Light in the Grave

format_quote Originally Posted by MohammadRafique

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Light in the Grave

Muhammad Rafique Etesame

According to the teachings of Islam, when a dead man put in the grave, two Angels ‘Munkar and Nakeer’ come there and put on three questions to the dead:-
(1) Who is your Lord (Rab)?
(2) What is your religion?
(3) Who is your Prophet (PBUH)?

Then the one who is Muslim and has passed an Islamic life, suddenly answered that,” Allah is my Lord and Islam is my religion and Muhammad (May peace and mercy of Allah be upon him) is my Prophet”. Then the Angels after being satisfied by his answers open a window in the grave from Paradise and say to him that he should take rest and have a sound sleep and there is no grief over him at all.

On the other hand, when a none-Muslim is put in the grave and being asked three questions, he replies, “I don’t know who is my Lord and what my religion is and who is My Prophet (PBUH)”?

Then the Angels open a window from Hell and he feels the heat of it. The holy Prophet (PBUH) said,” Don’t think about the grave that it is only a piles of clay, but it is either a ditch from Hell or is a garden from Paradise.”

Religious scholars say that the faithful believer who offer prayers five times daily and recites the holy Qur’an, so these good actions spread light in the grave. They also tells about the salient features of some Qur;anic surahs like surah Al-Yaseen, Ar-Rahman, surah Almulk and sruah Al-Waqiyah specially for spreading light and state of peace and tranquility in the grave. May Allah Almighty give us power to recite the holy Qur’an regularly particularly the above mentioned surahs, Amin!

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "When (Allah's) slave is put in his grave and his companions return and he even hears their footsteps, two angels come to him and make him sit and ask, 'What did you use to say about this man (i.e. Muhammad)?' The faithful Believer will say, 'I testify that he is Allah's slave and His Apostle.' Then they will say to him, 'Look at your place in the Hell Fire; Allah has given you a place in Paradise instead of it.' So he will see both his places." (Qatada said, "We were informed that his grave would be made spacious." Then Qatada went back to the narration of Anas who said Whereas a hypocrite or a non-believer will be asked, "What did you use to say about this man." He will reply, "I do not know; but I used to say what the people used to say." So they will say to him, "Neither did you know nor did you take the guidance (by reciting the Qur'an)." Then he will be hit with iron hammers once, that he will send such a cry as everything near to him will hear, except Jinns and human beings. (See Hadith No. 422).

Narrated Al-Bara ibn Azib: We went out with the Messenger of Allah صلی -اللہ -علیہ -وسلم accompanying the bier of a man of the Ansar. When we reached his grave, it was not yet dug. So the Messenger of Allah صلی -اللہ -علیہ -وسلم sat down and we also sat down around him as if birds were over our heads. He had in his hand a stick with which he was scratching the ground. He then raised his head and said: Seek refuge with Allah from the punishment in the grave. He said it twice or thrice. The version of Jabir adds here: He hears the beat of their sandals when they go back, and at that moment he is asked: O so and so! Who is your Lord, what is your religion, and who is your Prophet? Hannad's version says: Two angels will come to him, make him sit up and ask him: 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 صلی -اللہ -علیہ -وسلم. They will ask: Who made you aware of this? He will reply: I read Allah's Book, believed in it, and considered it true; which is verified by Allah's words: Allah's Book, believed in it, and considered it true, which is verified by Allah's words: Allah establishes those who believe with the word that stands firm in this world and the next. The agreed version reads: 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. So 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. He also mentioned the death of the infidel, saying: His spirit will be restored to his body, two angels will come to him, 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 pestilential wind will come to him, and his grave will be compressed, so that his ribs will be crushed together. Jabir's version adds: One 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 spirit will be restored to him.
REFERENCE:
sunan abu dawood 3: Chapter 42, Hadith 4753

I quoted two hadiths above and both are Sahih. From these hadith we find that there is a 4th question which is equally important and this will be asked to both believers and non-believers.

The angels will ask those who will answer first three questions correctly,"How did you know the answer to these question." They will reply, " I read Allah's Book (Quran), believed in it and considered it to be true."

As quoted in hadith of Sahih Bukhari above, when a hypocrite or a non-believer will be asked, "What did you use to say about this man." He will reply, "I do not know; but I used to say what the people used to say." So they will say to him, "Neither did you know nor did you take the guidance (by reciting the Qur'an)."

From this we see that it is very important to read Quran and try to understand Quran. It is also important that we don't follow anything blindly. We have Sahih hadiths and Quran for guidance and instead of following a Madhab blindly, we should seek guidance from Quran and Sunnah. Those who follow a madhab blindly should look at the answer given by hypocrites in above hadiths. I think it is a sensitive topic for many but it is important for our salvation. It is beyond me that how one can say all four madhabs are right when we have very clear differences in each Madhab.

Ahadiths have not mentioned any Imam. There is not a single hadith which says you have to follow one of the Imam to be a Muslim.

There are many ahadiths about Imam Mehdi but not a single hadith for Imam Abu Hanifa, or Imam Shafi or Imam Malik or Imam Ahmed.

Quran and Hadith only talk about being Muslim and for that only criteria is to read Quran and Hadith at your own. Find time to read and understand those if you want to answer these questions in grave. Best of luck to those who still want to stick to a madhab.