This excerpt is taken from the book by Fazilat-ul-Sheikh Abdul Salam Rustami From Denial of Hadith to Denial of Quran.
Sixteenth Doubt: Punishment in the Grave
There are three views or three groups among the deniers of the punishment in the grave, which are as follows:
First Group:
According to one sect, there is no other life between the worldly and the hereafter life, nor any punishment or reward. This is often the view of the Mu'tazila. Their famous argument is that Allah Almighty has mentioned two lives in the Holy Quran, one worldly and the other hereafter, while there is no mention of a third life.
Allah Almighty said:
كَيْفَ تَكْفُرُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَكُنتُمْ أَمْوَاتًا فَأَحْيَاكُمْ ۖ ثُمَّ يُمِيتُكُمْ ثُمَّ يُحْيِيكُمْ ثُمَّ إِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ ﴿٢٨﴾
"How can you disbelieve in Allah when you were lifeless and He gave you life? Then He will cause you to die, then He will bring you to life again, and then to Him you will be returned."
Reference: (2-Al-Baqarah:28)
He also said:
قَالُوا رَبَّنَا أَمَتَّنَا اثْنَتَيْنِ وَأَحْيَيْتَنَا اثْنَتَيْنِ فَاعْتَرَفْنَا بِذُنُوبِنَا
"They will say: Our Lord! You caused us to die twice and gave us life twice, so we confess our sins."
Reference: (40-Al-Mu’min:11)
He also said:
إِنَّكَ مَيِّتٌ وَإِنَّهُم مَّيِّتُونَ ﴿٣٠﴾ ثُمَّ إِنَّكُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ عِندَ رَبِّكُمْ تَخْتَصِمُونَ ﴿٣١﴾
"Indeed, you are to die, and indeed, they are to die, then indeed you, on the Day of Resurrection, before your Lord, will dispute."
Reference: (39-Az-Zumar:30-31)
He also said:
ثُمَّ إِنَّكُم بَعْدَ ذَٰلِكَ لَمَيِّتُونَ ﴿١٥﴾ ثُمَّ إِنَّكُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ تُبْعَثُونَ ﴿١٦﴾
"Then indeed, after that, you are surely to die, then on the Day of Resurrection, you will be resurrected."
Reference: (23-Al-Mu’minun:15-16)
In the above verses, only two lives are mentioned: the worldly life which begins from the mother's womb, and the hereafter life which is interpreted as resurrection after death and that is the hereafter. So when there is no third life, then the question of consciousness and punishment does not arise.
Second Party:
The Hadith denier Hafiz Aslam has said that it is proven from several verses that from the time of death until the Day of Judgment, the dead have no kind of sensation or consciousness. The body naturally decomposes in the soil, and for the soul, this period passes like a moment. In other words, when someone dies, their resurrection is established at that very moment; therefore, the period of Barzakh or the life of Barzakh is an impossible matter. The dead lying in the grave neither hear anything nor have any consciousness or sensation.
Reference: Reference: Aina Parveziyat, p. 374
Observe their contradictory writings. First, they denied Barzakh, then said the duration of Barzakh is from the death of the deceased until the Day of Judgment.
Reference: Qur'anic Decisions, p. 312
In one place it is written: "There is no interval of time for the dead between death and resurrection."
Reference: Qur'anic Decisions, p. 318
The famous argument of this group is this noble verse:
قَالُوا يَا وَيْلَنَا مَن بَعَثَنَا مِن مَّرْقَدِنَا ۜ ۗ هَٰذَا
"Alas! Who has awakened us from our sleeping places?"
Reference: (36-Ya-Sin:52)
And they say that Raqad means sleeping.
Allah Almighty said:
وَتَحْسَبُهُمْ أَيْقَاظًا وَهُمْ رُقُودٌ
"And you think them awake, while they are asleep."
Reference: (18-Al-Kahf:18)
This group denied Barzakh and the interval of time so that they could deny the punishment of the grave and the conditions of the grave.
Third Party:
This group believes in the punishment of the grave and interprets the grave as the Barzakh (intermediate state). They believe in punishment and reward only for the soul. They do not hold any belief in life or punishment and reward for the body. They completely deny the punishment in the worldly grave, meaning they do not differentiate between the punishment of the grave and the punishment in the grave. This is the belief of the Mu'tazilite school, and some contemporary claimants of monotheism hold this belief.
All these sects commit the denial of Hadith on this issue, whereas the belief of Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama'ah is that in the known grave (burial place), wherever the body or its particles are scattered, Allah Almighty, by His great power, subjects them (if they deserve punishment) to punishment. This is called punishment in the grave (punishment in the worldly grave). The soul is also punished, but it has a separate place.
Reference: The issue of the abode of souls, explanation of the creed of Tahawi, and Majmu' al-Fatawa of Maulana Abdul Hay Lakhnawi and other books contain detailed information.
In this abode, Allah gives the souls certain composite bodies and through them subjects them to punishment and reward. According to this belief, punishment and reward are related to both the body and the soul. However, during the times of questioning and other intervals in the grave, the soul is not in the body. This is called Barzakhi life.
In this issue, verses and hadiths are presented which indicate the affirmation of the punishment of the grave and punishment in the grave, and from them, the doubts of all three groups can be removed.
Verses Related to the State of the Grave
Allah Almighty said:
أَلْهَاكُمُ التَّكَاثُرُ ﴿١﴾ حَتَّىٰ زُرْتُمُ الْمَقَابِرَ ﴿٢﴾ كَلَّا سَوْفَ تَعْلَمُونَ ﴿٣﴾ ثُمَّ كَلَّا سَوْفَ تَعْلَمُونَ ﴿٤﴾
“The greed for more has kept you heedless until you visit the graves. Yes, soon you will know. Then, indeed, you will soon know.”
Reference: (102-Al-Takathur:1-4)
The last two verses warn about the torment of the grave, because the punishment of the Hereafter is mentioned in the subsequent verses. This proves both the torment in the grave and the torment of the grave.
Allah Almighty said:
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ تَوَفَّاهُمُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ ظَالِمِي أَنفُسِهِمْ قَالُوا فِيمَ كُنتُمْ ۖ قَالُوا كُنَّا مُسْتَضْعَفِينَ فِي الْأَرْضِ ۚ قَالُوا أَلَمْ تَكُنْ أَرْضُ اللَّهِ وَاسِعَةً فَتُهَاجِرُوا فِيهَا ۚ فَأُولَٰئِكَ مَأْوَاهُمْ جَهَنَّمُ ۖ وَسَاءَتْ مَصِيرًا ﴿٩٧﴾
“Indeed, those whom the angels take [in death] while wronging themselves - [the angels] will say, ‘In what [condition] were you?’ They will say, ‘We were oppressed in the land.’ The angels will say, ‘Was not the earth of Allah spacious [enough] for you to emigrate therein?’ For those, their refuge is Hell - and evil it is as a destination.”
Reference: (4-An-Nisa:97)
From this verse, it is understood that at the time of death or after it, in the grave itself, angels reprimand those who abandoned the duty of migration while oppressing themselves. This state is the state of the grave or the state of Barzakh in which this torment is appointed.
Allah Almighty said:
وَلَوْ تَرَىٰ إِذِ الظَّالِمُونَ فِي غَمَرَاتِ الْمَوْتِ وَالْمَلَائِكَةُ بَاسِطُو أَيْدِيهِمْ أَخْرِجُوا أَنفُسَكُمُ ۖ الْيَوْمَ تُجْزَوْنَ عَذَابَ الْهُونِ بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَقُولُونَ عَلَى اللَّهِ غَيْرَ الْحَقِّ وَكُنتُمْ عَنْ آيَاتِهِ تَسْتَكْبِرُونَ ﴿٩٣﴾
“And if you could see when the wrongdoers are in the pangs of death while the angels extend their hands, [saying], ‘Discharge your souls! Today you will be awarded the punishment of [extreme] humiliation for what you used to say against Allah other than the truth and [that] you were, toward His verses, being arrogant.’”
Reference: (6-Al-An'am:93)
This verse clearly indicates that at the time of death and after death, angels threaten the wrongdoers with the torment of humiliation along with reprimand. The word ”اليوم“ (today) is clear evidence that this torment begins at the time of death. This is a very explicit proof for the torment of the grave and the torment of Barzakh. If someone interprets this as a matter of the Day of Judgment, this interpretation is completely against the word اليوم “today.”
Allah Almighty said:
وَلَوْ تَرَىٰ إِذْ يَتَوَفَّى الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا ۙ الْمَلَائِكَةُ يَضْرِبُونَ وُجُوهَهُمْ وَأَدْبَارَهُمْ وَذُوقُوا عَذَابَ الْحَرِيقِ
“Say, ‘If you could see when the angels take the souls of those who disbelieved, striking their faces and their backs and [saying], ‘Taste the punishment of the burning fire.’’”
Reference: (8-Al-Anfal:50)
Allah Almighty said:
فَكَيْفَ إِذَا تَوَفَّتْهُمُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ يَضْرِبُونَ وُجُوهَهُمْ وَأَدْبَارَهُمْ
“So what is [the matter] with them that the angels take them in death, striking their faces and their backs?”
Reference: (47-Muhammad:27)
Both these verses explicitly state that after death, angels strike the faces and backs of disbelievers and hypocrites and say, “Taste this torment.” If this is not the torment of the grave and Barzakh, then what else is it?
Allah Almighty said:
قُلْ أَرَأَيْتُمْ إِنْ أَتَاكُمْ عَذَابُهُ بَيَاتًا أَوْ نَهَارًا مَّاذَا يَسْتَعْجِلُ مِنْهُ الْمُجْرِمُونَ ﴿٥٠﴾ أَثُمَّ إِذَا مَا وَقَعَ آمَنتُم بِهِ ۚ آلْآنَ وَقَدْ كُنتُم بِهِ تَسْتَعْجِلُونَ ﴿٥١﴾ ثُمَّ قِيلَ لِلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا ذُوقُوا عَذَابَ الْخُلْدِ هَلْ تُجْزَوْنَ إِلَّا بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَكْسِبُونَ ﴿٥٢﴾
“Say, ‘Then observe what you are promised if you should be believers.’ Say, ‘The punishment will befall you either in the form of a day of sudden calamity or in the form of a day when you are called to account.’ Then will be said to the wrongdoers, ‘Taste what you used to earn.’”
Reference: (10-Yunus:50-52)
In these verses, the coming of torment at night or day implies death, meaning they will believe at the time of death, but their belief will not be accepted; rather, they will be told to taste eternal punishment. This punishment refers to the torment of the grave and Barzakh, which follows after death.
Allah Almighty said:
وَخَابَ كُلُّ جَبَّارٍ عَنِيدٍ ﴿١٥﴾ مِّن وَرَائِهِ جَهَنَّمُ
“Every stubborn, arrogant [person] will be brought low, and the Hellfire will be before him.”
Reference: (14-Ibrahim:15-16)
The word وخاب indicates that in the grave and Barzakh, he becomes hopeless because he is caught in torment, while من ورائه shows that the torment of Hell is after that.
Also, Allah said:
الَّذِينَ تَتَوَفَّاهُمُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ ظَالِمِي أَنفُسِهِمْ ۖ فَأَلْقَوُا السَّلَمَ مَا كُنَّا نَعْمَلُ مِن سُوءٍ ۚ بَلَىٰ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلِيمٌ بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ ﴿٢٨﴾ فَادْخُلُوا أَبْوَابَ جَهَنَّمَ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا
“Those whose souls the angels take while they are wronging themselves, they will say, ‘What was [wrong] with you?’ They will say, ‘We were oppressed in the land.’ The angels will say, ‘Was not the earth of Allah spacious enough for you to emigrate therein?’ So enter the gates of Hell to abide eternally therein, and wretched is the residence of the arrogant.”
Reference: (16-An-Nahl:28-29)
Also, Allah said:
الَّذِينَ تَتَوَفَّاهُمُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ طَيِّبِينَ ۙ يَقُولُونَ سَلَامٌ عَلَيْكُمُ ادْخُلُوا الْجَنَّةَ بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ
“When the angels take the souls of the righteous, they say, ‘Peace be upon you. Enter Paradise for what you used to do.’”
Reference: (16-An-Nahl:32)
These verses present a comparison of the death and post-death conditions of polytheists and monotheists. The first verses describe the death and post-death (grave and Barzakh) of polytheists, including dialogue with angels, greetings, and denial of polytheism, then they are told to enter Hell, meaning their souls will be admitted to Hell because the disgrace of the Hereafter has already been mentioned in verse 27. Verse 32 describes the blessings of the monotheists, whose souls will enter Paradise.
Also, Allah said:
يُثَبِّتُ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا بِالْقَوْلِ الثَّابِتِ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَفِي الْآخِرَةِ
“Allah keeps firm those who believe in the life of this world and the Hereafter.”
Reference: (14-Ibrahim:27)
Imam Bukhari (may Allah have mercy on him) and other scholars have cited this verse as proof of the torment of the grave. In its exegesis, a sound hadith is narrated which explicitly states that وفي الآخرة refers to the grave. The evidence is that steadfastness is necessary for a person in both worldly and Barzakh life because trials come in both places, and steadfastness is needed during trials. The hadith in the exegesis mentions questioning and answering in the grave for the believer.
Also, Allah said:
وَمَنْ أَعْرَضَ عَن ذِكْرِي فَإِنَّ لَهُ مَعِيشَةً ضَنكًا وَنَحْشُرُهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ أَعْمَىٰ
“But whoever turns away from My remembrance - indeed, he will have a depressed life, and We will gather him on the Day of Resurrection blind.”
Reference: (20-Taha:124)
In the exegesis of this verse, commentators have narrated a tradition that معيشة ضنكا refers to the torment of the grave. The indication is that the worldly life of disbelievers and those who turn away from the Qur’an often passes in pleasures and abundance, and the state of Resurrection is described at the time of gathering, so معيشة ضنكا refers to the state of the grave.
Also, Allah said:
فَوَقَاهُ اللَّهُ سَيِّئَاتِ مَا مَكَرُوا ۖ وَحَاقَ بِآلِ فِرْعَوْنَ سُوءُ الْعَذَابِ ﴿٤٥﴾ النَّارُ يُعْرَضُونَ عَلَيْهَا غُدُوًّا وَعَشِيًّا ۖ وَيَوْمَ تَقُومُ السَّاعَةُ أَدْخِلُوا آلَ فِرْعَوْنَ أَشَدَّ الْعَذَابِ ﴿٤٦﴾
“And the people of Pharaoh - the worst of creatures - were seized by the punishment of the Fire. Morning and evening the Fire will be brought before them, and on the Day of Resurrection it will be said, ‘Cause Pharaoh’s people to taste the worst punishment.’”
Reference: (40-Al-Mu’min:45-46)
These verses mention three types of punishment for Pharaoh and his people:
1. Worldly punishment: The people of Pharaoh were seized by a severe punishment.
2. Barzakh punishment: They are brought before the Fire morning and evening.
3. Hereafter punishment: On the Day of Resurrection, it will be said, “Cause Pharaoh’s people to taste the worst punishment.”
The second type of punishment is certainly in the Barzakh state because the mention of Resurrection is distinctly separate. Considering both as Hereafter punishment, as Hafiz Aslam wrote, is mere ignorance.
Also, Allah said:
سَنُعَذِّبُهُمْ مَرَّتَيْنِ ثُمَّ يُرَدُّونَ إِلَىٰ عَذَابٍ عَظِيمٍ
“And soon We will punish them twice; then they will be returned to a great punishment.”
Reference: (9-At-Tawbah:101)
In this verse, the two punishments (مرتين) refer to the first being worldly punishment and the second being Barzakh punishment, while the great punishment is the Hereafter punishment. All commentators agree on this.
Also, Allah said:
مِمَّا خَطِيئَاتِهِمْ أُغْرِقُوا فَأُدْخِلُوا نَارًا
“Because of their sins, We drowned them, then We made them into a torment in the Fire.”
Reference: (71-Nuh:25)
The word فأدخلوا نارا here refers to Barzakh punishment. The fire here does not mean Hell because فأدخلوا نارا in فا indicates continuity, meaning after drowning them, they were immediately cast into the fire. This is the torment of the grave and Barzakh.
Also, Allah said:
وَلَا تَقُولُوا لِمَنْ يُقْتَلُ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ أَمْوَاتٌ ۚ بَلْ أَحْيَاءٌ وَلَٰكِن لَّا تَشْعُرُونَ
“And do not say about those who are killed in the way of Allah, ‘They are dead.’ Rather, they are alive, but you perceive [it] not.”
Reference: (2-Al-Baqarah:154)
Also, Allah said:
وَلَا تَحْسَبَنَّ الَّذِينَ قُتِلُوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ أَمْوَاتًا ۚ بَلْ أَحْيَاءٌ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ يُرْزَقُونَ ﴿١٦٩﴾ فَرِحِينَ بِمَا آتَاهُمُ اللَّهُ مِن فَضْلِهِ وَيَسْتَبْشِرُونَ بِالَّذِينَ لَمْ يَلْحَقُوا بِهِم مِّنْ خَلْفِهِمْ أَلَّا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ ﴿١٧٠﴾ ۞ يَسْتَبْشِرُونَ بِنِعْمَةٍ مِّنَ اللَّهِ وَفَضْلٍ وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُضِيعُ أَجْرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ﴿١٧١﴾
“And do not think of those who have been killed in the cause of Allah as dead. Rather, they are alive with their Lord, receiving provision, rejoicing in what Allah has bestowed upon them of His bounty, and they receive good tidings about those [to be martyred] after them who have not yet joined them - that there is no fear concerning them, nor are they grieved. They rejoice in favor from Allah and bounty, and that Allah does not allow the reward of the believers to be lost.”
Reference: (3-Ali Imran:169-171)
These noble verses mention the Barzakh life of those martyred in the way of Allah, their provision, happiness, and the glad tidings of Allah’s blessings and bounty. Interpreting this as worldly life contradicts both reason and narration because they have been martyred; their souls have departed, and the rulings of death have been applied to them. Therefore, applying worldly life to them contradicts reason and narration. Nor can it be interpreted as the Hereafter life (as the Mu’tazila sect does) because the Hereafter life is a right and certainty for all humans, called resurrection after death. So what special status would there be for the martyrs? Allah said in this verse: “But you do not understand.” While believers do understand and accept the Hereafter life, so it is clear that this refers to Barzakh life, but its perception and awareness are beyond the knowledge of the living. This life cannot be perceived, although its effects are on both body and soul, but in detail, it is among the ambiguous matters and its nature is beyond our understanding. That is why Allah said: ولٰكن لا تشعرون “But you do not understand.”
However, this type of life is also proven for ordinary believers by authentic hadiths narrated by Ibn Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him) and other commentators, although there are differences in the degrees of this life. The Prophets (peace be upon them) are at the highest level, then the martyrs, and then the rank of ordinary believers.
The summary of the discussion is that most of the above verses, due to their general indication, include the torment of the grave, its blessings, and the state other than the grave which is from death until Resurrection. The Qur’an applies the term Barzakh to these general states, as Allah Almighty said:
وَمِن وَرَائِهِم بَرْزَخٌ إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ يُبْعَثُونَ
“And behind them is a barrier until the Day they are resurrected.”
Reference: (23-Al-Mu’minun:100)
Meaning, whether a person is buried in the grave after death or his body parts are anywhere in the world and his soul is in whatever abode, that is Barzakh. Barzakh is not the name of a place but the name of a time and period. Therefore, it is established that these verses negate the three beliefs that deny the torment of the grave and the torment in the worldly grave in any way.
In contrast to all these mentioned verses, only one verse:
يَا وَيْلَنَا مَن بَعَثَنَا مِن مَّرْقَدِنَا
“Woe, that Day, to the deniers.”
Reference: (36-Ya-Sin:52)
is used to argue that there is no torment in the grave but only sleeping and resting there, which is incorrect. Because when these people see the horrors of Resurrection, the grave will seem like a resting place compared to Resurrection. It is human nature that when a calamity befalls and then a greater calamity follows, the first calamity is considered a blessing.
An example of this is in the Qur’an where, on the Day of Resurrection, when people are raised, they will be asked how long they stayed in the world, and due to differences in their feelings, they will give different answers. Regarding their answers, it is said:
يَتَخَافَتُونَ بَيْنَهُمْ إِن لَّبِثْتُمْ إِلَّا عَشْرًا ﴿١٠٣﴾ نَّحْنُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا يَقُولُونَ إِذْ يَقُولُ أَمْثَلُهُمْ طَرِيقَةً إِن لَّبِثْتُمْ إِلَّا يَوْمًا ﴿١٠٤﴾
“They will whisper among themselves, ‘You remained only ten days.’ They are [merely] guessing. But those with knowledge will say, ‘You remained only a day.’”
Reference: (20-Taha:103-104)
Also, Allah said:
وَتَظُنُّونَ إِن لَّبِثْتُمْ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا
“And you will think that you remained only a little while in the world.”
Reference: (17-Al-Isra:52)
Also, Allah said:
قُلْ إِن لَّبِثْتُمْ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا
“He will say, ‘You stayed but a little.’”
Reference: (23-Al-Mu’minun:114)
Also, Allah said:
يُقْسِمُ الْمُجْرِمُونَ مَا لَبِثُوا غَيْرَ سَاعَةٍ
“The sinners will swear that they had not remained but an hour in the world.”
Reference: (30-Ar-Rum:55)
Also, Allah said:
وَيَوْمَ يَحْشُرُهُمْ كَأَن لَّمْ يَلْبَثُوا إِلَّا سَاعَةً مِّنَ النَّهَارِ يَتَعَارَفُونَ بَيْنَهُمْ
“And the Day He will gather them, it will be as if they had not remained but an hour of a day, and they will know each other. Those will have lost who denied the meeting with Allah and were not guided.”
Reference: (10-Yunus:45)
Also, Allah said:
كَأَنَّهُمْ يَوْمَ يَرَوْنَ مَا يُوعَدُونَ لَمْ يَلْبَثُوا إِلَّا سَاعَةً مِّن نَّهَارٍ
“On the Day they see that which they were promised, it will be as if they had not remained but an hour of a day.”
Reference: (46-Al-Ahqaf:35)
Also, Allah said:
كَأَنَّهُمْ يَوْمَ يَرَوْنَهَا لَمْ يَلْبَثُوا إِلَّا عَشِيَّةً أَوْ ضُحَاهَا
“The Day they will see the Day of Resurrection, it will be as if they had not remained but an evening or a morning of that Day.”
Reference: (79-An-Nazi'at:46)
Also, Allah said:
لَقَد لَبِثْتُمْ فِي كِتَابِ اللَّهِ إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ الْبَعْثِ
“You will remain according to the Book of Allah until the Day of Resurrection.”
Reference: (30-Ar-Rum:56)
Also, Allah said:
قَالُوا لَبِثْنَا يَوْمًا أَوْ بَعْضَ يَوْمٍ
“They will say, ‘We have remained a day or part of a day.’”
Reference: (23-Al-Mu’minun:113)
These various perceptions of sinners on the Day of Resurrection are due to the severity of the torment. The greater the fear, the shorter the stay seems, and the less understanding one has, the longer the stay seems, even up to ten days and nights. There are also different degrees among them, but the decision from Allah is:
لَقَدْ لَبِثْتُمْ فِي كِتَابِ اللَّهِ إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ الْبَعْثِ
“You will remain according to the Book of Allah until the Day of Resurrection.”
Reference: (30-Ar-Rum:56)
And this stay is less compared to Resurrection, so it is said:
قُلْ إِن لَّبِثْتُمْ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا ۖ لَّوْ أَنَّكُمْ كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ
“Allah will say, ‘Indeed, you have stayed a little, if only you had known.’”
Reference: (23-Al-Mu’minun:114)
This stay includes both worldly life and Barzakh states, which is very little compared to Resurrection. Thus, these verses prove that when a great calamity comes, a lesser calamity is not felt as such. Therefore, sinners, upon seeing the horrors of Resurrection, will call the state of the grave a resting place (bedroom). There are also other opinions of commentators regarding calling the grave a resting place.
Affirmation of the Punishment of the Grave and the Conditions of Barzakh
The answer to the question posed by the deniers of Hadith, who argued from the following verses, is presented here. The Divine command is:
"How can you disbelieve in Allah while you were lifeless and He gave you life; then He will cause you to die, then He will bring you to life again, and then to Him you will be returned."
Reference: (2-Al-Baqarah:28)
He also said:
"They will say: Our Lord! You caused us to die twice and gave us life twice, and we confess our sins."
Reference: (40-Al-Mu’min:11)
❀ Detailed answer: Allah Almighty has granted true life three times. Five such incidents are mentioned in Surah Al-Baqarah.
ثُمَّ بَعَثْنَاكُم مِّن بَعْدِ مَوْتِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ ﴿٥٦﴾
"Then We gave you life after your death so that you might be grateful."
Reference: (2-Al-Baqarah:56)
In this incident, a punitive death befell them, then due to the prayer of Prophet Musa (peace be upon him), Allah revived them, and after that, they died their appointed death.
He also said:
فَقُلْنَا اضْرِبُوهُ بِبَعْضِهَا ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ يُحْيِي اللَّهُ الْمَوْتَىٰ وَيُرِيكُمْ آيَاتِهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ ﴿٧٣﴾
"So We said: Strike him with a piece of it. Thus does Allah bring the dead to life and show you His signs so that you may understand."
Reference: (2-Al-Baqarah:73)
In this incident, the murdered person had died his appointed death, but Allah revived him for some time; he identified his killer and then died again.
He also said:
فَقَالَ لَهُمُ اللَّهُ مُوتُوا ثُمَّ أَحْيَاهُمْ
"So Allah commanded them to die; then He restored them to life."
Reference: (2-Al-Baqarah:243)
In this incident, that nation died a punitive death, then their prophet prayed, and Allah revived them.
He also said:
فَأَمَاتَهُ اللَّهُ مِائَةَ عَامٍ ثُمَّ بَعَثَهُ ۖ قَالَ كَمْ لَبِثْتَ ۖ قَالَ لَبِثْتُ يَوْمًا أَوْ بَعْضَ يَوْمٍ ۖ قَالَ بَل لَّبِثْتَ مِائَةَ عَامٍ
"So Allah kept him dead for a hundred years, then revived him and asked: How long have you remained in this state? He said: A day or part of a day. He said: No, you have remained for a hundred years."
Reference: (2-Al-Baqarah:259)
This story relates to a man, often identified in narrations as Uzair (peace be upon him). He died an unusual death. Allah preserved him for a hundred years, then revived him, but he was unaware of the duration. According to his knowledge, he said he stayed for a day or part of a day. Allah informed him that he had remained in that state for a hundred years. This incident also mentions the death and revival of a donkey.
And in another place, it is said:
قَالَ فَخُذْ أَرْبَعَةً مِّنَ الطَّيْرِ فَصُرْهُنَّ إِلَيْكَ ثُمَّ اجْعَلْ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ جَبَلٍ مِّنْهُنَّ جُزْءًا ثُمَّ ادْعُهُنَّ يَأْتِينَكَ سَعْيًا
"He said: Take four birds and train them to come to you, then place a piece of them on each hill, then call them; they will come flying to you."
Reference: (2-Al-Baqarah:260)
This incident also mentions the slaughtering of four birds, placing their pieces on mountains, and upon the call of Ibrahim (peace be upon him), their revival and running towards him.
Similarly, the miracles of Jesus (peace be upon him) are mentioned.
He said:
وَأُحْيِي الْمَوْتَىٰ بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ
"I cure the blind and the leper, and I give life to the dead by Allah's permission."
Reference: (3-Aal Imran:49)
He also said:
وَإِذْ تُخْرِجُ الْمَوْتَىٰ بِإِذْنِي
"And when I have brought the dead to life by Your permission."
Reference: (5-Al-Ma'idah:110)
From all these verses, it is explicitly proven that Allah Almighty, in exceptional cases, revived some people and some animals after their death in this world. Those who interpret these verses away are considered deniers of Allah's power, as the deniers of Hadith have made various interpretations.
❀ An incident: Once, my Quran lesson was held in Roshkai Mardan. Someone asked: According to the Divine law, death occurs once and then resurrection after death is true; then how can these above incidents be accepted which contradict this Divine law? I replied: Do you accept resurrection after death from the Quran or from something else? He said: I believe in resurrection after death from the Quran. I said: These stories are also Quranic verses; why don't you accept them? Hearing this, he became silent.
The above-mentioned deniers of the punishment of the grave include a third group who interpret the punishment of the grave as the punishment of Barzakh (the intermediate state), while they completely deny the punishment in the grave (the worldly grave). They cannot present any evidence for their position. They should reflect on the mentioned verses; they include both the punishment in the grave and the punishment of the grave (meaning Barzakh), while authentic hadiths explicitly mention the punishment in the grave (the worldly grave).
Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them) narrates: The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) passed by a garden in Medina or Mecca and heard the voices of two people being punished in their graves. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
يعذبان وما يعذبان فى كبير
"These two are being punished, and they are not being punished for any major sin."
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari, Wudu, Chapter: Major Sins - Not to conceal one's urine, Hadith: 216
Bara' ibn Azib (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
إذا أقعد المؤمن فى قبره
"When a believer is placed in his grave."
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari, Funerals, Chapter: What has been narrated about the punishment of the grave, Hadith: 1369
Abu Ayyub (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates:
خرج النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم وقد وجبت الشمس فسمع صوتا فقال يهود تعذب فى قبورها
"The Prophet (peace be upon him) came out when the sun had set; he heard a sound and said: 'The Jews are being punished in their graves.'"
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari, Funerals, Chapter: Seeking refuge from the punishment of the grave, Hadith: 1375
There are many other authentic hadiths of this kind, and in these hadiths, the words في قبورهما، فى قبره and فى قبورها are clear evidence that the punishment is taking place inside the grave. Those who deny the punishment in the grave unnecessarily interpret these hadiths. They say: Here, from فى القبر to فى البرزخ is meant.
The answer is that if in one hadith the words ”في البرزخ“ were present, then there would be room to interpret the word فى القبر in the other hadiths.
