The soul of the believer and of the disbeliever: how it departs

Sayyiduna al-Bara (may Allah be pleased with him) said: We went with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to the funeral of a man of the Ansar. When we reached the grave, and the lahd had not yet been prepared, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) sat down, and we sat around him as though birds had settled on our heads. In his (peace and blessings be upon him) hand was a stick with which he was scratching the ground. He raised his head and said: "O people, seek refuge with Allah from the punishment of the grave!" He said this two or three times. Then he said: When the believing servant's connection with this world is ending and he is turning towards the Hereafter, angels with white faces come down from the heaven, as though their faces were the sun, until they sit before him as far as his eye can see. With them is a shroud from Paradise and perfume from Paradise. Then the Angel of Death comes and sits by his head and says: "O pure soul, come out to the pleasure of Allah and His forgiveness." So the soul flows out as a drop of water flows from a waterskin. Then he takes it, and when he takes it, it is not left in his hand even for the blink of an eye until they place it in that shroud and perfume. There comes from it a fragrance like the finest musk found on the earth. Then those angels ascend with this pure soul towards the heavens, and whenever they pass by a group of angels, they say: "Who is this pure soul?" They say: "So-and-so, son of so-and-so," calling him by the best and finest name he had in the world, until they reach the lowest heaven. Then the angels ask for its door to be opened, and it is opened for them, and the angels nearest to Allah in every heaven welcome him, until they take him to the seventh heaven. He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Then Allah Almighty says: "Record the book of My servant in Illiyyin, in the fourth heaven, and return him to the earth, for from it I created them, into it I will return them, and from it I will bring them out once again (on the Day of Resurrection)." Then his soul is returned to his body. Two angels come to him, sit him up and ask him: "Who is your Lord?" He says: "Allah is my Lord." Then they ask him: "What is your religion?" He says: "My religion is Islam." Then they ask him: "Who is this man who was sent among you?" He says: "He is the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)." They say: "What do you know about him?" He says: "I recited the Book of Allah, believed in it and affirmed it." Then a caller calls out from the heaven: "My servant has spoken the truth, so spread bedding for him from Paradise, clothe him in the clothing of Paradise, and open for him a door to Paradise." So the fragrance and breeze of Paradise come to him, and his grave is widened as far as his eye can see. A man with a handsome face, handsome clothes and a pleasant fragrance comes to him and says: "Glad tidings of the blessings that will delight you! This is the day you were promised." He asks: "Who are you? Your face is a face that brings good and blessing." He says: "I am your righteous deeds." He says: "O my Lord, establish the Hour! O my Lord, establish the Hour, so that I may return to my family and my wealth." And when the disbelieving servant's connection with this world is ending and the time comes for him to go to the Hereafter, angels with black faces come down to him from the heaven, carrying coarse old blankets, and they sit before him as far as his eye can see. Then the Angel of Death comes and sits by his head and says: "O wicked soul, come out to the displeasure and wrath of Allah." He said: The soul scatters within his body, and it is drawn out in such a way that his sinews and veins are torn, as a skewer is pulled out of wet wool. Then they take it, and when they take it, they do not leave it even for the blink of an eye until they put it in that blanket. There comes from it a stench like the foulest carcass found on the earth. Then those angels ascend with his soul towards the heaven, and whenever they pass by a group of angels, they ask: "Whose is this wicked soul?" They say: "It is so-and-so, son of so-and-so," calling him by the worst name he was called by in the world, until they reach the lowest heaven with him and ask for it to be opened, but it is not opened for him. Then the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) recited: "The gates of heaven will not be opened for them, nor will they enter Paradise until a camel passes through the eye of a needle" [Al-A'raf: 40]. He said: Then Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, says: "Record the book of My servant in Sijjin, in the lowest earth, and return him to the earth, for from it I created them, into it I will return them, and from it I will bring them out once again." Then his soul is flung down. Then the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) recited: "And whoever associates partners with Allah, it is as though he fell from the sky and the birds snatched him, or the wind swept him down to a far-off place" [Al-Hajj: 31]. He said: Then his soul is returned to his body, and the two angels come to him, sit him up and ask him: "Who is your Lord?" He says: "Alas, alas, I do not know." They ask him: "What is your religion?" He says: "Alas, alas, I do not know." He said: Then a caller calls out from the heaven: "Spread bedding for him from the Fire, clothe him from the Fire, and open for him a door to the Fire." He said: Then its heat and scorching wind come to him, and his grave is made so narrow for him that his ribs interlock. A man with an ugly face, ugly clothes and a foul smell comes to him and says: "Receive tidings of what will grieve you; this is the day you were promised." He asks: "Who are you? Your face is a face that brings evil." He says: "I am your wicked deeds." He says: "O my Lord, do not establish the Hour! O my Lord, do not establish the Hour!"

Something similar is narrated from Sayyiduna al-Bara (may Allah be pleased with him) from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) through another chain.
Sayyiduna Abu Musa (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The soul of the believer comes out, and it is more fragrant than musk. The angels who take it ascend with it, and angels below the heaven meet them and say: "Who is this with you?" They say: "So-and-so," and mention him by his best deed. They say: "May Allah greet you and greet the one who is with you." Then the gates of heaven are opened for him and his face shines, and he comes to the Lord with a proof upon his face like the sun. As for the other, his soul comes out and it is more putrid than a carcass. Those who take it ascend with it, and angels below the heaven meet them and say: "Who is this with you?" They say: "This is so-and-so," and mention him by his worst deed. They say: "Take him back, for Allah has not wronged him in the least." And Sayyiduna Abu Musa recited: "And they will not enter Paradise until a camel passes through the eye of a needle."

Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The deceased hears the sound of their sandals when they turn back after burying him. Then, if he is a believer, the prayer is at his head, zakah on his right, fasting on his left, and his good deeds (charity, maintaining ties of kinship and kindness to people) at his feet. Then (the punishment) comes from the side of his head, and the prayer says: "There is no way in from my side." If it comes from his right, zakah says: "There is no way in from my side." If it comes from his left, fasting says: "There is no way in from my side." Then it comes from the side of his feet, and his good deeds (charity, maintaining ties of kinship and kindness) say: "There is no way in from our side." Then it is said to him: "Sit up," and he sits up, and it seems to him as though the sun is close to setting. The angels say to him: "Answer what we ask you." He says: "Leave me so that I may pray." It is said to him: "You will do that (later); tell us what we ask you." He says: "What are you asking me about?" They say: "This man who was among you, what do you say about him? And what do you testify about him?" He asks: "Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him)?" It is said to him: "Yes." He says: "I testify that he is the Messenger of Allah and that he brought us clear proofs from Allah, and we believed him." The angels say to him: "Upon this you lived, upon this you died, and upon this you will be resurrected, if Allah Almighty wills." Then his grave is widened by seventy cubits and illuminated for him. Then a door to Paradise is opened for him, and it is said to him: "Look at what Allah has prepared for you," and his joy and happiness increase. Then a door to Hell is opened for him, and it is said to him: "This would have been your abode, which Allah prepared for you, had you disobeyed Him," and his happiness increases. Then (his soul) is made one of the pure souls, which are green birds hanging from the trees of Paradise, and his body is returned to the dust from which it was created. Concerning this is the saying of Allah Almighty: "Allah keeps firm those who believe with the firm word in the life of this world and in the Hereafter" [Ibrahim: 27].

Muhammad (the narrator) said: Umar bin al-Hakam bin Thawban said: Then it is said to him: "Sleep," and he sleeps like a bride, whom none wakes except the one dearest to her among her family, until Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, resurrects him.

Muhammad (the narrator) said: Abu Salamah said: Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: If he was a disbeliever, he is approached from the side of his head, and nothing (of good) is found for him. Then he is approached from his right, and nothing is found for him. Then he is approached from his left, and nothing is found for him. Then he is approached from the side of his feet, and nothing is found for him. Then it is said to him: "Sit up," and he sits up, alarmed and terrified. It is said to him: "Tell us about what we ask you." He says: "What are you asking me about?" It is said: "This man who was among you, what do you say about him, and what do you testify about him?" He says: "Which man?" It is said: "The one who was among you." But he cannot find his way to his name. It is said: "Muhammad." He says: "I do not know; I heard the people saying something, so I said as they said." It is said: "Upon this you lived, upon this you died, and upon this you will be resurrected, if Allah wills." Then a door to the Fire is opened for him and it is said to him: "That is your abode and what Allah has prepared for you in it," and his regret and ruin increase. Then a door to Paradise is opened for him and it is said to him: "That would have been your abode in it," and his regret and ruin increase. Then his grave is made so narrow for him that his ribs interlock. That is the life of hardship of which Allah Almighty said: "Indeed, for him is a life of hardship, and We will raise him blind on the Day of Resurrection" [Ta-Ha: 124].