—the gathering on the Day of Resurrection; the anguish intensifies, the throng grows tighter, and the sun draws down over their very heads. In that terrible distress the people of the Arena look for someone who can intercede, that judgment might at last be pronounced and they be sent on from this standing—either to the Garden or to the Fire.

They go to Adam, peace be upon him, but he declines out of awe for the moment and its majesty. They then go to Noah, peace be upon him, the first of the messengers, and he too declines. Next they approach Moses, to whom Allah spoke directly, but he likewise excuses himself. They proceed to Jesus, peace be upon him, and he also declines. Finally they come to Muhammad—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—who says, “I am the one for it, I am the one for it.” He comes forward and falls in prostration before Allah, praising, glorifying, and supplicating Him until it is said to him, “Raise your head, ask and you will be granted, intercede and your intercession will be accepted.” (1)

He does not intercede straightaway; rather, he prostrates, invokes Allah, extols Him, and seeks His favor through His names and attributes. Only then is he granted permission to intercede. He pleads for the judgment to be concluded among all created beings, and Allah accepts his plea. The Lord—exalted is He—then comes to judge between His servants.

Allah, the Exalted, says: “No indeed! When the earth is pounded to dust, pounded again and again, and your Lord comes with the angels, rank upon rank” (al-Fajr 89:21-22); and He says: “Are they waiting for anything other than that Allah should come to them in canopies of clouds, along with the angels, and the matter be decided?” (al-Baqarah 2:210).