The Hadeeth of the Grave

The Hadeeth of the Grave

Checking by Shaykh Hamdee ’Abdul-Majeed as-Salafee
[Shaykh Hamdee is One of the older students of Shaykh Muhammad Naasirud-Deen al-Albaanee]
Translated by Maaz Qureshi [1]

Muhammad Ibnun-Nadr informed us saying: Mu’aawiyah Ibn ’Amr said: Zaa‘idah informed us saying: Sulaymaan al-A’mash informed me: al-Minhaal Ibn ’Amr informed me saying: Zaadaan informed us saying: al-Baraa‘ informed me saying:

We went out with the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) in the Funeral Prayer for a man from the Ansaar (helpers).  So we stopped at the grave, and the niche at the side of it had not been dug out yet.  So the Messenger of Allaah raised his head to the sky, and then he looked down to the ground and conversed to himself.  He said: Then he said: “Seek refuge with Allaah from the Punishment of the Grave,” a few times. 

Then he said:

“Verily when the Muslim man has yet to reach the Hereafter, but he has already been cut off from this world, Angels from the sky descend upon him having faces like the sun.  So they sit as far as him as the eye can see, with them are the burial shrouds from the burial shrouds of Paradise, and embalming perfume from the embalming perfumes of Paradise.  So then the Angel of Death comes and sits at his head, so he says: “Come out, O good soul to the forgiveness of Allaah and His pleasure.” He said: “So it flows out as a drop flows out [from] a water-skin.  So when he takes it, he does not leave it in his hand for the blinking of an eye.” He said: “And there comes out from him a smell like the best musk to be found upon the face of the earth.  So they ascend with him, and they do not pass by any of the angels except that he says: Who is this good soul?  So they say: This is so and so.  So the doors of heavens are open for him, and they follow him through every level of heaven, until they reach the end of the seventh heaven. It is then said: “Write his book in highness (’illiyyeen).”  He said: So it is written.  He said: Then it is said: “Return to the earth, because it is from there that We created you. and it is to there that we return you, and it is from there that We raise you up again.”  So it is returned to his body, then the Angels come to him, then they say to him: Sit.  Who is your Lord?  So he says: My Lord is Allaah.  He said: They say: What is your Religion?  He said: He says: My Religion is Islaam.  So they say: Who is this man who was sent amongst you?  He says: He is the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam).  So they say: How did you come to know of him?  So he says: I read the Book of Allaah, and I believed in it, and I attested to it.  So it will be called out from the heavens: “Indeed he has spoken the truth, so make space for him in Paradise, and clothe him with the clothes of Paradise, and show him his place in Paradise.”  He said: So he will be allowed to see it and his grave will be made spacious for him as far as the eye can see.  A man with beautiful clothes, a handsome face, and a good smell will be presented to him; he will say: “Receive the glad tidings that will please you upon this day that you were promised.  So [he] will say: May Allaah have mercy upon you, who are you; because your face seems to represent goodness?  He said: So he says: I am your righteous deeds.”

He said: “However, if he was a disbeliever, Angels with black faces will descend upon him, and with them are coarse woolen cloths.  So they sit as far from him as the eye can see.”  He said: “And the Angel of death comes and sits at his head, so he says: Come out O foul soul to the Anger of Allaah and His displeasure.  He said: So he does not like to be taken out of his body.  He said: So he takes it out, he does not leave it in his hand for the blinking of an eye.  So the Angels take it in the burial shrouds of coarse woolen cloth.  He said: And there emanates from him the most offensive smelling stench like the foulest smelling corpse upon the face of the earth.  So they ascend with him, so they do not pass by any one of the Angels, except that he says: Who is this foul soul?  He says: “So and so,” using the most evil of names.  So when they reach the heaven, they open the door, but it closes upon him, and it is called out: “Return to the earth, since I created you from it, and to it I return you, and from it I shall raise you again.”  So he is placed back in his body, so the Angels come to him and they say: Sit.  So they say: Who is your Lord?  He said: He says: Haah, [haah], I do not know.  So they say: What is your Religion?  So he says: Haah, haah, I do not know.  I heard the people speaking.  He said: So they say: Who is this man who was sent amongst you?  He said: So it is called out from the sky: “Verily he has lied, so make space for him in the Fire, and clothe him with the clothes of the Fire.  And he will be shown his place in the Fire.  He said: So he will see his place in the Fire, and he will be overtaken by its heat and its scorching air, and his grave will be constricted for him, until his ribs start to interlace.  And then there will be represented a man with an ugly face, repulsive clothes, and a repugnant smell, so he will say: ‘Woe to you, who are you?  So by Allaah your face seems to resemble evil.’  So he will say: O lord, do not establish the Hour! [O Lord,] do not establish the Hour!”

CHECKING:

Shaykh Hamdee ’Abdul-Majeed as-Salafee says in his checking to al-Ahaadeethut-Tuwwaal (p. 59):

“It is related by Ahmad (4/287-288, 295, 296, [no. 18491-18492, 18570, 18571]) and by ’Abdur-Razzaaq (no. 6737), and by Aboo Daawood at-Tiyaalisee (no. 812), and al-Aajurree in ash-Sharee’ah (p. 367-370) and al-Haakim (1/37-40), and Aboo Daawood (no. 4727).  And it is related by an-Nisaa‘ee (4/78), and Aboo Daawood (no. 3196), and Ibn Maajah (no. 1548-1549), and Ahmad (4/297), and the first section is from him.  Al-Haakim said: It is saheeh (authentic) upon the condition of the two Shaykhs, and adh-Dhahabee agreed with him, and the affair is as they say.  It was also declared saheeh by Ibnul-Qayyim after he quoted its authentication from Abee Nu’aym and other than him.  Refer to Ahkaamul-Janaa‘iz of our Shaykh, Muhammad Naasirud-Deen al-Albaanee.”

The Life of this World is Fleeting Enjoyment

The Life of this World is Fleeting Enjoyment

Imam Ibn Kathir
Tafsir Ibn Katheer (Abridged) Volume 9
© Darussalam 2000

"Know that the life of this world is only play and amusement, pomp and mutual boasting among you, and rivalry in respect of wealth and children.  (It is) like a rain (Ghayth), thereof the growth is pleasing to the tiller; afterwards it dries up and you see it turning yellow; then it becomes straw.  But in the Hereafter (there is) a severe torment, and (there is) forgiveness from Allah and (His) pleasure.  And the life of this world is only a deceiving enjoyment." [57:20]

Allah the Exalted degrades the significance of this life and belittles it by saying,

"that the life of this world is only play and amusement, pomp and mutual boasting among you, and rivalry in respect of wealth and children."

Meaning, this is the significance of this life to its people, just as He said in another Ayah,

"Beautified for men is the love of things they covet; women, children, much of gold and silver (wealth), branded beautiful horses, cattle and well-tilled land.  This is the pleasure of the present world's life; but Allah has the excellent return with Him." ( 3:14 )

Allah the Exalted also sets a parable for this life, declaring that its joys are fading and its delights are perishable, saying that life is,

"Like a rain (Ghayth)," which is the rain that comes down to mankind, after they had felt despair.  Allah the Exalted said in another Ayah,

"And He is it Who sends down the Ghayth (rain) after they have despaired." (42:28)

Allah's statement,

"thereof the growth is pleasing to the tiller;" meaning that farmers admire the vegetation that grows in the aftermath of rain.  And just as farmers admire vegetation, the disbelievers admire this life; they are the most eager to acquire the traits of life, and life is most dear to them,

"afterwards it dries up and you see it turning yellow; then it becomes straw."

Meaning, that vegetation soon turns yellow in color, after being fresh and green.  After that, the green fades away and becomes scattered pieces of dust.  This is the parable of this worldly life, it starts young, then matures and then turns old and feeble.  This is also the parable of mankind in this life; they are young and strong in the beginning.  In this stage of life, they look youthful and handsome.  Slowly, they begin growing older, their mannerism changes and their strength weakens.  They then grow old and feeble; moving becomes difficult for them, while doing easy things becomes beyond their ability.  Allah the Exalted said,

"Allah is He Who created you in (a state of) weakness, then gave you strength after weakness, then after strength gave (you) weakness and gray hair.  He creates what He wills.  And He is the All-Knowing, the All-Powerful." (30:54)

This parable indicates the near demise of this life and the imminent end of it, while in contrast, the Hereafter is surely coming.  Those who hear this parable should, therefore, be aware of the significance of the Hereafter and feel eagerness in the goodness that it contains,

"But in the Hereafter (there is) a severe torment, and (there is) forgiveness from Allah and (His) pleasure.  And the life of this world is only a deceiving enjoyment."

Meaning, surely, the Hereafter that will certainly come contains two things either severe punishment or forgiveness from Allah and His good pleasure.

Allah the Exalted said,

"And the life of this world is only a deceiving enjoyment."

Meaning, this life is only a form of enjoyment that deceives those who incline to it.  Surely, those who recline to this life will admire it and feel that it is dear to them, so much so, that they might think that this is the only life, no life or dwelling after it.  Yet, in reality, this life is insignificant as compared to the Hereafter.

Imam Ahmad recorded that `Abdullah said that the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam, said,

" Paradise is nearer to any of you than the strap of his shoe, and so is the (Hell) Fire." [Ahmad 1:387]

Al-Bukhari collected this Hadith through the narration of Ath-Thawri [Fath al-Bari 11:328].  This Hadith indicates the close proximity of both good and evil in relation to mankind.  If this is the case, then this is the reason Allah the Exalted encouraged mankind to rush to perform acts of righteousness and obedience and to avoid the prohibitions.  By doing so, their sins and errors will be forgiven and they will acquire rewards and an exalted status.  Allah the Exalted said,

"Race with one another in hastening towards forgiveness from your Lord, and Paradise the width whereof is as the width of the heaven and the earth."

Allah the Exalted said in another Ayah,

"And march forth in the way (to) forgiveness from your Lord, and for Paradise as wide as the heavens and the earth, prepared for those who have Taqwa." (3:133)

Allah said here,

"prepared for those who believe in Allah and His Messengers.  That is the grace of Allah which He bestows on whom He is pleased with.  And Allah is the Owner of the great bounty."

Meaning, "This, that Allah has qualified them for, is all a part of His favor, bounty and compassion."  We mentioned a Hadith collected in the Sahih in which the poor emigrants said to the Messenger, sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam, "O Allah's Messenger!  The wealthy people will get higher grades and permanent enjoyment."  He asked, "Why is that?"  They said, "They pray like us and fast as we do.  However, they give in charity, whereas we cannot do that, and they free servants, whereas we cannot afford it."  The Prophet, sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam, said, "Shall I tell you of a good deed that, if you acted upon, you would catch up with those who have surpassed you? None would overtake you and be better than you, except those who might do the same.  Say, "Glorious is Allah," Allah is Most Great", and "Praise be to Allah", thirty three times each after every prayer."  They later came back and said, "Our wealthy brethren heard what we did and they started doing the same."  Allah's Messenger, sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam, said,

"This is the favor that He gives to whom He wills." [Muslim 1:416]

The Kaafir's reckoning in the Hereafter

The kaafir’s reckoning in the Hereafter

[From the fatwas of Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen, in Kitaab Fataawa Islaamiyyah, 1/82. ]

Question:
The believer will face his reckoning on the Day of Resurrection, whether his deeds are good or bad. But how will the reckoning of the kaafir be, when he is not required to observe the same duties as the believer?

Answer:
Praise be to Allaah. 

This question is based on a misconception, for the same requirements are demanded of the kaafir as of the believer, but he is not obliged to do them in this world. The indication that he is subject to the same requirements is to be found in the aayah (interpretation of the meaning): 

“Except those on the Right (i.e. the pious true believers of Islamic Monotheism).

In Gardens (Paradise) they will ask one another,

About Al‑Mujrimoon (polytheists, criminals, disbelievers) (and they will say to them):

‘What has caused you to enter Hell’

They will say: ‘We were not of those who used to offer the Salaah (prayers),

Nor we used to feed Al‑Miskeen (the poor);

And we used to talk falsehood (all that which Allaah hated) with vain talkers.

And we used to belie the Day of Recompense’”

[al-Muddaththir 74:39-46] 

If their suffering were not due to the fact that they did not pray or feed the poor, they would not mention these things. This indicates that they will be punished concerning (neglect of) the minor issues of Islam. This is based on the texts but it is also the matter of common sense, for if Allaah will punish His believing slave for what he failed to do with regard to religious obligations, how can He not punish His disbelieving slave? Rather I could add that the kaafir will be punished for everything that Allaah has blessed him with in this world, his food, drink, etc. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“Those who believe and do righteous good deeds, there is no sin on them for what they ate (in the past), if they fear Allaah (by keeping away from His forbidden things), and believe and do righteous good deeds, and again fear Allaah and believe, and once again fear Allaah and do good deeds with Ihsaan (perfection). And Allaah loves the good‑doers”

[al-Maa'idah 5:93] 

The apparent meaning of the aayah is that the believers are relieved of any blame for what they eat, and it may be understood that the kaafirs are to blame for what they eat. Similarly Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Say (O Muhammad): ‘Who has forbidden the adornment with clothes given by Allaah, which He has produced for His slaves, and At-Tayyibaat [all kinds of Halaal (lawful) things] of food?’ Say: ‘They are, in the life of this world, for those who believe, (and) exclusively for them (believers) on the Day of Resurrection (the disbelievers will not share them)’”

[al-A’raaf 7:32] 

The phrase “They are, in the life of this world, for those who believe” indicates that people other than the believers do not have any right to enjoy them. I say that they do not have any shar’i right to them, but the reality of this life is that Allaah has created these things and the kaafirs are benefitting from them, and this is something that cannot be denied. This indicates that the kaafir will be brought to account even for the permissible things that he ate and for what he wore. This is based on the texts but it is also the matter of common sense, for how can it make sense that this kaafir who disobeys Allaah and does not believe in Him should have the right to enjoy that which Allaah has created and blessed His slaves with? If this is clear to you, (then you will see that) the kaafir will be brought to account on the Day of Resurrection for his deeds, but the way in which the kaafir will be brought to account will not be like the way in which the believer is brought to account, because the reckoning of the believer will be easy, and his Lord will speak to him alone, and will make him admit to his sins, then He will say to him, “I concealed your sins in the world and I forgive you for them today.” But as for the kaafir – we seek refuge with Allaah – his reckoning will mean that he will confess to his sins and be humiliated before all the people,  

“and the witnesses will say, “These are the ones who lied against their Lord!” No doubt! the Curse of Allaah is on the Zaalimoon (polytheists, wrongdoers, oppressors)”

From the fatwas of Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen, in Kitaab Fataawa Islaamiyyah, 1/82.