Guide-to-Sound-Creed-A-Book-on-Muslim-Creed-and-Faith

256 <strong>Guide</strong> <strong>to</strong> <strong>Sound</strong> <strong>Creed</strong>
and be with them in the morning wherever they may be, and stay with
them where they spend the night .. :"
Ibn Kathir mentioned numerous badiths <strong>to</strong> substantiate this meaning. Then
he added:
"The contexts ofall these texts maintain that the gathering referred <strong>to</strong> is
the gathering of living people at the end of this world in the area ofAsh­
Sham. People will be classified in<strong>to</strong> three groups. A group of them will be
assembled while being dressed, having an appetite completely satisfied, and
mounted. Another group will gather riding in turns, two on a camel or
three on a camel or ten on a camel as expressed in the badiths."
Ibn Kathir further added:
"Ten will ride a camel in turns because of the lack of riding camels. The
third group (the rest ofpeople) will be urged <strong>to</strong> be gathered by the Fire.
This Fire will emerge from Aden and it will surround people and drive
them from every possible side <strong>to</strong>ward the Place of Gathering. Whoever
lags behind will be devoured by the Fire. All these incidents will occur
before the end ofthis world. This is indicated by implying that people will
be alive; eating, drinking and riding. Also, those who lag behind will be
devoured by the Fire. Had it been after blowing the Horn, no life, death,
food or drink would have been mentioned."
In addition, a number ofbadiths have been mentioned <strong>to</strong> substantiate the view
that the Fire, which will drive people <strong>to</strong>ward the Gathering Place, will emerge from
Aden. One of these badiths is the one related by Imam Ahmad, Muslim and the
Compilers ofSunan, in which the Prophet (PBUH) is reported <strong>to</strong> have said:
A fire will emerge from the farthest place in Aden which will drive (or
'gather; the narra<strong>to</strong>r doubted) people. It will accompany them where they
spend the night and stay with them at the time oftheir afternoon nap... "
Included among those badiths is the badith reported by 'Abdullah Ibn 'Umar
(may Allah be pleased with him) who said that the Prophet (PBUH) said:
'11 fire will emerge from Hadramaut (or he said from the side ofthe sea of
Hadramaut) before the Day ofJudgment. That Fire will gather the people
in one place. They said, '0Messenger ofAllah! What do you command us
<strong>to</strong> do?' He said, 'Keep going <strong>to</strong> Ash-Sham: "
This badith has been related by Imam Ahmad, At-Tirmidhi and Ibn Hibban
in his S.abib. At-Tirmidhl deemed it as a basan (good), ~abtb (authentic), gharib 8
(unfamiliar) badith.