Reminding Mankind of the Stupor of Death, the Blast of the Trumpet and the Day of Gathering.

Allah the Exalted and Most High said,

{وَجَاءَتْ سَكْرَةُ الْمَوْتِ بِالْحَقِّ ذَلِكَ مَا كُنتَ مِنْهُ تَحِيدُ}

(And the stupor of death will come in truth: "This is what you have been avoiding!'') Allah the Exalted and Most Honored says, `O mankind! This is the stupor of death that has come in truth; now, I have brought forth to you the certainty that you were disputing,'

{ذَلِكَ مَا كُنتَ مِنْهُ تَحِيدُ}

(This is what you have been avoiding!), means, `this is the end that you were trying to escape; it has come to you! Therefore, you will have neither a shelter nor a refuge nor a sanctuary nor an asylum from it.' In the Sahih, the Prophet said, while wiping sweat from his face when the stupor of death overcame him,

«سُبْحَانَ اللهِ إِنَّ لِلْمَوْتِ لَسَكَرَات»

(Glory be to Allah! Verily, death has its stupor.)

The Ayah,
{ذَلِكَ مَا كُنتَ مِنْهُ تَحِيدُ}

(This is what you have been avoiding!) has two possible meanings. One of them is this: `what you have been trying to avert, escape and flee from has come to you and resided in your home!' The second meaning is, `you had no way of escaping or averting this end. '

At-Tabarani collected a Hadith in Al-Mu`jam Al-Kabir from Samurah who said that the Messenger of Allah said,

«مَثَلُ الَّذِي يَفِرُّ مِنَ الْمَوْتِ مَثَلُ الثَّعْلَبِ تَطْلُبُهُ الْأَرْضُ بِدَيْن، فَجَاءَ يَسْعَى حَتْى إِذَا أُعْيِيَ وَأُسْهِرَ دَخَلَ جُحْرَهُ وَقَالَتْ لَهُ الْأَرْضُ: يَا ثَعْلَبُ، دَيْنِي. فَخَرَجَ وَلَهُ حُصَاصٌ، فَلَمْ يَزَلْ كَذلِكَ حَتَّى تَقَطَّعَتْ عُنُقُهُ وَمَات»

(The parable of whoever tries to avoid death is that of a fox that had a debt to pay to the earth. The fox went away and when he became tired and the time to sleep overtook him, he entered his den. The earth said to him, `O fox! Pay my debt!' The fox went out howling and continued until his neck was cutoff, (i.e.,) he died.) This parable indicates that just as the fox had no way of escaping or avoiding the earth, likewise, man has no way of avoiding death.

Allah the Exalted the Blessed said,

{وَنُفِخَ فِى الصُّورِ ذَلِكَ يَوْمَ الْوَعِيدِ}

(And the Trumpet will be blown -- that will be the Day of the threat.) Earlier we discussed the information about the blowing of the Trumpet, the fear that follows it, the death of everything and then resurrection, all this will occur on the Day of Resurrection. We also mentioned that the Messenger of Allah said in a Hadith,

«كَيْفَ أَنْعَمُ وَصَاحِبُ الْقَرْنِ قَدِ الْتَقَمَ الْقَرْنَ، وَحَنَى جَبْهَتَهُ، وَانْتَظَرَ أَنْ يُؤْذَنَ لَه»

(How can I feel comfort while the angel responsible for the Trumpet has placed the Trumpet to his mouth and lowered his forehead awaiting when he will be commanded (by Allah to blow in it)) They said, "O Allah's Messenger, what should we say'' He said,

«قُولُوا حَسْبُنَا اللهُ وَنِعْمَ الْوَكِيل»

(Say, "Allah is sufficient for us, and He is the best disposer of affairs.)'' The Companions repeated this invocation, saying, "Allah is sufficient for us, and He is the best disposer of affairs (for us).''

Allah said,

{وَجَآءَتْ كُلُّ نَفْسٍ مَّعَهَا سَآئِقٌ وَشَهِيدٌ}

(And every person will come forth along with a Sa'iq and a Shahid.) meaning, an angel to drive him to the gathering place and an angel to bear witness against him with regards to his deeds. This is the apparent meaning of this honorable Ayah and it is the meaning that Ibn Jarir preferred.

It was narrated from Yahya bin Rafi`, the freed servant of Thaqif, that he heard `Uthman bin `Affan, may Allah be pleased with him, giving a speech in which he recited this Ayah,

{وَجَآءَتْ كُلُّ نَفْسٍ مَّعَهَا سَآئِقٌ وَشَهِيدٌ}

(And every person will come forth along with a Sa'iq and a Shahid.) and then said, "A Sa'iq to drive every person to Allah the Exalted, and a Shahid to witness against him what he has done.''

The statement of Allah the Exalted,

{لَّقَدْ كُنتَ فِى غَفْلَةٍ مِّنْ هَـذَا فَكَشَفْنَا}

(Indeed you were heedless of this.), of this Day,

{فَكَشَفْنَا عَنكَ غِطَآءَكَ فَبَصَرُكَ الْيَوْمَ حَدِيدٌ}

(Now We have removed from you, your covering, and sharp is your sight this Day!) `your sight is now clear and strong.' Everyone, including the disbelievers, will have clear sight on the Day of Resurrec- tion. However, having sight will not be helpful to the dis- believers on that Day, for Allah the Exalted said,

{أَسْمِعْ بِهِمْ وَأَبْصِرْ يَوْمَ يَأْتُونَنَا}

(How clearly will they (disbelievers) see and hear, the Day when they will appear before Us!) (19:38), and,

{وَلَوْ تَرَى إِذِ الْمُجْرِمُونَ نَاكِسُواْ رُءُوسِهِمْ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ رَبَّنَآ أَبْصَرْنَا وَسَمِعْنَا فَارْجِعْنَا نَعْمَلْ صَـلِحاً إِنَّا مُوقِنُونَ}

(And if you only could see when the criminals hang their heads before their Lord (saying): "Our Lord! We have now seen and heard, so send us back (to the world), that we will do righteous good deeds. Verily, we now believe with certainty.)(32:12)

(23. And his companion (angel) will say: "Here is (his record) ready with me!'')

(24. (Allah will say to the angels "Both of you throw into Hell every stubborn disbeliever'')

(25. "Hinderer of good, transgressor, doubter,'')

(26. "Who set up another god with Allah. Then both of you cast him in the severe torment.'')

(27. His companion (devil) will say: "Our Lord! I did not push him to transgression, but he was himself in error far astray.'')

(28. (Allah) will say: "Dispute not in front of Me, I had already in advance sent you the threat.'')

(29. "The sentence that comes from Me cannot be changed, and I am not unjust to the servants.'')

Source : Tafsir ibn Kathir, Surah 50, 15 - 29