The Belief in the Return of the Soul (ʿIādah al-Rūḥ) in Light of Qur’an and Hadith – Is it Shirk?
Source: Fatāwā Rāshidiyyah, p.204
❖ Question
Is the belief in the return of the soul (ʿiādah al-rūḥ) in line with the Qur’an and Hadith, or against them? Is such a belief considered shirk? Does it contradict any verse of the Qur’an?
❖ Answer
- The belief in the return of the soul for questioning in the grave is proven through authentic ahadith.
- This is established in Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, the Musnad of Imām Aḥmad, and other hadith collections with reliable chains.
- Therefore, this belief is not shirk.
❖ Clarification from Qur’an and Sunnah
- This belief does not contradict any verse of the Qur’an.
- The reason is that the return of the soul occurs in the realm of Barzakh.
- The laws and realities of Barzakh are completely different from those of worldly life.
- Hence, they cannot be measured by worldly logic.
❖ Further Explanation
- If this return were of a worldly nature, one might raise objections.
- But since it belongs to Barzakh, which is a realm entirely distinct from this world, no impossibility or irrationality arises in affirming it.
❖ Belief of the Salaf al-Ṣāliḥīn
- This has been the unanimous belief of the Companions and the majority of the early righteous scholars.
- Only two groups rejected it:
❀ The Muʿtazilah, and
❀ Certain modern-day atheists or claimants of “independent reasoning.”
❖ Conclusion
- The return of the soul in Barzakh for grave questioning is:
✔ Established by authentic hadith,
✔ In agreement with Qur’an,
✔ Not shirk in any sense,
✔ And part of the belief of the Salaf.
ھذا ما عندی واللہ أعلم بالصواب
