IN THE NAME OF ALLAH, THE MOST GRACIOUS, THE MOST MERCIFUL
THE FIRST SERMON FOR JUMADA AL-AKHIRAH, DATED 4/6/1446 AH (6/12/2024 CE)
TOPIC: THE RULING ON DENYING RESURRECTION, AND ACCOUNTABILITY
The First Sermon
All praise is due to Allah. We praise Him, seek His help, and ask for His forgiveness. We seek refuge in Allah from the evils of our souls and the consequences of our deeds. Whoever Allah guides, no one can mislead; and whoever He leaves astray, no one can guide. I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah, alone without partner, and I bear witness that our Prophet, beloved, and role model, Muhammad, is His servant and messenger. May Allah send peace and blessings upon him as long as the days and nights alternate.
To Proceed:
O people, fear Allah, the Most High, and obey your Lord who brought you from nonexistence into being, nurtured you with blessings, and will return you to the Hereafter to recompense you for your deeds. Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day and performs righteous deeds will be admitted into the Gardens of Bliss, while those who follow their desires will be destined for Hellfire. A great day when Allah gathers the first and the last generations. Allah says:
(وَلْتَنظُرْ نَفْسٌ مَّا قَدَّمَتْ لِغَدٍ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ خَبِيرٌ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ)
“And let every soul look to what it has put forth for tomorrow. And fear Allah; indeed, Allah is Acquainted with what you do.” (Surah Al-Hashr 59:18)
Dear Servants of Allah, Belief in resurrection and the Day of Judgment is a major tenet of faith, second only to belief in Allah. This concept has been affirmed by divine revelation, substantiated by scriptures, and conveyed by messengers. It is the belief in resurrection, rising from graves, standing before the Supreme Creator for reckoning, and the ultimate destination—either Paradise or Hell. Allah says:
فَمَنْ زُحْزِحَ عَنِ النَّارِ وَأُدْخِلَ الْجَنَّةَ فَقَدْ فَازَ وَمَا الْحَيَاةُ الدُّنْيَا إِلَّا مَتَاعُ الْغُرُورِ
“So whoever is drawn away from the Fire and admitted to Paradise, he has attained [his desire]. And what is the life of this world except the enjoyment of delusion?” (Surah Al-Imran:185)
Throughout history, nothing in the message of the prophets has been met with greater denial, mockery, and rejection than the belief in the Last Day. Disbelievers and skeptics across generations have ridiculed this idea. The Quran records their grave fabrications in numerous verses:
وَإِن تَعْجَبْ فَعَجَبٌ قَوْلُهُمْ أَإِذَا كُنَّا تُرَابًا أَإِنَّا لَفِي خَلْقٍ جَدِيدٍ
“And if you are astonished, then astonishing is their saying, ‘When we are dust, will we indeed be [brought] into a new creation?’ (Surah Ar-Ra’d :5)
The Quran counters their objections with clear evidence, exposing their obstinacy and ignorance. It argues with undeniable proof:
وَيَقُولُ الْإِنسَانُ أَإِذَا مَا مِتُّ لَسَوْفَ أُخْرَجُ حَيًّا * أَوَلَا يَذْكُرُ الْإِنسَانُ أَنَّا خَلَقْنَاهُ مِن قَبْلُ وَلَمْ يَكُ شَيْئًا
“And man says, ‘When I have died, am I going to be brought forth alive?’ Does man not remember that We created him before, while he was nothing?” (Surah Maryam :66–67)
In response to their arrogance, Allah declares His supreme authority, swearing by His might:
فَوَرَبِّكَ لَنَحْشُرَنَّهُمْ وَالشَّيَاطِينَ ثُمَّ لَنُحْضِرَنَّهُمْ حَوْلَ جَهَنَّمَ جِثِيًّا * ثُمَّ لَنَنزِعَنَّ مِن كُلِّ شِيعَةٍ أَيُّهُمْ أَشَدُّ عَلَى الرَّحْمَـٰنِ عِتِيًّا
“So by your Lord, We will surely gather them and the devils; then We will bring them to be present around Hell upon their knees. Then We will surely extract from every sect those of them who were worst against the Most Merciful in insolence.” (Surah Maryam:68–69)
O Servants of Allah, the materialistic and atheistic individuals are engrossed in their worldly pursuits, blinded by heedlessness and intoxicated by their desires, unable to see the truth. Allah says:
بَلْ يُرِيدُ الْإِنْسَانُ لِيَفْجُرَ أَمَامَهُ * يَسْأَلُ أَيَّانَ يَوْمُ الْقِيَامَةِ
“But man desires to continue in sin. He asks, ‘When is the Day of Resurrection?’ (Surah Al-Qiyamah:5–6)
Can reason accept that criminals should remain in security and comfort, unaccountable for their deeds? By your Lord, no! And by the might and majesty of Allah, certainly not! There must be a day when the righteous are rewarded for their goodness, and the wrongdoers are punished for their evil. This aligns with reason, faith, wisdom, and justice, as affirmed by Allah:
وَمَا خَلَقْنَا السَّمَاءَ وَالْأَرْضَ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا بَاطِلًا ذَلِكَ ظَنُّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا فَوَيْلٌ لِلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِنَ النَّارِ
“And We did not create the heaven and the earth and everything between them aimlessly. That is the assumption of those who disbelieve, so woe to those who disbelieve from the Fire.” (Surah Sad:27)
أَمْ حَسِبَ الَّذِينَ اجْتَرَحُوا السَّيِّئَاتِ أَنْ نَجْعَلَهُمْ كَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ سَوَاءً مَحْيَاهُمْ وَمَمَاتُهُمْ سَاءَ مَا يَحْكُمُونَ * وَخَلَقَ اللَّهُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ بِالْحَقِّ وَلِتُجْزَى كُلُّ نَفْسٍ بِمَا كَسَبَتْ وَهُمْ لَا يُظْلَمُونَ
“Or do those who commit evils think We will make them like those who have believed and done righteous deeds—equal in their life and their death? Evil is that which they judge. And Allah created the heavens and the earth in truth, and so that every soul may be recompensed for what it has earned, and they will not be wronged.” (Surah Al-Jathiyah: 21–22)
Dear Brothers, those who deny the Hereafter and reject the Day of Judgment live in misery and despair. They have no hope or anticipation for justice or compensation for their worldly hardships. Their vision is limited to the fleeting pleasures of this short life, confined to the boundaries of their narrow existence. They move from one hardship to another, from misery to wretchedness.
They went astray and led others astray, all because they forgot the Day of Accountability. They transgressed against Allah’s sanctities, corrupted His land, and wronged others, because they did not believe in the reckoning.
But those who affirm the Day of Judgment, fearing the punishment of their Lord, live in uprightness, monotheism, and righteousness. They abandon shirk (associating partners with Allah), purify their deeds, and devote themselves sincerely to their Lord. Their belief in the Hereafter motivates them to endure hardships, offer charity, and act kindly without seeking reward from anyone but Allah.
Moreover, they fulfill the rights of others with fairness and avoid oppressing them because they believe in the accountability of the Last Day.
Dear Servants of Allah, by the Lord of the heavens and the earth, you will surely be resurrected from your graves, gathered before your Lord, held accountable for your deeds, and recompensed for your actions. You will see all your deeds, whether small or great, few or many. And this is indeed easy for Allah.
The Day of Resurrection, O servants of Allah, is a momentous day, known by many names due to its immense terrors and events. It is the Day of Gathering and Resurrection, the Day of Judgment and Reckoning, the Day of the Quaking and the Overwhelming Calamity, when “the Striker” (Al-Qari’ah) occurs, and “the Deafening Blast” (As-Saakhah) is heard. It is the Day of Nearness, when hearts will reach the throats, choking with fear. This is the Day of Emergence, the Day when secrets will be revealed and inner intentions exposed. On that Day, every person will be held accountable for their deeds:
اقْرَأْ كِتَابَكَ كَفَى بِنَفْسِكَ الْيَوْمَ عَلَيْكَ حَسِيبًا
“Read your record. Sufficient is yourself against you this Day as an accountant.” (Surah Al-Isra:14)
The individual’s record will bear testimony against them, their deeds will determine their fate, and their own limbs will bear witness:
الْيَوْمَ نَخْتِمُ عَلَى أَفْوَاهِهِمْ وَتُكَلِّمُنَا أَيْدِيهِمْ وَتَشْهَدُ أَرْجُلُهُمْ بِمَا كَانُوا يَكْسِبُونَ
“This Day We will seal over their mouths, and their hands will speak to Us, and their feet will testify about what they used to earn.” (Surah Ya-Sin:65)
شَهِدَ عَلَيْهِمْ سَمْعُهُمْ وَأَبْصَارُهُمْ وَجُلُودُهُمْ بِمَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ * وَقَالُوا لِجُلُودِهِمْ لِمَ شَهِدْتُمْ عَلَيْنَا قَالُوا أَنْطَقَنَا اللَّهُ الَّذِي أَنْطَقَ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ وَهُوَ خَلَقَكُمْ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ وَإِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ
“Their hearing, their vision, and their skins will testify against them for what they used to do. And they will say to their skins, ‘Why have you testified against us?’ They will say, ‘We were made to speak by Allah, who has made everything speak; and He created you the first time, and to Him you are returned.” (Surah Fussilat:20–21)
كُلُّ نَفْسٍ بِمَا كَسَبَتْ رَهِينَةٌ
“Every soul, for what it has earned, will be retained.” (Surah Al-Muddathir:38)
وَلَا تَكْسِبُ كُلُّ نَفْسٍ إِلَّا عَلَيْهَا وَلَا تَزِرُ وَازِرَةٌ وِزْرَ أُخْرَى
“And every soul earns not [blame] except against itself, and no bearer of burdens will bear the burden of another.” (Surah Al-An’am:164)
O Allah, we ask You for hearts submitted to You, believing in You, working toward meeting You, longing for Your reward, and fearing Your punishment.
I say what you have heard, and I seek forgiveness from Allah for myself, for you, and for all Muslims.
The Second Sermon
All praises are due to Allah, and blessings and peace be upon His Messenger, Muhammad, and upon his family and companions.
O servants of Allah, fear Allah and be mindful of the Day you will return to Him. On that Day, nothing will be hidden. When the Trumpet is blown, you will come forth in crowds, barefoot, naked, and uncircumcised, standing in a scene that melts hearts. On that Day:
الْيَوْمَ تُجْزَى كُلُّ نَفْسٍ بِمَا كَسَبَتْ لَا ظُلْمَ الْيَوْمَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ سَرِيعُ الْحِسَابِ
“This Day every soul will be recompensed for what it earned. No injustice today! Indeed, Allah is swift in account.” (Surah Ghafir:17)
It will be a Day of unparalleled terrors, lasting fifty thousand years, as described in vivid detail in the Quran. The sun will be close, people drenched in their sweat, and the heavens and the earth will be transformed. The cosmic order will collapse, seas will boil, mountains will crumble, and the earth will reveal its burdens.
And on that Day, the righteous will be gathered to the Most Merciful as a delegation. How excellent is the arrival, and how noble are those who arrive! The criminals, on the other hand, will be driven to Hell in thirst and torment. What they perceive as water is but a mirage; instead, they will encounter blazing fire, scorching heat, and agony. We seek refuge in Allah from His wrath and severe punishment.
So fear Allah, may He have mercy on you, and prepare for the Day of Presentation, the Day of Reckoning, and the reading of the Book. Prepare for crossing the Sirat (the bridge over Hell), and strive to tip the scales in your favor. The Hour is surely coming; there is no doubt about it. It will strike suddenly, and none knows its time except Allah, the Exalted.
O servants of Allah, disbelief in the Hereafter or resurrection is the gravest form of disbelief. Such a person is to be treated as any other disbeliever, invited to Islam, and urged to repent from shirk (polytheism). If it becomes certain that they will not respond, it is necessary to distance oneself from them to protect one’s faith.
Dear Believers, know that faith in the Hereafter is intrinsically linked with faith in Allah. One cannot truly believe in Allah without believing in the Last Day. This connection is highlighted in numerous places in the Quran and Sunnah. Allah says:
وَالَّذِينَ يُنْفِقُونَ أَمْوَالَهُمْ رِئَاءَ النَّاسِ وَلَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَلَا بِالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ وَمَنْ يَكُنِ الشَّيْطَانُ لَهُ قَرِينًا فَسَاءَ قَرِينًا
“And those who spend their wealth to be seen by the people and do not believe in Allah or in the Last Day. And he to whom Satan is a companion – evil is he as a companion.” (Surah An-Nisa:38)
Allah also says:
وَلَكِنَّ الْبِرَّ مَنْ آمَنَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ وَالْمَلَائِكَةِ وَالْكِتَابِ وَالنَّبِيِّينَ
“But righteousness is [in] one who believes in Allah, the Last Day, the angels, the Book, and the prophets.” (Surah Al-Baqarah:177)
And:
قَاتِلُوا الَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَلَا بِالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ وَلَا يُحَرِّمُونَ مَا حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ
“Fight those who do not believe in Allah or in the Last Day and who do not consider unlawful what Allah and His Messenger have made unlawful.” (Surah At-Tawbah:29)
Our Lord has affirmed the resurrection of bodies, even after they have decayed and decomposed, through three principles:
- His Absolute Power:
أَيَحْسَبُ الْإِنْسَانُ أَلَّنْ نَجْمَعَ عِظَامَهُ * بَلَى قَادِرِينَ عَلَى أَنْ نُسَوِّيَ بَنَانَهُ
“Does man think that We will not assemble his bones? Yes, [We are] able [even] to proportion his fingertips.” (Surah Al-Qiyamah:3–4)
أَلَيْسَ ذَلِكَ بِقَادِرٍ عَلَى أَنْ يُحْيِيَ الْمَوْتَى
“Is not that [Creator] Able to give life to the dead?” (Surah Al-Qiyamah:40)
- His Perfect Knowledge:
قُلْ يُحْيِيهَا الَّذِي أَنْشَأَهَا أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ وَهُوَ بِكُلِّ خَلْقٍ عَلِيمٌ
“Say, ‘He will give them life who produced them the first time; and He is, of all creation, Knowing.'” (Surah Ya-Sin:79)
- His Supreme Wisdom:
أَفَحَسِبْتُمْ أَنَّمَا خَلَقْنَاكُمْ عَبَثًا وَأَنَّكُمْ إِلَيْنَا لَا تُرْجَعُونَ
“Then did you think that We created you uselessly and that to Us you would not be returned?” (Surah Al-Mu’minun:115)
Finally, Allah rebukes the disbelievers:
زَعَمَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا أَنْ لَنْ يُبْعَثُوا قُلْ بَلَى وَرَبِّي لَتُبْعَثُنَّ ثُمَّ لَتُنَبَّؤُنَّ بِمَا عَمِلْتُمْ وَذَلِكَ عَلَى اللَّهِ يَسِيرٌ
“Those who disbelieve have claimed that they will never be resurrected. Say, ‘Yes, by my Lord, you will surely be resurrected; then you will surely be informed of what you did. And that, for Allah, is easy.” (Surah At-Taghabun:7)
Thebelief in the Last Day is a pillar of faith, as stated in the well-known hadith of Jubril in Sahih Muslim narrated by Umar bn Khattab:
“Faith is to believe in Allah, His angels, His books, His messengers, the Last Day, and to believe in divine decree, the good and the bad thereof.”
And Allah said in the Hadith Qudsi thus:
“The son of Adam has denied Me, and he has no right to do so. He has insulted Me, and he has no right to do so. As for his denial of Me, it is his statement: ‘He will not bring me back as He originated me.’ But resurrecting him is easier for Me than creating him for the first time! As for his insult, it is his statement: ‘Allah has taken a son,’ whereas I am Allah, the One, the Self-Sufficient, who neither takes a companion nor a child.”
May Allah bless me and you with the Quran and benefit us through its verses and wise reminders. I say this, and I seek forgiveness from Allah, the Great and Majestic, for myself and for you. Seek His forgiveness, for He is indeed the Most Forgiving, the Most Merciful.
Dua (Supplication): O Allah, make us among the successful ones and the happy ones in this world and the Hereafter. O Allah, grant us shade under Your Throne on the Day when there will be no shade except Your shade. O Allah, show us the truth as truth and bless us to follow it, and show us falsehood as falsehood and bless us to avoid it. Send peace and blessings upon the Prophet, the bringer of glad tidings and the warner.