Praise be to Allah, and may peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah.
In Arabic, the “Sur” (Trumpet) refers to a horn that is blown into. The Prophet ﷺ explained it as such, saying: “A horn that will be blown into.” Al-Albani authenticated this narration.
The one who will blow it is Israfil عليه السلام, as is well known among the scholars, and consensus has been transmitted regarding this. The Prophet ﷺ informed us that Israfil has been prepared to blow it since Allah appointed him to do so, awaiting the command of his Lord.
Most scholars hold that the Trumpet will be blown twice:
The Blast of the Destruction: By it, those in the heavens and on earth will be struck unconscious or die, except those whom Allah wills.
The Blast of Resurrection: Then it will be blown a second time, and suddenly the people will be standing, looking on.
Allah تعالى says:
﴿And the Trumpet will be blown, and whoever is in the heavens and whoever is on the earth will fall unconscious, except whom Allah wills. Then it will be blown again, and at once they will be standing, looking on.﴾
It is authentically reported that the Prophet ﷺ said: “Between the two blasts there are forty.” Abu Hurayrah رضي الله عنه did not specify whether this meant forty days, months, or years, which indicates that specifying the duration is not authentically established.
Some scholars stated that there are three blasts, adding the Blast of Terror before the Blast of Destruction, based on Allah’s saying:
﴿And the Day the Trumpet will be blown, those in the heavens and those on the earth will be terrified, except whom Allah wills.﴾
However, mentioning terror in one verse and destruction in another does not necessarily mean that they occur in two separate blasts. Terror and destruction may occur together in the first blast. As for the hadiths used to support the view that there are three blasts, the most famous is the lengthy hadith concerning the Trumpet, which scholars have regarded as weak and whose narrations contain inconsistencies.
After the first blast, creation will die. They will then remain for a period whose exact duration is unknown. It is authentically established that it is forty, without specifying whether this means days, months, or years.
Then Allah will send down water, and people’s bodies will grow as plants grow. Allah will recreate them from the tailbone, which is the bone at the base of the spine. Then the second blast will be made, the souls will return to the bodies, and people will emerge from their graves toward the gathering place.
It is mentioned in the hadith that when people hear the blast, they will listen attentively to it and raise their necks, then they will be struck down. After that, they will be resurrected.
These events remind the believer of the nearness and tremendousness of that Day. Therefore, one should prepare for it through faith and righteous deeds, hastening to acts of obedience and staying away from sins.
The Prophet ﷺ used to say, describing the intensity of the Trumpet-blower’s waiting for the command: “How can I enjoy myself while the one holding the horn has already placed it to his mouth, lowered his forehead, and listened attentively, waiting to be commanded to blow it, and then he will blow it?”
If this was the state of the greatest of creation ﷺ in his fear of Allah, then we have even more reason to prepare for that Day. We ask Allah to make us among those whom the Greatest Terror will not grieve and whom the angels will receive with glad tidings.
And Allah تعالى knows best.