1) The Two Angels Questioning

The questioning of the two angels is called the trial of the grave. It is a test for the deceased person when the two angels question him. There are many mutawatir (continuously recurrent) h.adiths, highlighting the trial of the grave, narrated on the authority of AlBarf Ibn 'Azib, Anas Ibn Mm, Abu Hurayrah, and others (may Allah be pleased with them all). t - - - - - - - - - - -. .- -. . .- .... This trial is general for all those who are legally accountable, apart from Prophets about whom there is a disagreement of opinion among scholars. The disagreement is further extended to children and insane people.

Such people and children are said not to be subjected to the trial of the grave because this trial is only for those who are accountable, but some said that they will be tried. The argument ofthose who said that they will be tried is based on the fact that it is permissible to perform the Funeral Prayer over them and to invoke Allah for them so that He may absolve them from the torment and trial of the grave. Imfun Mill mentioned in his Muwal1a,ls that Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: ~llah's Messenger (PBUH) performed Funeral Prayer over a boy and 1 heard him invoking Allah saying, '0 Allah! Protect him from the punishment in the grave.' " Furthermore, they cite what 'Ali Ibn Ma'bad reported from 'Rishah (may Allah be pleased with her) that when a funeral procession of a boy passed by her, she wept. It was said to her, « (What has made you weep, 0 Mother of the Believers?' She said, (1 weep for my fear for this boy of the squeezing of the grave: " It was also said that Allah, Exalted be He, makes their minds sound so that they may know their rank and they are also inspired with the answer to what they are asked.

This opinion is consolidated by many badiths which state that they are tested in the Hereafter. AlAsh' ary reports that this is the opinion of the scholars of Sunnah (Prophetic Tradition) and Hadith. If such people are to be tested in the Hereafter, then their test in the graves is not impossible. As for those who say that insane people and children will not be trialed in their graves, they base their opinion on the premises that questioning is for the person who can reason and understand, so as to understand the questions whether he has believed in Allah's Messenger and obeyed him or not. That is, it is unreasonable to ask a child who cannot distinguish between right and wrong about his opinion concerning the belief in the Messenger sent to humanity in the life of this world.

Even if his mind is brought back to normal in his grave, he is not to be asked about something he has no ability to know. Therefore, it is pointless to ask him. In effect, questioning them is different from their trial in the Hereafter, when Allah, Exalted and Glorified be He, sends a Messenger to them and commands them to obey him while they are enjoying sound minds. Whosoever obeys him will be rescued, and whosoever disobeys him will be cast down into hell-fire. This is a trial in which Allah orders them to do something at that time; it is not an interrogation about their condition in the past life or whether they had been obedient or disobedient, like that of the Two Angels in the grave.

The second group refuted the pretexts of the first saying: The trial of the grave in the hadith narrated by Abu Hurayrah definitely does not mean tormenting the child for abandoning an act of obedience or committing an act of disobedience, for Allah does not punish anyone for a sin he has not committed The torment of the grave may refer to the torment which befalls the deceased person because ofsomeone else; it is not a punishment for something he has committed himself, as the Messenger ofAllah (PBUH) said: "The dead person is tortured by the wailing ofhis relatives?" This means that the dead person suffers and is tormented because of it, not because he is punished for the sin of the living people. Allah says, (Quran: AI-An 'am: 164) This is similar to the Prophet's saying: "Traveling is a kind oftorture." Torment is a more general term than punishment No doubt that being in a grave involves a considerable share of pain, grief, and regret which may cause a child to suffer. Thus, it is permissible for anyone who prays for him to ask Allah, the Exalted, to save him from such suffering. Allah knows best. Scholars also have disagreed whether the questioning in the grave is general for Muslims, hypocrites and disbelievers or it is only for Muslims and hypocrites.

Some scholars are of the opinion that the questioning is for Muslims and hypocrites only, not the disbelievers. Some other scholars, on the other hand, are of the opinion that questioning is general for the disbelievers as well as the Muslims. The latter opinion is consistent with the Qur'atl and the Sunnah, whereas excluding the disbelievers from the questioning of the grave has no evidence. Scholars have also disagreed whether the questioning of the grave is specific for this nation. They have three opinions regarding this issue: 1.

Questioning in the grave is specific for this nation, because messengers were sent to the past nations with their message, and iftheir people denied, the messengers would dissociate themselves from them, whereupon their torment was immediate. When Muhammad (PBUH) was sent with mercy as a guide for humanity, as Allah says: ~nd We have not sent you, [0 Muhammad], except as a mercy to the worlds!' (Quran: AI-Anbiya: 107) Allah, Exalted be He, withheld their torment. He then gave permission for His Messenger to use the sword so that some people may embrace Islam firstly because of their fear and afterwards faith would be firmly ... _- ------------------­ established in their hearts. They were granted a respite, so this resulted in the appearance of hypocrites who used to hide their real disbelief and show their false belief. They were screened among Muslims, but when they died, Allah appointed the two angels of the grave to interrogate them.

Those who held this opinion used, as an argument, the hadiths in which the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) says: "The people ofthis nation are passing through the ordeal in the graves." And: "It was revealed to me that you will be put to trials in your graves." These hadiths clarify that this questioning is specific for this nation. This is also proved by the saying of the two angels: "What did you use to say about this man (Muhammad) who was sent to you?"