THE KORAN. 283 



only two, but the more orthodox sects have added 

 another) will be the immediate signal, " when the 

 whole earth shall be but a handful to the Almighty; 

 and the heavens shall be rolled together in his right 

 hand." The first trumpet, called the Blast of Con- 

 sternation, M-ill strike all creatures with terror, — 

 shake the earth to its centre, — level the mountains, 

 — darken the sun, — unsphere the stars, — and dry up 

 the sea. The second, the Blast of Extermination, 

 is the dread harbinger of death to all living beings, 

 — a fate from which Azraei himself will not be 

 exempted. After a pause of forty years will be 

 sounded the Blast of Resurrection, Avhen the dis- 

 persed particles of humanity, even to the very hairs, 

 shall be re-assembled, and the souls imprisoned in 

 the trumpet shall fly forth like bees to meet their 

 respective bodies, filling the vast space between 

 earth and heaven. This awful summons will recall 

 to life every creature, — angels, genii, men, and ani- 

 mals ; but the manner of their resurrection will be 

 different. The destined partakers of eternal happi- 

 ness will rise in honour and security, — those doomed 

 to misery in disgrace, and under terrible apprehen- 

 sions. The first-fruits of the grave will be Mo- 

 hammed himself. His retinue will consist of three 

 classes,— believers not distinguished for good works 

 will march on first ; those remarkable for piety will 

 ride on white-winged camels, standing ready by 

 their sepulchres, with saddles of gold or silver ; the 

 ungodly, timid and abashed, will creep grovelling 

 with their faces on the gro'md ; or, according to 

 certain traditions, will change their shape into that of 

 some brute typical of their vile propensities. While 

 apes, swine, and intolerable stench designate re- 

 spectively the sensualist, the miser, and the idola- 

 ter ; the unjust judges shall 2:rope in blindness, — 

 the false accusers gnaw their tongues in despair, — 

 and the vainglorious be drejsed in garments pol- 

 luted with pitch. 



