All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His Slave and Messenger.
The many names given to the Day of Judgment conform to the habit of Arabs, that the more a thing is important, the more names are given to it. Those names are not specific to some addressees apart from others, rather all those names are attached to that Day, by which it is recognized by anyone who is competent for religious assignment. There are as many as fifty names according to some scholars. Let us mention the most famous of them, with a brief clarification of their meanings:
- It is Yawm Al-Qiyaamah (the Day of Rising), and it is given that name because of the rise of great terrors on that day and because the people will rise (from their graves) to Allaah The Almighty.
- It is also Al-Yawm Al-Aakhir (the Last Day), because there will be no day after it.
- It is As-Saa’ah (the Hour) due to its nearness, or because it will come unexpectedly in an hour.
- It is Yawm Al-Ba’th (the Day of Resurrection) because on it Allaah will resurrect the dead from their graves.
- It is Yawm Al-Khurooj (the Day of the Exodus), on which the people will come out of their graves.
- It is also Al-Qaari’ah (the Striking Calamity), which will strike the people with its great terrors.
- It is Yawm Al-Fasl (the Day of Judgment), because on it Allaah will judge between His servants.
- It is Yawm Ad-Deen (the Day of Recompense), because on it Allaah will recompense each one according to his/her deeds.
- It is also Yawm Al-Hasrah (the Day of Regret), on which the negligent will regret what they neglected of their religion.
- It is Yawm Al-Khulood (the Day of Eternity) and Yawm Al-Hisaab (the Day of Reckoning), the meaning of both is clear.
- It is Al-Haaqqah (The Inevitable Reality), because it will make Paradise inevitable to some and Hellfire inevitable to others, and it will have the reward and requital, and all things will be real.
- It is Yawm At-Talaaqi (the Day of Meeting), on which the foremost and the last will meet.
- It is Yawm At-Taghaabun (the Day of Deprivation), on which the inhabitants of Paradise will deprive the denizens of Hellfire of what is prepared in it for them by Allaah, and they will inherit the share of the disbelievers in Paradise.
For further details, see “Al-Qiyaamah Al-Kubra” by ‘Umar Sulaymaan Al-Ashqar.
As for the Saying of Allaah (which means): {And never say of anything, "Indeed, I will do that tomorrow," Except [when adding], "If Allaah wills"}[Quran 18:23-24], it includes any future time, and not only the next day. If one likes to do anything after (as short as) an hour or (as long as) a month, it is legislated for him to say 'Allaah willing'.
Allaah Knows best.