5. How many times will the Trumpet be blown?

What is apparent is that the angels Israafeel will blow the Trumpet two times: the first will cause all creatures to fall unconscious, and the second will bring about the resurrection. Allah (swt) said: “And the Trumpet will be blown, and all who are in the heavens and all who are on the earth will swoon away, except him whom Allah wills. Then it will be blown a second time, and behold they will be standing, looking on (waiting).” (Qur’an 39: 68)

The Qur’an calls the first blast of the Trumpet Ar-Rajifah, and the second Ar-Radifah. Allah (swt) said: “On the Day (when the first blowing of the Trumpet is blown), the earth and the mountains will shake violently (and everybody will die). The second blowing of the Trumpet follows it (and everybody will be resurrected).” (Qur’an 79: 6-7).

Everywhere the first blast is called As-Sayhah, and the idea of blowing into the Trumpet is clearly mentioned in the second case. Allah (swt) said: “They await only but a single Sayhah (shout) which will seize them while they are disputing! Then they will not be able to make bequest, nor they will return to their family. And the Trumpet will be blown (i.e. the second blowing) and behold from the graves they will come out quickly to their Lord.” (Qur’an 36: 49-51)

The ahaadeeth of the Prophet (saw) clearly mention the two Trumpet blasts. In Bukhari and Muslim, it is narrated that Abu Hurayrah (ra) said, the Prophet (saw) said: “What is between the two Trumpet-blasts is forty.” They said: “O Abu Hurayrah, forty days?” I refused to answer. They said: “Forty months?” I refused to answer. They said: “Forty years?” I refused to answer.

In Muslim it is narrated from Abdullah ibn ‘Amr ibn al- ‘Aas that he heard the Messenger of Allah (saw) said: “Then the Trumpet will be blown, and no one will hear it but will tilt his head. The first one to hear it will be a man who will be fixing the trough for his camels. He will fall unconscious, and the people will fall unconscious. Then Allah will send – or he said, send down – rain, like dew (till) or shed (zill), which will cause the bodies of the people to grow. Then the Trumpet will be blown a second time, and they will be standing, looking on (waiting).” (Muslim)

Al-Bayhaqi narrated with a dependable chain of narrators from Ibn Mas’ud which said: “Then the angel of the Trumpet will stand between the heavens and the earth, and will blow the Trumpet, which is a horn. Then no creature will be left in the heavens or on earth, but will die, apart from whomever your Lord wills. Then between the two Trumpet-blasts there will be a period as long as Allah wills.” (Fathul Bari)

Aws ibn Aws al-Thaqafi narrated that the Messenger (saw) said: “The best of your days is Friday. On this day the sa’iqah (when all creatures fall unconscious) will happen, and on this day the Trumpet will be sounded.” (Fathul Bari)

6. Those who will not fall unconscious when the Trumpet is blown

Allah (swt) tells us that some of those who are in the heavens and on earth will not swoon when everyone else in the heavens and on earth does so. Allah (swt) said: “And the Trumpet will be blown, and all who are in the heavens and all who are on the earth will swoon away, except him whom Allah wills. Then it will be blown a second time, and behold they will be standing, looking on (waiting).” (Qur’an 39: 68)

The scholars differed as to who exactly is referred to in the phrase,” Except him whom Allah wills.”

1. Ibn Hazm was of the view that this refers to all the angles, because he believed that the angels are souls, not soul in bodies, so they will never die. (Fath al-Bari)

The view that the angels will not die cannot be accepted without questioning. The angels are part of the creation of Allah; they are slaves who are subjugated to their Lord. He created them, and He is able to cause them to die and to bring them back to life. It is narrated authentically with more than one isnaad and from more than one of the sahaabah that the Prophet (saw) said:” When Allah speaks words of revelation, the angels are overcome with something like swooning.” According to another report:” When the angels hear His words, they fall unconscious.” In this hadith, he told us that they fall unconscious. If it is possible for them to fall unconscious, then it is also possible for them to die. (Majmoo’ al-Fataawa Syaykh al-Islam)

2. Muqaatil and others were of the view that those who will be exempted are Jibreel, Mikaa’eel, Israafeel and the Angel of Death. (Ar-Rooh by Ibn al-Qayyim). Some scholars also included the bearers of the Throne. (fath al-Baari)

3. Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal (ra) was of the view that this referred to those who are in Paradise, Al-Hoor al-‘Iyn and immortal boys (Qur’an 56:17). Abu Ishaaq ibn Shaaqilaa among the Hanbalis and Ad-Dahhaak ibn Mazaahim also included the gatekeepers of Paradise and Hell, and the snakes and scorpions that are in Hell.” (Ar-Rooh by Ibn al-Qayyim)

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by Dr. Umar S. Al-Ashqar