Bara b. ‘Azib (Allah be pleased with him) is reported to have said that the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) told that when the disbeliever expresses his ignorance, there is heard a proclamation from heaven that the dead body had told a lie and that the burning fire be spread under him, he should be covered with a dress of fire and the gate of hell be opened. So the gate is opened through which passes the intense heat of hell. The grave of the dead body straitens to such an extent that the ribs of one side penetrate into those of the other side. Then a blind and deaf guard (torturer) is posted to torture him. The tormenter possesses an iron mace that is so heavy that its one stroke is likely to reduce a mountain to powder. He further told that when the guard hits the dead body with the iron mace, the latter becomes a part and parcel of dust and the sound produced as a result of hitting, is heard by all the creatures, living between the east and the west except mankind and jinns. After this, the soul is sent back.
Bukhari and Muslims are reported to have said that the dead body is hit with the iron mace, it cries so loudly that, except human beings and jinns, everything near the grave hears that cry.
Here the question arises: What is the reason that the cries of the dead body and the sound produced as a result of hitting the iron, are inaudible to human beings and jinns. The answer is that human beings and jinns have yet to enter Barzakh. If they come to know about the tortures inflicted on the dead body beforehand or if they hear the cries of the dead body, there is every likelihood that they would believe in the truth of revelations and. would start doing good works. But what is liked by God is faith in the unseen —that a man would believe in and submit to what he has heard from the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) no matter whether he comprehends its reason or not. This is what is meant by ‘faith’.
Translation: ‘Verily, forgiveness, and reward are for those who fear their Lord without seeing Him.”
If they are shown beforehand what happens in hell, in paradise and in Barzakh, the belief in the unseen would become a meaningless term and it is but natural that they will believe in what they see with their own eyes and so they will become believers of that only what they have seen. But God does not like those who believe in what they see with their own eyes. It is for this reason that faith at the time of death is not acceptable because at that time the dying man can see the angels who inflict torture A reference is made to the verse of Sura Momin. The translation of the verse is “But their faith could not avail them when they saw our Doom”. On the Day of Resurrection when they would see paradise and hell, they will affirm their belief in Allah and testify to the truth of the teachings of prophets, but their faith would not avail them.
It may be added that human beings cannot stand the horrible sight of the tortures of the grave and the heart-rending cries therein. It they were to witness the tortures of the grave or to hear the cries, they would faint. Hadrat Abu Sa‘id (Allah be pleased with him) is reported to have said that the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said that when the people carry the bier of a nonbeliever, he says: Woe be upon me. Where do you lead me to. His voice is heard by all creatures, except human beings. Should a man hear the cries of the dead, he would faint. ;
The Lord of the worlds not only apprised the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) of the secrets of Barzakh but also showed him all things concerning it, as he had remarkable powers of endurance, so much so that even the sight of hell failed to disturb .him. Even on such occasions he laughed, talked or walked, sat, and dined with his companions (Allah be pleased with them). Hadrat Abu Ayub (Allah be pleased with him) is reported to have said that one day after sunset the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) went out (of Medina) and heard a (dreadful) voice. He said: The Jews are being tortured in their graves.
Zaid bin Thabit (Allah be pleased with him) is reported to have said that they accompanied the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) who rode upon a pony to go to the garden which belonged to a tribe (Banu ‘Najjar’). On the way, the pony gets out of control near a place where there are five or six graves. The Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) asked his companions if any of them could identify the dead bodies lying in the graves. One of his companions told him that he could.
The Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). enquired when they had died. He answered that they had died in the days of Ignorance. The Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) observed that the occupants of the graves were being put to torture. Fearing that they would give up burying the dead bodies, he did not think it advisable to pray to God to show them torments in the grave that he had witnessed.
Hadith About The Torment Of The Grave:
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