Does Life return to the Dead in the Grave?
All praise be to Allah and may peace and blessings of Allah be upon the Messenger and upon his family and Companions. As for what follows:
The Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Legal Rulings read the following question addressed to the General Director, the text of which is as follows:
Question:
"I have heard the scholars of Islam saying that the dead person becomes alive in the grave and answers the questions of the angels and that he is punished if it is clear from his answers that he is a disbeliever and did not practice Islam during the life of this world. As a novice in the study of the fundamentals of Islam, I have not found any clear evidence in the Noble Qur'an which proves the examination and the punishment in the grave. Allah, the Most High says:
(It will be said to the pious:) "O you soul in (complete) rest and satisfaction! Come back to your Lord well-pleased (with yourself) and well-pleasing (unto Him). Enter you then among My honored servants and enter My Paradise."
According to my weak understanding, the soul will return to its Lord after leaving the body and I did not understand that the soul will be with its body in the grave in a state of ease and comfort. Allah also says:
They will say: "Our Lord! You have made us to die twice (i.e. we were dead in the loins of our fathers and dead after our deaths in this world) and you have given us life twice (i.e. life when we were born and life when we are resurrected)."
I understand from this Verse also that death comes to us twice: Once at the time of the sperm and once at the time when the soul leaves the body. I also understand that life is given to us twice: Once in the belly of the mother and once at the time of Resurrection. I did not understand from the Verse that it proves the questioning and punishment in the grave. Allah, the Most High says:
"They will say: "Woe to us! Who has raised us up from our place of sleep?
This proves that the disbelievers are sleeping, and sleep in the grave would preclude punishment therein. Lastly, your eminence, I hope that I receive a satisfactory answer from you, as your replies always are."
Answer:
Firstly: Just as proofs for legal rulings are derived from the Qur'an, so they are derived from the confirmed Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah, his words and deeds and those things of which he expressed approval, based upon the generality of Allah's Words:
And whatsoever the Messenger (Muhammad) gives you, take it, and whatever he forbids you abstain (from it).
This is because he does not speak of his own desire, he only legislates what is revealed to him from Allah, the Most High, as He, the Most Glorified says:
"Nor does he speak of his own desire. It is only an inspiration that is inspired. He has been taught (this Qur'an)
by one mighty in power (Jibril). In general, obedience to him and the law he brought is evidence of belief in Allah and love of Him, Most Glorified be He, the consequence of which is Allah's love in return and forgiveness from Him for those who obey him. Allah says:
"Say (O Muhammad to mankind): "If you (really) love Allah, then follow me (i.e. accept Islamic Monotheism, and follow the Qur'an and Sunnah), Allah will love you and forgive you your sins. And Allah is Most Forgiving, Most Merciful."
Allah, the Most High has commanded us to obey him and ruled that obedience to him is obedience to Allah. He, the Most High says:
" Say (O Muhammad): "Obey Allah and obey the Messenger (Muhammad)." But if you turn away, then Allah loves not the disbelievers.
He says:
"O you who believe! Obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those among you who are in authority. And if you differ in anything among yourselves, then refer it to Allah and His Messenger, if you believe in Allah and the Last Day. That is better and more suitable for final determination.
And He says:
"A He who obeys the Messenger has indeed obeyed Allah, but he who turns away, then We have not sent you Muhammad) as a watcher over them.
There are other such Verses in the Qur'an which command obedience to the Messenger, accepting what he brought and acting upon it. Thus, the confirmed Sunnah from him is a valid source of evidence in matters of belief and action, just as the Verses of the Qur'an are a valid source of evidence by which legal rulings are confirmed, both clear and derived, in conformity with the rules of Arabic language and the Arabs understanding of their language.
Secondly: The punishment of the disbelievers in their graves is logical, quite possible, and there is evidence for its occurrence in the Words of Allah. the Most High:
And an evil torment encompassed Pharaoh's people: The Fire they are exposed to it morning and afternoon. And on the Day when the Hour will be established, (it will be said to the angels:) "Admit Pharaoh's people to the severest torment."
This is a clear proof of the punishment in the grave by the Fire, since there will be no morning and afternoon on the Day of Resurrection, and because Allah says, at the end of the Verse:
"And on the Day when the Hour will be established, (it will be said to the angels:) "Admit Pharaoh's people to the severest torment."
- this shows that there is an earlier punishment before the Hour is established, which is that they will be shown the Fire. This could refer to nothing but the punishment in the grave. Likewise, Allah says:
"So leave them alone till they meet their Day, in which they will sink into a faint (with horror). The Day when their plotting shall not avail them at all, nor will they be helped (i.e. they will receive their punishment in Hell). And verily, for those who do wrong, there is another punishment (i.e. the torment in this world and in their graves) before this, but most of them know not.
This proves that the disbelievers will suffer an earlier punishment before the establishment of the Hour. This is general, covering the punishment which Allah may inflict upon them in the life of this world and that which He will inflict upon them in their graves, before they are resurrected to the greater punishment. It has been confirmed in the authentic Hadiths that the Prophet used to seek protection with Allah from the punishment of the grave and he ordered his Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, to do likewise. It has also been confirmed from him that after praying the solar eclipse prayer, he addressed the people and ordered them to seek refuge with Allah from the punishment of the grave. He did the same three times in the Gharqad Graveyard while he was digging a grave for one of his dead Companions, may Allah be pleased with them. If the punishment of the grave was not an established fact, he would not have sought protection with Allah from it, nor would he have ordered his Companions to do so.
Regarding Allah's statements:
Allah will keep firm those who believe with the word that stands firm in this world (i.e. they will keep on worshipping Allah, Alone and none other) and in the Hereafter. And Allah will cause to go astray those who are Zalimun (polytheists and wrongdoers etc.) and Allah does what He
The Prophet made it clear that based on this, the believer will be kept firm (in his faith) while the disbeliever will fail, when each one of them is examined in his grave. He also explained that the believer will be rewarded for his answer with ease and comfort in his grave, and that the disbeliever will fail (to answer) and hesitate, and he will be punished in the grave. This will be shown shortly in the Hadith of Al-Bara' bin 'Azib, may Allah be pleased with him. Also among the proofs of the punishment of the grave is the narration authentically reported in the Two Sahihs, on the authority of Ibn 'Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Prophet passed by two graves and said:
"They (i.e. the occupants) are being punished, but they are not being punished for a grievous sin. As for one of them, he did not keep himself safe from being defiled by urine, and as for the other, he used to carry tales."
He then called for a fresh palm leaf and split it into two parts, and planted them on each grave and said:
"Perhaps their punishment will be lightened as long as they remain fresh .Confirmation of the questioning and consequent ease or punishment in the grave, according to the inhabitant's beliefs and actions, has been widely reported on the authority of the Messenger of Allah to such an extent that it is not possible to doubt it. No dispute in the matter is known from the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, and this is why Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah confirm it. Among the narrations which confirm it are those of Imam Ahmad in his Musnad, Abu Dawud in his Sunan, Al-Hakim and Abu 'Awanah Al- Asfara'eeni in their Sahihs, who report on the authority of Al- Bara bin 'Azib, may Allah be pleased with him, that he said: We were at a funeral in Al-Gharqad Graveyard when Allah's Messenger came to us and sat down, so we sat down around him, as if there were birds upon our heads, while he was digging, and he said:
"I seek refuge with Allah from the punishment of the grave. three times, and then he said:
«Verily, when a believing servant is close to the Hereafter and
Page. noabout to leave the life of this world, the angels come down to him, and their faces are (shining) like the sun, and with them is a shroud from the shrouds of Paradise and embalming fluid from the fragrances of Paradise, and they sit within range of vision. Then the angel of death comes and sits by his head and says: "O you fine soul! Come out to forgiveness from Allah and favor."
He said:
"And it slides out as a drop (of water) slides out from a water-skin, and then he takes it, but when he takes it, they (i.e. the other angels) leave it in his hand only for the blink of an eye. Then they take it and place it in the shroud and the embalming fluid, and the aroma which emanates from it is like the finest musk found on the face of the earth."
He said:
"Then they ascend with it and they do not pass by a single group of angels without them asking: "Who is this fine soul?" They reply: "It is so-and-so, the son of so-and-so, calling him by the finest names by which he was known in the life of this world, until they reach the heaven. Then they ask for permission for it to enter and the heaven is opened for it (i.e. the soul), and the inhabitants of each heaven escort it to the next heaven, until they arrive with it in the heaven in which is Allah. Then Allah, the Almighty, the Majestic says: "Write the record of My worshipper in 'Illiyyin," return him to the earth, for I created them from it, and to it I return them, and from it I will send them forth once again. then He said:
"Then the soul is returned to its body and then two angels come to him and they sit with him and say to him: "Who is your Lord?" He replies: "My Lord is Allah." Then they say to him: "What is your religion?" And he answers: "My religion is Islam." Then they ask him: "Who is this man who was sent to you?" He replies: "He is the Messenger of Allah." Then they say to him: "What is your knowledge?" He says: "I have read the Book of Allah and have faith in it and I believe it." Then a voice from the heaven calls: "My servant has told the truth, so furnish him from Paradise and open up Then the air and the fragrance of it come to him and his grave is widened for him as far as he can see.
He said:
"Then a handsome man comes to him, adorned with fine clothes and a pleasant aroma, and he says to him : "Rejoice at what pleases you; this is your day, which you were promised." He will ask the man: "Who are you? Your face is that of one who brings goodness." And he will reply: "I am your righteous deeds." He will say: "O my Lord! Establish the Hour, so that I may return to my family and my property."
He said:
"And verily, the disbelieving person, when he is close to the Hereafter and about to leave the life of this world, angels come down to him from heaven, their faces are black, with them is a coarse piece of sackcloth, and they sit within his sight. Then the angel of death comes and sits near his head and says: "O you wicked soul! Come out to wrath and anger from Allah!"'
He said:
"And it begins to spread out in his body and he (i.e. the angel of death) pulls it (i.e. the soul) out like a skewer being removed from wet wool. He takes it, and tohen he takes it, they do not leave it in his hand for more than the blink of an eye before they place it in that sackcloth and the most foul smell found on the face of the earth emanates from it. Then they ascend with it, and they do not pass by a single group of angels toithout them asking: "Who is this evil soul?" They reply: "So-and-so, the son of so-and-so," calling him by the most ugly names by which he was known in the life of this world, until they reach the lowest heaven with it. Then they ask permission for him to enter, but it is not opened for him.
Then Allah's Messenger recited:
For them the gates of heaven will not be opened and they will not enter Paradise until the camel passes through the eye of a needle (which is impossible)."
"And then Allah, the Almighty and Majestic says: "Write his record in Sijjin!" in the lowest earth." And his soul is cast down.»
Then he recited:
And whoever assigns partners to Allah, it is as if he had fallen from the sky and the birds had snatched him, or the wind had thrown him to a far off place.
Then his soul is returned to his body and two angels come to him and they sit with him and say to him: "Who is your Lord?" He replies: "Ah! Ah! I do not know!" Then they ask him: "Who is this man who was sent to you?" He answers: "Ah! Ah! I do not know!" Then a voice from the heaven calls: "He has lied!" Furnish him with fire and open for him a door to the Hell-Fire." Then the heat of it and the wind of it come to him and his grave is made so narrow for him that his ribs are displaced. Then a man with an ugly face and a foul smell comes to him and says: "Rejoice at what torments you; this is your day, which you were promised." He will ask: "Who are you, for your face is the face of one who brings evil?" He will reply: "I am your evil deeds." So he will say: "My Lord! Do not establish the Hour!"
Thirdly: It is not beyond belief that the angels would question the dead in their graves, the dead will answer them, and they will receive reward, according to their deeds. Nor is it inconsistent with Allah's Magnificent Ability and the wonders of His Universal Sunnah that He should reward the Believers in their graves and punish the disbelievers in theirs. For anyone who looks at creation, then he will clearly see the universality of Allah's Will and its implementation, the all- pervasive nature of His Power, its perfection and the excellence of His creation and the precision of His organization (of the universe), His fashioning of His creation and how He has made it easy for him (i.e. man) to believe in the authentic narrations concerning the examination of those in the graves and their (subsequent) reward or punishment. It has been authentically reported in them that Allah, the Most High will return the soul to the dead person after he has been buried - a return which will leave him alive, living in Al-Barzakh, in between the life of this world and his life after Allah sends him forth on the Day of Resurrection.
This life between the two lives (i.e. of this world and the Hereafter) makes it possible for him to hear the questions and answer them if Allah grants him success and to make him feel the felicity (of Paradise) or the torment (of Hell). We have already mentioned the Hadiths concerning this. And to Allāh belong all the affairs of His organization and His creation,which human minds are incapable of encompassing due to their limited capacity, nor can they change them, rather they are controlled by their power. If you are unable to fathom the reality thereof, or understand its scope or its vastness, then it is an obligation upon man to attribute this to his own inability to comprehend, rather than attributing it to an inability on the part of his Lord's Knowledge, His Wisdom and His Ability.
Source:
Fatawa Islamiyah, Vol. 1 Pages 117-->131
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