Opinions of Scholars Regarding the Denial of Punishment in the Grave

In this chapter, readers are being informed about the opinions of renowned scholars and grand muftis. This is so that they can become aware of the scholars’ views regarding the deniers of the punishment of the grave. In this regard, I wrote letters to prominent scholars, some of whom responded to me by mail, some gave answers in group publications, while others I met in person to obtain their responses. However, despite this, there are still many scholars from whom I have not yet received any reply, which can only be due to two reasons: either my letter did not reach them, or they have not been able to respond yet due to their various engagements. In any case, I am deeply grateful to all those scholars who, despite their immense busyness, encouraged me by responding to my letters. (The scholars’ opinions are being presented to increase the knowledge of the esteemed readers; it is not necessary for me to agree with every scholar’s opinion. Author) فجزاهم الله احسن الجزاء

◈ Sheikh Abdul Rahman Zia (Sheikh Al-Hadith Jamia Ibn Taymiyyah, Raiwind Road, Lahore) may Allah preserve him, his opinion

It is remembered that in the explanation of Aqeedah Tahawiyyah it is stated:

قد تواترت الأخبار عن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فى تبوت عذاب القبر ونعيمه لمن كان لذلك أهلا، وسؤال الملكين فيجب اعتقاد ذلك والإيمان به ولا نتكلم فى كيفيته

That is, regarding the punishment of the grave and the blessings of the grave, as well as the questioning in the grave, there are mutawatir (mass-transmitted) hadiths narrated from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, therefore believing in them is obligatory, and having faith in them is also obligatory, and we cannot discuss their nature.

If a person denies the mutawatir hadiths and none of the impediments to takfir (declaring someone an unbeliever) are found in him, then he can be called a disbeliever. Meaning, he should not be ignorant; that is, he has been informed about these hadiths. And he has no remaining argument or doubt, for example: he does not interpret the punishment of the grave as an earthly punishment instead of the intermediate punishment of the grave, but rather he simply denies it, then such a person inevitably reaches the level of disbelief.
There are 35 causes of disbelief which are written in Fatawa Deen-e-Khalis

and Sheikh Muhammad bin Salih al-Uthaymeen, may Allah have mercy on him, also wrote some of these causes in his book “Majalis Shahr Ramadan”

, which are proven by definitive evidence and upon which there is consensus of the scholars. Whoever denies them reaches the level of disbelief. For example: one who calls alcohol, adultery, or theft permissible; one who denies prayer, zakat, or fasting; or one who mocks religion. Denying the punishment of the grave is also in this category because its evidences are also mutawatir and there is consensus of Ahl al-Sunnah, as regarding the punishment of the grave, Allama Ibn Abi al-Izz, may Allah have mercy on him, states:

يكون للنفس والبدن باتفاق اهل السنة والجماعة

That the punishment of the grave affects both the soul and the body, and there is agreement upon this among Ahl al-Sunnah wal Jama’ah.

And the mention of punishment after death and before the Day of Resurrection is also in the Qur’an, see:
(Adh-Dhariyat: 45, 47; Ghafir: 47, 45; At-Tawbah: 101)
And it is established from the Qur’an and Hadith that a person remains on the earth after death until the Day of Resurrection. For example: ﴿كَمْ لَبِثْتُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ عَدَدَ سِنِينَ﴾

and in the hadith: يقال للارض التنمي عليه The earth is commanded to receive him.

Also ﴿مِنْهَا خَلَقْنَاكُمْ وَفِيهَا نُعِيدُكُمْ وَمِنْهَا نُخْرِجُكُمْ تَارَةً أُخْرَىٰ﴾

The person you asked about, if he calls these mutawatir hadiths false and fabricated and completely denies the punishment of the grave, and despite knowing these hadiths, persists in his wrong position, then such a person also falls into disbelief.

◈ Sheikh Irshad-ul-Haq Asri (Author of many books, renowned scholar, Head of the Department of Hadith Sciences, Faisalabad) may Allah preserve him, opinion

The answer to your question about the deniers of the punishment of the grave is that these people are innovators; they have erred in weakening and interpreting the authentic hadiths. However, they are ineffective and are not considered outside the fold of Islam. The Mu’tazilah also denied the punishment of the grave; the respected hadith scholars did not consider them disbelievers but only innovators. هذا ما عندي والله سبحانه وتعالى اعلم بالصواب

◈ Sheikh Mubashir Ahmad Rabbani (Debater and Mufti of Islam, author of many books, renowned scholar, Head of Markaz Umm al-Qura Sabzazar Lahore) may Allah preserve him, opinion

Belief in the Hereafter, Resurrection, and all their related matters is obligatory and necessary for every believer, and denial of them is disbelief. The first stage of the Hereafter is the grave, and there are numerous authentic hadiths as evidence for the punishment in the grave and the perception of Allah’s blessings therein. Books of creed are replete with their mention, and the misguided and misleaders are unreliable in these matters. A major cause of the destruction and misguidance of these misguided groups and misguided leaders is the scarcity of religious and Sharia knowledge and their distancing from the methodology of the pious predecessors. The Noble Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), while mentioning the signs of the Day of Judgment and the portents of the Hour, said:

من اشراط الساعة ان يقل العلم، ويظهر الجهل، ويظهر الزنا وتكثر النساء، ويقل الرجال حتى يكون لخمسين امرأة القيم الواحد

“Among the signs of the Hour are the decrease of knowledge, the prevalence of ignorance and adultery, the abundance of women and the scarcity of men, so that there will be one guardian for fifty women.”

Similarly, in another hadith, the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) said:

وان الله لا يقبض العلم انتزاعا ينتزعه من العباد ولكن يقبض العلم بقبض العلماء، حتى اذا لم يبق عالم اتخذ الناس روسا جهالا، فسئلوا فافتوا بغير علم فضلوا واضلوا

Allah does not take away knowledge by snatching it from the people, but He takes away knowledge by taking away the scholars. Until when there is no scholar left, people will appoint ignorant leaders, ask them questions, and they will issue rulings without knowledge, leading themselves and others astray.

From these explicit authentic hadiths, it becomes clear that the cause of people’s misguidance is the orphaning of Sharia knowledge, and those who have not studied under the companions of hadith and acquired knowledge have reached the brink of misguidance.
It should be noted that among the fundamental beliefs of Islam is the affirmation of the punishment of the grave and its blessings, which have been mentioned in numerous mutawatir hadiths.
The author of Sharh Aqeedah Tahawiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) states:

وقد تواترت الاخبار عن رسول الله الله فى ثبوت عذاب القبر ونعيمه لمن كان لذلك اهلا وسؤال الملكين، فيجب اعتقاد ثبوت ذلك والايمان به ولا نتكلم فى كيفيه اذ ليس للعقل وقوف على كيفيته، لكونه لا عهد له به فى هذه الدار والشرع لا ياتي بما يحيله العقول ولكنه قدياتى بما تحار فيه العقول فان عود الروح الى الجسد ليس على الوجه المعهود فى الدنيا بل تعاد الروح اليه اعادة غير الاعادة الما لوفة فى الدنيا

“There are mutawatir hadiths narrated from the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) regarding the punishment of the grave and its blessings, which are applicable to those who are worthy. Likewise, the questioning by two angels in the grave is established, and it is obligatory to hold the belief in this and have faith. We do not discuss its exact nature because understanding these matters is not the work of reason, as this world is not the time for it. The Sharia does not bring matters that are impossible by reason; rather, the Sharia brings matters that astonish reason. The return of the soul to the body is not like the return of the body to the womb in this world. Rather, the return of the soul is not like the return in this world.”

Similarly, Allama Murtaza Zabidi

and Allama Suyuti

have declared the punishment of the grave and the questioning by the two angels as mutawatir. Among these mutawatir hadiths is a detailed hadith of Bara’ bin Azib (may Allah be pleased with him), which numerous imams have presented in books of creed to prove the punishment of the grave. A brief mention of these is as follows:
Musnad Ahmad

, Ibn Abi Shaybah

, Kitab al-Zuhd by Hanad

, Zawa’id Marwazi on al-Zuhd by Ibn Mubarak

, Al-Radd ‘ala al-Jahmiyyah by al-Darimi

, Abu Dawud

, Tafsir al-Tabari

, Tahdhib al-Athar

, al-Tawhid by Ibn Khuzaymah

, It’haf al-Muharrar

, al-Shari’ah by al-Ajuri

, al-Iman by Ibn Manda

, Mustadrak Hakim

, Sharh Usul I’tiqad Ahl al-Sunnah

, Ithbat ‘Adhab al-Qabr by al-Bayhaqi

, Shu’ab al-Iman

, Ibn Majah

, Nasai

, al-Musannaf by Abd al-Razzaq

, Musnad Tayalisi

, al-Mu’jam al-Awsat by al-Tabarani

, Musnad al-Ruyani

, Tafsir Ibn Abi Hatim

, al-Tadhkirah by al-Qurtubi

, Tarikh Dimashq

. This hadith has been declared authentic by Imam Hakim, Imam Dhahabi, Imam Mundhiri, Imam Bayhaqi, Imam Qurtubi, Imam Ibn Qayyim, and Allama Albani (may Allah have mercy on them), and many great hadith scholars have cited it in books of creed as proof of the belief in the punishment of the grave.
This hadith is proven to be absolutely authentic. The author of Sharh al-Aqeedah al-Tahawiyyah states:

وذهب الى موجب هذا الحديث جميع اهل السنة والحديث وله شواهد من الصحيح

“All Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jama’ah have agreed upon the meaning and application of this hadith, and there are evidences for it in Sahih collections as well.”

Imam Abu Abdullah Muhammad bin Ishaq bin Muhammad bin Yahya, known as Ibn Manda al-Asbahani, who died in 395 AH, states:

هذا الاسناد متصل مشهور رواه جماعة عن البراء، وكذلك رواه عدة عن الاعمش، وعن المنهال بن عمرو، والمنهال اخرج عنه البخارى ما تفرد به وزاذ ان اخرج عنه مسلم وهو ثابت على اسم الجماعة، وروى هذا الحديث عن جابر وابي هريرة وابي سعيد وانس بن مالك و عائشه رضي الله عنهم

“This chain of narration is connected and well-known. A group of muhaddithin narrated it from Bara’ bin Azib (may Allah be pleased with him), and many narrated it from Al-A’mash and Munhal bin Amr. Imam Bukhari narrated from Munhal a narration in which he is unique, and Muslim narrated from Zadhan. This hadith is also narrated from Jabir, Abu Hurairah, Abu Sa’id, Anas bin Malik, and Aisha (may Allah be pleased with them).”

Allama al-Ajuri titled a chapter in “al-Shari’ah” on this hadith as:
“The affirmation and belief in the punishment of the grave.”
Then he mentioned hadiths related to the punishment of the grave and said:

ما اسو حال من كذب بهذه الاحاديث لقد ضل ضلالا بعيدا، وخسر خسرانا مبينا

“Whoever denies these hadiths is in a very bad state; indeed, he has gone far astray and incurred clear loss.”

Allama Abu Bakr Ahmad bin Ali al-Razi states:

واعلم ان سوال منكر ونكير للميت فى القبر عن ربه ودينه، حق لو رود الاحاديث عن النبى الله صلى الله عليه وسلم

“Believe that the questioning of the deceased in the grave by Munkar and Nakir about his Lord and his religion is true, because there are hadiths narrated from the Prophet (peace be upon him) about it.”

Then after mentioning hadiths, he writes:

واعلم ان عذاب القبر لكفار ولمن كان مستحقا من المؤمنين حق، والانعام لاهل الطاعات، وبهم ايصال اللذات وارواحهم وابدانهم فى الراحات بذلك عند اهل السنة والجماعة حق، يخلف الله فى القبر فى الميت ضرب الحياة بقدر ما يتألم به، ان كان كافرا، ويتلذذ بالاكرام ان كان مومنا

“Believe that for the disbelievers and those among the believers who deserve the punishment of the grave, the punishment in the grave is true, and for the obedient people, there are rewards, the continuation of pleasures, and comfort and tranquility in their souls and bodies, which is true according to Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jama’ah. The kind of life created in the grave for the deceased is such that if he is a disbeliever, he feels pain, and if he is a believer, he enjoys honor and respect.”

Allama Muhammad bin Ahmad al-Saffarini states:

وعذاب القبر واحياء الموتى فى قبورهم، ومساء لة منكر ونكير لهم ثابت وواجب القول به وانه يعذب بعد ان ترد الروح اليه فعذاب القبر حق

“The punishment of the grave, the revival of the dead in the graves, and the questioning by Munkar and Nakir are established, and believing in them is obligatory. After the return of the soul, the punishment is inflicted; thus, the punishment of the grave is true.”

Imam Abdul Ghani al-Maqdisi states:

والايمان بعذاب القبر حق، وفرض لازم، رواه عن النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم على بن ابي طالب، وابو ايوب وزيد بن ثابت، وانس بن مالك، وابوهريرة، وابوبكرة، وابو رافع، وعثمان بن ابي العاص، عبد الله بن عباس، وجابر بن عبد الله، وعائشه زوج النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم واختها اسماء، وغيرهم، وكذالك الايمان بمساء لة منكر ونكير

“Belief in the punishment of the grave is a right and an obligatory duty. It has been narrated from the Prophet (peace be upon him) by Sayyiduna Ali, Abu Ayyub, Zaid, Anas, Abu Hurairah, Abu Bakrah, Abu Rafi’, Uthman, Abdullah bin Abbas, Jabir, Aisha, the wife of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), and her sister Asma’ (may Allah be pleased with them). Likewise, belief in the questioning by Munkar and Nakir is obligatory and necessary.”

From this brief explanation, it is clear that the punishment of the grave and the questioning by Munkar and Nakir are absolutely true and obligatory. All the Imams of Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jama’ah affirm this, and only the Mu’tazilah and their followers deny it.
Imam Abu al-Hasan al-Ash’ari states:

واختلفوا فى عذاب القبر، فمنهم من نفاه وهم المعتزلة والخوارج، ومنهم من اثبته، وهم أكثر اهل الاسلام

The nature of the disagreement regarding the punishment of the grave is that the Mu’tazilah and Kharijites deny it, while the majority of Muslims affirm it. Also see

.
These were the Sharia texts and brief statements of the Imams of Ahl al-Sunnah that indicate this definite belief. Those who completely deny the sayings and actions of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) along with the Qur’an are outside the fold of Islam. Similarly, those who deny many authentic hadiths established from the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) and mock them also exit the fold of Islam because we are commanded to believe in the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and the Sharia revealed upon him, and they deny and mock this revealed Sharia. The hadiths narrated by the Prophet (peace be upon him) are from Allah, as is evident from

. For this reason, many hadith scholars, muftis, and inheritors of the pulpit and minbar have issued verdicts of disbelief against Ghulam Ahmad Parwez and those who follow his path. Details are available in the monthly magazine Muhaddith, special issue on the fitnah of denying hadith

.
And those who are unfamiliar with the science of hadith and not well acquainted with its meanings and concepts, or who interpret texts according to their own desires and opinions, such people are sinful, wicked, and unjust, but they will not be declared disbelievers. In the explanation of the hadith narrated from Mu’awiyah bin Abi Sufyan (may Allah be pleased with him) about sects, Imam Khattabi states:

وفيه ان المتأول لا يخرج من الملة وان اخطا فى تأوله

“Indeed, the one who interprets (ta’wil) will not be expelled from the Muslim community, even if he errs in his interpretation.”

Imam Bukhari also explained this in صحيح البخارى، كتاب الادب، باب من اكفر اخاه بغير تاويل فهو كما قال اور باب من لم ير اكفار من قال ذلك متاولا او جاهلا, and in the book استتابة المرتدين والمعاندين وقتالهم، باب ما جاء فى المتاولين. For further details, see Fath al-Bari

and other hadith commentaries.
In any case, whoever denies authentic and established hadiths and mocks them, scholars have issued verdicts of disbelief against him. Commenting on Imam Muhammad bin Ishaq bin Khuzaymah (may Allah have mercy on him), he says:

اصل الجهم الانكار بعذاب القبر وبقول القرآن مخلوق، فمن قال هذا فهو مبتدع، ضال، واجمع اهل العلم من اهل السنة ان القرآن كلام الله غير مخلوق، وان عذاب القبر حق، وسوال منكر ونكير حق، فمن قال غيره فهو كافر

“The essence of Jahmiyyah is that they deny the punishment of the grave and say that the Qur’an is created. Whoever says this is an innovator and misguided. There is consensus among all scholars of Ahl al-Sunnah that the Qur’an is the speech of Allah, not created. Believe that the punishment of the grave is true, and the questioning by Munkar and Nakir is also true. Whoever says otherwise is a disbeliever.”

And whoever is ignorant or naive is not declared disbeliever but is considered misguided and sinful.

هذا ما عندى والله اعلم بالصواب وعلمه اتم واكمل

(Abu al-Hasan Mubashshir Ahmad Rabbani, may Allah forgive him)

◈ Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf (Author of Taghyeer Ahsan-ul-Bayan, writer of many books, Director of the Research, Authorship, and Translation Department at Dar-us-Salam, Lahore) may Allah preserve him, opinion

Denying the established Islamic principles proven by the Quran and Hadith is undoubtedly an act that leads to disbelief, and the issue of the punishment in the grave is also collective and proven by the Quran and Hadith. Therefore, the faith of one who denies this belief is in grave danger, and he should immediately repent from this corrupt belief. However, if any sect makes the denial of such established matters their distinguishing feature, then efforts should be made to explain to them; if they still do not understand, then instead of issuing a fatwa, they should be left to their own state. There are many sects in the Muslim world that hold disbelief and polytheistic beliefs, and such sects are increasing day by day. Our responsibility is only to clarify the disbelief and polytheistic beliefs and to try to reform their adherents. The rest of the matter is entrusted to Allah. In any case, the end of such people is certainly doubtful in terms of faith. هـــداهـــم الـلـه تعالى واعاذنا (Wassalam, Salahuddin Yusuf)

◈ Sheikh Al-Hadith Abdullah Amjad Chhatvi (Sheikh Al-Hadith Markaz Al-Da’wah Al-Salafiyyah Satiana Bangla, Faisalabad) Hafizahullah’s Opinion

The punishment of Barzakh is true and a matter of faith, and anyone who outright denies it is indeed outside the fold of Islam. As Allah the Exalted says:
➊ ﴿مِمَّا خَطِيْٓــٴٰـتِهِمْ اُغْرِقُوْا فَاُدْخِلُوْا نَارًا﴾

➋ ﴿اَلنَّارُ يُعْرَضُوْنَ عَلَيْهَا غُدُوًّا وَّ عَشِيًّا﴾

➌ Also see Surah Al-An’am, verse 94.
Similarly, the punishment of Barzakh is established and definite through numerous authentic ahadith. Therefore, explicit denial of it is disbelief and leads to leaving the fold of Islam. However, if someone does not explicitly deny it but interprets it metaphorically and becomes among the interpreters, then one should refrain from declaring disbelief on such a person. In summary, believing in the punishment and reward of the grave is necessary. Going into the details of whether the punishment and reward occur only to the soul or also to the body along with the soul is not a matter we are legally bound to explore. But for those who have objections, nowadays the advancement of science has removed all such obstacles. For example: a vehicle has reached the moon and its controller is sitting on earth; despite such distance and delay, continuous communication with that vehicle is maintained. So, does Allah Almighty not have the power to maintain communication between the soul and the body even after death? Our faith is that Allah the Exalted ﴿عَلٰى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيْرٌ﴾. And peace. (Abdullah Amjad Satiana Bangla, Faisalabad)

◈ Hafiz Abdul Wahab Rupdri (Fazil Umm al-Qura Makkah Mukarramah Saudi Arabia, Deputy Sheikh al-Hadith Jamia Ahl-e-Hadith, Lahore) Hafizahullah’s Opinion

The fitnah of denying hadith in Islamic history first began in the second century Hijri and the eighth century AD with the Kharijites and the Mu’tazilites. The Kharijites, who held extremist views, rejected the Sunnah, i.e., hadith, because accepting it would undermine their lofty ideology. Therefore, they declared the majority of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) outside the fold of Islam and sought to kill them. Consequently, they refused to accept the Sunnah, i.e., hadith. Similarly, the Mu’tazilites, influenced by Greek philosophy, denied the authority of hadith because they interpreted every philosophical concept as a demand of reason and tried to reinterpret hadith to align it with philosophy. When they failed, they declared the hadith of the Prophet (peace be upon him) as not authoritative. Later, in the nineteenth century AD, when Muslims in India were deprived of power and their economy was broken, the conquering nation imposed their beliefs and ideologies on Muslims. Some Muslims, intimidated by these, considered such ideologies enlightened and declared the Quran alone as the source of Islam, because the hadith of the Prophet stood in the way of fulfilling their desires. They denied the hadith of the Prophet to fulfill their desires, even though the authority of the hadith is established by the Quran. Allah Almighty says in the Holy Quran:

﴿وَ مَاۤ اٰتٰىكُمُ الرَّسُوْلُ فَخُذُوْهُۚ-وَ مَا نَهٰىكُمْ عَنْهُ فَانْتَهُوْا﴾

“Obey what the Messenger gives you and refrain from what he forbids you.”
Now, whatever the Messenger commands is the hadith of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and the accepted Sunnah. ﴿وَ مَنْ يُّطِعِ اللّٰهَ وَ رَسُوْلَهٗ فَقَدْ فَازَ فَوْزًا عَظِيْمًا﴾ Whoever obeys Allah and the Messenger has certainly succeeded, a great success. Similarly, in the Holy Quran ﴿يٰۤاَيُّهَا الَّذِيْنَ اٰمَنُوْۤا اَطِيْعُوا اللّٰهَ وَ رَسُوْلَهٗ وَ لَا تَوَلَّوْا عَنْهُ وَ اَنْتُمْ تَسْمَعُوْنَ﴾ O you who believe! Obey Allah and His Messenger; you hear and know, so do not turn away from it.
To comply with the commands of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and to act upon what he enjoins is obedience, and this is called Sunnah and hadith. Just as obedience to Allah is constant, so is obedience to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). The constant status of obedience to the Messenger can only be maintained if hadith is accepted as authoritative like the Quran; otherwise, obedience to the Messenger cannot be considered permanent because Allah Almighty says: ﴿فَلْيَحْذَرِ الَّذِيْنَ يُخَالِفُوْنَ عَنْ اَمْرِهٖۤ اَنْ تُصِيْبَهُمْ فِتْنَةٌ اَوْ يُصِيْبَهُمْ عَذَابٌ اَلِيْمٌ﴾
“Those who oppose the command of the Messenger should beware lest a calamity befall them or a painful punishment be inflicted upon them.”

Here, denial of the hadith of the Prophet (peace be upon him) is warned with painful punishment. Thus, the Quran and hadith are inseparable; denial of one necessitates denial of the other. Anyone who completely denies either of these will be outside the fold of Islam. Similarly, the punishment of the grave is also established by Quranic texts and authentic hadith. The Quranic text ﴿يُثَبِّتُ اللّٰهُ الَّذِيْنَ اٰمَنُوْا بِالْقَوْلِ الثَّابِتِ فِي الْحَيٰوةِ الدُّنْيَا وَ فِي الْاٰخِرَةِۚ-وَ يُضِلُّ اللّٰهُ الظّٰلِمِيْنَ وَ يَفْعَلُ اللّٰهُ مَا يَشَآءُ﴾ “Allah strengthens the believers with firm words in this world and the Hereafter.”
The author of Tafsir Khazin, Allama Alauddin Ali bin Muhammad, says:
فى الحيوة الدنيا يعنى فى القبر عند السوال وفى الاخرة يعني يوم القيمة عند البعث والحساب، وهذا القول واضح، ويدل عليها ما روى عن البراء بن عازب قال سمعت رسول الله صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم يقول: ان المسلم اذا سئل فى القبر يشهد ان لا اله الا الله وان محمدا رسول الله فذلك ﴿يُثَبِّتُ اللّٰهُ الَّذِيْنَ اٰمَنُوْا بِالْقَوْلِ الثَّابِتِ فِي الْحَيٰوةِ الدُّنْيَا وَ فِي الْاٰخِرَةِ وَ يُضِلُّ اللّٰهُ الظّٰلِمِيْنَ وَ يَفْعَلُ اللّٰهُ مَا يَشَآءُ﴾ It was revealed concerning the punishment of the grave.
In the Holy Quran في الحيوة الدنيا, the time of questioning in the grave and the Hereafter refers to the Day of Resurrection when people will be raised again and held accountable. This statement is very clear and leaves no room for doubt. This is supported by the narration of Hazrat Bara bin Azib who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) say: When a Muslim is questioned in the grave, he testifies that there is no deity except Allah and that Muhammad (peace be upon him) is the Messenger of Allah. This is indicated by the Quranic verse ﴿يُثَبِّتُ اللّٰهُ الَّذِيْنَ اٰمَنُوْا بِالْقَوْلِ الثَّابِتِ فِي الْحَيٰوةِ الدُّنْيَا وَ فِي الْاٰخِرَةِ وَ يُضِلُّ اللّٰهُ الظّٰلِمِيْنَ وَ يَفْعَلُ اللّٰهُ مَا يَشَآءُ﴾, which was revealed concerning the punishment of the grave.

Similarly, Allah Almighty says:

﴿اَلنَّارُ يُعْرَضُوْنَ عَلَيْهَا غُدُوًّا وَّ عَشِيًّاۚ-وَ يَوْمَ تَقُوْمُ السَّاعَةُ اَدْخِلُوْۤا اٰلَ فِرْعَوْنَ اَشَدَّ الْعَذَابِ﴾

The family of Pharaoh are presented to the fire morning and evening. They will remain in severe punishment of the grave until the Day of Resurrection.

قال ابن مسعود ارواح آل فرعون فى اجواف طيور سود يعرضون على النار كل يوم مرتين تغدو وتروح الى النار، ويقال يا آل فرعون هذه منازلكم حتى تقوم الساعة، وقيل تعرض روح كل كافر على النار بكرة وعشيا ما دامت الدنيا

Ibn Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The souls of the family of Pharaoh are in the bellies of black birds, which are presented to the fire twice daily. They are told: O family of Pharaoh! This is your place until the Day of Resurrection. The soul of the disbeliever is presented to the fire morning and evening as long as the world lasts.
After this verse, the author of Tafsir Khazin says:
ويستدل بهذه الاية على اثبات عذاب القبر This verse indicates the affirmation of the punishment of the grave.
The text from the hadith of the Prophet (peace be upon him) is in “Mishkat, Chapter on Affirmation of Punishment of the Grave,” first section:

عن النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم قال يثبت الله الذين امنوا بالقول الثابت، نزلت فى عذاب القبر، يقال له من ربك فيقول ربي الله و نبي محمد

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: يثبت الله الذين امنوا بالقول الثابت It was revealed concerning the punishment of the grave that a person is asked: Who is your Lord? He says: My Lord is Allah and my Prophet is Muhammad (peace be upon him).
The punishment of the grave is established by the texts of the Quran and hadith, and denying it is denying the Quranic texts and the hadith of the Prophet.
➊ Now we come to the issue itself. There are two types of deniers of the punishment of the grave. Some deny the Quranic texts and the hadith of the Prophet altogether; they are outside the fold of Islam because Allah Almighty says:

﴿وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا فَتَعْسًا لَّهُمْ وَأَضَلَّ أَعْمَالَهُمْ. ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ كَرِهُوا مَا أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ فَأَحْبَطَ أَعْمَالَهُمْ﴾ ‎.

“Those who disbelieve, destruction is for them, and their deeds are in vain; they disliked what Allah revealed, so Allah has nullified their deeds.”
Faith is connected to deeds, and hatred and denial of the revealed revelation of Allah do not preserve faith; it is lost. Such a person is outside the fold of Islam.
➋ Those who do not completely deny the Quranic texts and hadith but misinterpret them cannot be called disbelievers; they can be called sinners, wicked, misguided, etc.

◈ An Unknown Scholar (I received this letter on 5/8/2005, which contains my question as well as the answer. However, it is not known whether this answer was given by any scholar.)’s Opinion

The punishment of the grave is proven by countless evidences from the Quran and Sunnah; this is why the Ahl al-Sunnah have consensus on it. Intellectually, there is nothing preventing its acceptance. The hadiths about the punishment of the grave are so numerous that according to many hadith scholars, they have reached the level of mutawatir (mass transmission). Therefore, if these hadiths are not authentic, then no part of the religion is authentic. In the past, some atheists, heretics, Kharijites, and some Mu’tazilites claimed that the Quran does not mention the punishment of the grave, and that it is only mentioned in solitary reports. The scholars of the Salaf, by the grace of Allah, have strongly refuted them with firm and strong evidence. For details, refer to Imam Ibn Qayyim’s book Al-Ruh. In the Holy Quran, Allah the Exalted says:

﴿اَلنَّارُ يُعْرَضُوْنَ عَلَيْهَا غُدُوًّا وَّ عَشِيًّاۚ-وَ يَوْمَ تَقُوْمُ السَّاعَةُ اَدْخِلُوْۤا اٰلَ فِرْعَوْنَ اَشَدَّ الْعَذَابِ﴾

“The Fire (Hell) to which they are exposed morning and evening, and on the Day the Hour will be established, [it will be said], ‘Cause Pharaoh’s people to enter the severest punishment.'”
Hafiz Ibn Kathir, may Allah have mercy on him, wrote under this noble verse in his Tafsir:
وهذا الآية اصل كبير فى استدلال اهل السنة على عذاب البرزخ فى القبand
According to the Ahl al-Sunnah, this noble verse is a very strong proof for the punishment in the grave (Barzakh). In any case, the Holy Quran and many authentic hadiths… In the chapter “Affirmation of the Punishment of the Grave” in Mishkat al-Masabih, fifteen hadiths are mentioned. Thus, the punishment of the grave is established. May Allah Almighty, by His grace and mercy, protect us from it.
Whoever denies the authentic hadiths of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, is undoubtedly a disbeliever and outside the fold of Islam. والله اعلم بالصواب

◈ Sheikh-ul-Hadith Abwans Muhammad Yahya Gondalvi (Commentator of Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah, author of many books, Sheikh-ul-Hadith of Jamia Taleem-ul-Quran wal-Hadith Sahiwal, Sialkot) opinion

There is not the slightest doubt or hesitation that the believer in the grave benefits from some of the blessings of Paradise, and that the wicked and sinful suffer various kinds of torment and punishment, which is absolutely true and supported by the Holy Quran and authentic Hadiths. This is why all Ahl al-Sunnah, from the time of the Companions of the Prophet until today, have believed in its truth, and this is a unanimous belief of Ahl al-Sunnah wal Jama’ah in which there has never been any fundamental disagreement.

However, the Mu’tazila and some other innovative and misguided sects, who denied many Islamic beliefs and rulings, have also denied the punishment of the grave. The reason for their denial is clear: they judged Islamic beliefs by their own intellect rather than by the texts. Although they claimed to follow the Book and Sunnah, in practice it was the opposite; they judged the texts by reason, not reason by the texts. In other words, for them the standard and measure was reason, not the Book and Sunnah. To protect their reason, they devised certain principles by which they would reject explicit texts that contradicted their beliefs. Since outright denial of the Book of Allah was not possible—because even a Muslim would consider that to be outside the fold of Islam—they opened the door to inappropriate interpretations and through this door they denied the Book of Allah, but in such an attractive manner that even the greatest intellects were astonished.

For denying Hadith, they took an easy path: كل حديث يخالف كتاب الله فهو مردود “Every Hadith that contradicts the Book of Allah is rejected and unacceptable.” This principle was a support for their beliefs; every Hadith that appeared to contradict their viewpoint was immediately declared contrary to the Book of Allah and rejected, and then they were satisfied that by rejecting that Hadith they had preserved the truth. There are many faults in this principle, but it is not the place here to explain them in detail. Those who want details may refer to our article “There is no contradiction between the Quran and Hadith.”

Their denial of the punishment of the grave is also due to this principle, as they do not accept the intermediate life (Barzakh), because they consider it beyond reason. Then they support their flawed imagination with some verses that mention resurrection after death on the Day of Judgment, whereas the world of Barzakh is distinct from the Hereafter and has its own independent existence, just as the world of this life has its own independent existence.

Those in our time who do not believe in reward and punishment in the grave are following in the footsteps of the earlier deniers. The objections that the earlier deniers made are now being presented by these people in a new form. However, one positive aspect is that these people not only deny the Hadith but also mock them.

Some pamphlets printed under various titles in Karachi under the name of Majlis Ahbab have reached me, whose titles and headings are so attractive that one is immediately struck with astonishment. But when they are read, most of these pamphlets break down at the point where they claim that the punishment of the grave is a myth fabricated by the clerics to embellish stories.

It is not intended to discuss these pamphlets in this brief response; God willing, a detailed review will be presented in another gathering. However, it should be noted that the mindset of these pamphlets is completely different from the thinking of the pious predecessors (Salaf al-Salih), and in fact, it is equivalent to being ignorant or even outside the fold of Islam.

◈ Ahl al-Sunnah and Punishment

From the era of the Companions until today, there has not been a scholar who considers the Book and Sunnah as proof and regards his opinion and analogy subordinate to the Book and Sunnah, who has denied the punishment of the grave. How can denial even be possible when the explicit evidences in the Book and Sunnah on this matter are brighter and clearer than the midday sun? Consider the Holy Quran, Surah Al-An’am, verses 94-95; Surah Al-Anfal, verses 50-51; and Surah Ghafir, verses 45-46.

In the verses of Surah Ghafir, it is stated:

﴿وَ حَاقَ بِاٰلِ فِرْعَوْنَ سُوْٓءُ الْعَذَابِ. اَلنَّارُ يُعْرَضُوْنَ عَلَيْهَا غُدُوًّا وَّ عَشِيًّاۚ-وَ يَوْمَ تَقُوْمُ السَّاعَةُ اَدْخِلُوْۤا اٰلَ فِرْعَوْنَ اَشَدَّ الْعَذَابِ.﴾

“The people of Pharaoh were seized by a terrible punishment. They are exposed to the fire morning and evening, and on the Day of Resurrection it will be said, ‘Cause Pharaoh’s people to enter the severest punishment.'”

This verse clearly indicates that the people of Pharaoh were seized by punishment and they are still afflicted by the same punishment of fire. Thus, this verse indicates the punishment of the grave in two ways.

Firstly: حاق is in the past tense, indicating occurrence in the past, and يعرضون is in the present tense, indicating the present time. Here, the present tense cannot be interpreted as future because the future tense would appear as ويوم تقوم الساعة, which means that the punishment of fire that has surrounded the people of Pharaoh in this world is indeed a punishment but lighter compared to the punishment of the Hereafter. When the Day of Resurrection comes, they will be subjected to severe punishment. This shows that these are two different punishments differing in time and condition. If both were considered the same, it would negate the style of the Quran and the conjunction “and” used for sequence would become meaningless.

Secondly: The words of the verse themselves غدوا و عشيا indicate that these are two punishments with different times, because on the Day of Resurrection, the worldly system of morning and evening (day and night) will not exist.

Regarding the affirmation of the punishment of the grave, the hadiths are undoubtedly mutawatir. There is no authentic book of hadith that does not contain authentic narrations on this subject. If all these hadiths were compiled, undoubtedly a voluminous book would be formed. This is why the Imams of Hadith have declared the narrations on this subject as mutawatir. The Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Ifta of Saudi Arabia also received a detailed inquiry about the punishment of the grave, to which the committee responded with a detailed fatwa of about eleven pages, which is highly recommended for reference. It states:

قد تواترت الاخبار عن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فى ثبوت سوال الميت فى قبره، وثبوت نعيمه فيه او عذابه حسب عقيدته وعمله بما لا يدع مجالا للشك فى ذلك، ولم يوت عن الصحابة رضى الله عنهم فى ثبوت ذلك ،خلاف، ولذا قال بثبوته اهل السنة والجماعة .

“Indeed, there are mutawatir hadiths from the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) regarding questioning in the grave and the proof of blessings and punishments according to belief and practice. There remains no room for doubt in this matter. Nothing contrary has been narrated from any Companion (rather, all the Companions were unanimous on this issue). Therefore, Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama’ah accept this matter.”

Imam Nawawi, the commentator of Sahih Muslim, states:

تظاهرت به الاحاديث الصحيحة عن النبى علم من رواية جماعة من الصحابة فى مواطن كثيرة ، ولا يمتنع فى العقل ان يعيد الله تعالى الحياة فى جزء من الجسم، ويعذبه، واذا لم يمنعه العقل، وورد الشرع به، وجب قبوله واعتقاده

“The hadiths narrated from the Prophet (peace be upon him) on this matter are very clear and evident, and a group of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) have narrated them in many places. It is not against reason that Allah revives a part of the body and punishes or rewards it. When this is not logically impossible, then undoubtedly the Shariah has also affirmed it, and accepting it and holding belief accordingly is obligatory.”

Mulla Ali Qari Hanafi, commentator of Mishkat al-Masabih, states:

ان اهل الحق اتفقوا على ان الله تعالى يخلق فى الميت نوع حياة فى القبر قدر ما يتألم او يتلذذ

“There is unanimous agreement among all the people of truth that Allah creates a kind of life in the grave in the deceased to the extent that the deceased feels pain or pleasure.”

Allama Tahawi states:

وبعذاب القبر لمن كان له اهلا وسوال منكر ونكير فى قبره عن ربه ودينه ونبيه على ما جاءت به الاخبار عن رسول الله الا الله وعن الصحابة رضوان الله عليهم

“Whoever is deserving of punishment, it is obligatory to believe that he will be punished in the grave, and similarly, to believe in the questioning of the deceased by Munkar and Nakir about his Lord, religion, and Prophet, because numerous hadiths have been narrated and transmitted from the Prophet (peace be upon him) and the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) on this matter.”

The commentator of Aqeedah Tahawiyyah, after mentioning a long hadith in Musnad Ahmad

and Abu Dawud

which mentions the soul being returned to the deceased and the angels questioning him, states:

ذهب الى موجب هذا الحديث جميع اهل السنة والحديث

“The position and creed of all Ahl al-Sunnah and Ahl al-Hadith is the same as what has been stated in this hadith.”

He also states:

وقد تواترت الاخبار عن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فى ثبوت عذاب القبر ونعيمه لمن كان لذلك اهلا، وسوال الملكين فيجب اعتقاد ثبوت ذلك والايمان به، ولا نتكلم فى كيفيته اذ ليس للعقل وقوف على كيفيته لكونه لا عهد له به فى هذا الدار والشرع لا ياني بما تحيله العقول، ولكنه قد ياتي بما تحار فيه العقول فان عود الروح الى الجسد ليس على الوجه المعهود فى الدنيا بل تعاد الروح اليه اعادة غير الاعادة المالوفة فى الدنيا

“There are mutawatir hadiths from the Messenger of Allah regarding the proof of the punishment and blessings of the grave for those deserving it, and similarly regarding the proof of the angels questioning the deceased, and it is obligatory to believe in these proofs and have faith in them. (How the punishment or blessing occurs) its nature is not to be discussed because its nature is beyond the comprehension of reason, as no one has any connection with that world before death (to know its nature). There is nothing in the Shariah that reason finds impossible. Sometimes the Shariah states a ruling that astonishes reason. The returning of the soul to the body in the grave is not like the soul in the body in this world but is returned in a manner unfamiliar in this world.”

From this entire discussion, it is clear that the proof of the punishment of the grave is from the clear texts of the Quran and Hadith, and this is the belief of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) and all the Imams of Ahl al-Sunnah. There is no difference in this. Denying these texts is not without danger because it entails denying many texts of the Quran and Hadith. If this denial is due to ignorance or inappropriate interpretation, it is also not permissible. If the denial is due to rejection of the truth and following desires despite the truth being clear, and stubborn insistence on a wrong position without reason, then such a person is considered a denier of the texts of the Quran and Hadith and is outside the fold of Islam. Allah the Exalted says:

﴿قُلْ اَطِيْعُوا اللّٰهَ وَ الرَّسُوْلَۚ-فَاِنْ تَوَلَّوْا فَاِنَّ اللّٰهَ لَا يُحِبُّ الْكٰفِرِيْنَ﴾

“Say, ‘Obey Allah and the Messenger.’ But if they turn away, then indeed, Allah does not like the disbelievers.”

This noble verse clearly states that obedience to Allah (the Holy Quran) and the Messenger of Allah (authentic hadiths) is obligatory, and whoever deviates from this is counted among the disbelievers. We pray that Allah grants us the ability to adopt our belief and actions in accordance with the Book and Sunnah, for therein lies our salvation and goodness.

والله الموفق بالصواب

(Written by Abu Anas Muhammad Yahya Gondalvi, 2 September 2005)
(Director of Jamia Taleem al-Quran wal Hadith Sahowala, Sialkot)

◈ Hafiz Zubair Ali Zai (Renowned Researcher, Author of Numerous Books, Editor of Monthly Al-Hadith Hazara and Attock District) Hafizahullah’s Opinion

وعليكم السلام ورحمة الله وبركاته ….. اما بعد!

The person who deserves punishment is given punishment in the grave (اعاذنا الله منها). This belief is established by the Holy Quran, mutawatir hadiths, consensus, and the traditions of the pious predecessors. See

and general books of Ahl al-Sunnah creed. And all praise is due to Allah.
Among those who deny this correct belief are two types of people:
➊ A disbeliever who rejects the Quran and Hadith.
➋ A severe misled person (deviant, innovator) who opposes mutawatir hadiths and consensus through false interpretations.
The person who declares all authentic hadiths false and fabricated without any interpretation is an atheist, heretic, godless, and an advocate of disbelief. Calling such a person a Muslim is equivalent to mocking authentic and mutawatir hadiths. وما علينا الا البلاغ
Harrah: Hafiz Zubair Ali Zai, Madrasah Ahl al-Hadith, Hazara and Attock District, 9 Dhu al-Hijjah 1426 AH

◈ Mufti Sher Muhammad Alvi (Mufti of Jamia Ashrafia Lahore) Hafizahullah’s Opinion

The comfort and torment of the grave are proven by the Holy Quran and authentic Hadiths, and there is consensus among Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama’ah on this matter. However, the Mu’tazila, who are a misguided sect, deny it. Therefore, the elders of Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama’ah have declared them misguided. Since this sect denies it due to interpretation, the elders have been cautious in calling them disbelievers, but they are nonetheless misguided and outside the fold of Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama’ah, the people of truth.والله اعلم بالصواب
The correct answer: Mufti Hamidullah Alvi
(Head of Dar al-Ifta, Jamia Ashrafia, Lahore)

◈ Opinion of Mufti Abu Ahmad Noor Muhammad Tunesvi Qadri

Punishment of the grave means the life of the grave. It is established by clear verses and mutawatir ahadith, and the consensus of the Ummah further confirms it. Therefore, the scholars of Ahl al-Sunnah wal Jama’ah have counted this belief among the necessities of religion. And the one who denies this belief is declared a disbeliever. Thus, Allama Tahir ibn Ahmad al-Hafee writes: ولا يجوز الصلواة خلف من ينكر شفاعة النبى علم، وينكر الكرام الكاتبين، وعذاب القبر، كذا من ينكر الروئة، لانه كافر
Meaning, the prayer behind a person who denies the intercession of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is not valid. Similarly, the prayer behind a person who denies the noble scribes, the punishment of the grave, and the vision of Allah is not valid, because he is a disbeliever.

Muhaddith Ibn Humam Muhammad ibn Abdul Wahid Hanafi (may Allah have mercy on him) states:

ولا يجوز الصلوة خلف منكر الشفاعة، والرؤية، وعذاب القبر والكرام الكاتبين لانه كافر لتوارث هذه الامور من الشارع صلى الله عليه وسلم

“Meaning, the prayer behind one who denies intercession, the vision of Allah, the punishment of the grave, and the noble scribes is not valid, because he is a disbeliever. This is because these matters have been established with mutawatir transmission from the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).”

Allama Abdul Shakoor Salmi (may Allah have mercy on him) states:
فاما عذاب القبر لـلـمـؤمـنـيـن من الجائزات، وللكافرين من الواجبات والله تعالى يقول ﴿اَلنَّارُ يُعْرَضُوْنَ عَلَيْهَا غُدُوًّا وَّ عَشِيًّاۚ﴾ Meaning Pharaoh and his people were punished in the morning and evening by fire, and this is true in any place, in any condition, and whoever denies this becomes a disbeliever.
Meaning, the punishment of the grave is permissible for the believers and obligatory for the disbelievers. Allah’s command that Pharaoh and his people are presented to the fire morning and evening indicates that the punishment is real, wherever and in whatever state it may be. Whoever denies this is a disbeliever.

Bahr al-Uloom Mawlana Abdul Ali Sahib (may Allah have mercy on him) states:

منكر الشفاعة لاهل الكبائر، والروية، وعذاب القبر، وكرام الكاتبين كافر

“Meaning, the one who denies intercession for major sinners, the vision of Allah, the punishment of the grave, and the noble scribes is a disbeliever.”

(The opinion of Mufti Abu Ahmad Sahib has been quoted from his book “Life of the Grave.” The author)
Fatawa Alamgir also

declares the one who denies the punishment of the grave to be a disbeliever.