• INTRODUCTION
• ATHAAB IN THE QABR ON ACCOUNT OF GHEEBAH AND URINE
• PROTECTION FROM THE PUNISHMENT OF THE GRAVE
• THE SUBSTANTIATION OF ATHAAB-E-QABR
• CONCLUSION

THE SUBSTANTIATION OF ATHAAB-E-QABR

“Imaam Nawawi said: ‘The Math-hab of the Ahlus Sunnah is that the Punishment of the Grave is a substantiated fact (Belief). The proofs of the Kitaab (Qur’aan) and Sunnah are profuse and clear in this regard…………..The Ahaadith (on this subject are so numerous that they) cannot be enumerated.

In a narration of Nabi (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) it is said that the aayat: “Allah will fortify the Mu’mineen…..” was revealed in relation to the punishment of the grave.

Aishah (radhiyallahu anha) narrates that a Jewish woman visited her. The Jewish woman mentioned to Aishah about the punishment of the grave and she said: ‘May Allah protect you from the punishment of the grave.’ Aishah then asked Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) about the punishment of the grave. He said: ‘Athaab of the Qabr is the Haqq (Truth).’

Aishah said: ‘Thereafter I never saw Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam), but seeking (Allah’s) protection from Athaab-e-Qabr after every Salaat.’

Zaid Ibn Thaabit (radhiyallahu anhu) narrates: Once when Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) was on a mule while we were with him, the mule became startled and it almost dropped him. We then observed six or five graves. Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said: ‘Who knows the inmates of these graves?’ A man said: ‘I (know them).’ Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said: ‘When did they die.’ The man said: ‘During the period of shirk (i.e. before Islam).’ Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said: ‘Verily, this Ummah will be subjected to trials in the grave. If it was not for the fact that you would not bury (your dead), I would have supplicated to Allah to cause you to hear the punishment of the grave which I am hearing.’

He then faced us and said: ‘Seek Allah’s protection from the punishment of the Fire.’ They said: ‘We seek refuge with Allah from the Athaab of the fire .’ He said: ‘Seek refuge with Allah from the punishment of the grave.’

They said: ‘We seek refuge with Allah from the punishment of the grave.’

The various Ahaadith in substantiation of Athaab-e-Qabr are narrated and discussed in great detail in MIRKAAT.

TAFSEER IBN KATHIR

The following are extracts from Tafseer Ibn Kathir:

“Allah will fortify those who have accepted Imaan with a statement of firmness in this world and in the Aakhirah. And, He will mislead the transgressors. He does as He pleases.”

(Aayat 27 Surah Ibraaheem)

Bukhaari said that Abul Waleed narrated to him that Shu’bah narrated that Alqamah Bin Marthad informed him that he heard Sa’d Bin Ubaidah narrating from Baraa Bin Aathib (radhiyallahu anhum) that Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said:

“When the Muslim is questioned in the grave, he will testify that there is no deity but Allah and that Muhammad is Allah’s Messenger.”

This (Kalimah Shahaadat) is the meaning of (the aayat mentioned above).

Muslim has also narrated it, and the rest of the Jamaa’ah has narrated it from the Hadith of Shu’bah.

Baraa Ibn Aathib (radhiyallahu anhu) said that we came out with Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) with a Janaazah of a man among the Ansaar. We then reached the cemetery. After burial, Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) sat and we too sat around him. (We sat silently) as if there were birds on our heads. With a twig (in his hand) he was drawing lines on the ground. He then raised his head and said: ‘Seek Allah’s protection from the punishment of the grave.’ He said this twice or thrice

Imaam Ahmad too has narrated this Hadith.

Commenting on the Hadith of Baraa Bin Aathib (radhiyallahu anhu), Sufyaan Thauri (rahmatullah alayhi) said that the aayat (i.e. the one mentioned above) refers to Athaab-e-Qabr.

Jaabir Bin Abdullah said that he heard Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) saying: “Verily this Ummah will be subjected to trial in their graves……”

Jaabir (radhiyallahu anhu) said that he heard Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) saying: “Every person will be raised (brought to life) in the grave in the state in which he had died. The Mu’min will be raised in the state of his Imaan and the Munaafiq in the state of his nifaaq.”

The Isnaad (Chain of Transmission) of this Hadith is Saheeh in terms of the conditions of Muslim.

The authenticity of the Ahaadith narrating punishment in the grave is well discussed and substantiated by Ibn Kathir in the tafseer of the aforementioned aayat. Here we have made only random references to some of the Ahaadith.

MA-AARIFUL QUR`AAN

Hadhrat Mufti Muhammad Shafi (rahmatullah alayhi) states in Tafseer Ma-aariful Qur’aan:

“The Punishment OF THE GRAVE IS SUBSTANTIATED IN THE QUR’AAN AND HADITH”

The Hadith in this regard is this: Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said that when the Mu’min is questioned in the grave, then despite the terror of that abode and its severe difficulty, he (the Mu’min) will, with the aid of Allah remain steadfast on this Kalimah (i.e. Kalimah Shahaadat). He will testify that there is no deity but Allah and Muhammad is Allah’s Messenger. Then he (i.e. Nabi - sallallahu alayhi wasallam) in substantiation of this recited the aayat:

“Allah will fortify those who believe….”

(Aayat 27 Surah Ibraaheem) -‘

This is the narration of Baraa Bin Aathib (radhiyallahu anhu).

Similarly, approximately forty Sahaabah-e-Kiraam have narrated in this regard. Ibn Kathir has recorded at this juncture in his Tafseer these Ahadith with authentic Asaaneed (Chains of Transmission).

Shaikh Jalaaluddin Suyuti has recorded these in his At-Tathbeet Indat Tabyeet.

In Sharhus Sadr 70 Ahadith on this question have been narrated and described as being of the Mutawaatir category (i.e. the highest and most authentic classification of Hadith). All these Sahaabah stated that this aayat pertains to Athaab and Thawaab in the Qabr and the word ‘Aakhirah’ in the context of this aayat refers to the Grave.

MUSNAD-E-IMAAM ABU HANIFAH

The following appears in Sharh Musnad-e-Imaam Abu Hanifah:

“Abu Hurairah (radhiyallahu anhu) narrated that Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said: ‘Whoever dies on Friday will be saved from the Athaab of the Qabr.’ Commenting on this Hadith, Mullah Ali Qaari, the author of the Sharah says: ‘He will be saved (from Athaab-e-Qabr) either totally or from its severity. This is on account of the significance of the Jumuah (in particular) or Jumuah in general.’”

Ibn Maajah records the Hadith of Ikramah who narrated from Ibn Khaalid Makhzoomi: “He said: ‘Whoever dies on the day or night of Jumuah or on Lailatul Qadr and he died with the seal of Imaan, he will be saved from the punishment of the grave.’”

In his Sharah, Mulla Ali Qaari narrates similar Ahadith recorded by Abu Nuaim on the authority of Hadhrat Jaabir (radhiyallahu anhu). He also narrates the Hadith narrated by Imaam Ahmad Bin Hambal and Tirmizi on the authority of Hadhrat Aishah (radhiyallahu anha) who said:

“Any Muslim who dies on either the day or night of Jumuah, will be saved by Allah Ta’ala from the punishment of the grave.”

FATHUR RAHEEM

The Maliki Faqeeh, Muhammad Bin Ahmad states in his Fathur Raheem:

“Abdullah Bin Amr narrated that Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said: ‘Any Muslim who dies on either the day or night of Jumuah, Allah will save him from the punishment of the grave.’ Imaam Ahmad and Tirmizi narrated this from Imaam Malik Bin Anas on the authority of Abu Hurairah (radhiyallahu anhu).”

PROTECTION AGAINST ATHAAB-E-QABR

Faqih Abu Laith (rahmatullah alayh) said that eight things are necessary for gaining protection against the punishment of the grave.

1. Constancy in Salaat

2. Sadqah in abundance

3. Much Tilaawat of the Qur aan Shareef

4. Reciting Tasbeeh in abundance.

These four acts brighten the grave and produce light therein.

The remaining four things are acts from which to abstain.

1. Lies (falsehood)

2. Abuse of trust

3. Gossip (gheebat)

4. Splashes of urine.

 

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