An Exposition of the Hearts

ON THE GRAVE AND QUESTIONING IN THE GRAVE

The Messenger of Allâh said: “When the deceased is placed in the grave, it will say to him: ‘Woe to you, O man! What deceived you about me? Did you not know that I am the abode of trials, the abode of darkness, the abode of isolation, and the abode of worms? What deceived you about me when you used to pass by me when you were alive?’ If he was a righteous person, someone will reply on his behalf saying: ‘Don’t you know that he used to command good and prohibit evil?’ The grave will say: ‘If that is the case, I will turn green and lush for him, his body will turn to light and his soul will go up to Allâh .’”

‘Ubayd ibn ‘Umayr al-Laythî rahimahullâh said: “No person dies without the hole in which he is to be buried calls out to him saying: ‘I am the abode of darkness, solitude and isolation. If you were obedient to Allâh in your life, I will be merciful to you today. If you were disobedient, I will be a terror to you today. I am the one who, if an obedient person enters me, he shall leave happily. And if a disobedient person enters me, he shall leave lamenting.’”

Muhammad ibn Subh rahimahullâh said: “We heard that when a person enters his grave and is punished therein or experiences anything distasteful, then his neighbours who are buried near him call out saying: ‘O you who remained behind in the world after his brothers and neighbours, didn’t you learn a lesson from us? Didn’t you ponder and reflect over our reaching the grave first? Did you not see our deeds coming to an end while you were given respite? Why did you not make up for what your brothers missed out?’ The lands of the earth call out: ‘O you who were deluded by this outward world! Why did you not learn a lesson from your family members who were already buried in the belly of the earth? Those who were deluded by the world before you and who were then taken away to the graves? You saw them being carried away by their beloved ones to that abode [grave] to which there is no alternative?’”

Yazîd ar-Riqâshî rahimahullâh said: “I heard that when a deceased is placed in his grave, his deeds surround him. Allâh then enables his deeds to speak. They say: ‘O you who are isolated in his hole. All your friends and relatives are severed from you today. You have no friend from among us today.” Ka‘b said: “When a righteous person is placed in the grave, his good deeds – salâh, fasting, pilgrimage, jihâd and charity – surround him. The angels of punishment then approach him from the direction of his feet. Salâh says: ‘Get away from him. There is no way of your getting to him. He used to spend lengthy periods standing before Allâh on his feet for my sake [i.e. to offer salâh].’ They then approach him from the direction of his head. Fasting says: ‘Get away from him. There is no way of your getting to him. He used to remain thirsty for lengthy periods for the sake of Allâh in the world. You therefore cannot get to him. They then approach him from the direction of his body. Pilgrimage and jihâd say: ‘Get away from him. He used to tire himself and fatigue his body. He performed pilgrimage and waged jihâd for the sake of Allâh . You therefore cannot get to him.’ They then approach him from the direction of his hands. Charity says: ‘Stay away from my friend. So much of charity came out of these two hands till they fell in the hand of Allâh , seeking the pleasure of Allâh . You therefore cannot get to him.’ It is then said to him: ‘Congratulations to you. You have done well while you were living and while you are dead as well.’ The angels of mercy then come to him and they lay out a carpet and a blanket from Paradise before him. His grave is then expanded for him as far as his eyes can see. A candle from Paradise is brought. He will enjoy its light till Allâh raises him from his grave.”

‘Ubaydullâh ibn ‘Ubayd ibn ‘Umayr rahimahullâh was in a funeral and said: “I heard that the Messenger of Allâh said: ‘The deceased sits and hears the footsteps of those above. But no one except his grave speaks to him. It says: ‘Woe to you, O man! Were you not warned about me? Were you not warned about my constriction, my stench, my terrifying appearance and my worms? What preparations did you make for me?’”

Al-Barâ’ ibn ‘Âzib said: “We went with the Messenger of Allâh for a funeral of a person from the Ansâr. The Messenger of Allâh sat by his grave with his head drooping down. He then said: ‘O Allâh! I seek refuge in You from the punishment of the grave.’ He said this three times. He then said: ‘When a believer is about to depart to the hereafter, Allâh sends angels whose faces beam like the sun. They come with his embalming ingredients and his shroud. They then sit as far as his eyes can see. When his soul leaves him, every angel between the heavens and the earth and every angel in the heavens send salutations to him. The doors of the heavens are opened. Every single door desires that his soul enters through it. When his soul is taken up, it is said: ‘O my Sustainer! Here is this servant of Yours.’ Allâh says: ‘Take him back and show him the honour that I prepared for him. I had promised him saying:

“It is from it [soil] that We created you, and in it We shall return you.” (Sûrah Tâ Hâ, 20: 55)

The deceased will hear the footsteps of the people who are returning [after having buried him]. He will be asked: “O you! Who is your Sustainer? What is your religion? Who is your Prophet?” He will reply: “Allâh is my Sustainer. Islam is my religion. Muhammad is my Prophet.” They then rebuke him severely. And this is the final tribulation that is imposed on the deceased. When he says that, someone from among us announces: “You have spoken the truth.” And this is the meaning of the words of Allâh :

“Allâh strengthens the believers with the firm word.” (Sûrah Ibrâhîm, 14: 27)

Then someone comes to him having a handsome face, a beautiful fragrance and wearing beautiful clothes. He says to him: “Take the glad tidings of the mercy of your Sustainer and gardens in which there are eternal bounties.” He replied: “And you, may Allâh give you glad tidings. Who are you?” He replies: “I am your good deeds. I take an oath by Allâh that I know that you were very swift in the obedience of Allâh and very slow in the disobedience of Allâh . So Allâh has rewarded you well.” An announcement is then made: “Lay out the carpets of Paradise for him and open for him a door to Paradise.” The carpets are laid out for him and a door to Paradise is opened for him. On seeing all this, he says: “O Allâh! Hasten the final hour so that I could return to my family and wealth.”

As for the unbeliever, when he is leaving for the hereafter and severing himself from the world, stern and harsh angels descend upon him. They have clothes of fire and lower garments of pitch. They surround him. When his soul leaves him, every angel that is between the heavens and the earth, and every angel in the heavens curse him. All the doors of the heavens are locked. Every door detests his having to pass through it. When his soul is taken up, it is flung, and it is said: “O Sustainer! This servant of Yours – neither do the heavens nor does the earth want to accept him.” Allâh says: “Take him back and show him the evil which I prepared for him. I had promised him saying:

“It is from it [soil] that We created you, and in it We shall return you.” (Sûrah Tâ Hâ, 20: 55)

Someone with a repulsive face, stinking smell and ugly clothes will come to him and say: “Take the glad tidings of the wrath of Allâh and a painful and eternal punishment.” He will say: “May Allâh give you glad tidings of evil. Who are you?” He will reply: “I am your evil deeds. I take an oath by Allâh that you were very swift in the disobedience of Allâh and very slow in His obedience. So Allâh has rewarded you with evil.” He will say: “May Allâh reward you with evil as well.”

Thereafter a deaf, blind and dumb creature will be appointed over him. This creature will have an iron rod. If all the humans and jinn tried to carry it they would not be able to do so. If a camel were to be struck by it, it would be reduced to dust. The creature will strike him once and he will be reduced to dust. His soul will return to him and he will be struck with it between his eyes. All those who are on earth will hear this strike. An announcement will then be made: “Lay out two slabs of fire for him and open for him a door to the Hell-fire.” Two slabs of fire will be laid down for him and a door to the Hell-fire will be opened for him.

Muhammad ibn Ka‘b al-Qurazî rahimahullâh used to recite this verse:

“Till death reaches one of them, he shall say: ‘O my Sustainer! Send me back. I might do some good deed in that which I left behind.’” (Sûrah al-Mu’minûn, 23: 99-100)

He said: Allâh will ask: “What do you want? What do you desire? Do you want to go back in order to accumulate wealth, plant plantations, build buildings, and cause springs to flow?” He will reply: “No. So that I might do some good deed in that which I left behind.” The almighty Allâh will say: Never! It is merely a word that he utters.” In other words, he will say this at the time of death.

Abu Hurayrah narrates that the Prophet said: “A believer in his grave will be in a green and lush garden. His grave will be widened till it is 70 feet. It will be illuminated to such an extent that it will be like the full moon. Do you know with regard to what this verse was revealed?:

“for him is a life of constriction.” (Sûrah Tâ Hâ, 20: 124)

The Companions y replied: “Allâh and His Messenger know best.” He said: “With regard to the punishment of the unbeliever in his grave. Ninety nine monsters will be imposed on him. Do you know what a monster is? It is ninenty snakes. Each snake will have seven heads. They will maul him, devour him and blow into his body till the resurrection.”

One should not be astonished by this specific number. The number of these snakes and scorpions are equivalent to the number of evil characteristics be they pride, showing off, envy, deception, malice, and all other evil traits and characteristics. They have a certain number of bases. Numberous branches subdivide from them. These subdivisions have further categories. It is those very [evil] characteristics that are destructive. And it is they themselves that turn into scorpions and snakes. The strong [evil] characteristics result in the biting by monsters, the weak among them result in the biting by scorpions, while those in-between result in the biting by snakes.

Those who delve into the hearts and who are endowed with insight are able to witness these destructive characteristics and their subdivisions through the light of insight. However, their exact number cannot be known except through the light of prophet-hood. Therefore, such narratives are outwardly authentic while having hidden mysteries as well. However, they are explicit to those endowed with insight. So the person to whom the reality of these narratives are not exposed should not reject their outward forms. Rather, the least stage of îmân is to believe them and accept them.