The Belief in Munkar and Nakīr According to Hadith
Taken from Fatāwā Amunpūrī by Shaykh Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Amunpuri
Question:
What do the aḥādīth say about Munkar and Nakīr?
Answer:
Munkar and Nakīr are the names of two angels who come to the deceased in the grave for questioning. Belief in them is obligatory.
Hadith Evidence
Anas ibn Mālik (رضي الله عنه) reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
العبد إذا وضع فى قبره، وتولي وذهب أصحابه حتى إنه ليسمع قرع نعالهم، أتاه ملكان، فأقعداه، فيقولان له: ما كنت تقول فى هذا الرجل محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم؟ فيقول: أشهد أنه عبد الله ورسوله، فيقال: انظر إلى مقعدك من النار أبدلك الله به مقعدا من الجنة، قال النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم: فيراهما جميعا، وأما الكافر أو المنافق فيقول: لا أدري، كنت أقول ما يقول الناس، فيقال: لا دريت ولا تليت، ثم يضرب بمطرقة من حديد ضربة بين أذنيه، فيصيح صيحة يسمعها من يليه إلا الثقلين
“When the servant is placed in his grave, and his companions depart, he hears the sound of their sandals. Then two angels come to him, sit him up, and say: ‘What did you used to say about this man Muhammad ﷺ?’ He will reply: ‘I testify that he is the servant of Allah and His Messenger.’ It will be said to him: ‘Look at your place in Hell; Allah has replaced it with a place in Paradise.’ The Prophet ﷺ said: ‘He will see them both.’ But as for the disbeliever or hypocrite, he will say: ‘I do not know; I used to say what the people said.’ It will be said: ‘You did not know, nor did you recite.’ Then he will be struck with an iron hammer between his ears, and he will scream — a scream heard by all near him except mankind and jinn.”
[Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 1338; Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 2870]Scholarly Commentary
- Ḥāfiẓ al-Baghawī (رحمه الله):
“This ḥadīth is agreed upon as authentic.”
[Sharḥ al-Sunnah: 5/415]
- ʿAllāmah Ibn Hubayrah (رحمه الله, 560 AH):
“This ḥadīth proves the obligation of believing in Munkar and Nakīr, that they come to every servant in his grave. This is the first trial of the Hereafter.”
[Al-Ifṣāḥ ʿan Maʿānī al-Ṣiḥāḥ: 5/194]
- Imām Aḥmad (رحمه الله):
When asked about the punishment of the grave and Munkar and Nakīr, he said:
“We believe in all of this. Whoever denies any of it is a Jahmī.”
[Masā’il Ibn Hānī: 1879]
Conclusion:Belief in Munkar and Nakīr, their questioning in the grave, and the trial of the grave is an essential part of Islamic creed. Whoever denies it has opposed the consensus of Ahl al-Sunnah.
