. J ; ; ;J; : ,;I•; (cont.)

The first is a description of the blessings coming through the angels before the believers enter Paradise. The second is in reference to the punishment wrongdoers receive before the day of Judgment: ,,,. / ,,,. , ,.,, J ,,,. ,., J / ,., ;;i.J C1•1 ! / ( \I . • D l ;:.. J \"'0 /- 1 J -:;/ D I "'  J"'I I /."' / 1 .'\ t /E / •,ti "' ) ५.!.. - ࣄ u_? J-'" ' o - " """' All ࡿJ r '-' . ƍ...u 01 / ,- ...._.,; .. / [ "Verily, those who say our Lord is Allah and then they stand straight [along the straight path], on them the angels will descend [at the time of their death, saying,] 'Fear you not, nor grieve! But receive the glad tidings of the Paradise which you have been promised"' (Fussilat 30). ,,,. 0 J / ,,,. ,,, ,.,, .., ,.,, ,,,. ,., ,,,. EFi lGL! ୛lj i.:,_,þI i.:,_,1ÿ j Āā\ I -2._;Ă @lj ,,,. / "' .... / ,,,.  .r ,,,. / ,,,. ,,,. / ,,,. ,.,, ,,,. J. ,,,,.,, ,,,. ,,,. J ,,.,, x ,,,. ..,. ,,,. MI o o) )jI ylH ::_/J:J.- r_;.;JI !, 4-..//i I㥠0JԊ ,_ो1; ;_;. i:A·.f--j _T p. "If you could but see when the wrongdoers are in the agonies of death, while the angels are stretching forth their hands [saying], 'Deliver your souls. This day you shall be recompensed with the torment of degradation because of what 1 Quoted in ibn Uthaimeen, Majmoo, vol. 3, p. 1 69. 2 For the texts of these hadith, see al-Albaani, sahih al-Jaami al-Sagheer, vol. 1, p. 1 86 and vol. 1, p. 344. Commentary on the Forty Hadith of al-Nawawi you used to utter against Allah that was not the truth. And you used to arrogantly reject His signs with disrespect"' (al-Anaam 93). Many people ask the following question about the punishment in the grave: Is the punishment in the grave a punishment that afflicts the soul only or does it also afflict the body, which over time decomposes? Ibn Uthaimeen has answered this question by saying, The punishment in the grave is first and foremost upon the soul and, perhaps, it also reaches the body. However, it being foremost upon the soul does not mean that the body does not get any of it. In fact, it must receive some of that punishment or pleasure, even if it is not direct. Know that the punishment or pleasure in the grave is the opposite of the punishment or pleasure in this world. The punishment or pleasure in this world is [first and foremost] upon the body and it then affects the soul. In the period between death and the Day of Judgment, the pleasure or punishment is upon the soul and it also has an affect upon the body.1 Ibn Uthaimin also addresses the following question: How can one say that the grave squeezes the body of a disbeliever, to the point that his ribs are crushed2, while if the grave is uncovered one will find no change in the coffin or the person? Ibn Uthaimin responded by saying, First and foremost, the punishment of the grave is upon the soul. It is not something physically experienced by the body. If it were something physically experienced and witnessed upon the body, it would not be one of the matters of faith in the Unseen. And there would be no benefit to such belief. However, it is from the matters of the Unseen that is related to the soul. A person may see in a dream, while he is sleeping in his bed, that he is standing, going, coming, beating someone or being beaten. He might even see, while he is sleeping in his bed, that he traveled to perform Umra, circumambulated the Kaaba and went between the two hillocks of Safa and Marwa, shaved or trimmed his hair and then returned to his homeland. All the while, his body is in his bed and does not change at all. Therefore, the affairs of the soul are different from that of the body.3 There are additional detailed aspects related to the Hereafter that a believer should learn about and believe in. Due to space limitations, they 1 Ibn Uthaimeen, Majmoo, vol. 3, p. 1 73. Of course, in Paradise and Hell, the pleasure and runishment will be both on the soul and the body. These aspects are all stated in authentic hadith of the Prophet (peace be upon him). For more details, see Umar al-Ashqar, Al-Yaum al-Aakhir: al-Qiyaamah al-Sughra (Kuwait: Mak.tab al­ Falaah, 1986), pp. 41-83. 3 Ibn Uthaimeen, Majmoo, vol. 3, p. 1 73.