22/06/2022
بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِیمِ
What will happen to the soul after death.
In relation to the belief of the punishment of the grave, in which we will In sha Allah attempt to make clear the most important and basic belief of the punishment of the grave according to the Quran and Sahih Hadith. The vast majority of Ummat e Muslima disagree in regard to this matter and In sha Allah after reading this we will be able to rectify ourselves.
Earlier we discussed according to the Quran and Sahih Hadith when a person dies his Aakhira (Hereafter) life begins immediately. The last moment in this world is followed by the first moment of hereafter as this is what we established from Mother Ayesha when informing us about the moments of the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ)’s death time in Sahih Bukhari.
We understood according to the Quran and Sahih Hadith the punishment of the grave begins at the point of death when the angels capture the soul, and the punishment of the grave is also a part of the Punishment of hereafter.
The critical question is, what happens next to the soul as the life of the hereafter begins according to the Quran and sahih Hadith
In Surah Yaseen:20 of the Quran, Allah has mentioned about a Muslim man who warned people to follow the messenger.
Allah had sent to this nation two Messengers and then a third Messenger to support and they said to their nation that we are Messengers and we have been sent by Allah. Our only duty is to convey the open message of Allah the Lord of the Universe. But the unfortunate nation rejected the message due to those prophets being human. The Man, from Surah Yaseen who had travelled from the far end of the city. As Allah has mentioned in Surah Yaseen:
وَجَاءَ مِنْ أَقْصَى الْمَدِينَةِ رَجُلٌ يَسْعَىٰ قَالَ يَا قَوْمِ اتَّبِعُوا الْمُرْسَلِينَ - 36:20
And there came from the farthest end of the city a man, running. He said, "O my people, follow the messengers.
اتَّبِعُوا مَن لَّا يَسْأَلُكُمْ أَجْرًا وَهُم مُّهْتَدُونَ - 36:21
Follow those who do not ask of you [any] payment, and they are [rightly] guided.
وَمَا لِيَ لَا أَعْبُدُ الَّذِي فَطَرَنِي وَإِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ - 36:22
And why should I not worship He who created me and to whom you will be returned?
أَأَتَّخِذُ مِن دُونِهِ آلِهَةً إِن يُرِدْنِ الرَّحْمَٰنُ بِضُرٍّ لَّا تُغْنِ عَنِّي شَفَاعَتُهُمْ شَيْئًا وَلَا يُنقِذُونِ - 36:23
Should I take other than Him [false] deities [while], if the Most Merciful intends for me some adversity, their intercession will not avail me at all, nor can they save me?
إِنِّي إِذًا لَّفِي ضَلَالٍ مُّبِينٍ - 36:24
Indeed, I would then be in manifest error.
إِنِّي آمَنتُ بِرَبِّكُمْ فَاسْمَعُونِ - 36:25
Indeed, I have believed in your Lord, so listen to me." (Surah Yaseen 20-25)
After listening to this his people martyred him so what happened after this, Allah has mentioned in Quran
قِيلَ ادْخُلِ الْجَنَّةَ ۖ قَالَ يَا لَيْتَ قَوْمِي يَعْلَمُونَ - 36:26
It was said, "Enter Paradise." He said, "I wish my people could know
بِمَا غَفَرَ لِي رَبِّي وَجَعَلَنِي مِنَ الْمُكْرَمِينَ - 36:27
Of how my Lord has forgiven me and placed me among the honoured." (Surah Yaseen 26-27)
That he was forgiven and honoured by Allah, which means he was entered into Paradise immediately after death although he was concerned about the people from his nation and wished they would have known what had happened to him.
The moment of Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ)’s death
حَدَّثَنَا سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادٌ، عَنْ ثَابِتٍ، عَنْ أَنَسٍ، قَالَ لَمَّا ثَقُلَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم جَعَلَ يَتَغَشَّاهُ، فَقَالَتْ فَاطِمَةُ ـ عَلَيْهَا السَّلاَمُ ـ وَاكَرْبَ أَبَاهُ. فَقَالَ لَهَا " لَيْسَ عَلَى أَبِيكِ كَرْبٌ بَعْدَ الْيَوْمِ ". فَلَمَّا مَاتَ قَالَتْ يَا أَبَتَاهْ، أَجَابَ رَبًّا دَعَاهُ، يَا أَبَتَاهْ مَنْ جَنَّةُ الْفِرْدَوْسِ مَأْوَاهُ، يَا أَبَتَاهْ إِلَى جِبْرِيلَ نَنْعَاهْ. فَلَمَّا دُفِنَ قَالَتْ فَاطِمَةُ ـ عَلَيْهَا السَّلاَمُ ـ يَا أَنَسُ، أَطَابَتْ أَنْفُسُكُمْ أَنْ تَحْثُوا عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم التُّرَابَ
Narrated Anas:
When the ailment of the Prophet (ﷺ) got aggravated, he became unconscious whereupon Fatima said, "Oh, how distressed my father is!" He said, "Your father will have no more distress after today." When he expired, she said, "O Father! Who has responded to the call of the Lord Who has invited him! O Father, whose dwelling place is the Garden of Paradise (i.e. Al-Firdaus)! O Father! We convey this news (of your death) to Gabriel." When he was buried, Fatima said, "O Anas! Do you feel pleased to throw earth over Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)?"
Sahih Bukhari, Book of Military Expeditions led by the Prophet (ﷺ) (Al-Maghaazi), Chapter: The sickness of the Prophet (ﷺ) and his death.
Now we can clearly see in this hadith that, at the moment of the Prophets (ﷺ) death the matter was so instant that Fatima thought that Gabriel would not even know that Prophet (ﷺ) has died. But her belief is clear from her words that the Prophet (ﷺ) after his death has reached Paradise (Al-Firdaus) immediately.
The story of the two men from among Bani Isra'il
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الصَّبَّاحِ بْنِ سُفْيَانَ، أَخْبَرَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ ثَابِتٍ، عَنْ عِكْرِمَةَ بْنِ عَمَّارٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي ضَمْضَمُ بْنُ جَوْسٍ، قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ " كَانَ رَجُلاَنِ فِي بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ مُتَآخِيَيْنِ فَكَانَ أَحَدُهُمَا يُذْنِبُ وَالآخَرُ مُجْتَهِدٌ فِي الْعِبَادَةِ فَكَانَ لاَ يَزَالُ الْمُجْتَهِدُ يَرَى الآخَرَ عَلَى الذَّنْبِ فَيَقُولُ أَقْصِرْ . فَوَجَدَهُ يَوْمًا عَلَى ذَنْبٍ فَقَالَ لَهُ أَقْصِرْ فَقَالَ خَلِّنِي وَرَبِّي أَبُعِثْتَ عَلَىَّ رَقِيبًا فَقَالَ وَاللَّهِ لاَ يَغْفِرُ اللَّهُ لَكَ أَوْ لاَ يُدْخِلُكَ اللَّهُ الْجَنَّةَ . فَقُبِضَ أَرْوَاحُهُمَا فَاجْتَمَعَا عِنْدَ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ فَقَالَ لِهَذَا الْمُجْتَهِدِ أَكُنْتَ بِي عَالِمًا أَوْ كُنْتَ عَلَى مَا فِي يَدِي قَادِرًا وَقَالَ لِلْمُذْنِبِ اذْهَبْ فَادْخُلِ الْجَنَّةَ بِرَحْمَتِي وَقَالَ لِلآخَرِ اذْهَبُوا بِهِ إِلَى النَّارِ " . قَالَ أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ لَتَكَلَّمَ بِكَلِمَةٍ أَوْبَقَتْ دُنْيَاهُ وَآخِرَتَهُ .
Narrated Abu Hurayrah:
I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: There were two men among Banu Isra'il, who were striving for the same goal. One of them would commit sin and the other would strive to do his best in the world. The man who exerted himself in worship continued to see the other in sin.
He would say: Refrain from it. One day he found him in sin and said to him: Refrain from it.
He said: Leave me alone with my Lord. Have you been sent as a watchman over me? He said: I swear by Allah, Allah will not forgive you, nor will he admit you to Paradise. Then their souls were taken back (by Allah), and they met together with the Lord of the worlds.
He (Allah) said to this man who had striven hard in worship; Had you knowledge about Me or had you power over that which I had in My hand? He said to the man who sinned: Go and enter Paradise by My mercy. He said about the other: Take him to Hell.
AbuHurayrah said: By Him in Whose hand my soul is, he spoke a word by which this world and the next world of his were destroyed.
Sunan Abi Dawud, Book of General Behaviour (Kitab Al-Adab), Chapter: Regarding the prohibition of wronging others
From this hadith we can see that the belief that after death when the soul has been captured it does not re-enter in the worldly grave but travels towards Allah. We are aware, Allah is at his Throne which is above Al Firdaus, Paradise. Allah ordered one of the men to Paradise and the other to hell and there is no mention of the return to a worldly grave. (In Sha Allah we will continue this topic.)
People of Nuh (عليه السلام) were drowned and
then put into the Hell Fire
مِّمَّا خَطِيئَاتِهِمْ أُغْرِقُوا فَأُدْخِلُوا نَارًا فَلَمْ يَجِدُوا لَهُم مِّن دُونِ اللَّهِ أَنصَارًا - 71:25
Because of their sins they were drowned and put into the Fire, and they found not for themselves besides Allah [any] helpers. (Surah Nuh 25)
From the verse above it is clear that nation of Nuh (عليه السلام) were killed when Allah drowned them as punishment and then straight away they entered into the Fire that means hell. Their dead bodies were here in this world and there was no one to carry their dead bodies on four shoulders to bury them in this worldly grave, so after burying their dead bodies would they have heard the footsteps of those who would of buried them and in this worldly grave would have answered angel’s questions.
But still after death they entered in hell and that’s their punishment of grave.
From the verse above, the nation of Nuh (عليه السلام) were destroyed by drowning and then immediately, they were entered into the fire which is in hell (hellfire). Although their dead bodies were physically present on this earth and there was no way to take these bodies for burial, so how can we apply the logic of believing that one hears the footsteps of those who have buried them and questioned in their worldly grave by angels?
Therefore, their admittance to the hellfire is their punishment of the grave.
Allah’s punishment on the wives of
Nuh (عليه السلام) and lut (عليه السلام)
ضَرَبَ اللَّهُ مَثَلًا لِّلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا امْرَأَتَ نُوحٍ وَامْرَأَتَ لُوطٍ ۖ كَانَتَا تَحْتَ عَبْدَيْنِ مِنْ عِبَادِنَا صَالِحَيْنِ فَخَانَتَاهُمَا فَلَمْ يُغْنِيَا عَنْهُمَا مِنَ اللَّهِ شَيْئًا وَقِيلَ ادْخُلَا النَّارَ مَعَ الدَّاخِلِينَ - 66:10
Allah presents an example of those who disbelieved: the wife of Noah and the wife of Lot. They were under two of Our righteous servants but betrayed them, so those prophets did not avail them from Allah at all, and it was said, "Enter the Fire with those who enter." (Surah At-Tahrim 10)
The above prophets’ wives denied the verses of Allah, and after their death they were entered into the hellfire.
Punishment of the grave given to Amr bin 'Amir bin Luhai Al-Khuza`i
حَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ أَبِي يَعْقُوبَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الْكَرْمَانِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا حَسَّانُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، حَدَّثَنَا يُونُسُ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، عَنْ عُرْوَةَ، أَنَّ عَائِشَةَ، رضى الله عنها قَالَتْ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " رَأَيْتُ جَهَنَّمَ يَحْطِمُ بَعْضُهَا بَعْضًا، وَرَأَيْتُ عَمْرًا يَجُرُّ قُصْبَهُ، وَهْوَ أَوَّلُ مَنْ سَيَّبَ السَّوَائِبَ ".
Narrated `Aisha:
Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "I saw Hell and its different portions were consuming each other and saw `Amr dragging his intestines (in it), and he was the first person to establish the tradition of letting animals loose (for the idols).
(Sahih Bukhari, Book of Prophetic Commentary on the Qur'an (Tafseer of the Prophet (ﷺ))
Punishment of the grave given to Abu Thumama 'Amr b. Malik
وَرَأَيْتُ أَبَا ثُمَامَةَ عَمْرَو بْنَ مَالِكٍ يَجُرُّ قُصْبَهُ فِي النَّارِ
And I saw Abu Thumama 'Amr b. Malik who was dragging his intestines in Hell.
(Sahih Muslim, The Book of Prayer – Eclipses, Chapter: What Was Shown To The Prophet Of Paradise And Hell During The Eclipse Prayer)
Punishment of the grave given to the one who locked up the cat
حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي مَالِكٌ، عَنْ نَافِعٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " عُذِّبَتِ امْرَأَةٌ فِي هِرَّةٍ حَبَسَتْهَا، حَتَّى مَاتَتْ جُوعًا، فَدَخَلَتْ فِيهَا النَّارَ ـ قَالَ فَقَالَ وَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ ـ لاَ أَنْتِ أَطْعَمْتِهَا وَلاَ سَقَيْتِهَا حِينَ حَبَسْتِيهَا، وَلاَ أَنْتِ أَرْسَلْتِيهَا فَأَكَلَتْ مِنْ خَشَاشِ الأَرْضِ ".
Narrated `Abdullah bin `Umar:
Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "A woman was tortured and was put in Hell because of a cat which she had kept locked till it died of hunger." Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) further said, (Allah knows better) Allah said (to the woman), 'You neither fed it nor watered when you locked it up, nor did you set it free to eat the insects of the earth."
(Sahih Bukhari, Book of Distribution of Water, Chapter: The superiority of providing water)
From the Quran and Sahih Hadith it is clear that after death the place of reward and punishment is Paradise and Hell. In addition to this evidence there are substantial evidence in the Quran and Sahih Hadith which we will In Sha Allah bring forward. In short, from the Quran and sahih Hadith it is evident that the actual place of reward and punishment is Paradise and Hell as we have discussed how many are not buried in a traditional manner and thus are not given a worldly grave due to such examples such as cremation, drowning or bodies unable to be recovered for burial purposes.
In Sha Allah in the next post we will explain you according to the Quran and Sahih Hadith what happens to the body after death.
To be continue…..
