Written by: Maulana Abu Al-Hasan Mubashir Ahmad Rabbani
Question:
A hadith mentions that when the deceased is questioned about the Noble Prophet ﷺ, the Prophet ﷺ himself appears in the grave. Is this true?
Answer:
When a person completes their appointed time in this world and reaches the embrace of the grave, they are questioned by Munkar and Nakir. Among these questions is one about the Noble Prophet ﷺ, where it is asked: "ما كنت تقول فى هذا الرجل" (“What did you say about this man?”). If the person is a believer, they give the correct answer, and if they are a disbeliever, they say: "لا ادرى" (“I do not know”). However, there is no authentic hadith that states that the Prophet ﷺ himself appears in the grave or that his blessed image is presented, prompting the angels to ask, “What did you say about this man?”
◈ Mulla Ali Qari (رحمه الله) writes in the commentary of Mishkat, "Mirqat":
"It is said that the veil is lifted for the deceased so that they may see the Prophet ﷺ. If this is true, it is a great glad tiding for the believer (that they get to see the Prophet ﷺ), but we do not know of any authentic hadith narrated on this matter."
[Mirqat Sharh Mishkat 24/1]
◈ Imam Jalaluddin Suyuti (رحمه الله) states:
"Hafiz Ibn Hajar was asked: 'Is the veil lifted for the deceased so that they may see the Prophet ﷺ?' He replied: 'There is no such narration in any hadith. Some have claimed this without any reliable evidence, except by referring to the phrase ‘هذا الرجل’ (this man), which holds no conclusive proof as the reference is to someone present in the mind.'"
[Mirqat al-Mafatih 1/370]
Further Clarification:
The term “هذا” (this) is not correctly deduced here because presence can be of two types: one is mental (conceptual) presence, and the other is personal (physical) presence. In this context, mental presence is intended, not personal.
In addition to the above, there are several examples in the Qur'an and hadith literature where “هذا” is used in the context of something distant, indicating that it is not necessary for the referred entity to be physically near.
In the Qur'an, when the angels visited Prophet Ibrahim (عليه السلام) before proceeding to destroy the people of Prophet Lut (عليه السلام), they said:
"We are about to destroy the people of this town, for its people are truly unjust."
[Surah Al-Ankabut: 29:31]
↰ Prophet Lut (عليه السلام) was in Sodom, and Prophet Ibrahim (عليه السلام) was in Palestine. Sodom was not near, yet the angels used “هذٰه” (this) as a reference because Sodom was in the minds of Ibrahim (عليه السلام) and the angels. Similarly, in Sahih Bukhari, when Heraclius inquired about the Prophet ﷺ while in Jerusalem, he said:
"Who among you is closest in lineage to this man?"
[Bukhari, Book of the Beginning of Revelation: Chapter on the Beginning of Revelation 7]
Additionally, the narration also mentions:
"I am going to ask about this man."
This conversation took place in Jerusalem, about 810 miles from Madinah, indicating that “هذٰا” is used for mental presence as the Prophet ﷺ was not physically present during the discussion.
Similarly, during the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah, Budayl bin Warqa came as an envoy from the polytheists of Makkah to discuss the terms of the treaty and, upon returning to Makkah, said:
"We have come to you from this man."
[Musnad Ahmad 18166]
When Abu Dharr al-Ghifari (رضي الله عنه) heard about the Prophet ﷺ’s prophethood, he sent his brother to investigate, saying:
"Go to this valley and bring me news of this man."
[Bukhari, Book of Virtues: Chapter on the Islam of Abu Dharr al-Ghifari 3861]
Such examples are numerous in hadith literature where “هذٰا” is used to indicate a distant reference or mental presence. Similarly, when the Prophet ﷺ is questioned in the grave, and the term “هذٰا” is used, it refers to mental presence, as previously mentioned by Hafiz Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani (رحمه الله).
Question:
A hadith mentions that when the deceased is questioned about the Noble Prophet ﷺ, the Prophet ﷺ himself appears in the grave. Is this true?
Answer:
When a person completes their appointed time in this world and reaches the embrace of the grave, they are questioned by Munkar and Nakir. Among these questions is one about the Noble Prophet ﷺ, where it is asked: "ما كنت تقول فى هذا الرجل" (“What did you say about this man?”). If the person is a believer, they give the correct answer, and if they are a disbeliever, they say: "لا ادرى" (“I do not know”). However, there is no authentic hadith that states that the Prophet ﷺ himself appears in the grave or that his blessed image is presented, prompting the angels to ask, “What did you say about this man?”
◈ Mulla Ali Qari (رحمه الله) writes in the commentary of Mishkat, "Mirqat":
"It is said that the veil is lifted for the deceased so that they may see the Prophet ﷺ. If this is true, it is a great glad tiding for the believer (that they get to see the Prophet ﷺ), but we do not know of any authentic hadith narrated on this matter."
[Mirqat Sharh Mishkat 24/1]
◈ Imam Jalaluddin Suyuti (رحمه الله) states:
"Hafiz Ibn Hajar was asked: 'Is the veil lifted for the deceased so that they may see the Prophet ﷺ?' He replied: 'There is no such narration in any hadith. Some have claimed this without any reliable evidence, except by referring to the phrase ‘هذا الرجل’ (this man), which holds no conclusive proof as the reference is to someone present in the mind.'"
[Mirqat al-Mafatih 1/370]
Further Clarification:
The term “هذا” (this) is not correctly deduced here because presence can be of two types: one is mental (conceptual) presence, and the other is personal (physical) presence. In this context, mental presence is intended, not personal.
In addition to the above, there are several examples in the Qur'an and hadith literature where “هذا” is used in the context of something distant, indicating that it is not necessary for the referred entity to be physically near.
In the Qur'an, when the angels visited Prophet Ibrahim (عليه السلام) before proceeding to destroy the people of Prophet Lut (عليه السلام), they said:
"We are about to destroy the people of this town, for its people are truly unjust."
[Surah Al-Ankabut: 29:31]
↰ Prophet Lut (عليه السلام) was in Sodom, and Prophet Ibrahim (عليه السلام) was in Palestine. Sodom was not near, yet the angels used “هذٰه” (this) as a reference because Sodom was in the minds of Ibrahim (عليه السلام) and the angels. Similarly, in Sahih Bukhari, when Heraclius inquired about the Prophet ﷺ while in Jerusalem, he said:
"Who among you is closest in lineage to this man?"
[Bukhari, Book of the Beginning of Revelation: Chapter on the Beginning of Revelation 7]
Additionally, the narration also mentions:
"I am going to ask about this man."
This conversation took place in Jerusalem, about 810 miles from Madinah, indicating that “هذٰا” is used for mental presence as the Prophet ﷺ was not physically present during the discussion.
Similarly, during the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah, Budayl bin Warqa came as an envoy from the polytheists of Makkah to discuss the terms of the treaty and, upon returning to Makkah, said:
"We have come to you from this man."
[Musnad Ahmad 18166]
When Abu Dharr al-Ghifari (رضي الله عنه) heard about the Prophet ﷺ’s prophethood, he sent his brother to investigate, saying:
"Go to this valley and bring me news of this man."
[Bukhari, Book of Virtues: Chapter on the Islam of Abu Dharr al-Ghifari 3861]
Such examples are numerous in hadith literature where “هذٰا” is used to indicate a distant reference or mental presence. Similarly, when the Prophet ﷺ is questioned in the grave, and the term “هذٰا” is used, it refers to mental presence, as previously mentioned by Hafiz Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani (رحمه الله).