Mahsyar & Mukmin

Just imagine if we were in a state in which there are only few days left, to sit for the most difficult and the most important examination of our lifetime. And yet we haven't prepared much, of course we would be struggling and pushing ourselves to study above our regular limit. It would be insane if we're still sleeping and playing around during that particular time, isn't it?

Now the days had gone and we have 3 minutes left before entering the grand examination hall. How would we feel at that moment?

There's a hadith, narrated by Abu Said Al-Khudri: the sahabah (companions) asked the prophet Muhammad SAW for how long will a human stays in Mahsyar? Then, the prophet Muhammad SAW recited this ayat to them:

تَعْرُجُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ وَالرُّوحُ إِلَيْهِ فِي يَوْمٍ كَانَ مِقْدَارُهُ خَمْسِينَ أَلْفَ سَنَةٍ

"The angels and the Spirit will ascend to Him during a Day the extent of which is fifty thousand years." (Surah Al-Maarij, 70:4)

The ulama' made a comparison based on this ayat, that one day in the akhirat is like 50,000 years in the dunia. Based on this fact, there’s something which I find useful:

Let's say, if this one human being can live for 100 years (he must be very old)..

100 years / 50,000 years = 0.002

So, the ratio of (time in dunia) : (time in Mahsyar) = 0.002 : 1

And if we consider that one day in Mahsyar equals to 24 hours (of course it is not true). For how long would he be in dunia?

24 hours = 1,440 minutes

(0.002)(1,440 minutes) = 2.88 minutes [approximately 3 minutes]

(Keep in mind that this is just an analogy)

Therefore, the 100 years old guy spent only approximately 3 minutes in dunia.

What?? Can it be even ‘shorter’ than that? 3 minutes to get prepared for an endless journey in the hereafter. Like seriously? “If I knew it before, why bother wasting time in dunia for something useless”, said somebody.

Once, I watched an Islamic lecture video and one of the points stressed by the speaker was about a hafiz (the one who memorizes the entire Quran) who was asked by Allah SWT in the Mahsyar. In a simplified version, Allah SWT asked him, to whom he memorized the Quran in the first place. The hafiz said, he did that for the sake of Allah SWT and to seek rewards from Him. Then Allah SWT replied that it's not his intention. Allah SWT knew that he did for the sake of wanting respect from others and not for the sake of Allah SWT. At last, the hafiz got nothing from memorizing the entire Quran except the respect that he had wanted in dunia. What a waste, naudzubillahiminzalik.

So, let’s not waste our time doing something which does not and will not gain us benefit. Inshaallah, let’s set our intentions right for the sake of Allah SWT in whatever we do from now on.

Another thing that I wanna share is, is it true that we have to live and suffer that long at Mahsyar? Even for a mukmin? Yes, we all know that the suffering in Mahsyar is not only just for a day. But, would it be fair for the mukmin to suffer also the long period of Mahsyar?

Let’s get back to the hadith…..

After hearing what the prophet Muhammad SAW recited to them, the sahabah were very afraid that they will not be able to bear the lengthy period of Mahsyar.

Then the prophet Muhammad SAW said (once again, I simplified it),

.. for the mukmin, they will feel as if the duration in Mahsyar is the duration of a Fard prayer.

For me, this is what I found interesting. The mukmin will feel as if the duration in Mahsyar is just a Fard prayer's duration and they will not suffer what the non mukmin will suffer. And that’s why, by any means we must strive towards becoming a true mukmin, inshaallah.

Again, to be a mukmin is not an easy thing, not by a day's effort or a night's dream, but through sweat and tears (I mean lots of effort is needed). And not to forget that intentions are the main ingredients (decisive factor) whether you’ll be getting a healthy meal or a bloody diarrhea.

Wallahualam and that’s all for now..

Assalamualaikum wbt. ☺