun and the moon.

Our Lord tells us that this earth will be shaken and turned to powder, that the mountains will be made to pass by and will be blown away, the seas will become as blazing fire or will overflow, the sky will split asunder and will shake with a dreadful shaking, the sun will be wound round and will disappear, the moon will be eclipsed, the stars will fall and their light will be extinguished, and the entire system (of the universe) will collapse.

The grasping of the earth and the rolling up of the heavens

Allah will grasp the earth in His Hand on the Day of Resurrection, and will roll up the heavens in His Right Hand, as He Says (what means):

{They have not appraised Allah with true appraisal, while the earth entirely will be [within] His grip on the Day of Resurrection and the heavens will be folded in His right hand. Exalted is He and High above what they associate with Him.} [Quran 39: 67]

In another verse, Allah tells us how He will roll up the heavens; Allah, The Almighty, Says (what means):

{The Day when We will fold the heaven like the folding of a [written] sheet for the records. As We began the first creation, We will repeat it. [That is] a promise binding upon Us. Indeed, We will do it.} [Quran 21: 104]

The meaning of this verse is, "the Day when the heavens will be rolled up like the scroll of a book, and as the scroll contains the writing, so too the heavens will be contained.” [Tafseer Ibn Katheer, 4/602]

There are authentic Ahaadeeth (narrations) which indicate the same as is indicated in these Quranic texts, but they also point to an additional idea, which is what Allah will Say after seizing the earth and rolling up the heavens. Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, said that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah exalt his mention) said:

“Allah will seize the earth on the Day of Resurrection and will roll up the heavens in His Right Hand, then He will say: ‘I am the King, where are the kings of the earth?” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

The Messenger of Allah also said:

“Allah will roll up the heavens on the Day of Resurrection, then He will hold them in His Right Hand, and will say: ‘I am the King. Where are the tyrants? Where are the arrogant ones?’ Then He will roll up the earth in His Left Hand - according to one narration, He will take hold of them with His other Hand - and will say, ‘I am the King. Where are the tyrants? Where are the arrogant ones?” [Muslim]

According to ‘Abdullah Ibn Mas’ood, may Allah be pleased with him, a Jew came to the Prophet and said, “O Muhammad! Allah holds the heavens on one finger, the earth on another finger, the mountains on another finger, the trees on another finger, and the created beings on another finger, then He says, ‘I am the King.” The Messenger of Allah smiled so broadly that his eyeteeth could be seen, then he recited,
{They have not appraised Allah with true appraisal, while the earth entirely will be [within] His grip on the Day of Resurrection and the heavens will be folded in His right hand. Exalted is He and High above what they associate with Him.} [Quran 39: 67] [Al-Bukhari]

This seizing of the earth and rolling up of the heavens will happen after Allah causes all creatures to die. It is said that a caller will cry out after all creatures have been gathered on an earth, white like silver, on which no sin has ever been committed. On that Day, Allah Alone has sovereignty, when there will be no others who would be making any such claims, when every king and his kingdom will be disappeared, when the dominion of every arrogant and tyrant person will be vanished, and their claims will disappear with them.