Imam al-Sajjad (peace be upon him): Thuwayr ibn Abi Fakhita said: Imam Zayn al-Abidin (peace be upon him) was asked, "How long will be the interval between the two blowings of the Trumpet (the blowing by which all creatures die, and the blowing by which all are brought back to life and move toward the plain of Gathering)?" The Imam (peace be upon him) said: "As long as Allah wills." Someone said: "O son of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family)! Inform me how the Trumpet is blown." He said: "As for the first blowing, Allah commands Israfil, and he descends to the world; and with him is a صور [trumpet] which has one mouthpiece and two ends, and the distance between the end of each of its two heads is like the distance between the heavens and the earth. When the angels see Israfil having descended to the world with the Trumpet, they say: 'Allah has given permission for the death of the people of the earth and the people of the heavens.' Israfil descends at the place of the sanctuaries of Bayt al-Muqaddas and faces the Ka'bah. When the people of the earth see him, they say: 'Allah has given permission for the death of the people of the earth.' At that point, Israfil blows into the Trumpet once, and the sound comes out from the end that is toward the earth, and every living being on the earth is stunned and dies; and the sound comes out from the end that is toward the heavens, and every living being in the heavens is stunned and dies, except Israfil. Allah says to Israfil: 'O Israfil, die!' And Israfil dies. Then [all] remain in that state for as long as Allah wills. Then Allah commands the heavens, and the heavens move violently; and He commands the mountains, and they are uprooted and set in motion. This is the word of Allah [who said]: 'And the mountains are uprooted and set in motion!' (Tur/10) — meaning the mountains are spread out and flattened."