and the salt water—so that all the seas will become one sea. Al-Kalbi said: “They will be filled.” This too is the meaning of His saying: “And by the sea filled [with fire]” (al-Tur: 6). The filled sea is the sea that is full. It was also said that their waters will become one sea of scalding water for the inhabitants of the Fire. Al-Hasan said: “They will dry up.” This was also the view of Qatadah, who said: “Their water will vanish, until not a drop remains in them.”

Abu al-‘Aliyah narrated from Ubayy ibn Ka‘b, who said: “There are six signs before the Day of Resurrection: while people are in their marketplaces, the light of the sun will disappear. [While they are in that state, the stars will scatter] (1). While they are in that state, the mountains will fall upon the face of the earth, causing it to quake and shake. The jinn will flee in terror to humankind, and humankind to the jinn. Livestock, birds, and wild beasts will mingle together, surging into one another. This is His saying: ‘And when the wild beasts are gathered together’ [they mingle together] (2), ‘and when full-term she-camels are neglected, and when the seas are set ablaze.’” He said: “The jinn will say to humankind, ‘We shall bring you the news.’ They will then go to the sea and find it a blazing fire. While they are in that state, the earth will split open in a single cleft down to the seventh, lowest earth, [and the heaven will split open in a single cleft] (3) up to the seventh, highest heaven. While they are in that state, the wind will come upon them and cause them to die” (4).

“And when the souls are paired (7).”

Ibn ‘Abbas also said: “They are twelve events: six in this world and six in the Hereafter. They are those mentioned in His saying, exalted is He: ‘And when the souls are paired.’” Al-Nu‘man ibn Bashir narrated from ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab that he was asked about this verse, and he said: “A righteous man will be joined with a righteous man in Paradise, and an evil man will be joined with an evil man in the Fire” (5). This is [the meaning] (6) of ‘Ikrimah’s statement.

Al-Hasan and Qatadah said: “Each person will be joined to his own group: the Jew with the Jew, and the Christian with the Christian.”

Al-Rabi‘ ibn Khuthaym said: “A man will be gathered with those who share his deeds.” It was also said: The souls will be paired with their deeds.

‘Ata’ and Muqatil said: “The souls of the believers will be paired with the maidens of Paradise, and the souls of the disbelievers will be joined with the devils.”