Return of the Soul to the Body in the Grave

The return of the soul to the body in the grave and the subsequent questioning by angels is a significant belief in Islamic theology, especially concerning the events of the afterlife. This concept is derived from authentic hadiths of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and is accepted by scholars of Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama'ah. In this article, Hafiz Abu Yahya Noorpuri emphasizes the authenticity of this belief, refuting the claims of those who question the validity of the hadith, such as Dr. Masood al-Din Usmani.

The Hadith of the Return of the Soul​

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) described what happens to a person in their grave after death. He stated that after burial, the soul is returned to the body, and the deceased is asked three questions by two angels. One of the authentic narrations of this event is:

“The soul of the deceased is returned to their body, two angels come to him, make him sit up, and ask: Who is your Lord?”
(Musnad Abi Dawud al-Tayalisi, 2/114, Hadith No: 789)

This hadith has been recorded by many scholars of hadith, such as Imam Ahmad, Ibn Abi Shaybah, and Abu Dawud, among others. It is widely recognized as authentic, with no credible hadith expert having ever questioned its reliability.

Evidence of Authenticity from Classical Scholars​

Numerous scholars from different eras have affirmed the authenticity of this hadith. Some notable scholars who verified its authenticity include:

1. Imam Ibn Mandah (d. 395 AH): He considered this hadith to be well-established and widely narrated, noting that it has been reported by multiple companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him), including Al-Bara' bin Azib, Jabir, Abu Huraira, and others.
2. Imam al-Hakim (d. 405 AH): In his Mustadrak, he declared this hadith to be authentic according to the conditions set by Imam Bukhari and Muslim. He emphasized that its chain of narration contains trustworthy narrators used by both Bukhari and Muslim.
3. Hafiz Ibn Hajar (d. 852 AH): He affirmed the reliability of the narrators of this hadith and highlighted its consistent mention in the books of creed and hadith collections. According to Ibn Hajar, this hadith is part of the foundational beliefs of Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama'ah regarding life after death and the events of the grave.
4. Imam Ibn Qayyim (d. 751 AH): He wrote extensively about this hadith, affirming its authenticity and noting that no major scholar of hadith had ever criticized it. He considered it essential for understanding the events in the grave and refuted anyone who tried to undermine its credibility.

Criticism by Dr. Masood al-Din Usmani​

Despite the overwhelming scholarly consensus, Dr. Masood al-Din Usmani raised doubts about the authenticity of this hadith. His criticism primarily focused on two narrators: Al-Manhal bin Amr and Zadhan Abu Amr. Dr. Usmani suggested that these narrators were unreliable, leading him to conclude that the hadith itself was weak. However, this stance is a minority view that has been refuted by hadith scholars.

Examination of Al-Manhal bin Amr​

Dr. Usmani criticized Al-Manhal bin Amr, one of the narrators of this hadith, alleging that he was weak. However, numerous authoritative scholars from the past have declared him trustworthy:

• Imam Yahya bin Ma'in (d. 233 AH), a leading scholar in the science of narrator evaluation (jarh wa ta'dil), explicitly stated that Al-Manhal bin Amr is reliable.
• Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal regarded him as a strong narrator.
• Imam Bukhari included a narration from Al-Manhal in his Sahih, which is a testament to his reliability. Imam Bukhari’s strict criteria for including narrators in his collection are well-known, and this is an implicit endorsement of Al-Manhal’s trustworthiness.

In addition to these endorsements, Hafiz Ibn Hajar and Imam al-Dhahabi both agreed that the criticism of Al-Manhal is unfounded. While there were isolated claims that Al-Manhal may have been involved in musical activities or recited the Qur'an melodiously, these were not considered valid grounds to reject his narrations. Imam Shu’bah, who initially abandoned Al-Manhal due to hearing musical sounds from his house, was later corrected by his own students, who argued that such issues were not sufficient to deem a narrator unreliable.

Examination of Zadhan Abu Amr​

Dr. Usmani also targeted Zadhan Abu Amr, another narrator of this hadith, labeling him as a Shi'a and thus unreliable. However, scholars have rejected this claim:

• Zadhan’s narrations have been used in Sahih Muslim, indicating that he was considered reliable by the compilers of one of the most authentic hadith collections.
• There is no strong evidence that Zadhan was a sectarian extremist, and many scholars, including Imam Bukhari and Ibn Hibban, accepted his narrations.

Thus, the criticisms of both Zadhan and Al-Manhal do not hold up under scrutiny, and the overwhelming majority of hadith scholars regard them as trustworthy narrators.

The Consensus of Scholars on the Return of the Soul​

The belief in the return of the soul to the body in the grave is a well-established tenet of Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama'ah. This belief is derived from the authentic hadiths of the Prophet (peace be upon him), such as the one discussed above. Scholars like Ibn Qayyim, Imam al-Nawawi, Imam al-Qurtubi, and others have elaborated on the significance of this event, emphasizing its theological importance.

Ibn Qayyim, in his work al-Ruh (The Soul), wrote extensively about the events of the grave, affirming that the soul returns to the body during the questioning by the angels. He noted that this belief has been unanimously accepted by Ahl al-Sunnah and that rejecting it would mean going against a fundamental principle of the faith.

Conclusion: The Authenticity and Importance of the Hadith​

The hadith of the return of the soul and the questioning in the grave is authentic and supported by a consensus of classical and later scholars. Despite the attempts by critics like Dr. Masood al-Din Usmani to challenge its validity, the overwhelming evidence points to the reliability of the narrators involved and the soundness of the hadith.

This hadith plays a crucial role in Islamic eschatology, teaching Muslims about the events that will occur after death and the importance of being prepared for the hereafter. The questioning in the grave is a reminder of the Day of Judgment and the need for a life lived in obedience to Allah.

As Hafiz Abu Yahya Noorpuri concludes, efforts to discredit this hadith lack scholarly backing and contradict the vast body of evidence that has been accepted by generations of Islamic scholars. This hadith remains a key part of the Islamic understanding of life after death.