Mustadrak al-Hakim — Hadith 107

It is narrated from Sayyiduna al-Bara' bin Azib (may Allah be pleased with him), he says: We went out with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) for the funeral of a man of the Ansar. When we reached the grave, the lahd (niche) had not yet been prepared, so we sat (silently) around the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). He (peace and blessings be upon him) would look at one moment towards the sky and at another towards the earth; he (peace and blessings be upon him) raised his gaze and lowered it three times, then said: 'Allahumma inni a'udhu bika min 'adhabil-qabr' (O Allah, I seek refuge in You from the punishment of the grave). Then he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Indeed, when the believing servant is cut off from the world and turning towards the Hereafter, the Angel of Death comes and sits at his head, and angels descend from the sky whose faces are (radiant) like the sun. With them are shrouds from the shrouds of Paradise and perfume from the perfumes of Paradise, and they sit away from him as far as the eye can see. Then the Angel of Death says: 'O good soul! Come out to forgiveness from Allah and His pleasure.' So the soul comes out (easily) just as a drop trickles from the mouth of a waterskin. The angels do not leave it in the hand of the Angel of Death even for the blink of an eye; they take it and ascend with it towards the sky. Whenever they pass by a company of angels, they ask: 'What is this pure fragrance?' They reply that this is so-and-so, calling him by his best name. When they reach the lowest heaven, its gates are opened for him, and the angels closest (to Allah) in each heaven escort him to the next heaven, until he reaches the seventh heaven. Then Allah says: 'Record his book (of deeds) in Illiyyin.' Then the command comes: 'Take My servant back to the earth, for I have promised them that from it I created them, into it I will return them, and from it I will bring them out once again.' So his soul is returned to his body. Then angels come to him and ask: 'Who is your Lord?' He says: 'Allah.' They ask: 'What is your religion?' He says: 'Islam.' They ask: 'Who is this man who was sent among you?' He says: 'He is the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him).' They ask: 'How did you come to know?' He says: 'I read the Book of Allah, believed in it and affirmed it.' Then a caller calls out from the sky: 'He has spoken the truth; spread out for him a bed from Paradise, clothe him in the garments of Paradise and show him his dwelling in Paradise.' His grave is made spacious for him as far as the eye can see, and the breeze and fragrance of Paradise keep coming to him. Then a man with a handsome face, fine clothes and a pleasant fragrance comes before him and says: 'Receive the glad tidings of that which will delight you; this is the day you were promised.' He asks: 'Who are you? Your face is a face that brings glad tidings of good.' He says: 'I am your righteous deeds.' Then that servant says: 'O my Lord! Establish the Hour so that I may return to my family and my wealth.'" Then he (peace and blessings be upon him) recited this verse: "Allah keeps firm those who believe with the firm word in the life of this world and in the Hereafter" [Surah Ibrahim: 27]. "As for the wicked (sinful) person, when he is cut off from the world and heading towards the Hereafter, the Angel of Death comes and sits at his head, and angels with black faces descend carrying sackcloth, and they sit as far as the eye can see. The Angel of Death says: 'O wicked soul! Come out to the displeasure and anger of Allah.' Then that soul spreads throughout his whole body (refusing to come out), so the Angel of Death drags it out of the body just as a many-pronged iron skewer is pulled out of wet wool, by which the veins and sinews are torn. The angels do not leave it in his hand for even a moment. When they take it up, the angels ask: 'What is this wicked soul?' They reply, calling him by his very worst name. When they reach the heaven with it, the gates are not opened for him. Allah says: 'Record his book (of deeds) in Sijjin.' Then the command comes: 'Return My servant to the earth, for I have promised them that from it I created them, into it I will return them, and from it I will bring them out once again.' His soul is flung down from above until it lands in his body." Then he (peace and blessings be upon him) recited this verse: "And whoever associates partners with Allah, it is as though he had fallen from the sky and the birds snatched him, or the wind carried him down to a far-off place" [Surah al-Hajj: 31]. "Then angels come to him and ask: 'Who is your Lord?' He says: 'I do not know.' Then a caller calls out from the sky that he has lied: 'Spread out for him a bed of fire, clothe him in garments of fire and show him his dwelling in Hell.' His grave is made so narrow for him that his ribs interlock with one another, and the heat and hot wind of Hell reach him. Then a man with an ugly face, a foul smell and filthy clothes comes to him and says: 'Receive the news of that which will grieve you; this is the day you were promised.' He asks: 'Who are you? Your face is the face that brings tidings of evil.' He says: 'I am your wicked deeds.' Then that person says: 'O Lord! Do not establish the Hour.'"