The Journey into the Hereafter - The Unbeliever in the Grave (part 5 of 8)
Since 2012-12-03
A description of the life in the grave between death and Judgment Day for the rejecting disbeliever.
The Unbeliever in the Grave
As death approaches the wicked disbeliever, he is made to feel something of the heat of the Hellfire. This taste of what is to come causes him to plead for a second chance on earth to do the good he knew he should have done. Alas! His pleading will be in vain.
{Until, when death comes to one of them (those who join partners with Allah), he says: "My Lord! Send me back, (99) "So that I may do good in that which I have left behind!" No! It is but a word that he speaks, and behind them is Barzakh (a barrier) until the Day when they will be resurrected.} [Al-Mu’minoon 23:99-100].
{حَتَّىٰ إِذَا جَاءَ أَحَدَهُمُ الْمَوْتُ قَالَ رَبِّ ارْجِعُونِ ﴿٩٩﴾ لَعَلِّي أَعْمَلُ صَالِحًا فِيمَا تَرَكْتُ ۚ كَلَّا ۚ إِنَّهَا كَلِمَةٌ هُوَ قَائِلُهَا ۖ وَمِن وَرَائِهِم بَرْزَخٌ إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ يُبْعَثُونَ}المؤمنون: 99-100
Transliteration: Hatta itha jaa ahadahumu almawtu qala rabbi irjiAAooni (99) LaAAallee aAAmalu salihan feemataraktu kalla innaha kalimatun huwa qailuha wamin waraihim barzakhun ila yawmi yubAAathoona
Divine wrath and punishment is conveyed to the wicked soul by hideously ugly, dark angels who sit far away from it:
“Receive glad tidings of boiling water, wound discharge, and multiple, similar torments.” [Declared Hasan (good) by Al-Albani].
«...وأبشري بحميم وغساق، وآخر من شكله أزواج» حسنه الألباني
The disbelieving soul will not look forward to meeting its Lord God, as the Prophet explained:
“When the time of the death of a disbeliever approaches, he receives the evil news of God’s torment and His Requital, whereupon nothing is more hateful to him than what is before him. Therefore, he hates the meeting with God, and God too, hates the meeting with him.” [Saheeh Al-Bukhari].
«إن الكافر إذا حضر بشر بعذاب الله وعقوبته، فليس شيء أكره إليه مما أمامه، فكره لقاء الله وكره الله لقاءه» رواه البخاري
The Prophet also said:
“Whoever loves to meet God, God loves to meet him, and whoever hates to meet God, God hates to meet him.” [Saheeh Al-Bukhari].
«من أحب لقاء الله أحب الله لقاءه، ومن كره لقاء الله كره الله لقاءه» رواه البخاري
The Angel of Death sits at the head of the disbeliever in his grave and says: “Wicked soul, come out to the displeasure of Allah” as he snatches the soul out of the body.
{… And if you could but see when the Zalimun (polytheists and wrong-doers, etc.) are in the agonies of death, while the angels are stretching forth their hands (saying): "Deliver your souls! This day you shall be recompensed with the torment of degradation because of what you used to utter against Allah other than the truth. And you used to reject His Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) with disrespect!"} [Al-An’am 6:93].
{...وَلَوْ تَرَىٰ إِذِ الظَّالِمُونَ فِي غَمَرَاتِ الْمَوْتِ وَالْمَلَائِكَةُ بَاسِطُو أَيْدِيهِمْ أَخْرِجُوا أَنفُسَكُمُ ۖ الْيَوْمَ تُجْزَوْنَ عَذَابَ الْهُونِ بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَقُولُونَ عَلَى اللَّـهِ غَيْرَ الْحَقِّ وَكُنتُمْ عَنْ آيَاتِهِ تَسْتَكْبِرُونَ} الأنعام: 93
Transliteration: walaw tara ithi alththalimoona fee ghamarati almawti waalmalaikatu basitoo aydeehim akhrijoo anfusakumu alyawma tujzawna AAathaba alhooni bima kuntum taqooloona AAala Allahi ghayra alhaqqi wakuntum AAan ayatihi tastakbiroona
{And if you could see when the angels take away the souls of those who disbelieve (at death), they smite their faces and their backs, (saying): "Taste the punishment of the blazing Fire."} [Al-Anfaal 8:50].
{وَلَوْ تَرَىٰ إِذْ يَتَوَفَّى الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا ۙ الْمَلَائِكَةُ يَضْرِبُونَ وُجُوهَهُمْ وَأَدْبَارَهُمْ وَذُوقُوا عَذَابَ الْحَرِيقِ} الأنفال: 50
Transliteration: Walaw tara ith yatawaffa allatheena kafaroo almalaikatu yadriboona wujoohahum waadbarahum wathooqoo AAathaba alhareeqi
The evil soul leaves the body with great difficulty, drawn out by the angels as a thronged skewer is dragged through wet wool. [Authenticated by Al-Albani].
«...فينتزعها كما ينتزع السفود من الصوف المبلو، فيأخذها...» صححه الألباني
The Angel of Death then seizes the soul and puts it in a sack woven from hair which gives off a putrid stench, as foul and offensive as the most foul-smelling rotting corpse found on earth. The angels then take the soul up past another company of angels who inquire: “Who is this wicked soul?” to which they reply: “So and so, the son of so and so?” - using the very worst of names that he was ever called during his time on earth. Then, when he is brought to the lowest heaven, a request is made that its gate be opened for him, but the request is denied. Whilst the Prophet was describing these events, when he reached this point, he recited:
{… for them the gates of heaven will not be opened, and they will not enter Paradise until the camel goes through the eye of the needle (which is impossible)…} [Al-A’raaf 7:40].
{...لَا تُفَتَّحُ لَهُمْ أَبْوَابُ السَّمَاءِ وَلَا يَدْخُلُونَ الْجَنَّةَ حَتَّىٰ يَلِجَ الْجَمَلُ فِي سَمِّ الْخِيَاطِ...} الأعراف: 40
Transliteration: la tufattahu lahum abwabu alssamai wala yadkhuloona aljannata hatta yalija aljamalu fee sammi alkhiyati
God will say: “Record his book in Sijjeen in the lowest earth.”
…and his soul is cast down. At this juncture, the Prophet, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, 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.} [Al-Hajj 22:31].
{... وَمَن يُشْرِكْ بِاللَّـهِ فَكَأَنَّمَا خَرَّ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ فَتَخْطَفُهُ الطَّيْرُ أَوْ تَهْوِي بِهِ الرِّيحُ فِي مَكَانٍ سَحِيقٍ} الحج: 31
Transliteration: waman yushrik biAllahi fakaannamakharra mina alssamai fatakhtafuhu alttayru aw tahwee bihi alrreehu fee makanin saheeqin
The wicked soul is then restored to its body and the two fearsome, dread-inspiring angels, Munkar and Nakeer, come to it for its interrogation. After making him sit up, they ask:
Munkar and Nakeer: “Who is your Lord?”
Disbelieving soul: “Alas, alas, I do not know.”
Munkar and Nakeer: “What is your religion?”
Disbelieving soul: “Alas, alas, I do not know.”
Munkar and Nakeer: “What do you say about this man (Muhammad) sent to you?”
Disbelieving soul: “Alas, alas I do not know.”
The cry will be heard from heaven: “He has lied, so spread out carpets of Hell for him, and open for him a portal into Hell.” [Authenticated by Al-Albani].
«...فإذا أخذها لم يدعوها في يده طرفة عين، حتى يجعلوها في تلك المسوح، ويخرج منها كأنتن ريح خبيثة وجدت على وجه الأرض، فيصعدون بها، فلا يمرون بها على ملأ من الملائكة إلا قالوا: ما هذا الروح الخبيث؟ فيقولون فلان ابن فلان، بأقبح أسمائه التي كانوا يسمونه بها في الدنيا ، حتى ينتهى بها إلى السماء الدنيا ، فيستفتح له، فلا يفتح له، ثم قرأ رسول الله {لَا تُفَتَّحُ لَهُمْ أَبْوَابُ السَّمَاءِ وَلَا يَدْخُلُونَ الْجَنَّةَ حَتَّىٰ يَلِجَ الْجَمَلُ فِي سَمِّ الْخِيَاطِ} الأعراف: 40، فيقول الله عز وجل: اكتبوا كتابه في سجين، في الأرض السفلى، فتطرح روحه طرحا، ثم قرأ: {وَمَن يُشْرِكْ بِاللَّـهِ فَكَأَنَّمَا خَرَّ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ فَتَخْطَفُهُ الطَّيْرُ أَوْ تَهْوِي بِهِ الرِّيحُ فِي مَكَانٍ سَحِيقٍ} الحج: 31، فتعاد روحه في جسده، ويأتيه ملكان فيجلسانه، فيقولان له: من ربك؟ فيقول: هاه هاه لا أدري، فيقولان له: ما هذا الرجل الذي بعث فيكم، فيقول: هاه هاه لا أدري، فينادي مناد من السماء: أن كذب فافرشوه من النار، وافتحوا له بابا إلى النار،...» صححه الألباني
The floor of his grave is thus set alight with some of Hell’s fierce fire, and his grave is made narrow and constricted to the extent that his ribs become intertwined as his body is crushed. [Authenticated by Al-Albani].
«فيأتيه من حرها وسمومها، ويضيق عليه قبره، حتى تختلف أضلاعه...» صححه الألباني
Then, an incredibly ugly being, wearing ugly garments and giving off a foul and offensive odor comes to the disbelieving soul and says: “Be grieved with what displeases you, for this is your day which you have been promised.” The disbeliever will ask: “Who are you, with your face so ugly and bringing evil?” The ugly one will reply: “l am your wicked deeds!” [Authenticated by Al-Albani].
«ويأتيه رجل قبيح الوجه، قبيح الثياب منتن الريح، فيقول: أبشر بالذي يسوؤك، هذا يومك الذي كنت توعد، فيقول: من أنت، فوجهك الوجه الذي يجئ بالشر ، فيقول: أنا عملك الخبيث،...» صححه الألباني
Allah mentions in His Book how the wicked people of Pharaoh are, at this very moment, suffering from such an exposure to Hell from within their graves:
{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): "Cause Fir'aun's (Pharaoh) people to enter the severest torment!"} [Ghafir 40:46].
{النَّارُ يُعْرَضُونَ عَلَيْهَا غُدُوًّا وَعَشِيًّا ۖ وَيَوْمَ تَقُومُ السَّاعَةُ أَدْخِلُوا آلَ فِرْعَوْنَ أَشَدَّ الْعَذَابِ} غافر: 46
Transliteration: Alnnaru yuAAradoona AAalayhaghuduwwan waAAashiyyan wayawma taqoomu alssaAAatu adkhiloo ala firAAawna ashadda alAAathabi
Overcome with fear and loathing, anxiety and despair, the disbeliever in his grave will keep asking: “My Lord, do not bring the last hour. Do not bring the last hour.”
«فيقول رب لا تقم الساعة» صححه الألباني
The Companion, Zaid b. Thabit, narrated how, when the Prophet Muhammad and his Companions were once passing some graves of polytheists, the Prophet’s horse bolted and almost unseated him. The Prophet may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, then said:
“These people are being tortured in their graves, and were it not that you would stop burying your dead, I would ask God to let you hear the punishment in the grave which I (and this horse) can hear.” [Saheeh Muslim].
«إن هذه الأمة تبتلى في قبورها. فلولا أن لا تدافنوا، لدعوت لله أن يسمعكم من عذاب القبر الذي أسمع منه» رواه مسلم
By IslamReligion.com (co-author Abdurrahman Mahdi)
With little modification
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