Punishment in the grave

Sayyidah Aishah Siddiqah (may Allah be pleased with her) said that a Jewish woman used to serve her. Whenever Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) gave her anything, the Jewish woman would say to her: "May Allah Almighty save you from the punishment of the grave." Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: Once the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) came to me and I said: "O Messenger of Allah, will there be punishment in the grave before the Day of Resurrection?" The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "No. What is the reason for this question?" Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) told him: "This is a Jewish woman; whenever I do her any kindness, she says: 'May Allah Almighty save you from the punishment of the grave.'" The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The Jews are wrong; they attribute lies to Allah Almighty. There will be no punishment before the Day of Resurrection." Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: Then as much time passed as Allah willed. One day the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) came out at midday, wrapped in his garment, his eyes red, and called out in a loud voice: "O people, trials will come upon you like pieces of the dark night. O people, if you knew what I know, you would laugh little and weep much. O people, seek refuge from the punishment of the grave, for the punishment of the grave is true." (Allamah al-Haythami says:) I say:
This report is reported in the Sahih in abridged form.
Ahmad recorded it, and its narrators are the narrators of the Sahih.

Sayyiduna Jabir bin Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with them both) said: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) entered a quarter of Banu al-Najjar and heard the voices of some men of Banu al-Najjar who had died in the Jahiliyyah (pre-Islamic era) and were being punished in their graves. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) came out in a state of alarm and commanded his Companions to seek refuge from the punishment of the grave.
Ahmad and al-Bazzar recorded it.

Al-Tabarani recorded this report in al-Mu'jam al-Awsat. Sayyiduna Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) passed by the graves of some women of Banu al-Najjar who had died in the Jahiliyyah, and he heard that they were being punished in the graves for tale-bearing. The narrators of Ahmad are the narrators of the Sahih, and the chain of al-Tabarani contains Ibn Lahi'ah, who has been criticised.

Sayyidah Aishah Siddiqah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Two snakes are sent upon the disbeliever, one from the side of his head and the other from the side of his feet. They both sting him, and whenever they finish, they begin again, and this will continue until the Day of Resurrection."
Ahmad recorded it, and its chain is hasan (good).

Sayyiduna Abu Sa'id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Ninety-nine dragons are set upon the disbeliever in his grave, which will keep stinging him until the Hour is established. If one of those dragons were to blow upon the earth, no greenery would ever grow in that place."
Ahmad recorded it, and Abu Ya'la recorded it as mawquf (a Companion's statement). Its chain contains Darraj; he has been criticised, and he has also been declared trustworthy.

Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The believer in his grave is in a garden. His grave is widened for him by seventy cubits and illuminated like the moon on the night it is full. Do you know concerning whom this verse was revealed: 'Then indeed for him is a life of hardship, and We shall raise him blind on the Day of Resurrection'?" The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Do you know what is meant by a life of hardship?" The people said: "Allah and His Messenger know best." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "It means the punishment of the disbeliever in his grave. By the One in whose Hand is my soul, ninety-nine tinnin will be set upon him. Do you know what a tinnin is?" He said: "They are ninety-nine snakes, each snake with seven heads. They will blow into his body, bite him and wound him, and this will continue until the Day of Resurrection."
Abu Ya'la recorded it. Its chain contains Darraj; his hadith is hasan (good), and there is disagreement about him.

Sayyiduna Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: Once the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was in a palm garden of Sayyiduna Abu Talhah (may Allah be pleased with him), and he went out to relieve himself. The narrator says: Sayyiduna Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him) was walking behind him; out of respect for the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), he would not walk beside him. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) passed by a grave and stopped until Sayyiduna Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him) reached him. He said: "Woe to you, O Bilal! Do you hear what I hear?" He replied: "I do not hear anything." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The occupant of this grave is being punished." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) asked about the occupant of that grave, and it turned out that he was a Jew.
Ahmad recorded it; its narrators are the narrators of the Sahih.

Sayyiduna Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: Someone from among the Companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), whom I do not suspect of lying, told me this. He narrates: Once the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and Sayyiduna Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him) were passing through Jannat al-Baqi'. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "O Bilal, do you hear what I hear?" He replied: "No, by Allah, I do not hear it." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Do you not hear the people of these graves being punished?" The narrator says: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) meant the graves of the people of the Jahiliyyah (pre-Islamic ignorance).
Ahmad recorded it; its narrators are the narrators of the Sahih.

Sayyidah Umm Mubashshir (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) came to me while I was in one of the gardens of Banu al-Najjar. In that garden there were some graves of people who had died in the time of Jahiliyyah. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) heard them being punished, and he came out saying: "Seek refuge with Allah from the punishment of the grave." Sayyidah Umm Mubashshir (may Allah be pleased with her) says: I said: "O Messenger of Allah, are they being punished in their graves?" The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Yes, with a punishment that even the animals hear."
Ahmad recorded it; its narrators are the narrators of the Sahih.

Sayyiduna Abu Sa'id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: I was travelling with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him); he was riding on his mount. I said: "O Messenger of Allah, what is the matter with your mount that it is restless?" He said: "It heard the voice of a man who is being punished in his grave, and that is why it became restless."
Al-Tabarani recorded it in al-Mu'jam al-Awsat. Its chain contains Jabir al-Ju'fi; much has been said against him, and he has also been declared trustworthy.

Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The dead are punished in their graves, to the extent that the animals hear their voices."
Al-Tabarani recorded it in al-Mu'jam al-Kabir, and its chain is hasan (good).

Sayyiduna Abu Umamah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: On an extremely hot day the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) passed by Baqi' al-Gharqad. Some people were walking behind him. When he heard the sound of their sandals, he felt uneasy; he stopped and let those people walk ahead of him, so that no arrogance would enter his heart. When he passed by al-Baqi', there were two graves in which two men had been buried. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) asked: "Whom have you buried here today?" The people said: "O Prophet of Allah, so-and-so and so-and-so." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Both of them are being punished at this moment, and they are being put to trial in their graves." The people said: "O Messenger of Allah, what is the reason for that?" The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "One of them used to go about spreading tales, and the other did not guard himself against urine." Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) took a palm branch, split it into two parts, and placed them on both graves. The people said: "O Prophet of Allah, why did you do that?" He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "So that their punishment may be lightened." The people said: "O Prophet of Allah, until when will they be punished?" The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "That is something of the unseen, which only Allah Almighty knows. Were it not for the heedlessness of your hearts and your excessive talk, you too would hear what I hear."
Al-Tabarani recorded it in al-Mu'jam al-Kabir. Its chain contains Ali bin Yazid, and he has been criticised.

Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) narrates: One day the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) passed by some graves, and he had a fresh palm branch with him. He split it into two parts, placed one part on one grave and the other part on another grave, then went on. We said: "O Messenger of Allah, why did you do that?" The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "One of them was being punished for spreading tales, and the other did not guard himself against urine. As long as this branch remains fresh, the two of them will not be punished."
Al-Tabarani recorded it in al-Mu'jam al-Kabir. Its chain contains Ja'far bin Maysarah, who is da'if (weak).

Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) narrates: Once I was travelling in the vicinity of Badr when a man came out of a pit with a chain around his neck. He called out to me: "O Abdullah, give me something to drink!" I did not know whether he knew my name or called me in the customary way of the Arabs. Then another man came out of that pit with a whip in his hand. He called out to me: "O Abdullah, do not give him a drink, for he is a disbeliever." Then he struck him with the whip and took him back into the pit. Then I hurried to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and told him about it. He asked: "Did you see him?" I said: "Yes." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "That was the enemy of Allah, Abu Jahl bin Hisham, and that is his punishment, which will continue until the Day of Resurrection."
Al-Tabarani recorded it in al-Mu'jam al-Awsat. Its chain contains Abdullah bin Muhammad bin al-Mughirah, who is da'if (weak).

Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) passed by a grave and said: "Bring me two palm branches." He placed one of them at its head and the other at its feet. It was said: "O Messenger of Allah, will this benefit him?" The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "As long as these two remain moist, some of this man's punishment will continue to be lightened."
Ahmad recorded it; its narrators are the narrators of the Sahih.

Sayyiduna Ya'la bin Siyabah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) passed by a grave and said: "The occupant of this grave is being punished, and it is not for a major sin (that was difficult to avoid)." Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) sent for a palm branch and placed it on his grave, and he said: "As long as it remains fresh, his punishment will be lightened."
Ahmad recorded it. Its chain contains Habib bin Abi Jabirah; al-Husayni said: he is majhul (unknown).

Sayyiduna Mu'awiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Levelling the grave is the Sunnah. The Jews and the Christians raise their graves, so do not imitate them.
Al-Tabarani recorded it in al-Mu'jam al-Kabir; its narrators are the narrators of the Sahih.

Uthman bin Abd al-Rahman narrates: My brother told me that your father Abd al-Rahman was martyred with Sayyiduna Abdullah bin al-Zubayr (may Allah be pleased with them both). Sayyiduna Abdullah bin al-Zubayr (may Allah be pleased with them both) gave orders concerning him, and he was buried in the Masjid of the Ka'bah. Then he had horses driven over his grave so that its trace would be erased.
Al-Tabarani recorded it in al-Mu'jam al-Kabir. Al-Daraqutni (may Allah have mercy on him) declared the narrator Uthman da'if (weak).