Hadith #234

Arabic Text

English Translation

ʿAbd al-Razzāq narrated to us: Maʿmar narrated to us, from Yūnus ibn Khabbāb, from al-Minhāl ibn ʿAmr, from Zādhān, from al-Barāʾ ibn ʿĀzib, who said: We went out with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ to a funeral. the Messenger of Allah ﷺ sat by the grave, and we sat around him as if birds were perched on our heads while the grave was being dug. He said: "I seek refuge with Allah from the punishment of the grave" three times. Then he said: "When the believer is approaching the Hereafter and departing the world, angels descend to him with faces like the sun, each carrying a shroud and embalming perfume. They sit as far as the eye can see. When his soul departs, every angel between the heaven and earth and every angel in heaven prays upon him. The gates of heaven are opened — there is no gate whose keepers do not ask Allah to have his soul ascended through them. When his soul is taken up, they say: O Lord, Your servant so-and-so. He says: Return him, for I covenanted with them that from the earth I created them, to it I return them, and from it I bring them forth once more. He hears the footsteps of his companions as they turn away. A visitor comes and says: Who is your Lord? What is your religion? Who is your Prophet? He says: My Lord is Allah, my religion is Islam, my Prophet is Muḥammad ﷺ. He rebukes him and says: Who is your Lord? What is your religion? Who is your Prophet? — and this is the last trial presented to the believer. That is when Allah عز وجل says: Allah keeps firm those who believe with the firm word in worldly life and in the Hereafter [Ibrāhīm 14:27]. He says: My Lord is Allah, my religion is Islam, my Prophet is Muḥammad ﷺ. He is told: You have spoken the truth. Then a visitor with a handsome face, pleasant scent, and fine clothes comes and says: Glad tidings of honor from Allah and everlasting bliss. He says: And may Allah give you glad tidings of good. Who are you? He says: I am your righteous deeds. By Allah, you were swift in obeying Allah and slow in disobeying Allah. May Allah reward you well. Then a gate to Paradise and a gate to the Fire are opened for him. It is said: This would have been your abode had you disobeyed Allah — Allah has replaced it with this. When he sees what is in Paradise, he says: O Lord, hasten the Hour so I may return to my family and wealth. He is told: Be at rest. As for the disbeliever, when he is departing the world and approaching the Hereafter, harsh and stern angels descend upon him. They extract his soul as a many-pronged skewer is pulled from wet wool, and his soul is torn out with the veins. Every angel between the heaven and earth and every angel in heaven curses him. The gates of heaven are shut — there is no gate whose keepers do not ask Allah that his soul not be ascended through them. When his soul is taken up, they say: O Lord, so-and-so, son of so-and-so, Your servant. He says: Return him, for I covenanted with them that from the earth I created them, to it I return them, and from it I bring them forth once more. He hears the footsteps of his companions as they turn away. A visitor comes and says: Who is your Lord? What is your religion? Who is your Prophet? He says: I do not know. He says: You did not know and you did not recite. A visitor with an ugly face, foul clothes, and vile smell comes and says: Receive tidings of humiliation from Allah and everlasting punishment. He says: And may Allah give you tidings of evil. Who are you? He says: I am your wicked deeds. You were slow in obeying Allah and swift in disobeying Allah. May Allah give you evil. Then a blind, deaf, and mute being is assigned to him, holding an iron mace — if a mountain were struck with it, it would turn to dust. He strikes him a blow until he becomes dust, then Allah restores him as he was and strikes him another blow. He screams a cry heard by everything except the two weighty beings (humans and jinn). Al-Barāʾ ibn ʿĀzib said: Then a gate to the Fire is opened for him and bedding from the Fire is spread for him. Abū al-Rabīʿ also narrated to us: Ḥammād ibn Zayd from Yūnus ibn Khabbāb from al-Minhāl ibn ʿAmr from Zādhān from al-Barāʾ ibn ʿĀzib — something similar.