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The friends of Allah fall into “two ranks”: the foremost, who are brought near to Him, and the people of the right, who follow a moderate course. Allah mentions them in several places in His Mighty Book: at the beginning and end of Sūrat al-Wāqiʿah, and in Sūrat al-Insān, Sūrat al-Mutaffifīn, and Sūrat Fātir.

He, Glorified and Most High, mentions the greater resurrection at the beginning of Sūrat al-Wāqiʿah and the lesser resurrection at its end. At its beginning, He says:

“When the Event occurs,
there can be no denying its occurrence,
bringing some low and raising others.
When the earth is shaken violently,
and the mountains are crushed to powder,
becoming scattered dust,
and you are divided into three groups:
the people of the right—what people are the people of the right!
And the people of the left—what people are the people of the left!
And the foremost will be the foremost.
Those are the ones brought near to Allah,
in Gardens of Bliss:
a multitude from the earlier generations,
and a few from the later generations.”

This is the division of humanity when the greater resurrection takes place, at which Allah gathers the first and the last, as He, Glorified be He, has described in numerous places in His Book.

Then, at the end of the surah, He Most High says:

“Then why not”—meaning, “Why do you not”—“when the soul reaches the throat,
while you are looking on,
and We are nearer to him than you, though you do not see—
then why not, if you are not subject to judgment,
bring it back, if you are truthful?”