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Shaykh Muhammad Ibn Sâlih Al-'Uthaymîn said:
The torment of the grave happens to the soul, and it is not something that has a physical effect. If it had a physical effect it would not be the matter of belief in the unseen and believing in it would not serve any purpose. But it is one of the matters of the unseen, and the way things are in al-Barzakh cannot be compared to the way things are in this world. Thirdly:
Torment and blessing, and whether the grave is widened or constricted, are matters that the deceased feels but others do not. A man may see in his dream, whilst he is lying on his bed, that he is standing and coming and going, hitting or being hit. He may see himself in a confined and frightening place, or in a spacious and pleasant place, but those around him cannot see or feel that.
What we are obliged to do regarding such matters is to say “We hear and obey, and we believe and affirm.” (Majmû’ Fatâwa Ibn ‘Uthaymîn 2/29).
Shaykh Salmân Ibn Fahd Al-'Awdah writes:
How many stories have we heard where people claim to have seen things taking place at graves? Someone mentions that a grave was opened up for one reason or other and flames were found inside. Someone else claims that the body had been mysteriously turned away from the direction of prayer. There is no end to such tales.
When anyone attempts to verify such stories, they are always traced back to unknown sources at best, or more often to dubious sources and known liars. Unfortunately, such stories are often repeated by preachers who do not care to verify their sources.
How may graves have been exposed by flood or by other causes in front of the public eye without ever once any evidence of the pleasure or pain of the deceased being at all evident?
The reason for this – and Allah knows best – is that the affairs of the state of existence known as
Barzakh – the “grave” – are not part of our physical world. They are connected with the affairs of the Hereafter. The physical laws that we know do not apply to the
Barzakh and our sensory abilities cannot perceive it. So even though the denizen of the grave may be experiencing a time of comfort or a time of pain, those who might happen to be in the vicinity of the physical body will not perceive it at all.
6. A person might have a dream about someone in particular who has passed away a dream that seems to indicate the state of being of the deceased. A dream can be from the remaining one-forty-sixth share of prophecy, and as such give someone a glimpse of the unseen world. However, it is never definitive or certain. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said to Abû Bakr when that eminent Companion interpreted a dream: “You got some of it right and some of it wrong.”
Ahmad b. Hanbal said: “A good dream pleases a believer without beguiling him.”
At best, a dream has something to tell the one who experiences it. However, it does not apply to other people and they are not supposed to believe in it. They can never be certain of the state that the one who claims to have had the dream was in. Often, they cannot assess the integrity or truthfulness of the person who is relating his dream. (IslamToday.com -
Cries from the Grave)
Shaykh Abû Bilâl Mustafâ Al-Kanadî notes:
But one may ask what happens to a person's body if it is partially or utterly destroyed due to an accident and is not buried in the earth. The scholars of old discussed this problem, resulting in the dependable view as stated by Ibn al-Qayyim:
"It should be known that the torment of the grave is the torment of the barzakh; thus everyone who dies and deserves to be punished must taste his portion thereof, whether he was buried in a grave or not. Consequently, if a person was eaten by a predator, burnt in a fire until he became ashes, blown up in the sky and scattered, or drowned in the sea, his designated punishment would reach his body [and soul] just as it reaches those in the graves." (Kitâb al-Rûh, p. 84)
(Mysteries of the Soul Expounded, p. 119)
All questions welcome.
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