BED AND CLOTHING FROM JANNAH (PARADISE)

And the Trial of the Grave is true

and the questioning by Munkar and Nakeer is true

Q1. What is the sequence of events that occur after the dead person is placed in his grave?

The dead person is placed in his grave which is then filled in over him.

The people who accompanied the body to the grave then leave the graveside and the dead person hears their footsteps as they walk away from him.

Two angels then come to him and his soul is restored to his body.

And this is now the life of the barzakh (the life beyond the barrier) for that person.

Q2. Who are Munkar and Nakeer and what do they ask the dead person?

These are the two angels who come to question the dead person. They sit him up and say to him:

Who is your Lord? What is your religion? And who is your prophet?

Q3. What does the believer reply to these questions?

He or she will reply:

My Lord is Allaah. Islaam is my religion and Muhammad sall Allaahu ‘alaiyhi wa sallam is my prophet.

The believer will no stutter or hesitate in giving these answers because he or she was a believer in this world, believing in Allaah and the Messenger sall Allaahu ‘alaiyhi wa sallam and adhering to the religion of Islaam.  

Q4.  What does the hypocrite reply?

The munaafiq (hypocrite) who lived in this world upon doubt, professing Islaam upon his tongue whilst denying it with his heart, will be rendered incapable and confused when he is questioned in his grave.

He will reply to the two angels:

Haah. Haah. I do not know. I heard the people saying something so I said it.

Q5. What is the difference between what the believer experiences in the grave and what the hypocrite experiences?

The believer will experience bliss and a door to Paradise will be opened for him. Whereas the hypocrite will be punished; he will be crushed in his grave until his ribs interlock and a door to the Fire will be opened for him.[1]

Q6. What Qur’aanic aayah does the Shaykh hafidhahullaah quote as a proof for the Punishment of the Grave and the questioning in it?

Allaah makes firm those who are believers with the firm saying in the life of this world[2] and in the Hereafter; and Allaah misguides the dhaalimeen (transgressing disbelievers).

And Allaah does whatever He wishes.[3]

This aayah and its tafseer contain a proof establishing the Punishment of the Grave and the questioning of the dead person by Munkar and Nakeer.

Q7. What are we recommended to do immediately after burying the dead Muslim?

It is recommended that the Muslims stand by the grave after they have finished burying the dead person and not be in a rush to leave the graveside. They should ask for firmness for the deceased and seek forgiveness for him because Allaah will bring benefit to him through that for the supplication of the Muslims is answered.

This is in accordance with the practice of the Prophet sall Allaahu ‘alaiyhi wa sallam who would do this when burying the dead person and would say:

Seek forgiveness for your brother and ask for firmness for him for he is now about to be questioned.[4]

Q8. Who denies the Punishment of the Grave? Why?

It is denied by the evil heretics such as the Mu’tazilah who rejected it based upon their corrupt intellects.

These misguided people gave precedence to their intellects over the textual evidences.

So when their intellects could not perceive the Punishment of the Grave, they rejected it and denied the ahaadeeth about it.

Q9. Why do the People of the Sunnah not deny the Punishment of the Grave?

The affairs of the ghayb (hidden and unseen) and the matters of the Hereafter cannot be perceived by the intellects and therefore there is no scope for the intellects to enter into them.

Rather our beliefs in the matters of the ghayb (hidden and unseen) and the matters of the Hereafter are built upon the authentic reports about them. We do not say anything about these matters unless it is taken from an authentic evidence from the Book and the Sunnah.

The Punishment of the Grave is from the affairs of the Hereafter proved by the authentic reports from the Book and the Sunnah – so we affirm that which is affirmed by these reports.

214

والبعث بعد الموت حق

And the Resurrection after death is true

Q1. What is the Ba’th mentioned here?

It is the Resurrection i.e. the dead people being returned to life.

The dead people will be raised up from their graves after they had been dust and bones and Allaah will restore them to how they were before.

Q2. Why will Allaah bring the people back to life after they have died?

He will do this in order to recompense them for the deeds which they used to do.

Q3. What is the difference between this worldly life and the life of the Hereafter in this regard?

This world is the daar ul ‘amal (abode of doing actions) and the Hereafter is the daar ul jazaa-a (abode of being recompensed).

Q4. What would be necessitated if there were to be no Resurrection after death?

There must be a Resurrection for recompense and for taking people to account. For if there were no such Resurrection, this would necessitate that the actions of Allaah, the Perfect and Most High, were without purpose and actions without any result.

Allaah, the Most High, says:

Do you think that We created you ‘abathan (without any purpose) [5]and that you would not be returned to Us?

High and Exalted is Allaah, the True King.[6]

And Allaah is free and far removed from performing actions without purpose.

Rather He created the creation for a wise purpose, namely the Resurrection, the raising from the grave and the recompense for actions.

Q5. What will happen after Israafeel blows into the Horn?

When this angel is given the command by Allaah to blow the Horn which contains the souls, then every soul will fly into its own body. The bodies will come to life and will move.

Then the bodies will come out from the graves and proceed to the mahshar (gathering place) as if they were scattered locusts rushing to the caller. None will stay behind.

Q6. What is the meaning of ajdaath (as mentioned in Soorah al Ma’aarij (70:43)?

Allaah, the Most High, says:

On that Day when they will come out from their ajdaath (graves[7]) rushing, as if they were racing to finishing post.

Their gaze lowered, covered by humiliation.

That will be the Day which they were promised![8]

And He, the Exalted, says:

And the Horn will be blown, and they will rush from their ajdaath (graves) rushing towards their Lord.

The disbelievers will say, “Woe to us! Who has raised us from our place of sleep?”

(The believers will say), “This is what ar Rahmaan (the Most Merciful) promised and the Messengers spoke the Truth.”

It was just a single blast and then they will all be brought before Us.[9]

Q7. Who rejects the Ba’th?

The mushrikoon (people of shirk) denied the Resurrection.

Q8. What foolish reasons do these people give for this rejection?

Allaah tells us what these people say:

And they said, “When we have become bones and dust, will we then be raised up (to be) a new creation?”[10]

“And when we have become dust, will we then be (raised as) a new creation?”[11]

Q9. How does the Shaykh hafidhahullaah respond to this?

The One who created them the first is surely able to restore them after their deaths.

And He is the One who originates the creation and then He will restore it, and that is easier for Him.[12] [13]

Your creation and your resurrection is not except like that of a single soul.[14]

So why do these mushrikoon not regard the initial creation as being something strange, rather than just the resurrection? For these mushrikoon were at one time non existent with no skins or bones – and then Allaah brought them into existence from their state of non existence.

And I created you before when you were nothing.[15]

So is the One who created them from a state of non existence not able to restore their bodies and bones to how they were before? Rather nothing renders Allaah incapable.[16]

Q9. How many blowings of the Horn will take place?

The blowing of the Horn will take place three times.[17]

The first time: the blowing of faza’ (terror).

On the Day when the Horn will be blown and whoever is in the Heavens and whoever is in the Earth will be terrified except for the one whom Allaah wishes; and all will come to Him humbled.[18]

The second time: the blowing of sa'iq (falling down dead).

The third time: the blowing of ba-th . (resurrection).

The second and the third blowings are mentioned at the end of Soorah az Zumar:

And the Horn will be blown and whoever is in the heavens and all who are upon the Earth will sa'iqa (fall down dead) except for him whom Allaah wishes.[19]

Then Allaah says:

Then it will be blown another time.[20]

This is the third blowing.

Then they will be standing, looking.[21]

Q10. Which one of these blowings will be the blowing of the Ba’th?

It is the third blowing.

215

وذلك حين ينفخ إسرافيل عليه السلام في الصور

And that (Resurrection) will occur when Israafeel ‘alaiyhissalaam blows the Horn

Q1. Is Israafeel a human?

No, he is an angel who is given the duty of blowing the Horn.

216

فإذا هم من الأجداث إلى ربهم ينسلون‏

So they will hasten to their Lord from their graves.[22]

Q1. What is the meaning of yansiloon here?

It means: they will come out from them.

---

[1] As mentioned in the hadeeth of Anas bin Maalik reported by al Bukhaaree (1338, 1374) and Muslim and in the musnad of Ahmad and in the hadeeth of Aboo Hurayrah in at Tirmidhee (1071) and the hadeeth of al Baraa ibn ‘Aazib in Aboo Daawud (4753).

The following is the wording of Imaam Ahmad rahimahullaah with authentic additions from others, compiled and authenticated by Shaikh al-Albaanee –rahimahullaah-in ‘Ahkaamul-Janaa`iz (pp.198-202) and it is up to the standard of Imaams Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim:

‘We went out with the Prophet sall Allaahu ‘alaiyhi wa sallam on a funeral of a man from the Ansaar. So we came to the grave and he, sall Allaahu ‘alaiyhi wa sallam had a stick, with which he was prodding the earth. He began looking towards the sky, and looking towards the earth, and raising his gaze and lowering it three times, and then he said:

Seek Allaah’s refuge from the Punishment of the Grave!

…two or three times, and then he sall Allaahu ‘alaiyhi wa sallam said:

O Allaah, I seek your refuge from the Punishment of the Grave.

…three times,

And then he sall Allaahu ‘alaiyhi wa sallam said:

The believing servant, when he is departing from this world and going on to the Hereafter – then some angels from the heaven descend upon him, with white faces as if their faces were the sun. With them, there are shrouds from the shrouds of Paradise and perfume for embalming from the perfume of Paradise – until they sit at a distance away from him that can be reached by the sight.

And then the Angel of Death ‘alaiyhis-salaam comes, until he sits by his head and he says:

O Pure soul! (and in one narration - at rest), come out to forgiveness from Allaah and His Pleasure!

So it comes out flowing just like a drop of fluid flows out of a vessel.

So he ‘alaiyhis-salaam takes it - and in one narration – when his soul comes out, then every angel between the Heavens and the Earth makes supplication for it and every angel in the Heaven and the Gates of the (lowest) Heaven are opened for him.

And there are no inhabitants (i.e. angels) present at any gate except that they make supplication to Allaah that his soul be taken up from their direction.

So when he (the Angel of Death) takes it, he does not leave it in his hand even for the blink of an eye until he takes it and places it in that shroud and in that perfume – and that is His Saying, He the Most High:

‘Our Messengers take his soul in Death, and they do not fall short in their duty.’

And a smell comes from him like the smell of the purest musk found on the face of the earth.

Then they ascend with it (the believing soul) and they do not pass by any (group of angels) except that they say:

What is this pure soul?

So they say:

It is so and so, the son of so and so.

…mentioning him by the finest names which he used to be called in this world, until they take him to the lowest heaven and they request that it be opened for him – so it is opened for him.

And then the closest ones from every heaven accompany him to the next heaven until he reaches the seventh heaven – and Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic says:

Write down the record of My servant in Illiyyeen (the highest heaven)!

‘And what will explain to you what is Illiyyoon?

(in it will be) the written down record.

Witnessed by those drawn close.’

Soorah al Mutaffifeen (83) aayaat 19 to 21

So he sall Allaahu ‘alaiyhi wa sallam said:

Then his record will be written down in Illiyyeen. Then it will be said:

Return him to the earth, for I have promised them that: From it I created you, and to it I shall return you, then I shall take you out from it again.

So he will be returned to the earth and his soul will be returned to his body, and he will hear the striking of the feet of his companions when they depart from him going away (from his grave).

Then two severe angels will come to him, and they will be very abrupt with him, they will make him sit up and they will say to him:

Who is your Lord?

So he will say:

My Lord is Allaah.

They will say to him:

What is your religion?

So he will say:

My religion is Islaam.

So they will say to him:

What was this man who was sent amongst you?

He will say:

He is Allaah’s Messenger sall Allaahu ‘alaiyhi wa sallam.

So they will say to him:

How did you know?

So he will say:

I read the Book of Allaah, and I believed in it, and I affirmed it.

So he will be abrupt with him, and say: Who is your Lord? What is your religion? Who is your Prophet?

And this will be the last trial that the believer will face.

So that is about what Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic said:

‘Allaah will make those who are believers firm, with the firm saying in the life of this world.’

Soorah Ibraaheem (14) aayah 27

So he will say: My Lord is Allaah, my Religion is Islaam and my Prophet is Muhammad sall Allaahu ‘alaiyhi wa sallam.

Then a caller will call from the heavens:

‘My Servant has spoken the Truth, so give him a bed from Paradise, and give him clothing from Paradise and open for him a door towards Paradise.’

So its gentle breeze and fragrance will come to him, and his grave will be expanded for him as far as the eye can see. And then there will come to him (in one narration there will be shown to him) a man with a handsome face, with fine clothing, with a beautiful scent, and he will say:

Receive good news of that which is pleasing for you! Receive good news of pleasure from Allaah and of gardens containing everlasting delight! This is your day which you were promised.

So he will reply to him:

And you – may Allaah give you good tidings – who are you? Your face is the face of one who comes with good.

So he will say:

I am your righteous deeds. For by Allaah, I have not known you except to be quick upon obedience to Allaah, slow to disobey him, so may Allaah reward you with good.

And then a gate will be opened for him from Paradise and a gate from the Fire, and he will say:

This would have been your place, had you been disobedient to Allaah but Allaah has exchanged this for you instead of it.

And when he sees what is in Paradise, he will say:

O My Lord, hasten the establishment of the Hour so that I can return to my family and what is for me!

So it will be said to him:

Be calm.

And he sall Allaahu ‘alaiyhi wa sallam said:

And as for the kaafir (disbelieving servant)  (and in one narration – the faajir, the wicked one), when he is departing from this world and going on to the Hereafter, then angels descend upon him from the Heaven – angels who are severe and stern with black faces, having sack-cloths from the Fire.

So they will sit at a distance from him that the sight can reach, and then the Angel of Death will come until he sits by his head and says:

O foul and filthy soul! Come out to the Wrath of Allaah and His Anger!

So it (his soul) will scatter throughout his body. So he will drag it out, just as a pronged roasting-fork with many prongs is pulled through wet wool. The veins and tendons will be torn along with it.

And he will be cursed by every angel between the Heaven and the Earth and by every angel in the Heaven. The gates of the Heaven will be locked. There will not be any inhabitants of any gate except that they make supplication to Allaah that his soul should not ascend from their direction.

So he will take it (the soul) and when he takes it, he will not leave it in his hand even for the blink of an eye – until he places it in that sack-cloth. And there will come out from him a smell like the worst stench of the foulest corpse rotting upon the earth.

So they will take it up, and they will not pass by any group of angels except that they say:

What is this foul spirit?

So they will say:

So and so, the son of so and so.

…mentioning the worst names which he used to be called in this world, until they reach the lowest heaven, and request is made for him that it be opened but it will not be opened for him.

Then he sall Allaahu ‘alaiyhi wa sallam recited:

‘The gates of the Heaven will not be opened for them (the disbelievers) nor will they enter Paradise until a camel passes through the eye of a needle.’

(Soorah al A’raaf (7) aayah 40)

So he sall Allaahu ‘alaiyhi wa sallam said:

So Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic will say:

Write his record in sijjeen (the lowest earth)!

Then it will be said:

Return My Servant to the Earth because I have promised them that from it I created you, and to it I shall return you and from it I will bring you out another time.

So his spirit will be thrown down from the Heaven until it lands in his body. Then he sall Allaahu ‘alaiyhi wa sallam recited:

‘And whoever commits shirk along with Allaah, then it is as if he had fallen down from the Heaven and been snatched by birds – or the wind had carried him and thrown him in a far off place.’

(Soorah al Hajj (22) aayah 31)

So his soul will be returned to his body and he will hear the footsteps of his companions when they are departing from him, and two angels will come to him who are severe. And they will be severe with him, and they will make him sit up and they will say to him:

Who is your Lord?

So he will say:

Haah, haah... I don’t know.

So they will say to him:

What is your religion?

So he will say:

Haah, haah… I don’t know.

So they will say:

So what do you say about this man who was sent amongst you?

So he will not be able to mention his name.

So it is said:

Muhammad.

So he will say:

Haah, haah...I do not know. I heard the people saying this.

It will be said:

You do not know and you did not recite.

So then a caller from the Heavens will call:

He has lied. So give him bedding from the Fire, and open for him a door to the Fire.

So its heat and its scorching wind will come upon him, and his grave will be constricted upon him until his ribs cross over. Then there will appear to him a man with an evil looking face with foul clothing, smelling of an evil stench and he will say:

Receive news which will upset you. This is your day which you were promised.

So he will say:

And may Allaah give you news of evil! Who are you? For your face is the one who comes with evil.

So he will say:

I am your foul deeds. I have not known you except being slow upon obedience to Allaah, quick to disobey Allaah, so may Allaah reward you with evil.

And then there will be set loose upon him one (angel) who is blind, dumb and deaf and he will have a heavy hammer in his hand. If a mountain were struck with it, it would become dust. So he will strike him with it, until he is smashed to dust. And then Allaah will return him to how he was before, and (then) he will strike him with it again, and he will scream with a scream that will be heard by everything, except for mankind and jinn.

And then a gate will be opened for him from the Fire and bedding will be given to him from the Fire. So he will say:

O my Lord, do not establish the Hour!

[2] And at Tabaree rahimahullaah mentions that Al Baraa ibn ‘Aazib rahimahullaah said:

The Prophet sall Allaahu ‘alaiyhi wa sallam mentioned the believer and the kaafir ; so he said:

When he is questioned  in his grave, the believer says:  ‘My Lord is Allaah’, and that is His Statement:

Allaah makes firm those who are believers with the firm saying in the life of this world and in the Hereafter.

Soorah Ibraaheem (14) aayah 27

[3] Soorah Ibraaheem (14) aayah 27

[4] From the hadeeth of ‘Uthmaan ibn ‘Affaan radi Allaahu ‘anhu reported by Aboo Daawud (3221) and others, and declared saheeh (authentic) by al Albaanee rahimahumullaah.

[5] And ibn Katheer rahimahullaah mentions in his tafseer of this part of the aayah:

Rather We have only created you for worship and for establishing the commandments of Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic.

And Shaykh ‘Abdur Rahmaan ibn Naasir as Sa'dee rahimahullaah said in Tayseer il kareem ir rahmaan about this part of the aayah :

Do you think that We created you ‘abathan (without any purpose)..

You eat and you drink, you experience happiness and you enjoy the pleasures of this worldly life – and (that) We would (then) leave you  and not command you nor forbid you, and that We would not reward you nor punish you? And for this reason, He said:

and that you would not be returned to Us?...

You would not dream (that this would be the case)!

[6] Soorah al Mu’minoon (23) aayaat 115 to 116

[7] And Shaykh ‘Abdur Rahmaan ibn Naasir as Sa'dee rahimahullaah said in Tayseer il kareem ir rahmaan that ajdaath here means quboor (graves).

[8] Soorah al Ma’aarij (70) aayaat 43 to 44

[9] Soorah YaaSeen (36) aayaat 51 to 53

[10] Soorah al Israa (17) aayah 49

[11] Soorah ar Ra'd (13) aayah 5

[12] Soorah ar Room (30) aayah 27

[13] And ibn Katheer quotes from Mujaahid rahimahumullaah that he said about this aayah:

Bringing the creation back is easier for Him that creating it in the first place, and creating it in the first place was something easy for Him.

[14] Soorah Luqmaan (31) aayah 28

[15] Soorah Maryam (19) aayah 9

[16] And ibn Katheer rahimahullaah mentions in his tafseer of the aayah:

And when we have become dust, will we then be (raised as) a new creation?

Soorah ar Ra'd (13) aayah 5

And it is known by every person of knowledge and understanding that the creation of the Heavens and the Earth is greater than the creation of mankind, and that for the One who brought about the creation originally, the bringing it back is easier for him.

[17] Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al ‘Uthaymeen rahimahullaah adds in his explanation of al ‘Aqeedah al Safaareeniyyah:

And the people of knowledge (may Allaah have mercy upon them) have differed (on the question): does the Blowing occur three times – the blowing of terror, the blowing of falling down dead and the blowing of resurrection – or is it two times only?

(If the latter is the case) that the blowing of terror and of falling down dead counts as one time, so it is blown the first time and the people will be terrified then they will fall down, and then it is blown the second time, so they stand up from their graves for the Lord of the creation. And this (interpretation) is what is closer (to the Truth)… that there are two blowings only.

 (al ‘Aqeedah al Safaareeniyyah p368)

[18] Soorah an Naml (27) aayah 87

[19] Soorah az Zumar (39) aayah 68

[20] Soorah az Zumar (39) aayah 68

[21] Soorah az Zumar (39) aayah 68

[22] Soorah YaaSeen (36) aayah 51



TOPIC ENCOMPASSES: JOURNEY OF SOUL AFTER DEATH; SAFAR E ROOH;QUESTIONS IN GRAVE; PUNISHMENT IN GRAVE; QABR KE SALAWAT; DEATH OF BELIEVER; DEATH OF DISBELIEVER; MUNAFIQ;KAAFIR; MUSHRIQ AND IDOL WORSHIPPER; RESTORING BODIES AND BONES ON THE DAY OF JUDGEMENT; DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LIFE OF THIS WORLD AND LIFE AFTER DEATH (AKHIRAH); FOUL DEEDS IN GRAVE; MUNAFIQ REPLY HAAH HAAH;WHAT IS SIJJEEN; WHAT IS ILLYEEN?; FOUL, FILTHY AND BAD SOUL; ANGELS WITH BLACK FACES; PURE AND GOOD SOUL;WHO IS ISRAAFEEL?; WHAT IS YANSILOON?; BLOWING ON THE DAY OF JUDGEMENT; RESTORING IS EASY FOR ALLAH;Who are Munkar and Nakeer and what do they ask the dead person?