by the earth except the ʿajb al-dhanab, the tailbone; from it man was created and from it he will be reconstructed." Aḥmad alone transmits this wording, and it fulfills the conditions of Muslim. Aḥmad likewise recorded it through Ibrāhīm al-Hajarī (1) from Abū ʿIyāḍ, from Abū Hurayrah in a marfūʿ report with similar wording (2).

Aḥmad further said: Ḥasan ibn Mūsā narrated to us, Ibn Luhayʿah narrated to us, Darrāj narrated to us from Abū al-Haytham, from Abū Saʿīd, from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, who said: “The earth consumes every part of the human being except his tailbone.” It was asked, “And what is it like, O Messenger of Allah?” He replied, “It is like a mustard seed; from it you will sprout forth.” (3)

What concerns us here is the mention of the two blasts and that an interval of forty separates them—whether forty days, forty months, or forty years. These two blasts—Allah knows best—are the Blast of Swooning and the Blast of Standing for resurrection and gathering. This is supported by the descent of water between them and by the reference to the tailbone from which man is created and into which he will be re-assembled on the Day of Resurrection. It is also possible that what is meant is the interval between the Blast of Dread and the Blast of Swooning, which is what the author wishes to discuss here. In any case, there must be a span of time between the Blast of Dread and the Blast of Swooning.

The ḥadith of the Trumpet states that during that interval great events will occur: the earth will quake, shake violently, sway with its inhabitants, and tip to the right and the left. Allah the Exalted says:
“ When the earth is shaken with its [final] quake (1)
and the earth brings forth its burdens (2)
and man says, ‘What is the matter with it?’ (3)
On that Day it will report its news (4)
because your Lord will have inspired it. (5) ”
[Surah al-Zalzalah, 1–5]

He also says:
“ O mankind, fear your Lord. Indeed, the convulsion of the Hour is a tremendous thing (1). ”
[Surah al-Ḥajj, 1]

And He says:
“ When the Inevitable occurs (1)
none can deny its occurrence (2);
it will bring low [some], raise [others] (3);
when the earth is shaken with a violent shake (4)
and the mountains are crushed to powder (5)… ”
continuing to His words, “ This is their hospitality on the Day of Recompense (56). ”
[Surah al-Wāqiʿah, 1–56]

Because this blast—namely, the Blast of Dread—is the very first stage of the Resurrection, the name “the Day of Resurrection” truly applies to all that follows. It is established in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī from Abū Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“ The Hour will surely come while two men have spread out a garment between them, yet they will neither conclude its sale nor fold it up; the Hour will surely come while a man has returned with the milk of his she-camel but has not tasted it; the Hour will surely come while a man is repairing his basin but has not watered [his animals] with it; and the Hour will surely come while a man has raised a morsel to his mouth but has not eaten it. ” (4)

This plainly refers to the moment before the Blast of Dread. He called the Blast of Dread “the Hour” because it is the first onset of it. It has already been related in the ḥadith describing the people of the end of time that they will be the worst of mankind, and upon them the Hour will fall (5).