The torment of the grave, or punishment of the grave (ʿadhāb al-qabr), is a concept in Islamic belief about the state of the soul between death and the Day of Judgment. It's believed that the unrighteous may be punished in their graves by two angels, while the righteous may experience a peaceful and blessed state.
Elaboration:
The Concept:
This belief, prevalent in both Sunni and Shia Islam, posits that after death, the soul is not immediately transferred to paradise or hell, but remains in an intermediary state known as al-Barzakh.
Angels:
According to some hadiths (sayings and actions of the Prophet Muhammad), two angels, Munkar and Nakir, are believed to question the deceased in their graves about their beliefs and deeds in life.
Punishment or Reward:
The responses to the angels' questions determine whether the soul will experience torment or reward in the grave. The righteous may find their graves expanded, filled with light, and a peaceful atmosphere, while the unrighteous may experience constriction, darkness, and torment.
Causes of Punishment:
General reasons for punishment in the grave include ignorance of Allah, disobedience, and ignoring His commands.
Examples:
Hadiths mention instances where the Prophet Muhammad passed by graves and heard the torment of the deceased.
· Similar Concepts:
Similar concepts exist in Jewish traditions, where angels of destruction are believed to punish the wicked in the intermediary state.
An Episode Described by Hadrat Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him)
Hadrat Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) states that a person fell seriously ill. His friends had been sitting beside him. All of a sudden, the sick man became senseless. Considering him dead, they covered him with a cloth and shut his eyes. When they were going to wash him, he stirred. They looked at him in amazement and told him that they had taken him for dead. When he heard it, he confirmed that it was true that he had passed away. After his death, he was carried to his grave.
A handsome and scented man laid him in the grave. Suddenly, a black and dirty woman also appeared. She began to point out his imperfections one by one in such a way that he hung his head in shame. He wrangled with the woman about his faults. At last, the woman said that their dispute would be settled at some other place. He followed her and entered a spacious house, which had a silvery platform. A mosque was erected in one of its corners, and a person, while saying his prayer in it, was reciting Sura Nama, but he _ broke off in the middle of Sura as he had forgotten a verse. He helped the man pick up the thread.
After finishing his prayer, the man asked him if he had learnt that Sura by heart. He replied in the affirmative. On hearing it, the man took out a book from his pillow and began to read it. At that moment, the black woman also came there and started pointing out his bad deeds one by one. The handsome and scented man also came there who contradicted the woman, began to make mention of his good deeds.
On hearing it, one of the persons in the mosque announced. that although he had exposed himself to risk, yet God Almighty had forgiven him his omissions and added that his death had not yet come and that he would die on Monday. Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) states that the sick man had told them that if he died on Monday in pursuance of the divine suggestion, he was sure that what he had seen was based on truth and his sin would be forgiven him. If his death did not occur on Monday, they should consider the following: what he had seen was the state ~delirium. (Ibn Abi Dunya).
A sick man in a mosque, after hearing that he had
been forgiven for his omissions despite risking exposure, claimed he would die
on the following Monday. He believed his death, if it occurred then, would
validate a vision he had where he was told his sins were forgiven. If he
didn't die on Monday, he suggested it was likely delirium.
Here's a breakdown:
The Announcement:
A man in the mosque, possibly after receiving some form of divine suggestion, announced that he had been forgiven for his omissions despite having exposed himself to risk, and that his death would occur on Monday
The Sick Man's Belief:
Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) stated that the sick man linked his vision to his impending death on Monday. He believed his death on that specific day would confirm the truth of what he had seen and the forgiveness of his sins.
The Test:
The sick man proposed a test. If he died on Monday, his vision would be validated. If he didn't die, it was to be considered the result of delirium.
So with the state of Barzakh, when you died, laid in the grave further to that following will explain:
In the context of Islamic
eschatology, "delirium" isn't a term used to describe the state
of death or the Barzakh, which is the intermediary state between death and the
Day of Judgment. Instead, the Islamic view emphasizes a transition, a
period of waiting, and an accounting for one's actions. The concept of
Barzakh is more about a state of waiting and preparation for the afterlife, not
a state of mental confusion.
Further Explain:
Death:
In Islam, death is seen as a natural transition from the physical world to the spiritual realm, a predetermined event known only to God.
Barzakh:
This is the intermediate stage after death, a realm where the soul awaits the Day of Judgment. It's described as a period of waiting and preparation, not a state of delirium or confusion, according to Islamic scholars.
No Delirium:
The concept of Barzakh doesn't include a state of delirium. Instead, it's a period where the soul may be questioned about its life (by Munkar and Nakir), and potentially experience either comfort or torment based on their deeds.
The final stage is the Day of Judgment (Yawm al-Qiyāma), where
individuals will be judged and assigned to either Heaven (Jannah) or
Hellfire (Jahannam).
In essence, the Islamic view of death and the
afterlife focuses on a transition, a period of waiting in Barzakh, and a final
judgment, rather than a state of delirium.
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