The First Night In The Grave

The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said, “Everyone who dies – then his actions are sealed except for the one guarding the border in the way of Allah – his actions continue to increase for him until the Day of Resurrection and he is saved from the trials of the Grave.” [Sahih: Abu Dawud, at-Tirmidhee, al-Haakim: from Fadaalah ibn ‘Ubaid & Ahmad from ‘Uqbah ibn ‘Aamir.]

The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said, “Verily the grave is the first stopping place for the Hereafter; so if he is saved therein, then what comes after is easier than it. And if he is not saved therefrom, then that which comes after is harder.” [Hasan: At-Tirmidhee, Ibn Maajah, al-Haakim: from ‘Uthmaan.]

The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said, “When the dead person is buried two black-blue angels come to him, one called al-Munkar and the other called an-Nakeer, and they say to him: ‘What had you used to say about this man, Muhammad?’ So he says what he used to say: ‘Allah’s slave and His Messenger, I bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped except Allah and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.’ So they say: ‘Verily we knew that you (would) say that.’ Then his grave is widened for him to the extent of seventy cubits by seventy, then it is made light for him, then it is said: ‘ Sleep.’ So he says: ‘I should go to my family and inform them.’ So they say: ‘Sleep as the newly married sleeps whom no-one awakes except his favourite wife.’ Until Allah raises him up from that place of sleep. And if he is a hypocrite (munaafiq), he says: ‘I heard the people saying something so I said it too, I don’t know.’ So they say: ‘We knew that you (would) say that.’ So it is said to the earth: ‘Crush him’, so he is crushed until his cross over and he remains in the state of torture until Allah raises him up from that resting place.” [Hasan: At-Tirmidhee from Abu Hurairah.]

The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said, “When a human being is laid in his grave and his companions return and he even hears their foot steps, two angels come to him and make him sit and ask him: ‘What did you use to say about this man, Muhammad?’ He will say: ‘I testify that he is Allah’s slave and His Apostle.’ Then it will be said to him, ‘Look at your place in the Hell-Fire. Allah has given you a place in Paradise instead of it.'” The Prophet added, “The dead person will see both his places. But a non-believer or a hypocrite will say to the angels, ‘I do not know, but I used to say what the people used to say!’ It will be said to him, ‘Neither did you know nor did you take the guidance (by reciting the Quran).’ Then he will be hit with an iron hammer between his two ears, and he will cry and that cry will be heard by whatever approaches him except human beings and jinns.” [Sahih Bukhari, Book #23, Hadith #422, Muslim, Ahmad, Abu Dawud, an-Nasaa.ee: from Anas]

Al-Bara’ ibn Azib said: “We went out with the Apostle of Allah (peace be upon him) accompanying the bier of a man of the Ansar. When we reached his grave, it was not yet dug. So the Apostle of Allah (peace be upon him) 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 Apostle 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; 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.” [Sahih: Ahmad, Abu Dawud (Book #40, Hadith #4735) Ibn Khuzaimah, al-Haakim, al-Baihaqee in ‘Shu’ab ul-Imaan’, ad-Diyaa: from al-Baraa.]

Narrated Al-Bara’ bin ‘Azib : “The Prophet (p.b.u.h) said, “When a faithful believer is made to sit in his grave, then (the angels) come to him and he testifies that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah and Muhammad is Allah’s Apostle. And that corresponds to Allah’s statement: “Allah will keep firm those who believe with the word that stands firm…” (Surah Ibrahim 14.27)”” (Sahih Bukhari, Book #23, Hadith #450)

The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said, “…the righteous man sits in his grave and is not alarmed or afraid, then it is said to him (by angels): ‘In (what state) were you?’ So he says: ‘In the (state of) Islam.’ So it is said to him: ‘What is this man?’ So he says: ‘Muhammad the Messenger of Allah who came to us with clear signs from Allah, so we believed that.’ Then it is said to him: ‘Have you seen Allah?’ So he says: ‘It does not behove any man that he sees Allah.’ So an opening is made for him in the direction of the Fire, so he sees it, some parts of it smashing into others, and it is said to him: ‘Look at what Allah, the Exalted, has saved you from.’ Then an opening is made for him in the direction of Paradise, and he looks to its brilliance and what is therein and it is said to him: ‘This is your place.’ And it is said to him: ‘You were upon certain Faith and died upon it and upon it you will be raised up, if Allah wills.’ And the wicked man sits in his grave alarmed and terrified and so it is said to him: ‘In what state were you?’ So he says: ‘I do not know.’ So it is said to him: ‘Who is this man?’ So he says: ‘I heard the people saying something so I said it!’ So an opening is made for him in the direction of Paradise and he sees its brilliance and what is therein, and it is said to him: ‘Look at what Allah has refused you.’ Then an opening is made for him in the direction of the Fire, so he sees it crashing against itself and it is said: ‘This is your place, you lived upon doubt and died upon it and you will be raised up upon it, if it is Allah’s will.” [Sahih: Ibn Maajah from Abu Hurairah.]

Narrated by Ibn ‘Abbas: “The Prophet once passed by two graves and said, “These two persons are being tortured not for a major sin (to avoid). One of them never saved himself from being soiled with his urine, while the other used to go about with calumnies (to make enmity between friends).” The Prophet then took a green leaf of a date-palm tree, split it into (pieces) and fixed one on each grave. They said, “O Allah’s Apostle! Why have you done so?” He replied, “I hope that their punishment might be lessened till these (the pieces of the leaf) become dry.” (Sahih Bukhari, Book #4, Hadith #217)