بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
On the authority of Haani, the freed slave of 'Uthman, who said "When 'Uthman ibn 'Affan stood at a grave he wouls weep until his beard was wet. So it was said to him: "Indeed you make mention of Paradise and Hellfire and you do not weep, and you are weeping at this?". He replied, "Indeed the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, "Verily the grave is the first abode of the Hereafter, if one is saved from it then what follows is made easier for him. And if one is not saved from it, then what follows is more severe". He also (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, "I have never seen a sight more horrid than the grave"" [At-Tirmidhi]
When we hear someone died, or when we see a funeral and maybe we could follow the funeral to the cemetery and could see the grave with our eyes and could see the end of the human being when he is placed in a hole and earth being dumped on him, are we affected? Most people are not affected, some may even joke and laugh at the cemetery, and if they are affected, it is only a temporary effect and very soon they forget. Why? Because some people, their hearts are like solid rock, may be even harder.
Allah Almighty says,
ثُمَّ قَسَتْ قُلُوبُكُم مِّن بَعْدِ ذَٰلِكَ فَهِيَ كَالْحِجَارَةِ أَوْ أَشَدُّ قَسْوَةً ۚ وَإِنَّ مِنَ الْحِجَارَةِ لَمَا يَتَفَجَّرُ مِنْهُ الْأَنْهَارُ ۚ وَإِنَّ مِنْهَا لَمَا يَشَّقَّقُ فَيَخْرُجُ مِنْهُ الْمَاءُ ۚ وَإِنَّ مِنْهَا لَمَا يَهْبِطُ مِنْ خَشْيَةِ اللَّـهِ ۗ وَمَا اللَّـهُ بِغَافِلٍ عَمَّا تَعْمَلُونَ ﴿٧٤
Then your hearts became hardened after that, being like stones or even harder. For indeed, there are stones from which rivers burst forth, and there are some of them that split open and water comes out, and there are some of them that fall down for fear of Allah. And Allah is not unaware of what you do. (74) [Qur'an Al-Baqarah 2:74]
Allah Almighty says:
يْنَمَا تَكُونُوا يُدْرِككُّمُ الْمَوْتُ وَلَوْ كُنتُمْ فِي بُرُوجٍ مُّشَيَّدَةٍ
Wherever you may be, death will overtake you, even if you should be within towers of lofty construction. [Qur'an An-Nisa 4:78]
Our term here on this earth is not indefinite. Death is certain to come. When the angel of death appears to take our souls, there is no turning back. That's it. Time's up. Nothing you have accumulated until that moment will go with you to the grave -- no loved ones, no loved things -- except your deeds.
The life in the grave is one of the Gardens of Paradise or one of the pits of Hell.
Narrated by Abu Sa'id:
The Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: "The grave (or the life of the soul between one’s death and one’s resurrection on the Day of Judgment) is one of the Gardens of Paradise, or one of the pits of Hell!" [At-Tirmidhi 5352]
There is indeed questioning and punishment of the souls in the graves.
Narrated by Zayd ibn Thabit
The Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: “The people who invoke others with Allah, are passing through the ordeal in the graves. If it were not for the fact that you would stop burying your dead in the graves, I would have certainly made you hear the sound of the torment in the graves, which I hear.” [Muslim 6859]
Narrated by Al-Bara' ibn Azib:
The Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: “When a believer is buried in the grave two angels will come to him (Munkar and Nakir, both have dark faces and blue eyes), make him sit up, and ask : ‘Who is your Lord?’ He will reply: ‘My Lord is Allah.’ They will ask him: ‘What is your religion?’ He will reply: ‘My religion is Islam.’ They will ask him: ‘What is your opinion about the man who was sent on a mission among you?’ He will reply: ‘He is the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace).’ They will ask: ‘ Who made you aware of this?’ He will reply: ‘I read Allah's Book, believed in it, and considered it true.’ Then a crier will call from Heaven: ‘My servant has spoken the truth. So spread a bed for him from Paradise, clothe him from Paradise, and open a door for him into Paradise.’ Then some of its air and perfume will come to him, and a space will be made for him as far as the eye can see. At the death of the unbeliever his soul will be restored to his body in the grave. Then two angels will come to him. They will make him sit up and ask him: ‘Who is your Lord?’ He will reply: ‘Alas, alas! I do not know.’ They will ask him: ‘What is your religion?’ He will reply: ‘Alas, alas! I do not know.’ They will ask: ‘Who was the man who was sent on a mission among you?’ He will reply: ‘Alas, alas! I do not know.’ Then a crier will call from Heaven: ‘He has lied, so spread a bed for him from Hell, clothe him from Hell, and open for him a door into Hell. Then some of its heat and burning hot wind will come to him, and his grave will be compressed, such that his ribs will be crushed together. An angel who is blind and dumb will then be placed in charge of him, having a sledge-hammer, such that, if a mountain were struck with it, it would become dust. He will give him a blow with it, which will be heard by everything between the east and the west except by men and jinn, and he will become dust. Then his soul will be restored to him (again). [Sunan of Abu-Dawood 4735]
Imagine what it would be like to be in our graves right now; can we answer those 4 questions truthfully?
We won't be able to answer them truthfully if don't live a life of obedience to Allah and His Messenger, Allah bless him and grant him peace. While we are still breathing, repent for our past sins and obey Allah and His Messenger. Give people their due rights and don't hurt and take the rights of others. Accumulate lots of good deeds; make good deeds beloved to us, and inshaAllah we will have handsome, good smelling companion of good deeds that will be with us until the Day of Judgment and not the ugly, and stinking companion of bad deeds.
May Allah forgive our sins and grant us righteous deeds and save us from the trial and tribulations of the grave. Ameen.
Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
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