Part 13

If it were not for the fact that you would stop burying your dead in graves if you could hear the torment in the graves which I can hear, then I would certainly have made you listen to it.' Then, turning his face towards us, he said, 'Seek refuge in Allah from the torment of the Fire.' We said, 'We seek refuge in Allah from the torment of the Fire.' He said, 'Seek refuge in Allah from the torment of the grave.' We said, 'We seek refuge in Allah from the torment of the grave.' He said, 'Seek refuge in Allah from turmoil, both apparent and hidden.' We said, 'We seek refuge in Allah from turmoil, both apparent and hidden.' He said, 'Seek refuge in Allah from the trial of the Dajjal.' We said, 'We seek refuge in Allah from the trial of the Dajjal.'"43 Abu Hurairah related that the Prophet said, "When you finish the last tashahud, you should seek refuge in Allah from four things: from the punishment in the grave, from the punishment in the Fire of Hell, from the trials of life and death, and from the trial of Al-Masih AdDajjal."44 The Questioning in the Grave Qatadah related from Anas that the Prophet said, "When a dead person has been laid to rest in his grave, his companions leave him — and even while he can still hear their footsteps, two angels come to him and make him sit up and ask him, 'What did you use to say about this man (Muhammad)?' The mumin replies, 'I bear witness that he is Allah's slave and His Messenger.' Then they will say to him, 'Look at the place you might have had in the Fire of Hell — Allah has given you a place in the Garden instead of it,' and he will see both places." Qatada also said, "We were told that his grave would be made spacious." Then Qatada, continued with the transmission of Anas who said, "When a munafiq or a kafir is asked, 'What did you use to say about this man (Muhammad)?' he replies, 'I do not remember — but I used to say what other people used to say.' So they will say to him, 'You did not know and you did not follow guidance.' Then he will be hit so hard with an iron hammer and he will give such a cry that everything near him will hear it, except for the jinn and people."45 Al-Bara' Ibn Azib related that the Prophet said: "When a Muslim is questioned in his grave, he will testify that none has the right to be worshipped except Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah — and this is what is meant by the words of Allah : ( Allah makes those who have iman firm with the Firm Word in the life of the dunya and the akhira.)"46 (14: 29) It should also be pointed out that the punishment of the grave is the punishment in the barzakh to which Allah refers in the Quran: 42 al-Bukhari, 3/242; Al-Nasa'i, 4/106. 43 Muslim, 17/202; Ahmed, 3/103, 144-145. 44 al-Bukhari, 3/241. 45 al-Bukhari, 3/232-233; Muslim, 17/203; Ahmed, 3/126, 233. 46 al-Bukhari, 3/231-232; Muslim, 17/204. ( When death comes to one of them, he says, 'My Lord, send me back again, so that perhaps I may act rightly regarding the things I failed to do!' No indeed!