Belief in the Last Day Part One: The Barzakh

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Belief in the Last DayPart One The Barzakh

• Abu AbdirRahman Muhammad Humble

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The Moment of Death

• Why do we study the moment of death as part of
  our belief in the Last Day, when the person is
  still alive?
• The moment of death is like an introduction to
  what is to come
• In it, several signs appear of what the person
  will experience after death
• Allah makes it easy for whoever He wills and hard
  for whoever He wills, but generally it is a very
  hard time

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The Moment of Death in the Quraan

• And He is the subjugator over His servants, and
  He sends over you guardian-angels until, when
  death comes to one of you, Our messengers take
  him, and they do not fail in their duties.
  Then they His servants are returned to Allah ,
  their true Lord. Unquestionably, His is the
  judgement, and He is the swiftest of
  accountants. Al-Anaam 660-61
• Then why, when the soul at death reaches the
  throat And you are at that time looking on -
  And Our angels are nearer to him than you, but
  you do not see - Then why do you not, if you
  are not to be recompensed, Bring it back, if
  you should be truthful? And if the deceased
  was of those brought near to Allah, Then for
  him is rest and bounty and a garden of pleasure.
  And if he was of the companions of the right,
  Then the angels will say, "Peace for you you
  are from the companions of the right." But if
  he was of the deniers who were astray, Then
  for him is accommodation of scalding water
  And burning in Hellfire Indeed, this is the
  true certainty, So exalt the name of your Lord,
  the Most Great. Al-Waaqiah 5683-96
• And the stupor of death will come in truth
  "This is what you have been avoiding! Qaaf
  5019

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The Moment of Death in the Sunnah

• The Prophet (peace be upon him) said at the time
  of his death laa ilaaha illa-Allah, indeed
  death has its pains
• Allah can remove the pain from whoever He wills
• From those who will not feel the pain of death
  are the shuhadaa A martyr only feels from the
  effect of being killed that which one would when
  being bitten by a mosquito At-Tirmidhi,
  An-Nasaaee, Ad-Daarimee

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The State of a Believer from the Quraan

• Indeed, those who have said, "Our Lord is Allah
  " and then remained on a right course - the
  angels will descend upon them, saying, "Do not
  fear and do not grieve but receive good tidings
  of Paradise, which you were promised. We
  angels were your allies in worldly life and
  are so in the Hereafter. And you will have
  therein whatever your souls desire, and you will
  have therein whatever you request or wish As
  accommodation from a Lord who is Forgiving and
  Merciful. FuSSilat 413032
• This descending of the angels, happens three
  times
• The moment of death
• The time of resurrection
• When entering Jannah

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The State of a Disbeliever from the Quraan

• And if you could but see when the angels take
  the souls of those who disbelieved... They are
  striking their faces and their backs and
  saying, "Taste the punishment of the Burning
  Fire. Al-Anfaal 850
• ...And if you could but see when the wrongdoers
  are in the overwhelming pangs of death while the
  angels extend their hands, saying, "Discharge
  your souls! Today you will be awarded the
  punishment of extreme humiliation for what you
  used to say against Allah other than the truth
  and that you were, toward His verses, being
  arrogant. Al-Anaam 693
• Then how will it be when the angels take them
  in death, striking their faces and their backs?
  That is because they followed what angered Allah
  and disliked what earns His pleasure, so He
  rendered worthless their deeds. Muhammad
  4727-28

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The State of a Believer and Disbeliever from
the Sunnah

• The Prophet (peace be upon him) said Whoever
  loves to meet Allah, Allah loves to meet him, and
  whoever hates to meet Allah, Allah hates to meet
  him Bukhari
• The long hadith of Al-Baraa bin Aazib (may
  Allah be pleased with him) will come later inshaa
  Allah

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Issues Related to the Moment of Death (1)

• What is death?
• Death is the separation of the soul from the body
• What is the soul?
• Allah has only given us a very limited amount of
  knowledge And they ask you, O Muhammad, about
  the soul. Say, "The soul is of the affair of my
  Lord. And mankind have not been given of
  knowledge except a little. Al-Israa 1783
• What we know is that the soul is something
  created, which exists in reality, and is able to
  exist independently of the body, and has various
  attributes which are mentioned in the Quraan and
  the Sunnah

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Issues Related to the Moment of Death (2)

• Does the soul die?
• It depends what you mean
• If you mean that the person experiences death,
  and the soul separates from the body, then yes
• If you mean that the soul ceases to exist, then
  no, the soul does not die
• How do we reconcile this principle with Allahs
  statement Whatsoever is on it (the earth) will
  perish. And the Face of your Lord full of
  Majesty and Honour will abide forever?
• Allah is the One who remains forever Himself,
  without any need of others
• Allah may choose to allow something else to
  remain forever, but it only remains forever
  because Allah allows it to do so, and it cannot
  remain forever without His permission

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The End of the Moment of Death

• The moment of death ends when the soul leaves the
  body

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The Trial of the Grave

• This is the questioning of the dead person in his
  grave, about his Lord, his religion, and his
  Prophet (peace be upon him)
• Allah says Allah keeps firm those who believe,
  with the firm word, in worldly life and in the
  Hereafter. And Allah sends astray the wrongdoers.
  And Allah does what He wills. Ibrahim 1427
• The Prophet (peace be upon him) explained that
  this aayah refers to the questioning in the grave
  Bukhari
• From the hadith of Asmaa (may Allah be pleased
  with her) as narrated by Bukhari and Muslim, that
  the Prophet (peace be upon him) said It has
  been revealed to me that you will be tried in
  your graves, equal or near to the trial of
  the Maseeh Ad-Dajaal

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The Hadith of Al-Baraa bin Aazib (may Allah be
pleased with him)

• It was narrated that al-Bara (may Allaah be
  pleased with him) said We went out with the
  Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of
  Allaah be upon him) for the funeral of a man from
  among the Ansaar. We came to the grave and when
  (the deceased) was placed in the lahd, the
  Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of
  Allaah be upon him) sat down and we sat around
  him, as if there were birds on our heads (i.e.,
  quiet and still). In his hand he had a stick with
  which he was scratching the ground. Then he
  raised his head and said, Seek refuge with
  Allaah from the torment of the grave, two or
  three times. Then he said, When the believing
  slave is about to depart this world and enter the
  Hereafter, there come down to him from heaven
  angels with white faces like the sun, and they
  sit around him as far as the eye can see. They
  bring with them shrouds from Paradise and
  perfumes from Paradise. Then the Angel of Death
  comes and sits by his head, and he says, O good
  soul, come forth to forgiveness from Allaah and
  His pleasure.

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• Then it comes out easily like a drop of water
  from the mouth of a waterskin. When he seizes it,
  they do not leave it in his hand for an instant
  before they take it and put it in that shroud
  with that perfume, and there comes from it a
  fragrance like the finest musk on the face of the
  earth. Then they ascend and they do not pass by
  any group of angels but they say, Who is this
  good soul? and they say, It is So and so the
  son of So and so, calling him by the best names
  by which he was known in this world, until they
  reach the lowest heaven. They ask for it to be
  opened to them and it is opened, and (the soul)
  is welcomed and accompanied to the next heaven by
  those who are closest to Allaah, until they reach
  the seventh heaven. Then Allaah says Record the
  book of My slave in Illiyoon in the seventh
  heaven, and return him to the earth, for from it
  I created them, to it I will return them and from
  it I will bring them forth once again.

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• So his soul is returned to his body and there
  come to him two angels who make him sit up and
  they say to him, Who is your Lord? He says,
  Allaah. They say, What is your religion? He
  says, My religion is Islam. They say, Who is
  this man who was sent among you? He says, He is
  the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of
  Allaah be upon him). They say, What did you
  do? He says, I read the Book of Allaah and I
  believed in it. Then a voice calls out from
  heaven, My slave has spoken the truth, so
  prepare for him a bed from Paradise and clothe
  him from Paradise, and open for him a gate to
  Paradise. Then there comes to him some of its
  fragrance, and his grave is made wide, as far as
  he can see. Then there comes to him a man with a
  handsome face and handsome clothes, and a good
  fragrance, who says, Receive the glad tidings
  that will bring you joy this day. He says, Who
  are you? Your face is a face which brings glad
  tidings. He says, I am your righteous deeds.
  He says, O Lord, hasten the Hour so that I may
  return to my family and my wealth.

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• But when the disbelieving slave is about to
  depart this world and enter the Hereafter, there
  come down to him from heaven angels with black
  faces, bringing sackcloth, and they sit around
  him as far as the eye can see. Then the Angel of
  Death comes and sits by his head, and he says, O
  evil soul, come forth to the wrath of Allaah and
  His anger. Then his soul disperses inside his
  body, then comes out cutting the veins and
  nerves, like a skewer passing through wet wool.
  When he seizes it, they do not leave it in his
  hand for an instant before they take it and put
  it in that sackcloth, and there comes from it a
  stench like the foulest stench of a dead body on
  the face of the earth. Then they ascend and they
  do not pass by any group of angels but they say,
  Who is this evil soul? and they say, It is So
  and so the son of So and so, calling him by the
  worst names by which he was known in this world,
  until they reach the lowest heaven. They ask for
  it to be opened to them and it is not opened.
  Then the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings
  of Allaah be upon him) recited (interpretation of
  the meaning) 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 al-Araaf 740 .

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• He said Then Allaah says, Record the book of
  My slave in Sijjeen in the lowest earth, and
  return him to the earth, for from it I created
  them, to it I will return them and from it I will
  bring them forth once again. So his soul is cast
  down.  Then the Messenger of Allaah (peace and
  blessings of Allaah be upon him) recited the
  verse (interpretation of the meaning) and
  whoever assigns partners to Allaah, 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 2231. He said Then his
  soul is returned to his body, and there come to
  him two angels who make him sit up and they say
  to him, Who is your Lord? He says, Oh, oh, I
  dont know. They say, What is your religion?
  He says, Oh, oh, I dont know. Then a voice
  calls out from heaven, Prepare for him a bed
  from Hell and clothe him from Hell, and open for
  him a gate to Hell. Then there comes to him some
  of its heat and hot winds, and his grave is
  constricted and compresses him until his ribs
  interlock. Then there comes to him a man with an
  ugly face and ugly clothes, and a foul stench,
  who says, Receive the bad news, this is the day
  that you were promised. He says, Who are you?
  Your face is a face which forebodes evil. He
  says, I am your evil deeds. He says, O Lord,
  do not let the Hour come, do not let the Hour
  come. 

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Issues Relating to the Trial of the Grave (1)

• Is this trial for every ummah, or only for our
  ummah?
• The correct opinion is that it is for every
  ummah, not only the ummah of Muhammad (peace be
  upon him)
• There are some who will be exempt from the
  questioning
• The Prophets (peace be upon them), for two
  reasons Firstly, there is a text that the
  martyrs will not be questioned, and the Prophets
  are better than them. Secondly, the ummah of the
  Prophet (peace be upon him) will be asked about
  who he is, so how can it be that he will be
  asked?
• The martyrs. A man said to the Prophet (peace be
  upon him) Why is it that the believers are
  tried in their graves except the shaheed? He
  replied (peace be upon him) the shining of
  swords over his head is enough of a trialSunan
  An-Nasaaee Al-Albaanee declared it authentic
• The soldier who dies guarding Muslim territory
  for the sake of Allah, as is found in the hadith
  of Salmaan (may Allah be pleased with him)
  guarding territory for a day and a night is
  better than fasting and praying for a month, and
  if he dies, and his deeds that he used to do
  continue...and he is saved from the trial
  Muslim
• Whoever dies on the day of Jumuah or the night
  before. There is no Muslim who dies on the day
  of Jumuah or the night of Jumuah except that
  Allah saves him from the fitnah of the qabr
  Tirmidhi and the chain of narrators is
  disconnected, Shaykh Al-Albaani declared it hasan
  or saheeh because of the various chains which
  support it
• Those who are not required to follow the rulings
  of the shariah, such as the young and the
  insane. This is because the fitnah is a part of
  what Allah has obligated upon us, and these
  people are not under this obligation in the first
  place

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Issues Relating to the Trial of the Grave (2)

• Is the disbeliever tried in his grave?
• The majority of the scholars held the opinion
  that they are tried in their graves.
• Some scholars, including Ibn Abdil-Barr and
  As-Suyootee, held the opinion that the munaafiq
  is tried, but not the disbeliever
• Their proof for this were certain wordings of the
  hadith which included kaafir or munaafiq
• The correct opinion is that of the majority and
  the correct wording is kaafir and munaafiq
• Are the two angels called Munkar and Nakeer or is
  it a description of them?
• This is something which the scholars disagree
  about. Allah knows best. However, we do know from
  their descriptions that they are harsh and hard
  upon those who they question

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The Connection of the Soul with the Body

• Ibn ul Qayyim mentions five different phases, as
  follows
• The connection of the soul with the body when the
  person is a baby in their mothers womb
• The connection of the soul with the body when the
  person is born into this world
• The connection of the soul with the body when the
  person is asleep
• The connection of the soul with the body when the
  person is in the life of the barzakh
• The connection of the soul with the body on the
  Last Day, and this is the most complete form

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The Punishment of the Grave

• Why is the punishment referred to as being of
  the grave- what about the person who is cremated
  for example?
• Al HaafiDh Ibn Hajar said The reason that the
  punishment is referred to as being of the grave
  is because most punishment happens there, and
  because most of the dead are buried in graves.
  However, the kaafir, and whoever Allah wills to
  be punished from the disobedient Muslims, will be
  punished after their death, even if they are not
  buried, however this is hidden from Allahs
  creation except who Allah wills

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Is the Punishment of the Grave Mentioned in the
Quraan? (1)

• So Allah protected him from the evils they
  plotted, and the people of Pharaoh were enveloped
  by the worst of punishment - The Fire, they
  are exposed to it morning and evening. And on the
  Day when the Hour appears it will be said,
  "Make the people of Pharaoh enter the severest
  punishment. Ghaafir 4045-46
• ...And if you could but see when the wrongdoers
  are in the overwhelming pangs of death while the
  angels extend their hands, saying, "Discharge
  your souls! Today you will be awarded the
  punishment of extreme humiliation for what you
  used to say against Allah other than the truth
  and that you were, toward His verses, being
  arrogant. Al-Anaam 693
• And if you could but see when the angels take
  the souls of those who disbelieved... They are
  striking their faces and their backs and
  saying, "Taste the punishment of the Burning
  Fire. Al-Anfaal 850
• We shall punish them twice, and thereafter they
  shall be brought back to a great (horrible)
  torment. At-Tawbah 9101

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Is the Punishment of the Grave Mentioned in the
Quraan? (2)

• And whoever turns away from My remembrance -
  indeed, he will have a life of hardship, and We
  will gather him on the Day of Resurrection
  blind. Taa-Haa 21124
• Then why, when the soul at death reaches the
  throat And you are at that time looking on -
  And Our angels are nearer to him than you, but
  you do not see - Then why do you not, if you
  are not to be recompensed, Bring it back, if
  you should be truthful? And if the deceased
  was of those brought near to Allah, Then for
  him is rest and bounty and a garden of pleasure.
  And if he was of the companions of the right,
  Then the angels will say, "Peace for you you
  are from the companions of the right." But if
  he was of the deniers who were astray, Then
  for him is accommodation of scalding water
  And burning in Hellfire Indeed, this is the
  true certainty, So exalt the name of your Lord,
  the Most Great. Al-Waaqiah 5683-96
• Homework What is the connection of this aayah to
  the punishment of the grave?

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The Punishment of the Grave in the Sunnah (1)

• Abu Ayyuub (may Allah be pleased with him) said
  The Prophet (peace be upon him) went out when
  the sun had risen, when he heard a noise and
  said Jews being punished in their graves
  Agreed Upon
• Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated
  that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said law
  laa an laa tudaafinoo I would have asked Allah to
  let you hear some of the punishment of the grave
  Muslim
• The first sentence has several meanings
• If it were not for my fear that you would not
  bury your dead because you feared their
  punishment in the grave (weak)
• If it were not for my fear that you would not
  bury your dead because you feared to come near
  the graves, due to the sounds that you heard
• If it were not for my fear that you would die
  from the horror of what you heard

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The Punishment of the Grave in the Sunnah (2)

• Aaisha (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated
  that a Jewish woman came to her and mentioned the
  punishment of the grave, and said to her I seek
  Allahs refuge from your being punished in the
  grave, so Aaisha asked the Prophet (peace be
  upon him) about the punishment of the grave, and
  he said Yes, the punishment of the grave is
  true. Aaisha said I never saw the Prophet
  (peace be upon him) pray a prayer after that
  except that he sought refuge from the punishment
  of the grave Bukhari

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The Bliss of the Grave

• Just as the disbeliever is punished in the grave,
  the believer is rewarded with bounty and pleasure
  from Allah
• There are several reports of this in the sunnah.
  From them is the hadith of Kab bin Maalik (may
  Allah be pleased with him), that the Prophet
  (peace be upon him) said the soul of a believer
  is a bird which feeds from the trees of paradise
  until Allah returns it to its body on the Day of
  Resurrection Ibn Hibbaan, Maalik, Others,
  Al-Albaanee declared it authentic
• We already heard the long hadith of Al-Baraa

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Some Issues Relating to the Punishment of the
Grave

• Does the punishment affect the soul or the body
  or both?
• Shaykh ul Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah said Rather the
  punishment and bliss happen to the soul and the
  body together by agreement of Ahl-us-Sunnah
  wal-Jamaaah. The soul experiences the bliss and
  the punishment independantly, just as it
  experiences it with the body, so the bliss and
  punishment happen to them both together, just as
  they happen to the soul on its own
• Does the punishment of the grave stop?
• There is no doubt that the punishment of a
  disbeliever is constant
• As for the disobedient Muslim, it can be
  constant, and it can stop for several reasons,
  including the duaa of someone for them, or
  because of a good deed that they have done

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Why cant we see the Punishment of the Grave?

• Shaykh Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him)
  mentioned
• The hadith If it were not that... which has
  preceded
• The sins of the dead person are concealed
• There would be a great burden on the persons
  family
• The people would speak ill of the persons family
  and taunt them
• We could die as a result of hearing or seeing the
  punishment because of its severity
• The test of our imaan would not be so great,
  because it would be something obvious that
  everyone would believe in

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Causes of Punishment

• The fundamental cause is sin and disobedience
• The following causes have been mentioned in the
  authentic texts besides the general cause
• Spreading tales to cause emnity
• Not keeping ones self clean from urine
• Stealing from the war booty
• Letting the clothes fall below the ankle (men
  only)
• Lying a lie which reaches the horizon
• Learning the Quraan, then sleeping (and not
  reading) at night and not acting upon it by day
• Fornication
• Usury

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Causes of Being Saved

• In general all good deeds
• Some of the points which are mentioned in the
  authentic texts
• Being martyred for the sake of Allah
• Dying from a disease of the stomach
• Reading Surah Tabaarak every night
• Constantly seeking refuge from the punishment of
  the grave