Explanation of the Barzakh Grave: Understanding the Hadith of the Jewish Woman and the Oven (Tannūr)
Source: Fatāwā ʿUlamāʾ al-Ḥadīth
Question
ʿĀʾishah (رضي الله عنها) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) passed by a Jewish woman whose family was weeping over her. He said: “People are weeping over her while she is being punished in her grave.”
(Bukhari)
From this narration, it appears that the Jewish woman had not yet been buried in the earthly grave; she was still above the ground. Despite this, the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: “This Jewish woman is being punished in her grave.”
Hence, it is understood that “grave” here refers to the Barzakh grave, not the worldly soil grave. You had requested that the original words be quoted from Sahih al-Bukhari with the book and chapter. Please see below:
Bukhari: Chapter & Text (Original Words Verbatim)
باب: قَولِ النَّبِیِّ ﷺ یُعَذَّبُ الْمَیِّتُ بِبَعْضِ بُکَآء اَھْلِه، عَلَیْه… حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللّٰہِ بْنُ یُوْسُفَ قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا مَالِك عَنِ عَبْدِ اللّٰہِ بْنِ اَبِیْ بَکْرٍ عَنْ أَبِیْه عَنْ عَمْرَة بِنْتِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمٰنِ اَنَّھَآ اَخْبَرَتْه اَنَّھََا سَمِعَتْ عَآئِشة زَوْجَ النَّبِیَّ صَلَّی اللّٰہُ عَلَیْه وَسَلَّمَ قَالَتْ اِنَّمَا مَرَّ رَسُولُ اللّٰہِ ﷺ عَلٰی یَھُودِیَّة یَّبْکِی عَلَیْھَآ أَھْلُھَا فَقَالَ: «اِنَّھُمْ لَیَبْکُوْنَ عَلَیْھَا وَاِنَّھَا لَتُعَذَّبُ فِیْ قَبْرِھَا»
(Sahih al-Bukhari / Book of Funerals)
The Background of the Narration of Samurah ibn Jundub (رضي الله عنه)
— The Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) saw in a dream a pit shaped like a tannūr (oven), in which naked men and women were being punished…
(Bukhari)
An objection is raised alongside this that the graves of fornicators in the world are located in different countries and places, so in Barzakh are they all gathered into a single oven and punished by fire?
In response to this question, it was clarified that neither the Qur’an nor the Hadith mention gathering all fornicators, male and female, into a single oven. For clarity, please see the original words of the narration of Samurah ibn Jundub (رضي الله عنه):
Text of the Hadith (Original Words Verbatim)
قَالاَ انْطَلِقْ فَانْطَلَقْنَا اِلٰی نَقْبٍ مِّثْلِ التَّنُوْرِ اَعْلاَہُ ضَیِّقٌ وَّاَسْفَلُه وَاسِعٌ تَتَوقَّدُ تَحْتَه نَارٌ فَإِذَا اقْتَرَبَ ارْتَفَعُوْا حَتّٰی کَادُوْا یَخْرُجُوْنَ فَاِذَا خَمَدَتْ رَجَعُوْا فِیْھَا وَفِیْھَا رِجَالٌ وَّنِسَآء عُرَاة فَقُلْتُ مَا ھٰذَا
(Sahih al-Bukhari, Book of Funerals)
Answer
الحمد لله، والصلاة والسلام علىٰ رسول الله، أما بعد!
✿ Point One:
In the mentioned Hadith of Umm al-Mu’minīn Sayyidah ʿĀʾishah (رضي الله عنها), the concept of passing by the grave (murūr ʿalā al-qabr) is found. From this arises the inference which also indicates the understanding of the deceased status of that Jewish woman—namely, that the punishment of the grave pertains to the Barzakh state, even if worldly burial has not yet taken place.
✿ Point Two (Original Statement as Quoted):
“My answer in summary is that neither the Qur’an nor the Hadith mention that all fornicators, male and female, of the entire world are punished in a single oven. In the Hadith you have cited, this too is not mentioned. Read it once more carefully; the matter will become clear, in shā’ Allāh al-Ḥannān.”
