The Grave (4-9)
Dr. `Umar S. al-Ashqar
The Messenger of Allah heard the voices of those who were being tormented
Allah gave His Messenger (blessings and peace be upon him) the ability to hear those who were being tormented in their graves. According to the hadith narrated by Muslim from Zayd ibn Thaabit (may Allah be pleased with him) he said: "Whilst the Prophet was in the garden of Banu-Najjaar, on his mule, and we were with him, his mule took a different route and nearly threw him. There were graves there, six or five or four. He said, 'Who knows whose graves these are?' A man said, 'I do.' He said, 'When did these people die?' He said, 'They died at the time of shirk.' He said, 'This ummah will be tested in their graves. Were it not that you might become afraid to bury one another, I would pray to Allah to make you hear what I can hear of the torment of the grave.'"[1]
Bukhari, Muslim and Sunan an-Nasaa'i, narrated that Abu Ayyoob "The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace be upon him) went out after the sun had set, and heard a sound. He said, 'Jews are being tormented in their graves.'"[2]
Further evidence that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace be upon him) heard those who were tormented in their graves is to be found in the hadith narrated by Bukhari and Muslim from Ibn 'Abbaas, in which it says that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace be upon him) passed by two graves and said,
"They are being punished, but they are not being punished for any major sin ..." This hadith will be quoted in full below, In sha Allah.
People other than the Messenger heard the voices of those who were being tormented.
Some people still speak of having heard or seen those who are being tormented in their graves; among them are trustworthy people who are known to be sound in their religious commitment and honesty.
Ibn Taymiyah says concerning this: "This has happened to many people of our own times both whilst awake and in their dreams. They know that and believe it. We know of many stories of that nature."[3]
Elsewhere, in the context of refuting those who deny the torment of the grave, he says: "It is known that when a person is asleep, his soul may sit, stand and walk; it goes and speaks and does things whilst it is still connected to his body, so his body and soul may feel delight or torment, even though his body is lying down, his eyes are shut, his mouth is closed and his limbs are still, but they may move because of the strength of the dream, and he may stand up, walk, speak or scream because of the intensity of what is happening inside him. This is similar to what happens to the deceased in his grave, for his soul sits up, is questioned, is blessed or punished, and screams. This is connected to his body, although it is lying in its grave. It may be so intense that it affects his body and he might be seen coming out of his grave with the marks of punishment on him. The angels of torment are appointed over him, so his body moves and walks and emerges from its grave. More than one person has heard the voices of those who are being tormented in their graves, and some of those who have emerged from their graves whilst being tormented have been seen, as have some of those who sit up when the torment becomes intense.
But this does not necessarily happen in the case of every person who is tormented, just as not every sleeping person necessarily sits up because of the things he is seeing (in his dreams). It depends on how intense the matter is."[4]
(2) Description of the blessings and torment of the grave
According to the hadith of Al-Baraa' ibn 'Aazib, the Messenger (blessings and peace be upon him) said that the angels question the believer in his grave and when he answers well, "a voice cries out from heaven, 'My slave has spoken the truth; supply him with furnishings from Paradise and clothe him from Paradise, and open for him a gate to Paradise.' So there comes to him some of its fragrant scent, and his grave is expanded for him as far as the eye can see. There comes to him (according to one report, there appears to him) a man with a handsome face, fine clothes and a pleasant scent. He says, 'Receive the glad tidings of that which will delight you. (Receive the glad tidings of the pleasure of Allah, and Gardens in which is everlasting joy). This is your day which you were promised.' (The deceased) says, '(May Allah bless you), who are you? Your face is a face which portends good.' He says, 'I am your righteous deeds. (By Allah, all I ever knew of you was that you were quick to obey Allah and slow to disobey Him; may Allah reward you with good).' Then a door to Paradise is opened for him, and a door to Hell, and it is said, 'This would have been your place had you disobeyed Allah, but Allah has replaced it with this for you.'
And when he sees what is in Paradise, he says, 'O Lord, hasten on the Hour, so that I may return to my family and my wealth.' (And it is said to him, 'Be calm and feel at ease.)"
And the Prophet (blessings and peace be upon him) said that after the kaafir or evildoer has given a bad reply (to the angels' questions), "a voice cries out from heaven, saying 'He has lied. Supply him with furnishings from Hell, and open a door to Hell for him.' So there comes to him some of its heat and hot wind. His grave compresses him until his ribs interlock. Then there comes to him (according to one report, there appears to him) a man with an ugly face, horrible clothes and a foul stench. He says, 'Receive the tidings of that which will distress you. This is your day which you were promised.' (The deceased) says, '(May Allah curse you), who are you? Your face portends evil.' He says, 'I am your evil deeds. (By Allah, all I ever knew of you was that you were slow to obey Allah and quick to disobey Him) (may Allah requite you with evil.)' Then Allah appoints over him one who is blind, deaf and dumb, in whose hand is an iron rod which, if he were to strike a mountain with it, it would turn to dust. He strikes him with it until he turns to dust, then he is restored to his former state, and he is struck again. He utters a scream which everything can hear except for mankind and the jinn. Then a door to Hell is opened for him, and his grave is furnished from Hell.) And he says, 'O' Lord, do not let the Hour come. '"[5]
According to the hadith of Anas, when the believing slave answers the questions in his grave truthfully, "It is said to him, 'Look at your place in Hell, which Allah has replaced with a place in Paradise."'
The Prophet (blessings and peace be upon him) said: "He is shown them both." Qataadah said: "He mentioned that his grave would be expanded for him." In the hadith of Anas it says that after the kaafir or hypocrite answers those questions in the grave wrongly, it is said to him "May you never know and may you never say what the people said!" Then he is struck between the ears with an iron hammer, and he utters a scream which everything can hear except for mankind and the jinn. This is narrated by Bukhari and Muslim; the version referred to here is narrated by Bukhari. Muslim says: "When a person is placed in his grave ... " Then he mentioned something similar to the above, then he said: "We were told that (his grave) is expanded for him by seventy cubits, and it is filled with green until the Day when they will be resurrected." According to a report narrated by Abu Dawood, after the believing slave has been questioned and has answered, "He is taken to a house in Hell which was for him, and it is said to him, 'This was for you, but Allah has saved you and has replaced it with a house in Paradise.' Then it is shown to him, and he says, 'Let me go and tell my family.' It is said to him, 'Settle down. '"[6]
What these all aadeeth indicate is that everyone (deceased) will be shown his final abode in his grave as long as he will remain in the grave. This was stated clearly by the Messenger (blessings and peace be upon him. According to the hadith narrated by 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both), "The Prophet (blessings and peace be upon him) said, 'When anyone of you dies, he is shown his abode morning and evening. If he is one of the people of Paradise, then he is one of the people of Paradise, and if he is one of the people of Hell, then he is one of the people of Hell. And it is said to him, 'This is your place until Allah resurrects you on the Day of Resurrection. '"[7]
In Sunan at-Tirmidhi it is narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger (blessings and peace be upon him) said that the two angels say to the believing slave, after he has answered their questions correctly: "We knew that you would say that." Then his grave is expanded for him, seventy cubits by seventy, and it is illuminated for him. Then it is said to him, 'Sleep." He says, "Let me go back to my family and tell them." They say, "Sleep like the bridegroom who will not be woken by anyone except the dearest of his family to him, until Allah resurrects you from your place of rest." But they say to the hypocrite, "We knew that you would say this." Then it is said to the earth, "Squeeze him."
So it squeezes him until his ribs interlock, and he will be tormented until Allah resurrects him from his grave.[8]
(Continued)
[1] Muslim in his Saheeh, Kitaab al-Jannah, Baab 'Ard Maq'ad al-Mayit min al-Jannah aw an-Naar 'alayhi, 4/2199
[2] Jaami' al-Usool, 11/172
[3] Majmoo' al-Fataawa, 24/376
[4] Ibid
[5] A Saheeh hadith.
[6] See these reports in Jaami' al-Usool, 11/173
[7] Bukhari, Kitaab al-Janaa 'iz, Baab al-Mayit yu'rad 'alayhi Maq'adahu fil Ghadaat wal- 'Ashaa, Fath al-Baari, 3/243. Muslim, Kitaab al-Jannah, Baab 'Ard Maq'ad al-Mayyit min al-Jannah aw an-Naar, 4/2199, hadith no. 2866
[8] A hasan hadith by Tirmidhi, Kitaab al-Janaa'iz, Baab ma jaa 'a fi 'Adhaab al-Qabr, 3/383, hadith no. 107