Question
When a person dies and is buried on the following day, does his soul remain suspended before the burial? What happens to it?
Answer
Praise be to Allah.
Firstly:
Imam Ahmad (17803) narrated that al-Bara’ ibn ‘Aazib (may Allah be pleased with him) said:
“Verily, when the believing slave is about to depart this world and enter the Hereafter, there come down to him angels from heaven with white faces, as if their faces are the sun. They bring with them one of the shrouds of Paradise and some of the perfume of Paradise. They sit with him as far as the eye can see. Then the Angel of Death (peace be upon him) comes to him and sits by his head and says, ‘O pure soul, come out to the forgiveness and pleasure of Allah.’ Then his soul comes flowing out like a drop of water flowing from a cup. Then he takes the soul, and no sooner does he seize it but they take it and place it in that shroud and perfume. Then out of it comes the most excellent fragrance of musk to be found on the face of the earth. Then they ascend with it and they do not pass by any group of angels but the angels ask, ‘Who is this pure soul?’ and they reply, ‘It is So and so the son of So and so’ – using the best names by which he was known on earth. Then they bring it to the lowest heaven, and ask for it to be opened, and it is opened for him. Those who are of high rank in each heaven accompany it until they approach the next heaven, and so it goes until it reaches the seventh heaven. Then Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, says: ‘Record the book of My slave in ‘Illiyoon (the highest heaven) and take him back to the earth, for I created them from it, and I shall return them to it, then I shall take them out from it again.’ Then his soul is returned to his body and two angels come and make him sit up”
Then the hadith mentions the questioning in the grave, then it mentions how the soul of the disbeliever is taken, then it says:
“Then they ascend with it and they do not pass by any group of angels but the angels ask, ‘Who is this evil soul?’ and they reply, ‘It is So and so the son of So and so’ – using the worst names by which he was known on earth. Then they bring it to the lowest heaven, and ask for it to be opened, and it is not opened for him.” Then the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) recited (interpretation of the meaning): “… 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” [al-A’raaf 7:40]. Then he said, “Then Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, says: ‘Record the book of My slave in Sijjeen (the lowest Hell) in the lowest earth. Then his soul is cast down.” Then he recited (interpretation of the meaning): “… 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.” [al-Hajj 22:31]. He said, “Then his soul is returned to his body and two angels come and make him sit up” Then it mentions the questioning in the grave.
Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami‘ (1676)
Please see also the answer to question no. 4395
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
This hadith indicates that the soul will remain after it departs the body, contrary to the misguided teachings of the mutakallimeen (Muslim philosophers); and that it will ascend and descend, contrary to the misguided teachings of the philosophers; and that it will be returned to the body; and that the deceased will be questioned, then he will be subjected to bliss or punishment.
End quote from Majmoo‘ al-Fataawa (4/292)
Ibn Maajah (4262) narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said:
“Angels come to the dying person and if the man was righteous, they say: ‘Come out, O good soul that was in a good body, come out praiseworthy and receive the glad tidings of mercy and fragrance and a Lord Who is not angry.’ And this is repeated until it comes out, then it is taken up to heaven, and it is opened for it, and it is asked, ‘Who is this?’ They say: ‘[It is] So and so.’ It is said: ‘Welcome to the good soul that was in a good body. Enter praiseworthy and receive the glad tidings of mercy and fragrance and a Lord Who is not angry.’ And this is repeated until it is brought to the heaven above which is Allah, may He be glorified and exalted. But if the man was evil, they say: ‘Come out O evil soul that was in an evil body. Come out blameworthy and receive the tidings of boiling water and dirty wound discharges, and other torments of similar kind, all together [cf. Saad 38:58]. And this is repeated until it comes out, then it is taken up to heaven and it is not opened for it. And it is said: ‘No welcome to the evil soul that was in an evil body. Go back blameworthy, for the gates of heaven will not be opened to you.’ So it is sent back down from heaven, then it goes to the grave.”
Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Ibn Maajah.
These two hadiths describe what happens to the soul after death and before burial: if the person was a believer, then the angels give him glad tidings, before taking his soul, of the forgiveness and good pleasure of Allah, then they perfume it, then they take it up, in a blessed state, to its Lord, may He be glorified. Then Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, says: “‘Record the book of My slave in ‘Illiyoon (the highest heaven) and take him back to the earth.” So the soul is returned to the body in which it was, then the individual is questioned in the grave; Allah makes him steadfast at the time of questioning, and makes his grave spacious for him, as far as his eyes can see.
But if it is the soul of a disbeliever, then the angels give him the tidings of hell and divine wrath, then they take his soul up, cursed, humiliated and afraid, and the gates of heaven are not opened for it, then it is thrown back down to earth, then it is returned to its body, then the individual is tormented in his grave and it is compressed on him, and there comes to him the heat and smoke of Hell.
With regard to the period between the departure of the soul and burial and questioning in the grave, for the believer it is the first stage of eternal happiness, as he is given the glad tidings of Paradise and eternal bliss, and his book is recorded in ‘Illiyoon (the highest heaven); then his soul will rejoice and be happy, and will never feel misery again.
But for the disbeliever, it is the first stage of eternal torment, as Allah is angry with him and does not give permission for the gates of heaven or the gates of mercy to be opened to him, and his book is recorded in Sijjeen (the lowest Hell); then his soul will be wretched and he will never feel happy again.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
All the saheeh, mutwawaatir hadiths indicate that the soul will return to the body; the idea that the questioning will involve the body without the soul was suggested by some scholars, but the majority disagreed with that. Similarly, the idea that the questioning will involve the soul without the body was suggested by Ibn Maysarah and Ibn Hazm, but if that were the case, the grave would have nothing to do with the soul.
End quote from Majmoo‘ al-Fataawa (5/446)
See also: Fataawa Noor ‘ala ad-Darb by Shaykh al-‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) (4/310-311)
Secondly:
These matters are matters of the unseen which the Muslim must accept, and not question how they are, for no one knows how the life of al-barzakh [the period between death and the Resurrection] is except Allah.
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked:
The death of a person signals the departure of the soul from the body; when he is buried in his grave, is the soul returned to his body, or where does it go? If the soul is returned to the body in the grave, how does that happen?
He replied:
It is proven from the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) that when a person dies, his soul is returned to him in his grave, and he is questioned about his Lord, his religion and his Prophet. Allah will keep firm those who believe, with the word that stands firm in this world and in the Hereafter (cf. Ibraaheem 14:27), so the believer will say: My Lord is Allah, my religion is Islam and my Prophet is Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). As for the disbeliever or the hypocrite, when he is questioned he will say: Oh, oh, I do not know; I heard the people saying something, so I said it too.
This return of the soul to the body in the grave will not be like when a person’s soul is in his body in this world, because that is the life of al-barzakh and we do not know how it is, because we have not been told about the nature of that life. With regard to all matters of the hereafter of which we have not been told, what we are required to do with regard to such matters is to accept them and not enquire any further, because Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And follow not (O man i.e., say not, or do not or witness not, etc.) that of which you have no knowledge (e.g. ones saying: ‘I have seen,’ while in fact he has not seen, or ‘I have heard,’ while he has not heard). Verily! The hearing, and the sight, and the heart, of each of those you will be questioned (by Allah)”
[al-Isra’ 17:36].
End quote from Fataawa Noor ‘ala ad-Darb by al-‘Uthaymeen (4/2)
The torment and blessing in the grave are true and happen to both the soul and the body
Question
I have a strange quran. My aqeedah is that after the body is dead it is of no use and they cannhot hear.but according to hadith there is punishment in the grave.does this mean that the body is still alive.also in the quran it is mentioned that martyrs dont die?and also it is reported in a hadith in muslim that when prophet(saw) addresses the body of abu jahl, umaya and others umar(ra)asks him how can the dead hear to which the prophet(saw) replies that they can hear but cannot reply.kindly answer my question with detail
Answer
Praise be to Allah.
1 – What is mentioned in the question, that the dead do not hear anything that the living say is true and is correct. Allaah says (interpretation of the meanings):
“but you cannot make hear those who are in graves”
[Faatir 35:22]
“So verily, you (O Muhammad) cannot make the dead to hear”
[al-Room 30:52]
2 – The belief of Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jamaa’ah is that there is torment and punishment in the grave and life in al-barzakh (the interval between death and the Day of Resurrection), and there is blessing and pleasure, according to the status of the deceased. The evidence for that is the aayah (interpretation of the meaning):
“The Fire, they are exposed to it, morning and afternoon. And on the Day when the Hour will be established (it will be said to the angels): ‘Cause Fir‘awn’s (Pharaoh) people to enter the severest torment!’”[Ghaafir 40:46]
Allaah states here that the people of Pharaoh are exposed to torment morning and afternoon even though they are dead. From this aayah, the scholars affirmed that the torment of the grave is real.
Ibn Katheer said:
This aayah is the main basis of the belief of Ahl al-Sunnah in the torment of al-barzakh, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“The Fire, they are exposed to it, morning and afternoon” [Ghaafir 40:46].
(Tafseer Ibn Katheer, 4/82)
According to the hadeeth of ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her), the wife of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to pray in his salaah (prayer), “Allaahumma inni a’oodhu bika min ‘adhaab il-qabr, wa a’oodhu bika min fitnat il-maseeh il-dajjaal, wa a’oodhu bika min fitnat il-mahyaa wa fitnat il-mamaat, Allaahumma ini a’oodhu bika min al-ma’tham wa’l-maghram (O Allaah, I seek refuge in You from the torment of the grave, I seek refuge in You from the tribulation of the Dajjaal, I seek refuge in You from the trials of life and death, O Allaah, I seek refuge in You from sin and loss).”
(Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 798; Muslim, 589)
The relevant point in this hadeeth is that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to seek refuge with Allaah from the torment of the grave. This is one of the pieces of evidence that confirm the torment of the grave. No one disputed the torment of the grave apart from the Mu’tazilah and some other groups who are not worth paying attention to.
3 – With regard to the hadeeth which describes the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) addressing the dead bodies of the mushrikeen on the day of the battle of Badr, it is to be understood that this was a unique case, where Allaah brought them back to life so that His Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) might rebuke them and humiliate them.
(a)It was narrated that Ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) stood over the well of Badr [into which the bodies of the mushrikeen had been thrown] and said, ‘Have you found the promise of your Lord to be true?’ Then he said, ‘They can hear what I am saying now.’”
(Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 3980; Muslim, 932)
(b)It was narrated that Abu Talhah said: “ ‘Umar said, ‘O Messenger of Allaah, why are you speaking to bodies that have no souls?’ The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘By the One in Whose hand is the soul of Muhammad, you do not hear what I am saying any better than they do.’” Qutaadah said: Allaah brought them back to life so that they could hear what he was saying, so that they might be rebuked and feel regret and shame.
(Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 3976; Muslim, 2875. See Fath al-Baari, 7/304)
The relevant point here is that Allaah caused the people in the well to hear the words of His Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), so that they might be humiliated. But it is not correct to deduce from this hadeeth that the dead can hear everything, because this applied only to the people in the well. Some scholars made an exception and said that the dead can hear the salaam, but this is a view for which clear sound evidence is lacking.
4 – According to the most correct scholarly view, the torment of the grave befalls both the soul and the body.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
“The view of the salaf (earliest generations) of this ummah and its imams is that the torment or blessing (of the grave) happens to the soul of the deceased and his body. After it departs from the body, the soul continues to be blessed or punished, and it is also connected to the body from time to time, so that the blessing or torment befalls the body as well as the soul.”
So we must believe in that which Allaah has told us.
(al-Ikhtiyaaraat al-Fiqhiyyah, p. 94)
Ibn al-Qayyim said:
Shaykh al-Islam (Ibn Taymiyah) was asked about this matter, and we will quote his reply in full:
“Indeed, the torment and blessing happen to both the soul and the body, according to the consensus of the Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jamaa’ah. The soul is blessed or tormented separately from the body, and it is blessed or tormented in connection with the body. The body is connected to it, so in this case the blessing or torment happens to them both, and it may happen to the soul separately from the body.
The view of the salaf and imams of this ummah is that when a person dies, he will be in a state of blessing or torment, and that happens to his soul and his body. After the soul has departed from the body, it remains in a state of blessing or torment, and that is sometimes connected to the body and the blessing or torment happens to them both. Then when the Day of Resurrection comes, the souls will be returned to their bodies and they will rise from their graves to meet the Lord of the Worlds. The physical resurrection is a matter upon which the Muslims, Jews and Christians are agreed.”
(al-Rooh, p. 51, 52)
The scholars likened that to dreams when one is asleep, for a person may dream that he is going and traveling, and he may feel happiness or grief and sorrow while he is sleeping, and that is when he is in his place and in this world. So it is more apt that things should be different in the life of al-barzakh which is completely different from the life of this world and the life of the Hereafter.
Al-Nawawi said:
“If it is said, we see the deceased and how he is in his grave, so how can he be questioned, made to sit up and beaten with iron rods, when no mark is left on him? The answer is that this is not impossible, and indeed there is a similar case in our regular lives, that of the sleeper who feels joy or pain of which we feel nothing. A person who is awake may also feel joy or pain because of something he hears or thinks about, and those who are sitting with him feel nothing of that. Similarly, Jibreel used to come to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and tell him of the Wahy (Revelation), and the people present were unaware of it. All of that is clear and evident.”
(Sharh Muslim, 17/201)
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said:
“When a person sleeps, he may feel joy or pain, and that happens to his soul and his body. He may dream that someone is beating him and wake up with pain in his body, or he may dream that he is being fed some good food, then wake up with the food in his mouth. This is something that really happens. If the body and soul of a sleeping person can experience joy and pain that are not felt by the person next to him, and a sleeper may even cry out because of the intensity of pain or fear of what is happening to him, and those who are awake can hear him, and he may speak, reciting Qur’aan or dhikr, or talking to someone, and those who are awake can hear that, even though he is asleep with his eyes closed, and he does not hear them if they speak to him – then how can we deny that the one who is buried in his grave also feels things, when the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) has told us that he “hears the sound of their footsteps” and “You do not hear what I say any better than they do”?
The heart is akin to the grave, hence the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, when he missed ‘Asr on the day of al-Khandaq: “May Allaah fill their hearts and graves with fire.” And Allaah differentiated between them (graves and hearts) in the aayah (interpretation of the meaning):
“Knows he not that when the contents of the graves are poured forth (all mankind is resurrected)?
And that which is in the hearts (of men) shall be made known?”
[al-‘Aadiyaat 100:9-10]
This is just to explain that this could happen.
We cannot say that the blessing or torment that the dead experience is like that which a sleeper experiences when he dreams, rather that blessing or torment is more complete and more far-reaching; it is a real blessing and a real torment. But this example is given to show that this is possible. If someone were to say that the dead person does not move in his grave, and the soil does not change, and so on, this matter may be explained in more detail, but that would take too long to explain here. And Allaah knows best. May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad and his family and companions.
(Majmoo’ al-Fataawa, 4/275, 276)
Does the torment of the grave continue until the Day of Resurrection?
Question
I would like to ask about the grave: after the two angels have finished questioning the person in his grave, will the evildoer continue to be tormented in his grave until the Hour begins? Also, will the believer continue to enjoy delight until the Hour begins? Or does that simply last for one day which comes to an end, after which the person becomes just a dead body? Is there any evidence to indicate that the person in his grave moves into a new life which will last until the Hour begins? Please answer me, may Allaah bless you.
Answer
Praise be to Allah.
Man’s life is divided into three sections:
1 – The life of this world, which ends with death.
2 – The life in al-barzakh, which starts after death and ends when the Hour begins.
3 – The life of the Hereafter, which begins after the people are raised from their graves, and is spent either in Paradise (we ask Allaah of His Bounty) or in Hell (we seek refuge with Allaah).
So the life of al-barzakh lasts from after a person dies until he is resurrected, whether he is buried in a grave or not, whether he is burned or eaten by wild animals. The evidence that points to this life is the hadeeth narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), who said that after the deceased is placed in his grave, he can hear the footsteps of his family (as they walk away from the grave).
This life (in al-barzakh) will either be filled with delight, or it will be hellish, and the grave will either be one of the gardens of Paradise or one of the ditches of Hell.
What indicates that there will be either delight or torment (in al-barzakh) is the aayah in which Allaah says concerning the people of Pharaoh:
“The Fire, they are exposed to it, morning and afternoon. And on the Day when the Hour will be established (it will be said to the angels): ‘Cause Fir‘awn’s (Pharaoh) people to enter the severest torment!’”
[Ghaafir 40:46 – interpretation of the meaning]
Ibn Mas’ood said: The souls of the people of Pharaoh and those of their ilk among the kaafirs are shown the Fire morning and evening, and they are told, this is your abode.
Ibn Katheer said: this aayah is the main basis of the Sunni’s belief in the torment of al-barzakh in the grave.
(Tafseer Ibn Katheer, 4/82)
Al-Qurtubi said: Some of the scholars quoted as evidence to prove the torment of the grave the phrase “The Fire, they are exposed to it, morning and afternoon” [Ghaafir 40:46]. A similar view was expressed by Mujaahid, ‘Ikrimah, Muqaatil and Muhammad ibn Ka’b, all of whom said that this aayah is proof of the torment of the grave. Do you not see that it says concerning the torment of the Hereafter: “And on the Day when the Hour will be established (it will be said to the angels): ‘Cause Fir‘awn’s (Pharaoh) people to enter the severest torment!”? (Tafseer al-Qurtubi, 15/319)
It was narrated that ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘When any one of you dies, he is shown his place 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.’” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, Bid’ al-Khalq, 3001; Muslim, al-Jannah wa sifat na’eemihaa, 2866).
It was narrated from ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) that a Jewish woman entered upon her and mentioned the torment of the grave, and said to her, “May Allaah protect you from the torment of the grave!” ‘Aa’ishah asked the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) about the torment of the grave, and he said, “Yes, the torment of the grave.” ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said: “I never saw the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) pray any prayer after that but he sought refuge with Allaah from the torment of the grave.” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, al-Janaa’iz, 1283; Muslim, al-Kusoof, 903).
These aayahs and ahaadeeth indicate that the torment of the grave is real and that it is ongoing in the case of some people.
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him and save him from the torment of the grave) said:
If a person is a kaafir (we seek refuge with Allaah), then there is no way that the delight will ever reach him, and his torment will be continuous. If a person was a sinner but he was a believer, then his torment in the grave will be commensurate with his sin, and perhaps the punishment for his sin will take less time than the time in al-barzakh between his death and the onset of the Hour, in which case it will cease.
(al-Sharh al-Mumti’, vol. 3, p. 253)
How the deceased is questioned in the grave
Question
Is the questioning of the deceased in the grave real, and does he really sit up in the grave and speak?.
Answer
Praise be to Allah.
Shaykh Muhammad ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
The questioning of the deceased in the grave is undoubtedly real, and the person sits up in his grave, speaks and is questioned.
If someone were to ask: the grave is narrow and confined, so how can he sit up?
The answer is:
Firstly:
With regard to matters of the unseen, the believer is required to accept them and believe, and not ask how or why, because no one asks about how or why except the one who has doubts. But the one who believes and whose heart is content with what Allaah and His Messenger say, will accept it and say, Allaah knows best about how that happens.
Secondly:
The connection of the soul to the body in death is different from its connection in life. The connection between body and soul may vary in ways that man cannot understand, and the body’s connection to the body after death cannot be compared to the connection in life. When a person dreams, he sees himself coming and going, travelling, speaking to people, meeting people both living and dead; he may see himself having a beautiful garden, or a dark and frightening house; he may see himself riding in a comfortable car, or riding in an uncomfortable car. All of that may happen, even though he is in his bed and nothing has changed, and even the blanket covering him has not changed, but nevertheless we feel that in a real sense. But the connection of the soul to the body after death is different to its connection when one is awake and when one is asleep. It is different and we do not understand it. So a person can sit up in his grave and be questioned, even though the grave is narrow and confined.
Similarly this was narrated in a saheeh hadeeth from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him); he conveys the message and we have to believe and submit. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“But no, by your Lord, they can have no Faith, until they make you (O Muhammad) judge in all disputes between them, and find in themselves no resistance against your decisions, and accept (them) with full submission”
[al-Nisa’ 4:65]
The soul of the deceased does not come back to his family or his house
Question
Can a dead muslim feel the feelings of his close relatives after his death? i.e their sorrows, weeping, happiness and they are remembering him or not after him/her?
Is the soul of a good muslim can come in the world to know about his family. I heard that the soul come to the place where he/she died for forty days.
Do we feel or see the souls of our close relatives? What is the reality of dreams about dead ones?
Answer
Praise be to Allah.
When a person dies, he moves from this world to another realm, and his soul does not come back to his family and they do not feel anything of him. What is mentioned (in the question) about the soul coming back for forty days is a myth that has no foundation. Similarly the dead person does not know anything about the circumstances of his family, because he is absent from them, in a state of bliss or torment. But Allaah may inform some of the dead of some of the circumstances of their families, but this is not necessarily so. There are some reports, which cannot be relied upon, that say that the deceased may know something about his family’s circumstances. With regard to dreams, some of them are true and some are the playing of the Shaytaan. The living may come to know something of the circumstances of the dead via true dreams, but that depends on the sincerity of the one who sees the dream, whether the dream is a true dream and the ability of the one who interprets these dreams. Yet despite that we should not be certain of what the dream says, unless there is some evidence to indicate that. For a living person may see his deceased relative in a dream, advising him to do things or saying some things to him which he may know are true if they match reality. There have been some cases in which dreams matched reality and others where there is no evidence to suggest that the dreams are true. And some dreams are known to be untrue. So dreams are of three types. We must pay attention to that when dealing with news, reports and stories that have to do with the circumstances of the dead.
