The Hadeeth of the Grave

The Hadeeth of the Grave

Checking by Shaykh Hamdee ’Abdul-Majeed as-Salafee
[Shaykh Hamdee is One of the older students of Shaykh Muhammad Naasirud-Deen al-Albaanee]
Translated by Maaz Qureshi [1]

Muhammad Ibnun-Nadr informed us saying: Mu’aawiyah Ibn ’Amr said: Zaa‘idah informed us saying: Sulaymaan al-A’mash informed me: al-Minhaal Ibn ’Amr informed me saying: Zaadaan informed us saying: al-Baraa‘ informed me saying:

We went out with the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) in the Funeral Prayer for a man from the Ansaar (helpers).  So we stopped at the grave, and the niche at the side of it had not been dug out yet.  So the Messenger of Allaah raised his head to the sky, and then he looked down to the ground and conversed to himself.  He said: Then he said: “Seek refuge with Allaah from the Punishment of the Grave,” a few times. 

Then he said:

“Verily when the Muslim man has yet to reach the Hereafter, but he has already been cut off from this world, Angels from the sky descend upon him having faces like the sun.  So they sit as far as him as the eye can see, with them are the burial shrouds from the burial shrouds of Paradise, and embalming perfume from the embalming perfumes of Paradise.  So then the Angel of Death comes and sits at his head, so he says: “Come out, O good soul to the forgiveness of Allaah and His pleasure.” He said: “So it flows out as a drop flows out [from] a water-skin.  So when he takes it, he does not leave it in his hand for the blinking of an eye.” He said: “And there comes out from him a smell like the best musk to be found upon the face of the earth.  So they ascend with him, and they do not pass by any of the angels except that he says: Who is this good soul?  So they say: This is so and so.  So the doors of heavens are open for him, and they follow him through every level of heaven, until they reach the end of the seventh heaven. It is then said: “Write his book in highness (’illiyyeen).”  He said: So it is written.  He said: Then it is said: “Return to the earth, because it is from there that We created you. and it is to there that we return you, and it is from there that We raise you up again.”  So it is returned to his body, then the Angels come to him, then they say to him: Sit.  Who is your Lord?  So he says: My Lord is Allaah.  He said: They say: What is your Religion?  He said: He says: My Religion is Islaam.  So they say: Who is this man who was sent amongst you?  He says: He is the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam).  So they say: How did you come to know of him?  So he says: I read the Book of Allaah, and I believed in it, and I attested to it.  So it will be called out from the heavens: “Indeed he has spoken the truth, so make space for him in Paradise, and clothe him with the clothes of Paradise, and show him his place in Paradise.”  He said: So he will be allowed to see it and his grave will be made spacious for him as far as the eye can see.  A man with beautiful clothes, a handsome face, and a good smell will be presented to him; he will say: “Receive the glad tidings that will please you upon this day that you were promised.  So [he] will say: May Allaah have mercy upon you, who are you; because your face seems to represent goodness?  He said: So he says: I am your righteous deeds.”

He said: “However, if he was a disbeliever, Angels with black faces will descend upon him, and with them are coarse woolen cloths.  So they sit as far from him as the eye can see.”  He said: “And the Angel of death comes and sits at his head, so he says: Come out O foul soul to the Anger of Allaah and His displeasure.  He said: So he does not like to be taken out of his body.  He said: So he takes it out, he does not leave it in his hand for the blinking of an eye.  So the Angels take it in the burial shrouds of coarse woolen cloth.  He said: And there emanates from him the most offensive smelling stench like the foulest smelling corpse upon the face of the earth.  So they ascend with him, so they do not pass by any one of the Angels, except that he says: Who is this foul soul?  He says: “So and so,” using the most evil of names.  So when they reach the heaven, they open the door, but it closes upon him, and it is called out: “Return to the earth, since I created you from it, and to it I return you, and from it I shall raise you again.”  So he is placed back in his body, so the Angels come to him and they say: Sit.  So they say: Who is your Lord?  He said: He says: Haah, [haah], I do not know.  So they say: What is your Religion?  So he says: Haah, haah, I do not know.  I heard the people speaking.  He said: So they say: Who is this man who was sent amongst you?  He said: So it is called out from the sky: “Verily he has lied, so make space for him in the Fire, and clothe him with the clothes of the Fire.  And he will be shown his place in the Fire.  He said: So he will see his place in the Fire, and he will be overtaken by its heat and its scorching air, and his grave will be constricted for him, until his ribs start to interlace.  And then there will be represented a man with an ugly face, repulsive clothes, and a repugnant smell, so he will say: ‘Woe to you, who are you?  So by Allaah your face seems to resemble evil.’  So he will say: O lord, do not establish the Hour! [O Lord,] do not establish the Hour!”

CHECKING:

Shaykh Hamdee ’Abdul-Majeed as-Salafee says in his checking to al-Ahaadeethut-Tuwwaal (p. 59):

“It is related by Ahmad (4/287-288, 295, 296, [no. 18491-18492, 18570, 18571]) and by ’Abdur-Razzaaq (no. 6737), and by Aboo Daawood at-Tiyaalisee (no. 812), and al-Aajurree in ash-Sharee’ah (p. 367-370) and al-Haakim (1/37-40), and Aboo Daawood (no. 4727).  And it is related by an-Nisaa‘ee (4/78), and Aboo Daawood (no. 3196), and Ibn Maajah (no. 1548-1549), and Ahmad (4/297), and the first section is from him.  Al-Haakim said: It is saheeh (authentic) upon the condition of the two Shaykhs, and adh-Dhahabee agreed with him, and the affair is as they say.  It was also declared saheeh by Ibnul-Qayyim after he quoted its authentication from Abee Nu’aym and other than him.  Refer to Ahkaamul-Janaa‘iz of our Shaykh, Muhammad Naasirud-Deen al-Albaanee.”

The Hadeeth of the Grave

The Hadeeth of the Grave

Checking by Shaykh Hamdee ’Abdul-Majeed as-Salafee
[Shaykh Hamdee is One of the older students of Shaykh Muhammad Naasirud-Deen al-Albaanee]
Translated by Maaz Qureshi [1]

Muhammad Ibnun-Nadr informed us saying: Mu’aawiyah Ibn ’Amr said: Zaa‘idah informed us saying: Sulaymaan al-A’mash informed me: al-Minhaal Ibn ’Amr informed me saying: Zaadaan informed us saying: al-Baraa‘ informed me saying:

We went out with the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) in the Funeral Prayer for a man from the Ansaar (helpers).  So we stopped at the grave, and the niche at the side of it had not been dug out yet.  So the Messenger of Allaah raised his head to the sky, and then he looked down to the ground and conversed to himself.  He said: Then he said: “Seek refuge with Allaah from the Punishment of the Grave,” a few times. 

Then he said:

“Verily when the Muslim man has yet to reach the Hereafter, but he has already been cut off from this world, Angels from the sky descend upon him having faces like the sun.  So they sit as far as him as the eye can see, with them are the burial shrouds from the burial shrouds of Paradise, and embalming perfume from the embalming perfumes of Paradise.  So then the Angel of Death comes and sits at his head, so he says: “Come out, O good soul to the forgiveness of Allaah and His pleasure.” He said: “So it flows out as a drop flows out [from] a water-skin.  So when he takes it, he does not leave it in his hand for the blinking of an eye.” He said: “And there comes out from him a smell like the best musk to be found upon the face of the earth.  So they ascend with him, and they do not pass by any of the angels except that he says: Who is this good soul?  So they say: This is so and so.  So the doors of heavens are open for him, and they follow him through every level of heaven, until they reach the end of the seventh heaven. It is then said: “Write his book in highness (’illiyyeen).”  He said: So it is written.  He said: Then it is said: “Return to the earth, because it is from there that We created you. and it is to there that we return you, and it is from there that We raise you up again.”  So it is returned to his body, then the Angels come to him, then they say to him: Sit.  Who is your Lord?  So he says: My Lord is Allaah.  He said: They say: What is your Religion?  He said: He says: My Religion is Islaam.  So they say: Who is this man who was sent amongst you?  He says: He is the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam).  So they say: How did you come to know of him?  So he says: I read the Book of Allaah, and I believed in it, and I attested to it.  So it will be called out from the heavens: “Indeed he has spoken the truth, so make space for him in Paradise, and clothe him with the clothes of Paradise, and show him his place in Paradise.”  He said: So he will be allowed to see it and his grave will be made spacious for him as far as the eye can see.  A man with beautiful clothes, a handsome face, and a good smell will be presented to him; he will say: “Receive the glad tidings that will please you upon this day that you were promised.  So [he] will say: May Allaah have mercy upon you, who are you; because your face seems to represent goodness?  He said: So he says: I am your righteous deeds.”

He said: “However, if he was a disbeliever, Angels with black faces will descend upon him, and with them are coarse woolen cloths.  So they sit as far from him as the eye can see.”  He said: “And the Angel of death comes and sits at his head, so he says: Come out O foul soul to the Anger of Allaah and His displeasure.  He said: So he does not like to be taken out of his body.  He said: So he takes it out, he does not leave it in his hand for the blinking of an eye.  So the Angels take it in the burial shrouds of coarse woolen cloth.  He said: And there emanates from him the most offensive smelling stench like the foulest smelling corpse upon the face of the earth.  So they ascend with him, so they do not pass by any one of the Angels, except that he says: Who is this foul soul?  He says: “So and so,” using the most evil of names.  So when they reach the heaven, they open the door, but it closes upon him, and it is called out: “Return to the earth, since I created you from it, and to it I return you, and from it I shall raise you again.”  So he is placed back in his body, so the Angels come to him and they say: Sit.  So they say: Who is your Lord?  He said: He says: Haah, [haah], I do not know.  So they say: What is your Religion?  So he says: Haah, haah, I do not know.  I heard the people speaking.  He said: So they say: Who is this man who was sent amongst you?  He said: So it is called out from the sky: “Verily he has lied, so make space for him in the Fire, and clothe him with the clothes of the Fire.  And he will be shown his place in the Fire.  He said: So he will see his place in the Fire, and he will be overtaken by its heat and its scorching air, and his grave will be constricted for him, until his ribs start to interlace.  And then there will be represented a man with an ugly face, repulsive clothes, and a repugnant smell, so he will say: ‘Woe to you, who are you?  So by Allaah your face seems to resemble evil.’  So he will say: O lord, do not establish the Hour! [O Lord,] do not establish the Hour!”

CHECKING:

Shaykh Hamdee ’Abdul-Majeed as-Salafee says in his checking to al-Ahaadeethut-Tuwwaal (p. 59):

“It is related by Ahmad (4/287-288, 295, 296, [no. 18491-18492, 18570, 18571]) and by ’Abdur-Razzaaq (no. 6737), and by Aboo Daawood at-Tiyaalisee (no. 812), and al-Aajurree in ash-Sharee’ah (p. 367-370) and al-Haakim (1/37-40), and Aboo Daawood (no. 4727).  And it is related by an-Nisaa‘ee (4/78), and Aboo Daawood (no. 3196), and Ibn Maajah (no. 1548-1549), and Ahmad (4/297), and the first section is from him.  Al-Haakim said: It is saheeh (authentic) upon the condition of the two Shaykhs, and adh-Dhahabee agreed with him, and the affair is as they say.  It was also declared saheeh by Ibnul-Qayyim after he quoted its authentication from Abee Nu’aym and other than him.  Refer to Ahkaamul-Janaa‘iz of our Shaykh, Muhammad Naasirud-Deen al-Albaanee.”

The punishment of the grave is for both the disbeliever and the sinful believer

Question: Does the punishment of the grave include the disobedient believer or is it specific for the disbeliever?

Answer: The ceaseless punishment of the grave is for the munaafiq (hypocrite) and for the kaafir (disbeliever). As for the disobedient mu’min (believer) then he may be punished in the grave because it is established in the Saheehain (the two Saheehs) from the hadeeth of Ibn ‘Abbaas (رضى الله عنهما) that the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) while passing by two graves said: “They (their occupants) are being tormented, but they are not tormented for a grievous sin. One of them did not keep himself safe from being defiled by urine and the other carried tales (nameemah).” [1] And it is well known that they (the occupants of the graves) were Muslims. NOTES (1) Reported in Saheeh Bukhaari and Muslim. Narrated Ibn ‘Abbaas: The Prophet once passed by two graves and said, “These two persons are being tortured not for a major sin (to avoid). One of them never saved himself from being soiled with his urine, while the other used to go about with calumnies (to make enmity between friends).” The Prophet then took a green leaf of a date-palm tree, split it into (pieces) and fixed one on each grave. They said, “O Allaah’s Apostle! Why have you done so?” He replied, “I hope that their punishment might be lessened till these (the pieces of the leaf) become dry.”

Shaykh Muhammad bin Saalih al-`Uthaymeen

Majmoo' Fataawa wa Rasa'il - Volume Two, Number 154

Some of the Sins For Which The Disobedient Will Be Punished


Chapter 5 of the book:The Grave (Its Punishment & Reward)
By Hussain al-Awayshah


It is necessary to bring this issue to the Muslims, as the grave, its punishment and its reward, is o­ne of the topics related to the aqeedah which o­ne must know of.

1) The punishment for those who had taken the Qur'aan and then ignored it and for the o­ne who sleeps through the time of the prescribed prayer.

We related the complete hadeeth o­n page 36 which was narrated by Samurah bin Jundub* and in it was...We came upon a man who was lying down, and another standing over him with a rock. He then hit him with the rock, split his head and the rock rolled away. So he followed the rock and retrieved it. When he returned to him his head had returned to how it was previously.The explanation came at the end of the hadeeth by the statement of the two angels to the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihi wa salaam): As for the first man that you came upon whose head was being split with a rock; this was a man who had taken the qur'aan and then ignored it, and had slept through the time of the prescribed prayers. In another narration, he said:....So this will continue to be done to him until the Day of Resurrection.

2) The punishment of the liar

We also find in the hadeeth of Samurah bin Jundub:...We departed until we came upon another man who was lying flat o­n his back, while another stood over him with an iron hook.He approached the o­ne who was miserable looking. He faced him and ripped open his mouth up to his neck, and his nose up to his neck, and his eye up to his neck. He then went over to the other side and did the same as he had done to the first side. He had hardly completed this side when the other sidereturned to its normal state. He then returned to it and did what he done the first time.at the end of the hadeeth he said:...As for the man that you came upon who had his mouth ripped up to his neck, his nose ripped up to his neck, and his eyes ripped up to his neck; this was a man who used to leave his house, spreading lies and circulating them everywhere. In another narration it says: So this will continue to be done to him until the Day of Resurrection.

3) The punishment of the adulterer and the adulteress.

In the same hadeeth we also find mentioned: ...We departed until we came upon a clay lined pit. I think he said: There was much noise and clamour. We looked into it and saw naked men and women, and a flame was flaring from beneath them. Whenever that flame reached them, they screamed.The explanation about them came in the hadeeth: ...As for the naked men and women who were in the clay lined pit; they were men and women who committed adultery.

4) The punishment for the o­ne who consumes interest.

In the previous hadeeth this is also explained: ...We departed until we reached a river. (I think he said: It was red like blood). In this river a man was swimming and o­n the bank of the river there was a man who had gathered around him many rocks. The o­ne who who was swimming in the river, swam as much as he could, then he came to the o­ne who had all the rocks gathered around him.He opened his mouth for him, and the other man threw a rock into it. He left, and continued to swim. Then he returned to him; and every time he returned to him, he opened his mouth for him and the other man threw a rock into it.at the end of the hadeeth it said: ...As for the man whom you came upon swimming in the river, who had rocks thrown into his mouth; he was of those who consumed usury.*The hadeeth of Samurah bin Jundub being referanced is found in sahih Bukhari volume 2, Book 23, Number 468

5) The punishment for the o­ne who does not protect himself from urine.

The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihi wa salaam) said: The most prevalent punishment of the grave is due to urine. [It is in Saheeh al-Jaami' (3866)]

6) The punishment is increased for the unbeliever because of the weeping of his family over him.

The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihi wa salaam) said: "Allah increases the punishment for the unbeliever because of the weeping of his family over him." [Related by an-Nisaa'ee. It is in Saheeh al-Jaami (18930]

7) The dead is punished because of lamentation over him.

The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihi wa salaam) said: "The dead is punished in his grave because of lamentation over him." [Related by Bukhari and Muslim. However if he advised them not to lament over him then he is not punished.]

8) The dead is punished because of what some of his family say about him.

The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihi wa salaam) said: "There is no single person who dies and among his mourners o­ne stands up and cries: O you who we used to rely o­n! O you who used to support us! Except that two angels will be assigned to him saying: Were you like this." [Related by Tirmidhee. It is in Saheeh al-Jaami' (5664)]

9) The punishment for the o­ne who used to carry tales.

It was related from Ibn Abbaas that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihi wa salaam) passed by two graves and he said: "Indeed these two are being punished; and they are not being punished for something major. No, o­n the contrary it is something very major. As for o­ne of them; he used to carry tales. As for the other, he never guarded himself from his urine." [Related by Bukhaaree and Muslim]

What follows you to your grave?

Anas said that the Prophet (Sal Allaahu alaihe wa sallam) said:
“ The dead person is followed (to his grave) by three: His family, his wealth and his actions. Two of them return and only one remains. His family and wealth return, but his actions remain.”

- Related by Al Bukhari and Muslim

Legislated way for visiting the graves

Author: Shaykh 'Abdul 'Azeez ibn 'Abdullaah ar-Rajhi
Source: Ajwibah Mufeedah 'An As'ilah 'Adeedah

Question: Please inform us about the legislated way for visiting the graves. If the supplicant supplicates for the dead, are blessings received by the (one in the) grave, please explain?
Answer: Yes, blessings are received by the (one in the) grave. And send salutations upon them saying: “Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allaah and His blessings. Peace be upon you so and so and the mercy of Allaah and His blessings. O Allaah, forgive him. O Allaah, have mercy on him.” ^[1]
Ibn ‘Umar (رضى الله عنهما) would, if he visited the grave of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) would say: “Peace be upon you O Messenger of Allaah and the mercy of Allaah and His blessings.” Then he would pause and say: “Peace be upon you O Abu Bakr and the mercy of Allaah and His blessings.” Then he would say: “Peace be upon you O my father and the mercy of Allaah and His blessings.”
He greeted them and he departed. And the graves received the blessings but he did not recite the Qur’aan upon them. And he did not pray towards the graves. All these are from the ways of shirk. And he did not lengthen his visit. Rather, he greeted them and departed.

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^[1] Transliteration of the du’a: As Salaamu ‘Alaikum Wa Rahmatullaahi Wa Barakatuhu. As Salaamu ‘Alaika Ya Fulaan Wa Rahmatullaahi Wa Barakatuhu. Allaahumma Aghfir Lahu. Allaahumma Arhamahu.