KİTABIN MUKADDİMESİ · Beşinci Madde
The Fifth Article
Summarizes the third blowing of the trumpet, the resurrection of the dead, the gathering of bodies on the Day of Judgment, the delivery of record books detailing every action performed in this world, the reckoning, the weighing of deeds, the Bridge of Sirat, and the Araf.
Beloved! It is known that the scholars of tafsir (commentary) and hadith (prophetic traditions) are in unanimous agreement on this matter. God Almighty flattens the earth with a tremendous wind and establishes the place of judgment as vast as the plains of Sham, expanding it a hundred thousand times over. Then, for forty continuous days, dense rain falls from the Sea of Life beneath the Throne. When the entire earth is filled with this rain, all human and animal bodies buried within the mud layer emerge, drawing in the water. All limbs come together. Each body regains its form before death and begins to sprout like peas on the ground. Every body reaches its maturity.
Thereafter, God Almighty first revives eight great angels. He commands Israfil (peace be upon him) to blow the trumpet a third time.
Israfil (peace be upon him) blows the trumpet a third time with such delicacy and grace that the spirits within the trumpet fly into the air and spread across the horizon; like a flock of sheep, each spirit finds its own body. Thus, every spirit finds its own form and dwells within it. The first and last of creation—angels, beautiful houris (virgins), humans, jinn, devils, sea creatures, land animals, and all insects—revive and gather from every direction towards the place of judgment. To the prophets, saints, scholars, and righteous servants, garments and mounts come from Paradise; they don these clothes, mount their steeds, and proceed to their designated places and thrones in the shadow of the Throne, settling down with comfort and safety.
All other created beings arrive at the plain of arasat, barefoot, naked, thirsty, hungry, and falling as they walk. They stand closely together, rising on their feet. The sun approaches overhead, a distance of a mile. They sweat profusely from the heat; some are soaked to their ankles, others to their chests, still others to their throats. Many sink into a sea of sweat. Seventy thousand gates of Hell are drawn from beneath the earth and brought to the field of judgment.
They encircle the people assembled in the place of judgment like a ring. The people of judgment wait for an estimated fifty thousand years while their reckoning is carried out, enduring this distressing state.
The record books of deeds kept by the Kiraman Katibin (recording angels) are delivered to their owners on the Day of Judgment. These books are given to believers and obedient servants from their right side, and to disbelievers and those who persist in sinning knowingly from their left side. At that time, God Almighty speaks directly to all creation without an intermediary; He addresses them without a mediator. And He sees the reckoning of all creation at once; He rebukes some for their sins, and honors others with His acceptance.
He takes back the rights of the oppressed from the oppressor; if the oppressor has done good deeds, He gives them to the oppressed. Otherwise, He loads the oppressed person’s sins onto the oppressor; after the reckoning is complete, the animals are obliterated. Those who disbelieve wish they had been turned into dust [423].
A great scale is placed upon two pillars in the place of judgment, each pillar being as long as a journey of five hundred years. And each pan of the scales is as wide as the earth. With this scale, good deeds and bad deeds are weighed on the Day of Judgment. Those whose good deeds outweigh their bad deeds go to Paradise; those whose bad deeds outweigh their good deeds go to Hell. However, if a servant dies with faith, God Almighty forgives him out of His grace, or he is saved through the intercession of a prophet, saint, scholar, or righteous person. For those who die without faith, there is no Paradise, forgiveness, or intercession, and they will never be released from Hell. If a person migrates to the afterlife with faith and their bad deeds outweigh their good deeds, and intercession does not reach them, then such a one burns in Hell [14/b] for the amount of his sin before entering Paradise. Whoever enters the afterlife with even a speck of faith will surely emerge from Hell and attain nearness [to God].
The Bridge of Sirat is as thin as a hair and as sharp as a sword. Its length is a journey of three thousand years—one thousand years uphill, one thousand years level, and one thousand years downhill. This bridge is built over Hell, and all the people of judgment pass over it. Some cross like lightning, others like arrows, and still others like horses galloping at full speed. Some walk across burdened with their sins, while others fall into Hell and burn. At that time, Hell cries out: “O believer, quickly pass over me! For your light extinguishes my fire.”
The believers safely traverse the Bridge of Sirat and drink from the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) Pool of Kawthar. They bathe there, cleansing their impurities and removing any deficiencies hindering them from attaining nearness; they enter Paradise. Everyone finds their own station according to the degree of their deeds, remaining there eternally in pleasure and bliss. For the people of Paradise sometimes taste various delights, and at other times are enraptured and amazed by the honor of seeing and attaining God Almighty. They find unique blessings that no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and never occurred to any heart.
Between Paradise and Hell is a vast wall with countless towers and gates, high enough to be five hundred years distant; its length is limitless. It is built with shining jewels. This is called the Araf—those who have had their pens lifted from the divine commands and prohibitions they are responsible for.
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a)-The Station of Unity, b)-The Light of Muhammad, c)-Gabriel,
d)-The Reality of Humanity, e)-The Throne (Arsh). The First Intellect (Akl-i Awwal) is the first emanation from God. God created it, and through it, all other things. It is also called the first manifestation of Divine Knowledge. (Uludağ, op. cit., pp. 35-36.)
[378]. The World (Alam): The universe, all created beings, the world, the globe; groups of beings or living creatures forming a specific class. There are various concepts and definitions of the “world” in Sufism. For more information, see Uludağ, op. cit., p. 38.
[397]. The unseen realm (Ghayb Alam) is the realm of existence that cannot be perceived by human senses nor comprehended by reason. It contains a life permeating all things; its locus is the sensible world (Nasut). Pure Unity is also called Divine Essence (Lāhūt). From the Throne to the earth, the Realm of Existence (Malakūt) extends; beyond it are the divine manifestations of Power (Jabrūt). (Uludağ, op. cit., p. 39.)
[380]. The Emiri Realm was created instantaneously (def’atan), while the Created Realm (Khalq Alam) was brought into being gradually over time. Intellect, soul, and self originate from the Emiri Realm; the spheres, elements, and material things belong to the Created Realm. (Uludağ, op. cit., p. 39.)
[381]. The sphere of spheres is the greatest sphere—a throne, dominion, sovereignty, manifestation, appearance. In Sufism, it is the locus of stability for God’s qualified attributes (Asma al-Husna). The Throne of God (Arshullah) is where the name of God manifests; thus, humanity, or rather a perfect human being, is considered its exemplar. The Most Merciful Throne (Arshur-Rahman) or God's Throne is the heart of a perfect human being. The Throne is an entity upon which God sits in majesty. God, who fills the heavens and the earth, resides within the heart of the believing servant; therefore, his heart *is* the true throne and the place where God manifests His majesty—the heart of the Perfect Human (al-Insan al-Kamil). (Uludağ, op. cit., p. 53.)
[382]. Regarding this subject, the Quran states: “Indeed, your Lord is He who created the heavens and the earth in six days and then settled upon the Throne. He governs all that rises and sets. The sun, the moon, and the stars are subservient to His command. Know that God creates and commands whatever He wills.” (Al-A’raf, 7/54). Other verses related to this topic are: Yūnus, 10/3; Hūd, 11/7; Furqan, 25/59; Sajjda, 32/4; Kaf, 50/38; Hadid, 57/4.
[383]. For example, the Exalted One has not revealed in the Quran when He began or ended the creation of the universe. It is stated that what is said on this subject constitutes Isrā’īyāt (Jewish traditions).
[384]. Meaning: “We glorify the Lord of the realms of Dominion and Existence. We glorify God, the possessor of the Throne, the Mighty, the Majestic, the Powerful, the Exalted, and the Sublime. We glorify the true Sovereign of all servants and the Owner of all existence. We glorify Him who is eternally alive, to whom sleep does not come, and for whom death is never a possibility. We glorify that Holy Being, far removed from all imperfection; our Lord, the Lord of the angels and the soul.”
[385]. This refers to verse 75 of Surah Zumar.
[386]. Meaning: “God be praised, there is no god but He, the Most High. He is exalted, He is mighty; there is no true power or strength except in Him.”
[387]. Surah Tur mentions that the sea of oblivion (bahr-i masjur) will boil violently when its time comes.
[388]. The Sealed Nectar (Rahik al-Makhtum): This phrase appears in verse 25 of Surah Mutaffifin.
[389]. The Banner of Praise (Livā’ al-Hamd): This is the banner under which the Prophet Muhammad's (peace be upon him) community will gather on the Day of Judgment. See: *Encyclopedic Islamic Dictionary*, Published by Tercüman Gazetesi, Istanbul 1982, Vol. I, p. 375.
[390]. The Exalted Abode (Bayt al-Ma’mūr): This is the name of a house visited by the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) during his Night Journey (Mi'raj), located in the seventh heaven. It is said to be directly above the Ka'bah. (*Encyclopedic Islamic Dictionary*, Vol. I, p. 134.)
[391]. The Exalted Station (Maqām al-Mahmūd): This means "the praised station," and it appears in the verse: “And during a part of the night [i.e., before dawn] he arises for optional prayer [nafilah] to pray, so that He may praise his Lord and be grateful to Him.” (Isra’, 17/79). According to commentators, the Exalted Station is either the Prophet’s intercession on the Day of Judgment or the station where the banner of praise will be bestowed upon him. (*Encyclopedic Islamic Dictionary*, Vol. II, p. 398.)
[392]. Zeberced: A gemstone that is more brilliant than emerald and less valuable than an emerald.
[393]. The Garden of Firdaus: This appears in the verses: “For those who believe and do righteous deeds will be gardens of Firdaus, therein to abide permanently.” (Kahf, 18/107); "These are the inheritors of Firdaus, abiding therein eternally." (Mu'minun, 23/11).
[394]. The Sacred Precinct (Haram): Currently, this refers to the points where pilgrims enter into *ihram* for Hajj and Umrah, as well as areas with specific regulations such as a ban on hunting. It is said that these are the places upon which the light from Bayt al-Ma’mūr falls.
[395]. When reading the items in this section, it will be more beneficial to keep in mind the reminders provided in the biography regarding these topics.
[396]. The Sea of Scattered Provisions (Bahr ar-Rizq al-Manshur): A special tablet upon which sustenance is written for its recipients. See Surah Tur, 52/3).
[397]. The Sea of Designated Sustenance (Bahr ar-Rizq al-Maksūm): A special tablet upon which sustenance is written, distributed to their respective owners.
[388]. Meaning: “We glorify God with the number of His creations, the number of pillars of His throne, and the ink of words.”
[399]. Meaning: “We sanctify God, Lord of all things.”
[400]. "God be glorified, the Creator of Light, far removed from imperfection."
"Glory be to Him."
[401]. Meaning: "God, perfect in His perfection, free from all deficiency and imperfection. Our Lord, the Lord of the angels and the Spirit!"
[402]. Meaning: “We glorify our Lord whose dominion never ends and who is eternally alive.”
[403]. Meaning: "The Almighty, Exalted God, is far removed from all deficiency and imperfection."
[404]. Meaning: "We glorify God, the Master of the worlds of sovereignty and the spiritual realm."
[405]. Mount Qaf was considered a mountain encompassing the world. According to the prevalent belief among Jews, Greeks, and Arabs during the time when it was believed that the world was flat, the world was surrounded by an endless ocean called the sea. Mount Qaf lies beyond this ocean, encompassing both land and sea. It is also the home of the legendary bird, Simurgh (Anqa). (Encyclopedic Islamic Lexicon, Vol. I, p. 314.)
[406]. The Seven Planets: These are the Moon, Mercury, Uranus, the Sun, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn.
[407]. See similar narration in Tabarani, *Mu'jam al-Kabir*, XI/27, H. no: 10949; Haythami, *Majma'u al-Zawaid*, I/280, H. no: 346.
[408]. "This angel holds the earth around him, securing it on one of his shoulders. Then Almighty God creates a great stone, square in shape and made of green jade, to secure the foot of the angel who holds the earth. Upon its highest surface, He creates a thousand valleys. He fills each valley with a sea, and populates each sea with thousands of kinds of creatures. Then Almighty God creates a great red bull to firmly hold this stone. It has forty thousand heads, forty thousand horns, and forty thousand feet. The distance between each of its feet is the length of a year’s journey. This bull bears the stone on his horns and back. The name of this bull is Leyan. Then Almighty God creates a great fish to secure the foot of the bull, so that seven seas are but a single drop in its mouth. Beneath this immense fish lies another great sea where it remains still and motionless. After that, Almighty God creates seven hells beneath this sea, which rests upon the great sea.” Our esteemed readers are requested to keep in mind the reminders in biographies while reading this passage quoted in the footnote.
[409]. When reading this passage, it is important to remember that the deceased author believed that Hell was located beneath the earth.
[410]. Verses of the Qur'an where "Sa’ir" appears: An-Nisa, 4/10 and 55; Al-Isra, 17/97.
[411]. Verses of the Qur'an where “Sakar” appears: Qamar, 54/48; Al-Muddathir, 74/26, 27, and 42.
[412]. Verses of the Qur'an where "Jahim" appears: Al-Baqarah, 2/119; Al-Ma’idah, 5/10; At-Tawbah, 9/113.
[413]. Verses of the Qur'an where “Hutamah” appears: Al-Humazah, 104/4 and 5.
[414]. Verse of the Qur'an where "Lazha" appears: Surah Ma’arij, 70/15.
[415]. Verse of the Qur'an where “Hawiyah” appears: Surah Qariah, 101/9.
[416]. Similar narrations regarding the creation of Adam and Eve can be found in Aziz Mahmud Hudayi’s *Hulasat al-Ahbar*. Efforts have been made to trace the sources of these narrations as far as possible within that work.
[417]. These hadiths concerning the signs of the end times are found in the chapters on *Fitna* and *Ashrat al-Sa'a* in the books of hadith.
[418]. The ten signs of the approaching Judgment, as narrated by Huzayfa b. Uyayd Al-Giffari, are as follows: “While we were discussing certain matters among ourselves, the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) came and asked, ‘Why are you talking about this?’ We said, ‘We are talking about the end of the world.’ The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) said, ‘The end of the world will not come until ten signs have appeared.’ And he mentioned them as follows: 1-Dukhan (a black smoke), 2-Ad-Dajjal, 3-Ad-Dabbat al-Ard, 4-The sun rising from the west, 5-The descent of Mary’s son (‘Isa) (peace be upon him), 6-Yajuj and Majuj, 7-Three land collapses, a-A collapse in the East, b(8)-A collapse in the West, c(9)-A collapse in the Arabian Peninsula, 10-A fire that will sweep up people to the Resurrection from Yemen.” (Bukhari-Muslim, “Fitna”; Abu Dawud, “Malāhim” 11; Ibn Maja, “Fitna”, 28; Taftazani, *Sharh al-Aqaid*, Vol. 1, p. 360, footnote 26.)
[419]. Qariah, 101/5.
[420]. "Every soul will perish. Only the Face of your Lord, the Mighty and Sublime, will remain.” Ar-Rahman, 55/26-27.
[421]. Ghafir, 40/16.
[422]. Ghafir, 40/16.
[423]. Nabiyyun, 78/40.
Beneath it is the sixth heaven, and it is of fresh pearls. Its name is Raka’. The angels of the sixth heaven are in the form of servants (ghilman). Their faces are fresh like roses. All of them have prostrated themselves out of fear of God, and they have made “subhan rabbiy kulli shay’in” a constant remembrance on their tongues. The name of their leader is Kamhail, who is the guardian of the sixth heaven. Beneath it is the fifth heaven, which is of red gold. Its name is Denika. The angels of this heaven are in the form of jinn. All of them remain in a state of humility, seated out of fear of God. Their remembrance is: “Subhan al-Halik an-Nur wa bi-hamdih.” The name of their leader is Samhail, who is the guardian of the fifth heaven. Beneath it is the fourth heaven, which is of white silver. Its name is Irkalun. And its angels are in the form of horses. Their remembrance is: “Subhan al-Maliki al-Quddus Rabbuna wa Rabbul Mala’ikati wa ar-Ruh.” The name of their leader is Kakail, who is the guardian of the fourth heaven. Beneath it is the third heaven, which is of yellow gold.
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"It is of lapis lazuli. Its name is Ma'un, and its angels are in the form of eagles; their glorification is: 'Glory to the Living One who does not die.' The name of its leaders is Safdail; he is the guardian of the third heaven. Beneath him is the second heaven, which is of red lapis lazuli. Its name is Kaydum. All the angels here are in the form of camels. Their glorification is: 'Glory to Him who possesses might and majesty.' The name of its leaders is Mencail; he is the guardian of the second heaven. Beneath him is the first heaven, which is of green jasper. Its name is Berkia; its angels are in the form of cattle.
Their glorification is: 'Glory to Him who possesses dominion and the kingdom.' The name of its leaders is Ismail; he is the guardian of the world sphere. He is a great and beautiful angel and is Michael’s representative. He distributes rain everywhere. The drops fall to the places he calculates, and the clouds go only to the regions he directs.
O esteemed one! It must be known that the Most High God created this universe as evidence of His oneness, demonstrating His artistry in all things and proclaiming the truths of His wisdom to those endowed with reason. [2/b] To incite His servants to desire the knowledge of His own essence, He has commanded in the Noble Quran with all His majesty:
O esteemed one! It must be known that only the scholars of hadith are in agreement on this point: The conditions and signs of the Hour are two kinds. Some are hidden signs, and others are manifest signs.
The name of the first layer of Hell is Hell. Its torment is lighter than the others. This was created for the sinners of the Muhammadan community. The name of the second layer is Sa'ir, where the Christians are imprisoned. The name of the third layer is Sakar, which is reserved for the Jews. The name of the fourth layer is Jahim, and its severe torment is for apostates and devils. The fifth layer is Hutame, within which is the Well of Ghaff. It is the place of Gog and Magog and the disbelievers. The sixth layer is Lazâ, prepared for idolaters, fire-worshippers, and sorcerers. The seventh layer is the deepest, and its name is Hawiyah. It will contain the godless, heretics, tricksters, liars, and hypocrites. Its burning and the intensity of its wrath are greater than all the other layers of Hell. The seven layers of Hell mentioned have more than seven thousand levels.
'Glory to Him who possesses dominion and the kingdom. Glory to Him who possesses the Throne and majesty, grandeur, might, power, magnificence, and absolute sovereignty. Glory to the Most High, the worshipped One, glory to the Most High, the Existent One, glory to the Living One who does not sleep nor die. The Sublime is transcendent, holy is our Lord, Lord of the angels and the spirit.'
Beyond eight rivers, surrounding the Supreme Throne—to prevent the angels surrounding it from being consumed by the intensity of the light emanating from the Throne—a thousand veils of light and a thousand veils of darkness were created. Behind these veils seventy thousand angels stand in ranks. These angels constantly glorify the Merciful One who encompasses the Throne and continually circumambulate it. They greet the bearers of the Throne twice daily. They are called 'the angels who rank and encompass' (mala’ika-i saffun wa haffun). They remain standing eternally, glorifying God thus. Beyond them are seventy thousand more angels who stand in ranks, constantly glorifying God as follows: ‘Glory to God, praise be to God, there is no god but God, God is the greatest. There is no power and no strength except in God, the Most High, the Greatest.’
The scholars of Tafsir are also in agreement on this point: After this stage, the Most High commands Israfil (peace be upon him) to blow the trumpet. When the trumpet is blown, all the angels in the seven heavens and all living beings on earth faint and pass out, thinking that the Hour has arrived. A tremor and shaking seize the heavens and the earth; stars fall, people’s hair and beards turn white, pregnant women give birth prematurely. All people lose their senses and remain as if intoxicated. This is the first blowing of the trumpet, by which all created beings are filled with fear. It continues for forty years. Then the Most High commands Israfil (peace be upon him) to blow the trumpet again, and he blows it with such force that its intensity causes all the mountains to break away from their places and scatter like heaps of colored cotton. The seven heavens tear apart and melt like water, pouring out onto the earth. The waters of the seas are drawn back, and the earth becomes dry. The light of the sun and moon is withdrawn and becomes black. Darkness engulfs everything; all creatures and angels from the highest heaven to the lowest veil vanish. Only eight of the closest angels (mala’ika-i muqarrabin) remain. The first four are Gabriel, Michael, Ridwan, and Azrael. The other four are the bearers of the Throne (hamala-i arsh), one of whom is Israfil. Then Azrael (peace be upon him), by order of the Most High, takes the souls of the other seven angels. Then, as he takes his own soul, he emits a cry so loud that its sound surpasses the seven heavens and reaches the depths of the earth. At that moment, every living being tastes death and perishes. No one in either world remains who has not tasted death; only God, the Exalted and Forgiving, remains.
This universe remains for forty years as desolate, empty, and forsaken ruins. The Most High, in His majesty, asks, “Whose is sovereignty today?” Since no one exists in the universe other than Himself, He replies to Himself, "It is God, the One who conquers all."
The realm of the spiritual (batin), has been completed with these fourteen kinds of souls.
It is to be known that the scholars of exegesis and hadith are in agreement that Allah, exalted be He, was a hidden treasure in the rank of singularity, desiring to be known. With His will, He created the realm of spirits and the realm of bodies when He desired to manifest His beauty and perfection. The splendor of His mercy, the perfection of His power, the majesty of His greatness, the abundance of His blessings, the variety of His arts, and the secrets of His wisdom were revealed through this act.
When He wished to bring about the beauty of His grace and the perfection of His might, He first brought into being from nothingness a brilliant, green jewel. According to one report, He created it from His own light and then fashioned all of creation in degrees from that jewel. This first jewel is called the Muhammadan Light, the guarded tablet (Lawh al-Mahfuz), the universal intellect (‘Aql Kull), and the relative spirit (Ruh-i Izafi). It is the origin and source of all spirits and bodies.
The scholars also agree that after this stage has been reached, Allah, exalted be He, commands Israfil to blow the trumpet. When the trumpet is blown, all the angels in the seven heavens and all living beings on earth fall prostrate, as if the Day of Judgment had arrived. The heavens and the earth are shaken; people’s hair and beards turn gray, pregnant women give birth prematurely. All people lose their senses and remain as though intoxicated. This is the first blowing of the trumpet that causes all creation to fear. It continues for forty years.
Then Allah commands Israfil to blow the trumpet again, and he blows it with such force that mountains are torn from their foundations and scattered like colored cotton in the wind. The seven heavens melt and dissolve like water, pouring onto the earth. The waters of the seas are drawn back, and the earth becomes dry. The light of the sun and moon is withdrawn and turns black. Darkness prevails over all creation; all creatures and angels from the throne of glory to the lowest veil perish. Only eight of the great angels (mala’ika al-muqarrabin) remain. The first four are Gabriel, Michael, Ridwan, and Azrael. The other four are the bearers of the throne, one of whom is Israfil.
Then Azrael, upon him be peace, at Allah's command, takes the souls of the other seven angels.
Then, as it takes its own soul, it emits a cry so powerful that its sound traverses the seven heavens and descends into the depths of the earth. At that moment, every living being tastes death and annihilation. No one remains who has not tasted death in both realms [14/a]; only the Exalted and Forgiving God abides.
It reveals the Banner of Praise (Livâ-yı Hamd) and the Sublime Dwelling (Beyt-i Ma‘mûr).
O, esteemed one! It is known that the scholars of exegesis and hadith are in agreement that when the Most High and Unique Essence was concealed within the station of absolute singularity, it created the realm of souls and the realm of bodies through its desire to be known. The beauty of Its mercy, the perfection of Its power, the grandeur of Its majesty, the abundance of Its blessings, the variety of Its artistry, and the secrets of Its wisdom were revealed when It desired to manifest them.
First among all created beings, it brought forth a luminous, green essence from the nothingness of unknowability. According to one report, it produced a precious jewel from its own light and then created the entire cosmos in a perfectly ordered manner, stage by stage. This first essence is also called the Nur Muhammadî (the Preserved Tablet – levh-i mahfûz), the Universal Intellect (akl-ı küll), and the Relative Soul (rûh-ı izâfî). It is the origin and source of all souls and bodies.
Ten angels are appointed to the greater stars and planets, and one angel to the lesser ones. These angels, by the will of God, who possesses wisdom and power, determine their times of rising and setting, carry each to its destined place, hurl stones at the devils that listen to what is spoken from those stars, and move them across the celestial ocean. The Most High, through His power, has determined specific points on both sides of the earth for only five of the stars within the sun, moon, and all the other stars, so they may rise and set. This is why these are called the seven planets (seb’a-i seyyâre), each rising from a different place and setting in another.
When the time for a lunar eclipse arrives, the beautiful moon chariot likewise falls into the depths of the sea of the sky, either completely or partially, and the degree to which it falls corresponds to the extent of the eclipse. The angels who are charged with moving the moon at that time are divided into two groups. They then place the moon back in its chariot. The moon shines again, illuminating the dark night, and the angels carry it back to where it set. There are many benefits from solar and lunar eclipses. One of them is that the falsehood of those who take the sun or moon as gods becomes apparent, for a changing thing cannot be God. Just as the sun’s disappearance for three days at the end of its brilliance and the moon's eclipse while full indicate it is nearing decline, so too, in accordance with the saying, "everything that reaches perfection must inevitably decline," it shows those who are abundant in perfection that they should not feel secure from trials and turn towards the True Essence. Indeed, the Most Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “I prefer to be tried in adversity than to be safe while feeling safe.” For God only grants a sense of security to a servant as a trial.
In this world, the recording angels known as Kiraman Katibin present their record books of deeds to their owners. They give these records to the believers and obedient servants on their right side, and to the unbelievers and those who persist in sinning knowingly on their left side. The Most High then speaks directly to all creation, without an intermediary, and at once witnesses the reckoning of all created beings; He rebukes some for their sins and honors others with His grace. He takes the rights of the oppressed from the oppressor, and if the oppressor has done good deeds, He gives them to the oppressed; otherwise, He loads the sins of the oppressed onto the oppressor. After the reckoning is complete, the animals are dissolved into the earth. Those who are unbelievers, envious of the animals, say: “We wish we had been turned into dust.”