What the disobedient will say at the time of death:
❀ The statement of Allah:
حَتَّى إِذَا جَاءَ أَحَدَهُمُ الْمَوْتُ قَالَ رَبِّ ارْجِعُونِ لَعَلِّي أَعْمَلُ صَالِحًا فِيمَا تَرَكْتُ كَلَّا إِنَّهَا كَلِمَةٌ هُوَ قَائِلُهَا وَمِنْ وَرَائِهِمْ بَرْزَخٌ إِلَى يَوْمِ يُبْعَثُونَ
“When death comes to one of them, he says: My Lord! Send me back, so that I may do righteous deeds in that which I was unable to do before. Beware! This is only a word that they will say. Now a barrier has been placed between them until the Day of Resurrection.”
According to the explicit statement of the Quran, this statement will be made at the time of death. This proves that immediately after death, punishments and blessings certainly exist. It also refutes those who say, “We do not see the punishment of the grave.” They should be asked: do you hear this statement of the servant?
Martyrs receiving provision:
❀ The statement of Allah the Exalted:
وَلَا تَحْسَبَنَّ الَّذِينَ قُتِلُوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ أَمْوَاتًا بَلْ أَحْيَاءٌ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِمْ يُرْزَقُونَ
“Never think of those who are killed in the way of Allah as dead. Rather, they are alive, being provided for with their Lord.”
❀ Likewise, Allah says:
وَلَا تَقُولُوا لِمَنْ يُقْتَلُ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ أَمْوَاتٌ بَلْ أَحْيَاءٌ وَلَكِنْ لَا تَشْعُرُونَ
“Do not say about those who are martyred in the way of Allah that they are dead. They are certainly alive, but you cannot perceive (their life).”
❀ Allamah Ibn Faras (may Allah have mercy on him) (597 AH) says:
فِيهِ دَلِيلٌ عَلَى عَذَابِ الْقَبْرِ وَصِحَّتِهِ خِلَافًا لِمَنْ نَفَاهُ مِنَ الْمُعْتَزِلَةِ.
“This verse is evidence for the establishment of the punishment of the grave, contrary to the Mu’tazilah, who deny the punishment of the grave.”
In this verse the blessings of the grave are mentioned. Allah says: the martyr is alive, in that Allah continues to provide for him, and we do not see that either.
The question about blessings:
❀ In the Noble Quran:
أَلْهَاكُمُ التَّكَاثُرُ حَتَّى زُرْتُمُ الْمَقَابِرَ كَلَّا سَوْفَ تَعْلَمُونَ ثُمَّ كَلَّا سَوْفَ تَعْلَمُونَ كَلَّا لَوْ تَعْلَمُونَ عِلْمَ الْيَقِينِ لَتَرَوُنَّ الْجَحِيمَ ثُمَّ لَتَرَوُنَّهَا عَيْنَ الْيَقِينِ ثُمَّ لَتُسْأَلُنَّ يَوْمَئِذٍ عَنِ النَّعِيمِ
“Competition in (acquiring) wealth distracted you, until you reached the graves. Indeed, you will soon know. Again, indeed, you will soon know. If only you had knowledge of certainty. You will surely see the Hellfire. Then you will surely see it with the eye of certainty. Then, on that day, you will be questioned about the blessings.”
These questions will be asked first of all in the grave, as the Noble Prophet ﷺ said regarding Munkar and Nakir in the grave.
❀ Imam Muhammad bin Jarir al-Tabari (may Allah have mercy on him) (310 AH) says:
قَوْلُهُ:حَتَّى زُرْتُمُ الْمَقَابِرَ
يَعْنِي حَتَّىٰ صِرْتُمْ إِلَى الْمَقَابِرِ فَدُفِنْتُمْ فِيهَا؛ وَفِي هٰذَا دَلِيلٌ عَلَى صِحَّةِ الْقَوْلِ بِعَذَابِ الْقَبْرِ، لِأَنَّ اللّٰهَ تَعَالَىٰ ذِكْرُهُ، أَخْبَرَ عَنْ هٰؤُلَاءِ الْقَوْمِ الَّذِينَ أَلْهَاهُمُ التَّكَاثُرُ، أَنَّهُمْ سَيَعْلَمُونَ مَا يَلْقَوْنَ إِذَا هُمْ زَارُوا الْقُبُورَ وَعِيدًا مِنْهُ لَهُمْ وَتَهَدُّدًا.
“The statement of Allah the Exalted: حَتَّى زُرْتُمُ الْمَقَابِرَ “until you reach the graves” means: until you are buried in the graves. In this verse is evidence that the belief in the punishment of the grave is correct, because Allah informed about those whom competition in wealth had distracted that they will soon know when they reach the graves; in this is a threat and warning for them.”
Two lives and two deaths:
This topic deserves considerable reflection.
❀ The statement of Allah the Exalted:
إِذًا لَأَذَقْنَاكَ ضِعْفَ الْحَيَاةِ وَضِعْفَ الْمَمَاتِ ثُمَّ لَا تَجِدُ لَكَ عَلَيْنَا نَصِيرًا
“Then We would have made you taste a double (portion) of life and a double (portion) of death, then you would not have found any helper against Us.”
❀ Likewise He said:
قَالُوا رَبَّنَا أَمَتَّنَا اثْنَتَيْنِ وَأَحْيَيْتَنَا اثْنَتَيْنِ فَاعْتَرَفْنَا بِذُنُوبِنَا فَهَلْ إِلَى خُرُوجٍ مِنْ سَبِيلٍ
“They will say: Our Lord! You made us die twice and gave us life twice. We acknowledge our sins. Is there any way out?”
❀ In its explanation, Hafiz Ibn Abd al-Barr (may Allah have mercy on him) (463 AH) says:
أَمَّا الْآثَارُ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِي عَذَابِ الْقَبْرِ فَلَا تَكَادُ تُحْصٰى بِعَدَدٍ تَوَاتُرًا وَاشْتِهَارًا وَصِحَّةً، وَكَذٰلِكَ هِيَ عَنِ الصَّحَابَةِ وَالتَّابِعِينَ لَهُمْ بِإِحْسَانٍ كَثِيرَةٍ شَهِيرَةٍ يَجِبُ الْاسْتِنَادُ إِلَيْهَا لِأَنَّهُ لَا يَجُوزُ عَلَى جَمَاعَتِهِمُ الْغَلَطُ فِي تَأْوِيلِ قَوْلِ اللّٰهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ:أَمَتَّنَا اثْنَتَيْنِ وَأَحْيَيْتَنَا اثْنَتَيْنِ، وَكُلُّ مَنْ تَكَلَّمَ فِي تَفْسِيرِ الْقُرْآنِ مِنَ السَّلَفِ فِي هٰذِهِ الْآيَةِ وَغَيْرِهَا يُقِرُّ بِفِتْنَةِ الْقَبْرِ وَيُؤْمِنُ بِهَا وَيَرَى الْآثَارَ فِيهَا وَهُمْ أَهْلُ الْعِلْمِ بِالْقُرْآنِ وَلِسَانِ الْعَرَبِ وَمُرَادِ الرَّسُولِ صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ.
“So many narrations have been reported from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ about the punishment of the grave that they cannot be counted. They are mutawatir, well-known and authentic narrations. Likewise, many narrations have come from the Companions and the Tabi’in, and it is obligatory to rely on them, because the entire group cannot wrongly interpret this statement of Allah the Exalted: “Our Lord! You made us die twice and gave us life twice.” Everyone among the early generations of this Ummah who explained this verse acknowledged the trial of the grave and believed in it. They understood the Quran, the Arabic language and the intent of the Messenger very correctly.”
❀ The statement of Allah the Exalted:
يَوْمَ هُمْ عَلَى النَّارِ يُفْتَنُونَ ذُوقُوا فِتْنَتَكُمْ هَذَا الَّذِي كُنْتُمْ بِهِ تَسْتَعْجِلُونَ
“On that day they will be presented to the Fire, and it will be said: Taste your trial. This is what you used to seek to hasten.”
❀ The statement of Allah the Exalted:
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ قَالُوا رَبُّنَا اللَّهُ ثُمَّ اسْتَقَامُوا تَتَنَزَّلُ عَلَيْهِمُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ أَلَّا تَخَافُوا وَلَا تَحْزَنُوا وَأَبْشِرُوا بِالْجَنَّةِ الَّتِي كُنْتُمْ تُوعَدُونَ
“Indeed, those who say: Our Lord is Allah; then remain steadfast upon it, the angels descend upon them (and say:) Do not fear and do not grieve, and receive glad tidings of Paradise, which you were promised.”
❀ In explanation of this verse, Imam Mujahid (may Allah have mercy on him) says:
ذٰلِكَ عِنْدَ الْمَوْتِ.
“All of this happens at the time of death.”
From the generality of this verse it is established that for the believers there are blessings and glad tidings even before the Hereafter. Its opposite implication is that for those who are not believers there are no blessings before the Hereafter, but rather punishments, which are called the punishment of the grave.
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