The people are gathered according to his precedence, meaning he precedes them. It is said that he is the one who gathers them, and the word "precedence" is derived from "to precede." As it is said, "He has a righteous precedence with their Lord," meaning his precedence is in seeking His pleasure. It is also said to refer to the earth and what it brings forth after the Prophet, peace be upon him, said: "I am the last of the prophets, and the Hour is the last of the events." So, "precedence" refers to the trace, as it is from it. And it is said, "He preceded," meaning he came first.

It is also said that he is the one who will gather people behind him, and they will be guided by him, and no one else. It is also said that he is the one who will gather people as witnesses. As God Almighty says: "And thus We have made you a community of the middle way, so that you may be witnesses to mankind and the Messenger may be a witness to you." And it is said that he is the first to emerge from the earth, and people will gather behind him. As for his interpretation as gathering the People of the Book by bringing them out of their fortresses and lands, they said that he is weak and that he is a shepherd.

The great scholar Al-Qastalani said that this name indicates the great virtue of the Prophet, peace be upon him. He is the one who brings them together, and the gathering is only for the great ones and the important ones. And "Al-Hashir" is an active participle from the verb "hashara," meaning to gather. And when the definite article "Al" is added to his name, it refers to the Great Day.

The Day of Gathering, which is the Day of Resurrection, when no one will be able to see anyone else because of his preoccupation and fear for himself. So, he, peace be upon him, will gather them, and his virtue and his great favor are evident. He is the one to whom all will turn, and to him they will return. Therefore, they will intend to go to his station from every place. He is with his Lord, who has bestowed upon him robes of generosity and nobility, and revealed to him His secrets. They will seek refuge in the shade of his authority and his protection. The people will be gathered to him from every place on earth. He is the sultan of that Great Day, to whom all will flock, even the father of the friend, Abraham, peace be upon him. He will hold the banner of praise, and Adam, peace be upon him, will be beneath it. And his saying, "He will gather people on the Day of Resurrection," refers to the Day of Distress and hardship, when they will be driven from the valleys to the cities and places of comfort. Similarly, they will be gathered on that day.

The people will be gathered on that day according to his precedence, and the first of them will be brought forth to the last of them, until his station and his nation are reached. Just as they will flock to the fire in his footsteps, so everyone will be held back until he precedes them. So, all will be gathered according to his precedence, and this is the most virtuous and generous, for no virtue or generosity can be compared to his, as he is the one who gathers people in his footsteps and follows his command. He is the one who gathers, and no one follows except him, and no one gathers except to him. He is the gatherer in every sense and meaning.

He is the first to look at the stations of annihilation in contemplation of the Everlasting. He is the first to be looked at, and then people will look at his footsteps, O my father. As for his name, peace be upon him, he is the last of the prophets, and there is no prophet after him, because the last is the one who comes after others. And "aqib" means offspring. And he is the one who comes after others.