The Number of Times the Trumpet will be Blown

بـسـم الله والحـمـد لله والـصلاة والـسـلام عــلى رسـول الله، وبـعـد

Shaikh Ibn Baaz رحمه الله said:

“The Trumpet [1] will be blown two times – and this is the correct (opinion): (The first) blowing will cause terror and make people swoon [2]; and (the second) will be blown for the Resurrection [3], as has been evident from the text of the Qur’aan. And the opinion that the Trumpet will be blown three times is weak [4].”

Source:

 الفوائد الجلية من دروس الشيخ ابن باز العلمية (ص 17)

[1] The definition of “Soor” (translated here as Trumpet) was explained by the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم in the following Hadeeth:

`Abdullaah ibn `Amr رضي الله عنه reported that a Bedouin asked: “O Messenger of Allaah, what is the trumpet?” He صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “It is a horn* which will be blown.” [al-Tirmidhee (3244) and Abu Dawood (4742) and graded as “Saheeh” by Shaikh al-Albaanee]

*Means: a horn, like a trumpet or bugle.

The well known opinion is that the Angel who is going to blow the Trumpet is Israafeel عليه السلام, and Allaah knows best.

The Angel (Israafeel) has been ready ever since Allaah created him to blow the trumpet.

Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه said: The Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “The gaze of the one who will blow the Trumpet has been fixed since he was entrusted with it, looking towards the Throne, ready (to blow it), fearing that he will be commanded to do so before he blinks, as if his eyes are two shining stars.” [Mustadrak al-Haakim (4/558-559) and graded as “Saheeh” by al-Albaanee in al-Saheehah (1078)]

[2] Some evidences about the first blowing:

Allaah تعالى says:

{And (remember) the Day on which the Trumpet will be blown – and all who are in the heavens and all who are on the earth, will be terrified except him whom Allâh will (exempt). And all shall come to Him, humbled.} [Surah al-Naml (27): 87]

He تعالى also says:

{And the Trumpet will be blown, and all who are in the heavens and all who are on the earth will swoon away, except him whom Allaah wills…} [Surah al-Zumar (39):68]

[3] Some evidences for the second blowing:

Allaah تعالى says:

{And the Trumpet will be blown (i.e. the second blowing) and behold from the graves they will come out quickly to their Lord.} [Surah Yaseen (36): 51]

He تعالى also says:

{…Then it will be blown a second time, and behold they will be standing, looking on (waiting)} [Surah al-Zumar (39):68]

[4] The majority of scholars are of the view that the Trumpet will be blown twice. Apart from the Aayaat, it is also based on the Ahaadeeth that the Trumpet will be blown twice:

Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه said: The Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “Between the two blowings of the Trumpet there will be forty.” The people said: “O Abu Hurairah! Forty days?” He (Abu Hurairah) said: “I am not sure.” They said: “Forty years?” He said: “I am not sure.” They said: “Forty months?” He said: “I am not sure.” (The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “Then Allaah will send rain down from the sky and they will grow as herbs grow. There is no part of a man which will not decay except a single bone at the base of the coccyx, from which he will be re-created on the Day of Resurrection.” [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (4814, 4935) and Saheeh Muslim (2955)]

`Abdallaah ibn `Amr رضي الله عنه said: The Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “… then the Trumpet will be blown and no one will hear it but he will bend his neck to one side and raise it from the other side. The first one who will hear it will be a man who is busy in setting right the cistern meant for supplying water to the camels. He will swoon and the other people will also swoon. Then Allah will send or He will send down rain which will be like dew and there will grow out of it the bodies of people. Then the trumpet will be blown again, and they will stand up and begin to look around.” [Saheeh Muslim (2940)]

Some of the scholars said that the trumpet will be blown three times, including the time when it will be blown and all people will be terrified, which will come before the people swoon. They based this on the verse in which Allaah تعالى says: 

{And (remember) the Day on which the Trumpet will be blown, and all who are in the heavens and all who are on the earth, will be terrified except him whom Allaah will (exempt). And all shall come to Him, humbled} [al-Naml (27):87]

But the fact that swooning is mentioned in one verse and terror is mentioned in another does not mean that they will not happen at the same time when the Trumpet is blown for the first time. Rather they will happen at the same time, so when the Trumpet is blown the people will be terrified, and will swoon as a result and die. 

They also quoted as evidence some Ahaadeeth in which it is mentioned that the Trumpet will be blown three times. 

From the above it may be understood that when Allaah decrees that all living beings should die, He will command the angel to blow the Trumpet, so he will give a mighty blast which will terrify all creatures, as a result of which they will swoon and die. Then they will stay like that for as long as Allaah decrees, which is described as forty without specifying whether that is years, months or days – Allaah knows best how long it is. Their bodies will decay within this period until there is nothing left but the bone from the base of the coccyx, which is a round bone at the base of the spine. Then Allaah will send a cloud that will release rain, and when the water reaches this bone, the body will grow from it like a plant grows and they will be recreated from this bone, just as Allaah created them the first time, for He is able to do all things. Then he will blow the Trumpet to signal the Resurrection, and the souls will return to their bodies and will come forth from their graves and hasten to the place of gathering. We ask Allaah for His mercy and kindness.

What the Muslim has to do is to prepare for these decisive moments by hastening to do righteous deeds and keeping away from evil things and bad deeds.

If the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم feared the blowing of the Trumpet:

Narrated Abu Sa`eed al-Khudree رضي الله عنه: The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “How can I be at ease when the one who blows the trumpet has put it to his mouth, bent his forehead and inclined his ear, waiting to see when he will be ordered to blow it?” This very much distressed his companions, so he told them to seek comfort through reciting: “Sufficient for us is Allaah and an excellent Guardian He is and in Allaah we place our trust.” [al-Tirmidhee (2431, 3243) and graded as “Saheeh” by Shaikh al-Albaanee in al-Saheehah (1079)]

Then what about us who are weak and fall short?

We seek Allaah’s help and sufficient is Allaah for us.