The Soul's Departure And Journey To Heaven

[ابوالوليد المسلم]

The Soul's Departure And Journey To Heaven

Dr. Umar Sulaiman al-Ashqar




It is narrated by Muslim that Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "When the soul of the believer departs it is met by two angels who take it up." Hammaad[1] said: "And he mentioned its good fragrance of musk." He said: "And the inhabitants of heaven say, 'A good soul that has come from the earth; may Allah bless you and the body in which you used to dwell.' Then he is taken up to his Lord, then He says, 'Take it to its destined end."'
He further said: "But when the soul of the kaajir departs ..."
Hammaad said: "And he mentioned its stench, and curses ..." "... the inhabitants of heaven say, 'An evil soul that has come from the earth ....' And it is said, 'Take it to its destined end. "'[2]
According to the hadith of Al-Baraa', the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace be upon him) mentioned the way in which the soul of the righteous person will be honoured after it is brought forth from his body: the angels send blessings upon that good soul, the gates of heaven are opened for it, it is placed in a shroud from Paradise with embalming perfumes from Paradise and it emits a beautiful fragrance which is superior to the scent of musk. Then the angels take it on a sublime journey of honour, and the gates of heaven are opened for it. As for the evil soul, the angels of heaven curse it when it is brought forth. The gates of heaven are locked, and every group of angels of the Most Merciful who are at the gates plead for it not to be allowed to ascend through the place where they are. That evil soul is placed in a shroud from Hell with embalming perfumes from Hell. There emanate from it foul stenches which offend the angels of the Most Merciful. It is taken up to heaven but the gates of heaven are not opened for it. Then his soul is thrown down from that height.
According to the hadith of Al-Baraa' ibn 'Aazib, in which the Messenger (blessings and peace be upon him) described a person's journey after death to Al-Barzakh, he said: "... until when his soul comes forth, every angel between heaven and earth, and every angel in heaven, sends blessings on it. The gates of heaven are opened for him and there is no one among the gatekeepers who does not pray to Allah to let him ascend through where they are. When he (i.e., the Angel of Death) takes it (that soul), they (the angels) do not leave it in his hand even for a twinkle of an eye, before they take it and put it in that shroud and that embalming perfume."
This is what Allah says:
“... Our Messengers [angel of death and his assistants] take his soul, and they never neglect their duty.” (Qur'an, Surah Al-An’am, 6: 61)
There comes forth from it (a fragrance) like the finest musk to be found on the face of the earth. They take it up, and they do not pass any group of angels but they say, 'Who is this good soul?' They say, 'It is So and so the son of So and so'- calling him by the best names by which he was known in this world. Then when they reach the first heaven, they ask for it to be opened for them, and it is opened for them.
(In each of the heavens), the angels who are closest to Allah walk with him (to bid him farewell) as he moves to the next heaven, until he reaches the seventh heaven. Then says, 'Place the book of My slave in 'Illiyyeen (the Register of righteous deeds).
“what will make you know what 'Illiyyoon is? A Register inscribed. To which bear witness those nearest [to Allah, i.e. the angels].” (Qur'an, Surah Al-Mutaffifin, 83: 19-21)
So they place his book in 'Illiyyeen, then it is said, “Take him back to the earth, for from it I created them, to it I will return them, and from it I shall bring them forth again.”
And the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace be upon him) spoke of the evil soul which is dragged forth from the kaafir or evildoer. He said that after it is dragged forth, "(Then every angel between heaven and earth, and every angel in heaven, curses it, and the gates of heaven are shut. There is no one among the gatekeepers who does not pray to Allah not to let him ascend through where they are). When he (i.e., the Angel of Death) takes it (that soul), they (the angels) do not leave it in his hand even for the twinkle of an eye, before they take it and put it in that sackcloth. There emanates from it (a stench) like the foulest stench of dead flesh to be found on the face of the earth. They take it up, and they do not pass any group of angels but they say, 'Who is this evil soul?' They say, 'It is So and so the son of So and so' - calling him by the worst names by which he was known in this world. Then when they reach the first heaven, they ask for it to be opened for them, and it is not opened for them." Then the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace be upon him) recited the aayah:
“... for them the gates of heaven will not be opened, and they will not enter Paradise until the camel goes through the eye of the needle …” (Qur'an, Surah Al-A’raf, 7: 40)
“Then Allah says:
‘Record his book in Sijjeen (the Register of evil deeds), in the lowest earth. Then He says, 'Return My slave to the earth, for I have promised them that from it I created them, to it I will return them, and from it I shall bring them forth again.' So they throw it down from heaven, (until it returns to his body)." Then he recited the aayah:
“... and whoever assigns partners to Allah, it is as if he had fallen from the sky, and the birds had snatched him, or the wind had thrown him to a far off place.” (Qur'an, Surah Al-Hajj, 22: 31)
Then his soul is returned to his body.[3]
Ibn Maajah narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace be upon him) said:
"The deceased is attended by the angels. If he was a righteous man, they say, 'Come forth, O' good soul which was in a good body. Come forth praiseworthy, and receive the glad tidings of rest and provision, and a Lord Who is not angry.' They continue to say this until it comes out, then they take it up to heaven. They ask for it to be opened, and it is asked, 'Who is this?' They say, 'So and so.' Then it is said, 'Welcome to the good soul which was in a good body. Enter praiseworthy and receive the glad tidings of rest and provision, and a Lord Who is not angry. They continue to say this until they take him up to the heaven in which is Allah[4], may He be Blessed and Exalted. But if it was an evil man, they say, 'Come forth, O' evil soul which was in an evil body. Come forth blameworthy and receive the tidings of a boiling fluid and dirty wound discharges and other torments of similar kind, all together! (Qur’an, Surah Saad, 38:57-58)' They continue to say this until it comes forth, then they take it up to heaven. They ask for the heaven to be opened for it, and it is asked, 'Who is this?' They say, 'So and so.' It is said, 'There is no welcome for the evil soul which was in an evil body. Go back blameworthy.' So the gates are not opened for it, and it is sent down from heaven and goes back to the grave ..."[5]

[1] One of the narrators of this hadith from Abu Hurayrah, as recorded by Muslim.

[2] Muslim, Kitaab al-Jannah, Baab 'Arad Maq 'ad al-Mayit, 4/2202, hadith no. 2872.

[3] A Saheeh hadith.

[4] This does not mean that the heaven physically contains Allah - exalted be He far above that. Rather Allah is above His heavens, distinct from His creation. Allah says concerning His Kursiy (Footstool): “... His Kursiy extends over the heavens and the earth...” (Qur'an, Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:255). The Messenger told us that the heavens, in comparison to the Kursiy, are like an iron ring thrown out into open country, and that the Kursiy, in comparison to the Throne, is like an iron ring thrown out into open country. This aayah is like the verses, “... and I will surely, crucify you on [lit. in) the trunks of date palms …” (Qur'an, Surah Ta-Ha, 20:71) and “…so travel freely for four months [as you will) throughout [lit. in) the land …” (Qur'an, Surah At-Tawbah, 9:2), where meaning is not that they are inside the trees or inside the earth. So the meaning is that Allah is above and over the heavens. This hadith is like the aayah, “Do you feel secure that He, Who is over the heaven (Allah), will not cause the earth to sink with you? ...” (Qur'an, Surah Al-Mulk, 67:16), i.e., He is above. And it is like the hadith in which the Messenger asked the slave girl, "Where is She said, "In heaven." He (bpuh) said, "Set her free, for she is a believer." This hadith is narrated by Muslim in his Saheeh.

[5] Ibn Maajah. Shaykh classed it as in Saheeh al-Jaami' 2/169