In Islam, when a Muslim dies, he or she is buried inside a grave (hole dug inside the earth). The concept of Grave is important in Islam as it requires our firm belief on the knowledge of unseen which is also part of our Imaan. Islam also enjoins us to believe that Allah swt only has the knowledge of the unseen and for every matter regarding knowledge of unseen; a Muslim should turn to Quran and Hadith for help.
So the when a Muslim dies, he is lowered down to his final resting place where he shall remain till the Day of Judgment. However prophet(pbuh) told us that a grave ‘misses’ a person every day. He(pbuh) said “The Prophet (saws) said: "A day does not come to the grave without its saying, 'I am the house of exile, I am the house of solitude, I am the house of dust, I am the house of worms….”
(At-trimdhi 5352)
We also have a belief that a grave treats a believer differently and a non believer differently. For a believer there is enjoyment in the grave. The grave treats him like a special guest while for a non- believer the grave is no less than the hell. The grave punishes him for his disobedience to Allah swt in his worldly life.
Prophet(pbuh) said, "The grave (or the life of the soul between one's death and one's resurrection on the Day of Judgment) is one of the Gardens of Paradise, or one of the pits of Hell!" (At-trimdhi 5352)
Also prophet(pbuh) said,
“When a believer dies the grave says to him, 'Welcome and greeting; you are indeed the dearest to me of those who walk upon me. I have been given charge of you today. You have come to me, and you will see how I shall treat you (with dignity and honor).' It will then expand for him as far as the eye can see and a door to Paradise will be opened for him. But when the disbeliever is buried the grave says to him, `No welcome and no greeting to you.You are the most hateful to me of those who walk upon me. I have been given charge of you today. You have come to me, and you will see how I shall treat you.' Seventy dragons will be put in charge of him, of such a nature, that if one of them were to breathe on the earth, it would produce no crops as long as the world lasted, and they will bite and scratch him till he is brought to the Day of Reckoning."
Apart from this, there is also questioning of soul by the angels. We get this information from following hadith of Prophet(pbuh).
“The Prophet (saws) said: “When a believer is buried in the grave two angels will come to him (Munkar and Nakir, both have dark faces and blue eyes), make him sit up, and ask : ‘Who is your Lord?’ He will reply: ‘My Lord is Allah.’ They will ask him: ‘What is your religion?’ He will reply: ‘My religion is Islam.’ They will ask him: ‘What is your opinion about the man who was sent on a mission among you?’ He will reply: ‘He is the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him).’ They will ask: ‘ Who made you aware of this?’ He will reply: ‘I read Allah's Book, believed in it, and considered it true.’ Then a crier will call from Heaven: ‘My servant has spoken the truth. So spread a bed for him from Paradise, clothe him from Paradise, and open a door for him into Paradise.’ Then some of its air and perfume will come to him, and a space will be made for him as far as the eye can see. At the death of the unbeliever his soul will be restored to his body in the grave. Then two angels will come to him. They will make him sit up and ask him: ‘Who is your Lord?’ He will reply: ‘Alas, alas! I do not know.’ They will ask him: ‘What is your religion?’ He will reply: ‘Alas, alas! I do not know.’ They will ask: ‘Who was the man who was sent on a mission among you?’ He will reply: ‘Alas, alas! I do not know.’ Then a crier will call from Heaven: ‘He has lied, so spread a bed for him from Hell, clothe him from Hell, and open for him a door into Hell. Then some of its heat and burning hot wind will come to him, and his grave will be compressed, such that his ribs will be crushed together. An angel who is blind and dumb will then be placed in charge of him, having a sledge-hammer, such that, if a mountain were struck with it, it would become dust. He will give him a blow with it, which will be heard by everything between the east and the west except by men and jinn, and he will become dust. Then his soul will be restored to him (again).”
All above also highlight that the dead body may also experience some kind of punishment inside the grave. No one exactly knows what type of punishment it will be however it will be very severe as hinted by the prophet(pbuh).
“The people who invoke others with Allah, are passing through the ordeal in the graves. If it were not for the fact that you would stop burying your dead in the graves, I would have certainly made you hear the sound of the torment in the graves, which I hear." [Muslim]
By : Jahanzaib Jamshed
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