Let us now have a look at what the Rasul of Allah (saw) has to say about life after death and what awaits us there. 

Narrated by Abu Hurairah (ra):

It was asked, “O Rasul of Allah (saw). Will we see our Rabb on the Day of Resurrection (doomsday)?” 

He said, “Do you have any difficulty seeing the moon on the 14th night of the month (full moon) when the sky is clear?” They said, “No.” According to a narration by Sa'id Al-Khudri the Rasul of Allah (saw) asked, “Do you have any difficulty in seeing the sun and the moon when the sky is clear?” We said, “No.”

He said, “So you will have no difficulty in seeing your Rabb on that Day as you have no difficulty in seeing the sun and the moon (in a clear sky).”

“On that day the people will be resurrected and gathered together. I will be the Sayyid of the people, do you know why? Because on that day Allah will unite everyone on a flat surface and the announcers voice will be heard by every group.”

Ibn Masud (ra) narrates: 

“When the people are resurrected, they will look up to the sky for forty years nobody will say a word to them. During this time the Sun will be drawn near them and melt them, and everyone will be covered in sweat, they will remain like this until their sweat reaches their throat.”

Tabarani narrates: 

“On the day of resurrection (the place of gathering) some will be covered in sweat and it will begin to choke them. They will plead, “O Rabb throw us into hell so that we may be freed from this” … 

Muslim provides more detail: 

On that day the people will be in sweat according to their deeds. Among them one will be covered up to his ankles, and among them will be one who is covered up to his knees, and among them will be one who is covered up to his waist, and among them will be one who is bridled with it.

 

According to the narration by Abu Sa’id al-Khudri (ra):

This period will be lightened and made easier for the believers such that it will last only as long as one of the fardh (mandatory) salats.

Or according to another narration:

That day will be shortened for the believer as though an hour of the day, and they will be given glad tidings.

Then the Rabb will announce, “Let everyone follow what they used to worship!” 

According the Ibn Masud (ra) the Rasul of Allah (saw) said, 

“Then an announcer from the heavens will say, ‘While it was your Rabb who created you and gave you form and sustenance, you worshipped other things, is it not then divine justice for everyone to follow what they used to worship?’

“Yes, it is” they will answer.

Then it will be said, “Let every nation follow what they used to worship!”

 

Abu Hurairah (ra) adds:

Allah will ask one of his servants, “Did I not shower my blessings upon you and give my creation to your command?”

He will say, “Yes, my Rabb.”

Then Allah will say, “Just as you forgot about me then, I will forget about you now!”

The he will ask another servant and he will say, “My Rabb, I had faith in you, your book, your Rasul, I performed salat and fasted…” upon which Allah will say, “Let us ask the witnesses” and then the servant will be tongue tied and the organs in his body will begin to talk against him, and reveal his hypocrisy!

And then it will be said, “Let everyone follow what they used to believe in and worship, thereupon some will go to the sun, some to the moon and some to various other idols. The companions of the cross will go with their cross, and the idolators will go with their idols, and the companions of every god will go with their god, till there remain those who used to worship Allah, both the obedient ones and the mischievous ones, and some of the people of the Scripture.

Then Hell will be presented to them as if it were a mirage. Then it will be said to the Jews, “What did you use to worship?” They will reply, “We used to worship Ezra, the son of Allah.” It will be said to them, “You are liars, for Allah has neither a wife nor a son. What do you want now?” They will reply, “We want You to provide us with water.” Then it will be said to them “Drink,” and they will fall down in Hell instead. Then it will be said to the Christians, “What did you use to worship?” They will reply, “We used to worship Messiah, the son of Allah.” It will be said, “You are liars, for Allah has neither a wife nor a son. What do you want now?” They will say, “We want You to provide us with water.” It will be said to them, “Drink” and they will fall down in Hell instead. When there remain only those who used to worship Allah alone, both the obedient ones and the mischievous ones, it will be said to them, “What keeps you here when all the people have gone?” They will say, “We parted with them in the world when we were in greater need of them than we are today, we heard the call of one proclaiming, “Let every nation follow what they used to worship” and now we are waiting for our Lord.” Then the Almighty will come to them in a shape other than the one which they saw the first time, and He will say, “I am your Lord,” and they will say, “You are not our Lord.” And none will speak to Him then but the Rasuls, and then it will be said to them, “Do you know any sign by which you can recognize Him?” They will say. “The Shin,” and so Allah will then uncover His Shin whereupon every believer will prostrate before Him.

Abu Hurairah (ra) narrates:

“The first of man’s deeds for which he will be called to account on the Day of Resurrection will be Salat. If it is found to be perfect, he will be safe and successful; but if it is incomplete, he will be unfortunate and a loser. If any shortcoming is found in the obligatory Salat, the Glorious and Exalted Rabb will command to see whether His slave has offered any voluntary Salat so that the obligatory Salat may be made up by it. Then the rest of his actions will be treated in the same manner” [Sunan al-Tirmidhi: 413].

 

Those who dispute about whether they should pray only the obligatory (fardh) salat or sunnah too should take this hadith into consideration. 

Essentially the obligatory prayers are a total of 17 rakahs. Two at dawn (fajr), four at midday (dhuhr), four in the late afternoon (asr), three at sunset (maghrib), four at nighttime (isha), and three rakahs of witr, the final prayer of the day after isha. 

The other salats known as “sunnah” are considered to be voluntary salats, whether the person intends it as a compensation for past missed salats or purely as sunnah.

After salat, the person will be called to account for all his other deeds.