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The punishment of the grave

1- EVERYONE WILL DIE

Allah (swt) said:

كُلُّ نَفْسٍ ذَائِقَةُ الْمَوْت ...ِ

“Every nafs will taste death.” [Anbiyah: 35]

This ayah states clearly that beyond doubt, everybody will die. This ayah will strike everybody, when you read this ayah, you must think of its implications. It means that everything in the dunya will disappear

2- DEATH IS INEVITABLE

3- NOTHING CAN STOP DEATH

No medicine or anything else will stop death.

4- IT ALWAYS COMES SUDDENLY

You will not be given any notice, it will come suddenly.

5- IT WILL NEVER HAVE ANY WARNING

6- IT IS A DEBT THAT EVERY BODY MUST PAY IT

“You will die, and everybody will die.” …

DEATH

Death is one thing that you cannot run away from, Allah (swt) said:

أَيْنَمَا تَكُونُواْ يُدْرِككُّمُ الْمَوْتُ وَلَوْ كُنتُمْ فِي بُرُوجٍ مُّشَيَّدَة ...

“The death you want to run away from, will meet you even if you are in a tower.” [EMQ 4: 78]

Death is a creation of Allah, Allah (swt) said:

الَّذِي خَلَقَ الْمَوْتَ وَالْحَيَاةَ لِيَبْلُوَكُمْ أَيُّكُمْ أَحْسَنُ عَمَلًا ...

“He is the one who created life and death to test you with, in order to see who is best in deed.” [EMQ Mulk: 2]

Allah (swt) said:

وَأَنفِقُوا مِن مَّا رَزَقْنَاكُم مِّن قَبْلِ أَن يَأْتِيَ أَحَدَكُمُ الْمَوْتُ فَيَقُولَ رَبِّ لَوْلَا أَخَّرْتَنِي إِلَى أَجَلٍ قَرِيبٍ فَأَصَّدَّقَ وَأَكُن مِّنَ الصَّالِحِين, وَلَن يُؤَخِّرَ اللَّهُ نَفْسًا إِذَا جَاء أَجَلُهَا وَاللَّهُ خَبِيرٌ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ َ

“Spend from what I provide to you, before death comes to you, (they say) ‘O Allah if you delay my death a little, so I can donate, and be from the good people?’ Allah will never delay a nafs if his time is due. Allah knows all that you do.” [Munafiqun: 10-11]

NB: Ruh is not the life, it is the secret of the life, they are not the same thing.

“They ask you about the ruh, say “this is the matter we leave to Allah”…”

So people who ask about abortion, they speak about killing the ruh; however, you cannot kill the ruh, you kill the life, not the Ruh, because the nafs is different, it is haram to have abortion from the first day of conception, regardless of when the Ruh is blown into the child.

Allah (swt) said:

حَتَّى إِذَا جَاء أَحَدَهُمُ الْمَوْتُ قَالَ رَبِّ ارْجِعُونِ, لَعَلِّي أَعْمَلُ صَالِحًا فِيمَا تَرَكْتُ كَلَّا إِنَّهَا كَلِمَةٌ هُوَ قَائِلُهَا وَمِن وَرَائِهِم بَرْزَخٌ إِلَى يَوْمِ يُبْعَثُونَ

“When death comes to any of you, you say ‘Oh lord send me back to life’ “In order that I may work righteousness in the things I neglected.” - “By no means! It is but a word he says."- they are going to be in the barzakh until the day of resurrection.” [Mu’minun: 99-100]

- This barzakh is going to contain the punishment for the fasiq, fajir and kafir.

Signs of Death:

Death cannot be established unless one of the following signs have been established:

1- The head is removed

2- The lips come out

3- The jaw has dropped

4- Shoulders become broken back

5- Hips become broken back

6- Feet are sleeping

7- Eyes are staring out

8- Blue-black colouring of the skin

9- Smell throughout the body

10- Stomach becomes bloated

The experiences of the death:

- The coma of death

- The death

- The experience of the ghusl and janazah

- Entering the grave

Everybody will enter a grave, even those who are eaten by wild animals or crocodiles and sharks in the sea.

- The shouting of the grave

The Prophet (saw) said:

“If people could hear what the animals hear, they would go insane.”

§ The animals hear the shouting of the grave

§ the believers who love for the sake of Allah, and were with the believers will shout ‘laa ilaha illAllah’

§ The disbelievers and people who loved the dunya, will shout for their money, and family etc

- The questioning of the grave

§ The people will be asked about who their lord is, their books, their deen.

§ and the kuffar and munafiqun will ask: “ha? huh?” etc, and they will be hit over the head by the angels

§ the only one who will be able to answer at that time will be the believers

- The pressing of the grave

§ The pressing for the fasiq, fajir, kafir, will be pressing on the chest till their ribs are intertwined

§ The pressing of the believers will be like the pressing of the child to the chest of his mother

- The resting of the grave

§ It will be resting of the grave for the believers, seeing the place in jannah

§ And he will call to his lord to hurry the hour

- The punishment of the grave

§ They will call to delay the hour because of the severe punishment awaiting them

THE PUNISHMENT OF THE GRAVE

Allah (swt) said:

فَلَنَقُصَّنَّ عَلَيْهِم بِعِلْمٍ وَمَا كُنَّا غَآئِبِينَ

“And verily, We shall recount their whole story with knowledge, for We were never absent (at any time or place).” [A’raf: 7]

Allah (swt) said:

أَيْنَمَا تَكُونُواْ يُدْرِككُّمُ الْمَوْتُ وَلَوْ كُنتُمْ فِي بُرُوجٍ مُّشَيَّدَة ...ٍ

“Wherever you are, death will reach you, even if you are in a high tower …” [4: 78]

ibn Abbas (ra) said:

“The Prophet (saw) passed by two graves, and said: “the two people of these graves are being punished, and they are not being punished for something big, one of them used to do Al Nameema, and the other used to urinate and walk out without to wash himself.” He took two braches and cut them in two, and put them on top of the two graves, they asked “why did you do so?” he said: “perhaps it will reduce the pain of the punishment, as long as it is still fresh.” [Bukhari H.1372 and Muslim]

Zaid bin Thaabit (ra) said:

“One day the Prophet (saw) was sitting with his khaals, he was on his mule, the mule started to waver, and nearly dropped the Prophet (saw), the Prophet (saw) saw five or six graves, he (saw) said: “to whom are these grave?” a man said: “I know,” the Prophet (saw) asked: “when were they buried?” he said: “in the time of shirk.” “this Ummah will be tested in the grave, if I was not aware that you will delay to bury the people, I would ask Allah to allow you to hear the voices of the people while they are being punished in the grave. … after that he came and was worried, and said: “ask refuge in Allah from the punishment of the grave. ask refuge in Allah from the punishment of the hellfire, ask refuge in Allah from all the fitan, ask refuge in Allah from the fitna of Al Dajjal, ask refuge in Allah from the fitna of the Dajjal.”” [Muslim]

Abu Huraira (ra) narrated:

“The Prophet (saw) said: “when someone finishes the last tashahhud in the salah, you will start to read (durud), then you will say: “I ask refuge in Allah from the punishment of the hellfire, and the punishment of the grave, and the testing of the life and death, and from the test of al Masih Al Dajjal.” [Saheeh Muslim and Sunan Abu Dawood, Sunan Tirmizi, Sunan An Nasaa’i]

ibn Abbas (ra) narrated

“The Prophet (saw) used to teach the sahabah to make this du’a, and repeat it, “I ask refuge in

Allah from the punishment of the hellfire, and the punishment of the grave, and the testing of

the life and death, and from the test of al Masih Al Dajjal.”[Muslim]

Aisha (ra) said:

“One old women from the jews of Madina said: “the people of the graves will be punished in their graves.” I did not believe her. She went out and the Prophet (saw) entered I said: “One old women from the jews of Madina said: “the people of the graves will be punished in their graves.” Is that true? He (saw) said: “that is true; the people will be punished in the graves severely, until their punishment can be heard by all the animals.” I never saw him make salah after that except to seek refuge in Allah from the punishment of the grave.” [Bukhari and Muslim]

Umm Mubashir (ra) said:

“The Prophet (saw) entered and I was sitting near the wall, and he was saying …, I said: “o Rasulullah, is their any punishment in the grave?” he said: “verily in the graves will be punishment and all the animals will be able to hear it.” [ibn Hibban]

Baraa’ ibn Azib (ra) said:

“We came out with the Prophet (saw) for a janazah of a man from the ansar, and we reached the graveyard and he had not been put in the grave, the Prophet (saw) sat and we sat with him, we were all silent, he (saw) had a stick and was making a hole in the soil, he rose his head and said, “ask refuge in your lord from the punishment of the grave. Now his ruh has gone to his lord, and the ruh will return after that to his body, and he will hear even in the grave, the footsteps of his family when they leave the grave. They will say: “o man, who is your lord, what is your deen …” “When a Muslim is asked in his grave, “testify that laa ilaha illAllah Muhammadan rasulullah,” he will be able to testify, … “they will ask him, who is your lord, and will say my lord is Allah, and my deen is islam, and my Prophet is Muhammad (saw).” after that the two angels will say to him, “and what made you believe that he is rasulullah, he will say: “I read the book of Allah, and I believed in him, …” then the call will come from heaven, saying: “my servant speaks the truth, prepare his bed in Jannah, clothe from Jannah, and make him have a gate to see his place in Jannah.” And he will have the smell reach him from Jannah, and he will see as much as he can from Jannah. As for the kafir, two angels will come and say: “who is your lord?” he will say: “Huh? Huh?” they will ask “what is your deen?” he will say: “Huh? Huh? I don’t know.” A call will come from heaven, and say, “my servant is a liar, open a gate from hellfire, let him see the hellfire,…” he will feel the heat from the hellfire, and … after that it will be designated for him, a blind, mute angel who has a huge metal hammer that if you hit a mountain with it, it will become sand, and they will hit him once, and it will be heard between the east and west, except the two thaqalain, the jinn and the ins (humans). And then the ruh will return back to the body.” [Abu Dawood and Musnad Imam Ahmad, ibn Hibban 1372]

Abu Huraira (ra)

“… and his grave will be wider by seventy arms, and his greave will become light, as for the kafir, his bones will be mixed, … and he will see the hellfire.” [Abu Haatib ibn Hibban]

THE GRAVE

1- THE GRAVE WILL SPEAK ALL THE TIME

Abu Sa’id Al Khidree (ra) said:

“The Prophet (saw) entered to his place of salah, and saw people there arguing amongst eachother, as if fighting eachother, busy in dunya matters, he said: “if you remember the one that demolishes the desires, … no day will come to the graves but the graves speak out, “I am the house that is strange, I am the lonely place, I am the house of the sand, I am the house of the worms. When the believer is buried his grave will say: “Welcome, you were the one who I liked to have walk over my back, now you have come to me, you will see what I will do, … and he will see the gate of Jannah. (But) when the bad person enters the grave, it will say, “you are not welcome, I used to hate you when you walked over me, now that you have entered I will show you what I will do, …” [Tirmizi H.2460]

2- THE PRESSING OF THE GRAVE

The Prophet (saw) said:

“There will be pressing of the grave that everybody will face, if anyone would be saved from it, it would be Sa’d ibn Mu’az,” [Musnad Imam Ahmad]

However even Sa’d faced the pressing of the grave, even children will be pressed in the grave. It is only the Anbiyah who will be saved from the pressing of the grave

COMMON QUESTIONS

1- WILL THE RUH DIE?

The ruh by the meaning of nafs, will die, however the Ruh by the meaning of something different from the nafs, as the secret of life, it will not die, rather it will go to his Lord (swt).

2- IS THE PUNISHMENT CONTINOUS OR TEMPORARY?

There are two types, one is continuous and one is temporary, Allah (swt) said:

النَّارُ يُعْرَضُونَ عَلَيْهَا غُدُوًّا وَعَشِيًّا وَيَوْمَ تَقُومُ السَّاعَةُ أَدْخِلُوا آلَ فِرْعَوْنَ أَشَدَّ الْعَذَابِ

“They will see the punishment day and night. And (the sentence will be) on the Day that Judgment will be established: “Cast ye the People of Pharaoh into the severest Penalty!"” [Ghafir: 46]

The second is temporary, for a period then will be stopped; this is for those people who were sinful but not kafir.

HOW CAN WE PROTECT OURSELVES FROM THE PUNISHMENT OF THE GRAVE?

The first cure is:

1- RECITING THE QUR’AN

To read from the Qur’an will soften your heart,

Allah (swt) said:

إِنَّمَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ الَّذِينَ إِذَا ذُكِرَ اللّهُ وَجِلَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ وَإِذَا تُلِيَتْ عَلَيْهِمْ آيَاتُهُ زَادَتْهُمْ إِيمَانًا وَعَلَى رَبِّهِمْ يَتَوَكَّلُونَ

“The believer is the one who whenever the word of Allah is mentioned, their heart is shaken, and when the ayat of Allah are recited to them, their Imaan increases.” [Anfal: 2]

Allah (swt) said:

يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ قَدْ جَاءتْكُم مَّوْعِظَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ وَشِفَاء لِّمَا فِي الصُّدُورِ وَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةٌ لِّلْمُؤْمِنِينَ

“O people, it came to you preaching from your lord, and cure for all that is in their hearts, and for those who believe, a guidance and a Mercy.” [Yunus: 57]

Allah (swt) said:

وَنُنَزِّلُ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ مَا هُوَ شِفَاء وَرَحْمَةٌ لِّلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَلاَ يَزِيدُ الظَّالِمِينَ إَلاَّ خَسَارًا

“We will send the Qur’an as a cure for all, and a mercy, and nothing will benefit the kuffar except failure after failure.” [17: 82]

2- REMEMBER DEATH

The Prophet (saw) said:

“Always remember death.”

Ubay ibn ka’b (ra)

“When the Prophet (saw) used to pray, he used to say to us: “O people remember Allah, remember Allah, verily the hour is coming, and the sign is going to come after eachother, death is coming with all that it includes, death is coming with all that it includes, …” [Tirmizi]

3- VISIT THE PEOPLE ON THEIR DEATHBED

Anas bin Maalik (ra) said:

“A young man was on his deathbed, and the Prophet (saw) said: “how do you feel?” he said: “I fear Allah and I fear from my sin I ask Allah to forgive me, I wish …” he (saw) said: “no one who those two fears come together … (he continues and he praised him)” [Tirmizi 983]

4- VISIT THE GRAVEYARDS

The Prophet (saw) said:

“Visiting the graveyard will make you remember death, visiting the graveyard will make you remember the hereafter.” [ibn Majah 569]

When you visit the grave say: “Assalamu ‘Alaikum yaa ahl al muqabir”

5- ATTENDING THE MAJLIS OF A SCHOLAR

Attending the majlis of the scholars and studying, will remind you of death, and the grave. From Ubay ibn Ka’b (ra) that Abu Huraira said:

“The Prophet (saw) said: “whoever seeks a path for the seeking of knowledge, Allah facilitates for him by that a way to jannah, whenever any people gather in a house to study, the angels will surround them, and will remind them that …” [Muslim 2699]

6- MAKING DU’A

Ibn Abbas (ra) narrated:

“The Prophet (saw) used to make the du’a: “O Allah help me and don’t help against me, support me, and do not give victory over me, plot for me, and don’t plot against me, guide me and facilitate the guidance for me, and give me victory against those rebellious against me, O Allah make me amongst those who are grateful, and remember you, and fear from you alone, and obey you alone, and for you I conceal all the good deeds, for you I supplicate and repent, O Allah accept my repentance, abolish my sin. Respond to my supplication, and make my proof confirmed, make my tongue release with the truth and make my heart …” [Tirmizi 3551]

THE MU’MIN AND KAFIR IN THE GRAVE

- The souls of the mu’min are in ‘illiyin, the souls of the kafir is in the hellfire.

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَذَّبُواْ بِآيَاتِنَا وَاسْتَكْبَرُواْ عَنْهَا لاَ تُفَتَّحُ لَهُمْ أَبْوَابُ السَّمَاء وَلاَ يَدْخُلُونَ الْجَنَّةَ حَتَّى يَلِجَ الْجَمَلُ فِي سَمِّ الْخِيَاطِ وَكَذَلِكَ نَجْزِي الْمُجْرِمِينَ

To those who reject Our signs and treat them with arrogance, no opening will there be of the gates of heaven, nor will they enter the garden, until the camel can pass through the eye of the needle: Such is Our reward for those in sin. [A’raf: 40]

- However the shaheed will never be questioned in the grave,

Rashid (ra) said:

“A man came and said: “O rasulullah, what happens to the believers?” he (saw) said: “they will be punished in the graves except the Shaheed.” He asked why everybody will be questioned in the grave except the shaheed, and the Prophet (saw) said: “it is enough for him to see the flash of the sword.”

From alghurabaa.co.uk