Explanation of As-Saakhah

Explanation of As-Saakhah
Imam Ibn Kathir

Then when there comes as-Saakhah Ibn Abbaas (radiaAllaahu anhuma) said, “As-Saakhah is one of the names of the Day of Judgement that Allah has magnified and warned his servants of.” [Reported in at-Tabari 24:229]

Then when there comes as-Saakhah That day shall man flee from his brother.And from his mother and his father. And from his wife and his children. Every man that Day will have enough to make his careless of others. [Surah Abasa 80:33-37]
Ibn Jareer said, “Perhaps it (as-Saakhah) is a name for the blowing into the Trumpet.” Al-Baghawi said, “As-Saakhah means the thunderous shout of the Day of Judgement. It has been called this because it will deafen the ears. This means that it pierces the ears to such an extent that it almost deafens the ears.”

That Day shall a man flee from his brother. And from his mother and his father. And from his wife and his children.

meaning, he will see them and then flee from them, and seek to get away from them because the horror will be so great and the matter will be so weighty. There is an authentic hadeeth related concerning the intercession that states that every one of the Messengers of firm resolve will be requested to intercede with Allaah on behalf of the creation, but each of them will say, “O myself! O myself! Today I will not ask You (O Allah) concerning anyone but myself.” Even Isa bin Maryam (alayhis-salaam) will say, “I will not ask Him concerning anyone but myself today. I will not even ask (for) Maryam, the woman who gave birth to me.” [Sahih Muslim]
Thus, Allaah says,

“That Day shall a man flee from his brother, and from his mother and his father, and from his wife and his children.”

Qataadah said, “The most beloved and then the next most beloved, and the closest of kin and then the next closest of kin - due to the terror of that Day.” Allaah said,

“Every man that Day will have enough to make him careless of others.”

meaning, he will be preoccupied in his business and distracted from the affairs of others. Ibn Abee Haatim recorded from Ibn Abbaas (radiallaahu anhuma) that Allaah’s Messenger (sallallaahu alaihi wasallam) said,

“You will be gathered barefoot, naked, walking and uncircumcised.”

So his wife said, “O Allah’s Messenger! Will we look at or see each other’s nakedness?” The Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wasallam) replied,

“Every man among them on that Day will have enough to make him careless of others” -

or he said: “he will be too busy to look.” [Al-Haakim, also similarly recorded in Al-Bukhari]
Ibn Abbaas (radiAllaahu anhuma) reported that the Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wasallam) said,
“You will be gathered barefoot, naked and uncircumcised.”
So a woman said, “Will we see or look at each other’s nakedness?” He replied,
“O so-and-so woman! Every man among them on the Day will have enough to make him careless of others.” At-Tirmidhi said, “This hadeeth is Hasan Saheeh.”

Notes:

1. The state of terror a man feels that day will be unlike anything he has felt during the life of this world.
2. A man will see his brother, his mother and his father and others he recognises engulfed in a state of extreme fear, terror and distress. Yet he will be careless of each them to the extent that he will not even supplicate for them.
3. This state of terror will encompass even the Prophets and Messengers of Allah.
4. Mankind will be barefoot, naked, walking and uncircumcised.
5. This state of terror will not be removed until Allaah ta’ala permits intercession by those whom He pleases for those whom He pleases. There is no intercession for the unbelievers.
6. The need to seek refuge in Allaah from His anger and punishment.