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The Day of Resurrection 6 – Al Qantara (reconciling hearts and settling disputes). What is Al Araf?

ByShaykh Haytham Tamim

Al Araf

Who are the people of Al Araf?

In Surat Hadid (57:13), Allah mentions there is a barrier partitioning the believers and disbelievers. In Surat al Araf, Allah mentions people who are positioned in a high place, Al Araf. This can be imagined as a plain or watchtower above the border that allows the people to witness to view what is happening below.

Scholars have suggested up to 12 different opinions on the meaning of the word Al Araf and the identity of the people who are there. The most common opinion, which is based on some narrations in the sunnah, is that they are the people, whose good deeds and bad deeds were equal. This is the opinion of scholars such as Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him). Accordingly they do not go to hell or heaven until they receive Allah’s mercy. This is the agreed upon opinion.

Another opinion is that prophets and messengers and righteous people go to the high place to supervise who is going to heaven and hell with Allah’s permission. This is because they are people of high status, so they are given this honour. This opinion is held by Shias, who say this position will also be granted to the family of the ﷺ and their Imams. There is no evidence for this.

Some books of tafseer say the people of Araf will be the angels, who will hold this supervisory role. This opinion is based on the fact that Araf is a high place, therefore if people have equal good and bad deeds, they would not be given this honourable place.

Some scholars say that it refers to those went to jihad without the consent of their parents.

Allah describes the scene of the people of Al Araf, who are situated above both the people of Paradise and Hell. The people on Al Araf will identify the believers and the disbelievers by their marks. They will call upon the people of Jannah, greeting them with peace and blessings, yearning to be with them, enjoying its bliss.

وَبَيۡنَهُمَا حِجَابٞۚ وَعَلَى ٱلۡأَعۡرَافِ رِجَالٞ يَعۡرِفُونَ كُلَّۢا بِسِيمَىٰهُمۡۚ وَنَادَوۡاْ أَصۡحَٰبَ ٱلۡجَنَّةِ أَن سَلَٰمٌ عَلَيۡكُمۡۚ لَمۡ يَدۡخُلُوهَا وَهُمۡ يَطۡمَعُونَ

A barrier divides the two groups with men on its heights recognising each group by their marks – they will call out to the people of the Garden, ‘Peace be with you’ they will not have entered but they will be hoping for it. (Al Araf 7:46)

Naturally, they will be repulsed by the disturbing and distressing scenes of hell and not wish to see them, but catching a glance of it, they will be utterly horrified. Since these people in Al Araf are not clear whether they will get into Jannah, they will make a plea to Allah Almighty to save them from hellfire.

وَإِذَا صُرِفَتْ أَبْصَـٰرُهُمْ تِلْقَآءَ أَصْحَـٰبِ ٱلنَّارِ قَالُوا۟ رَبَّنَا لَا تَجْعَلْنَا مَعَ ٱلْقَوْمِ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ

When their eyes turn toward the companions of Hell, they will say, “Our Lord, don’t put us with the evildoers.

(Al Araf 7:47)

Recognising the oppressors amongst the people of the hellfire, the people of Al Alraf will remind them of the evils they committed on earth.

وَنَادَىٰٓ أَصْحَـٰبُ ٱلْأَعْرَافِ رِجَالًۭا يَعْرِفُونَهُم بِسِيمَىٰهُمْ قَالُوا۟ مَآ أَغْنَىٰ عَنكُمْ جَمْعُكُمْ وَمَا كُنتُمْ تَسْتَكْبِرُونَوَنَادَىٰٓ أَصْحَـٰبُ ٱلْأَعْرَافِ رِجَالًۭا يَعْرِفُونَهُم بِسِيمَىٰهُمْ قَالُوا۟ مَآ أَغْنَىٰ عَنكُمْ جَمْعُكُمْ وَمَا كُنتُمْ تَسْتَكْبِرُونَ

And the people of the Heights will cry out to the men whom they would recognise by their marks. saving: ‘Neither your numbers nor the riches of which you were proud availed you.

(Al Araf 7:48)

The oppressors had boasted of their wealth and power, but they will not be saved by these now. There are two factors underlying the evil they used to commit:

  • The masses who kept them in power.
  • Their arrogance and disdain towards Allah, His commands and the poor and the weak.

Shaykh Jarra, a Palestinian Shaykh, suggests that the people of Al Araf are in a position of honour, granted by Allah Almighty. It’s a position similar to the position of angels, as they can see both sides of the barrier and tell off the people of hellfire.

The majority opinion is that the people of Araf are those who have crossed the Bridge of Sirat and have reached Araf, therefore they are one step away from Jannah. Having had their reckoning, they now carry an equal number of good deeds and bad deeds.

Al-Qantara – the final purification

Although their deeds have been weighed and they have passed the Sirat, believers would still be carrying malice and grudges in their hearts against those who wronged them. This malice needs to be dealt with and a very simple and crude analogy of a carwash that people will go through for another cleansing and all their accounts will be settled for good.

Before entering Paradise, the believers will stop at al-Qantara, the bridge or arch which is passage between Paradise and Hell, where Allah will remove any anger or hatred that existed between believers in the world.

At this stage, Allah will ensure that any lingering grievances, grudges, or feelings of injustice between people are completely removed. The Prophet ﷺ said:

“When the believers have been saved from the Fire, they will be stopped at a bridge between Paradise and Hell, where they will settle the scores that existed between them in this world. When they are cleansed and purified, permission will be given to them to enter Paradise.” (Bukhari)

Imam al-Qurtubi and Ibn al-Qayyim mention that some will be shown their places in Jannah as an incentive to forgive those who wronged them. The meaning is that Allah will reveal to the wronged person what reward awaits them if they pardon and upon seeing it, they will say:

“O Lord, I forgive him.”

This purification is necessary because Paradise is a place of perfect peace, where no trace of hatred, jealousy, or resentment can exist. If people were allowed to enter Jannah still carrying the pain or discomfort caused by others, it would tarnish its perfection – one could not truly feel at ease standing beside those who had wronged them.

The Prophet ﷺ said:

فْتَحُ أَبْوَابُ الْجَنَّةِ يَوْمَ الِاثْنَيْنِ، وَيَوْمَ الْخَمِيسِ، فَيُغْفَرُ لِكُلِّ عَبْدٍ لَا يُشْرِكُ بِاللَّهِ شَيْئًا، إِلَّا رَجُلًا كَانَتْ بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ أَخِيهِ شَحْنَاءُ، فَيُقَالُ: (1) أَنْظِرُوا (2) هَذَيْنِ حَتَّى يَصْطَلِحَا، أَنْظِرُوا هَذَيْنِ حَتَّى يَصْطَلِحَا، أَنْظِرُوا هَذَيْنِ حَتَّى يَصْطَلِحَا”

The gates of Paradise will be opened on Mondays and on Thursdays, and every servant [of Allah] who associates nothing with Allah will be forgiven, except for the man who has a grudge against his brother. [About them] it will be said: Delay these two until they are reconciled; delay these two until they are reconciled.

(Muslim)

Thus, Allah, in His mercy and justice, grants believers this final purification at al-Qantara, so that they enter Jannah with hearts completely pure, reconciled, and free from all ill-will.

Some scholars have said that Allah Almighty will compensate the people that have been wronged by paying them back from the account of those who wronged them. However, those who have wronged others will not go into the hellfire, but their level in Jannah will be diminished. There are other opinions which say that Allah Almighty will put forgiveness in the hearts of those who have been wronged without reducing the good deeds of those who were on the wrong. However, the common view is that Allah Almighty will settle the accounts of both sides before they get into Jannah.

As the Qur’an says:

وَنَزَعۡنَا مَا فِي صُدُورِهِم مِّنۡ غِلّٖ تَجۡرِي مِن تَحۡتِهِمُ ٱلۡأَنۡهَٰرُۖ وَقَالُواْ ٱلۡحَمۡدُ لِلَّهِ ٱلَّذِي هَدَىٰنَا لِهَٰذَا وَمَا كُنَّا لِنَهۡتَدِيَ لَوۡلَآ أَنۡ هَدَىٰنَا ٱللَّهُۖ لَقَدۡ جَآءَتۡ رُسُلُ رَبِّنَا بِٱلۡحَقِّۖ وَنُودُوٓاْ أَن تِلۡكُمُ ٱلۡجَنَّةُ أُورِثۡتُمُوهَا بِمَا كُنتُمۡ تَعۡمَلُونَ

And We will remove whatever rancour may be in their hearts; rivers will flow beneath them, and they will say, ‘Praise be to Allah, who has guided us to this.’

(Al Araf 7:43)

And:

وَنَزَعۡنَا مَا فِي صُدُورِهِم مِّنۡ غِلٍّ إِخۡوَٰنًا عَلَىٰ سُرُرٖ مُّتَقَٰبِلِينَ

And We will remove whatever rancour may be in their hearts; [they will be] brothers, sitting on thrones facing one another.”
(Al Hijr 15:47)

Therefore, we have to do our best to clear any grudges we hold in our hearts. In Surat al Hashr, Allah Almighty teaches us to make dua to remove rancour from our hearts:

وَلَا تَجْعَلْ فِى قُلُوبِنَا غِلًّۭا لِّلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟

And do not place in our hearts any resentment (ghill) toward those who have believed. (Al Hashr 59:10)

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