40:46 Punishment in the grave or a time on the Day of Judgement?

[Hamzeh]

Asalamu Alykum Br. Joseph Islam

I read your article PUNISHMENT OF THE GRAVE (AZAB-E-QABR).[1]
Although I agree with you on this topic, I was wondering if the Quran gives more information about the Day of Judgement and its time(atmosphere)? Will there be mornings and evenings? Is there any indication that there will be more than one day? Is the period of the Day of Judgement a set of days or years? Will there be light and darkness(night) or a sun and a moon?

I am curious because some say that on the Day of Judgement there is no mornings and evenings. And it can only be a reference to a time in the grave or a period from the time death starts till the time of the day of Judgement(barzakh). Since during those times the universe will continue to have days and nights, mornings and evenings. Despite the fact that the verse below does not mention anything about punishment in ones grave.To me this doesn't make any sense because I cannot see how in a grave or in a state of barzakh a one can have a feeling or a perception of mornings and evenings. However some still argue hard to prove their point so I thought I would ask all this.

verse 40:46
“In front of the Fire will they be brought, morning and evening: and (the sentence will be) on the Day that Judgment will be established: "Cast ye the People of Pharaoh into the severest Penalty”

The above verse is mentioning that the Fire will be brought near and the verse below is mentioning how Hell will be presented to the unbelievers. The question is; are these both on the Day of Judgement or the same Day? 

18:100
"And We shall present Hell that day for Unbelievers to see, all spread out,-"


I do recall on the Day of Resurrection(Qiyama) that the Sun and the Moon will be brought together. 75:6-9

"He questions: "When is the Day of Resurrection?"
At length, when the sight is dazed,
And the moon is buried in darkness.
And the sun and moon are joined together,-"

Does the above verses prove that the Sun and the Moon will still provide mornings and evenings or nights and days?


May Peace be with You Insha'Allah

[1]http://quransmessage.com/articles/grave%20punishment%20FM3.htm

[Joseph Islam]

Dear Hamzeh,

Wa alaikum assalam

These are expressions which can also signify continuity.

For example:

"And do not send away those who call upon their Lord at morning (ghudw) and evening (ashiyy)" - 6:52

"And be patient yourself with those who call upon their Lord at morning (ghudw) and evening (ashiyy)..." - 18:28

Of course, this does not mean that one is thus permissible to send away or be impatient with those that call upon their lord in the afternoon or those who summon their Lord at other parts of the day. As I am sure you will agree, this would be an unwarranted, quite preposterous suggestion. This is simply a reference to those who call upon their Lord with regularity and consistency.

Thus the expression above and other similar expressions as we will note below, are used to denote some sort of consistent continuity.

For example, the verse below does not imply that the disbelievers accused the prophet of resorting to 'stories' being read to him only at particular parts of the day.

025:005
'And they say: Fables of the men of old which he has written down so that they are dictated to him morning (bukratan) and evening hours (asil- evening hours  - time just before sunset)

Arguably, this is a general expression, accusing the prophet of being subject to story-telling consistently.

We note another example:

013.015
And to God falls prostrate whosoever is in the heavens and the earth, willingly or unwillingly, as do their shadows in the morning and the evening hours (asil- evening hours  - time just before sunset).

Shadows are present continuously as long as the sun can cast a shadow. The above does not intend to imply that a shadow will only appear in the morning and once in the evening hours (just before sunset).

In another beautiful verse of the Quran, where God describes His light, there is mention of those houses in which shines with God's light and His name is mentioned in morning and in the evenings which again implies something which is done repeatedly and consistently.

"...therein glorifying Him, in the mornings (ghudw) and the evenings (asil))" 24:36

Another example of such an interpretation can be drawn from verse 19:62 where the Quran speaks about Gardens of Eternity in which the dwellers "...shall have their provision in the early morning (bukr) and evening (ashiyy)". This once again does not mean that they will only find provision in two points of any particular day, but arguably, consistently and repeatedly.

Such expressions are also not restricted to Arabic. I have also been led to believe that such expressions also exist in other languages which draw from Arabic such as 'Urdu'. I understand there is a similar expression 'sub-o-shaam' which also denotes some sort of unceasing continuity.

I hope this helps, God willing
Joseph

[Hamzeh]

Asalamu  Alykum

Masha'Allah. This clarifies the questions I had Alhamdulila. Thank you my dear brother.

May God bless you

Peace