THE NATURE OF BARZAKH -No: 4 - Under the Grave When a pious man dies.

  Under the Grave When a pious man dies.

Under the Grave When a pious man dies, he is made to sit by the angels. He attains a position that neither anxiety nor grief overtakes him. First of all, a question on Islam is put to him. After that, he is asked about Muhammad Rasulullahﷺ. He says that Muhammad Rasulullahﷺ had brought clear signs’ from God and that he believed those signs to be true in their entirety. After that Rasulullahﷺ is shown a place in hell which presents the scene of pandemonium. Then diverting his attention to the scene, Rasulullahﷺ is told that God had saved him from that punishment. 

After that Rasulullahﷺ is shown a place in paradise, richly bedecked and elegantly adorned, where he observes pleasant sights. Then Rasulullahﷺ is told that he would be given the very abode when he is brought after the Last Day since during his life in the world, he believed in the Last Day and Rasulullahﷺ died when he held the same belief, so on the Day of Resurrection, he would be resurrected from the grave in the very same state. When a wicked man dies, he is seated in the grave but he is overwhelmed with anxiety and fear. The same questions that have been mentioned above, are put to him. 

He says that he knows nothing about anything. He used to repeat what he heard from the people. At first, the gate of paradise is opened. After displaying its adornment and elegance, and all the riches contained therein, he is told that it was his original dwelling place. But it had been denied to him. Then a spectacle of hell is Shown to him. He observes there a state of pandemonium. Then he is informed that he would be given that abode because, during his life in the world, he entertained doubts and died in the same state, so, on the Day of Resurrection, he would be resurrected from the grave in the same state. Abu Qatada (رضي الله عنه)

is reported to have said that one day a funeral procession happened to pass by the Holy Prophet (Muhammad Rasulullahﷺ). When the latter saw it, he remembered that that man would feel pleasure or cause others to feel pleasure. Rasulullahﷺ explained that it is after death that a believer feels pleasure when he is relieved of worldly worries and troubles to find a place in the neighborhood of the Almighty Allahﷻ. 

This was the case of a man who felt pleasure. On the death of a wrong-doer, the other men, inhabiting towns and villages and the trees and animals feel pleasure since with his death the creation is relieved of the calamities which fall upon the earth because of his outburst of riots in the cities; the trees dry up and the animals hardly get fodder. For this reason, on his death, all feel pleasure because the evil shadow of his sins creates troubles for everyone. Saiyiduna Abdullah Ibn ‘Umar (رضي الله عنه) is reported to have said that once the Holy Prophet ( Muhammad Rasulullahﷺ) caught hold of his shoulder and advised him to live in the world like a stranger or like a traveler. 

 Saiyiduna Abdullah Ibn ‘Umar (رضي الله عنه) is reported to have said that at dawn one should not wait for night and at night one should not wait for dawn. When one enjoys good health, one should make provision for combating disease (because during the period of his illness) he would be getting rewarded for his good deeds done in the state of health, so one should make provision for death.