Sacred-Texts Islam
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57.

'Then that miserable one shall come, and with greatest contumely shall be accused of every creature. Wherefore God shall call the angel Michael, who shall strike him one hundred thousand times with the sword of God. He shall strike Satan, and every stroke is heavy as ten hells, and he shall be the first to be cast into the abyss. The angel shall call his followers, and they shall in like manner be abused and accused. Wherefore the angel Michael, by commission from God, shall strike some a hundred times, some fifty, some twenty, some ten, some five. And then shall they descend into the abyss, because God shall say to them: "Hell is your dwelling-place, O cursed ones."

'After that shall be called to judgment all the unbelievers and reprobates, against whom shall first arise all creatures inferior to man, testifying before God how they have served these men, and how the same have outraged God and his creatures. And the prophets every one shall arise, testifying against them; wherefore they shall be condemned by God to infernal flames. Verily I say unto you, that no idle word or thought shall pass unpunished in that tremendous day. Verily I say unto you, that the hair-shirt shall shine like the sun, and every louse a man shall have borne for love of God shall be turned into pearl. O, thrice and four times blessed are the poor, who in true poverty shall have served God from the heart, for in this world are they destitute of worldly cares, and shall therefore be freed from many sins, and in that day they shall not have to render an account of how they have spent the riches of the world, but they shall be rewarded for their patience and their poverty. Verily I say unto you, that if the world knew this it would choose the hair-shirt sooner than purple, lice sooner than gold, fasts sooner than feasts.

'When all have been examined, God shall say unto his messenger: ''Behold, O my friend, their wickedness, how great it has been, for I their creator did employ all created things in their service, and in all things have they dishonored me. It is most just, therefore, that I have no mercy on them." The messenger of God shall answer: "It is true, Lord, our glorious God, not one of thy friends and servants could ask thee to have mercy on them; nay, I thy servant before all ask justice against them."

'And he having said these words, all the angels and prophets, with all the elect of God—nay, why say I the elect?—verily I say unto you, that spiders and flies, stones and sand shall cry out against the impious, and shall demand justice.

'Then shall God cause to return to earth every living soul inferior to man, and he shall send the impious to hell. Who, in going, shall see again that earth, to which dogs and horses and other vile animals shall be reduced. Wherefore shall they say: "O Lord God, cause us also to return to that earth." But that which they ask shall not be granted to them.'


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