Jannah & JahannamThe Day

The grave and al-Barzakh

الْقَبْر وَالْبَرْزَخ

Between death and the resurrection the dead are in al-Barzakh, questioned in the grave and then in bliss or punishment.

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About

The Quran says that behind the dead there is a barrier until the day they are raised (23:100). As-Sa'di explains that al-Barzakh is the barrier between this world and the next, in which the obedient are in bliss and the disobedient are punished from their death until the resurrection.

The Prophet ﷺ said that when a servant is laid in his grave and his companions leave, so near that he hears their footsteps, two angels come, sit him up and ask what he used to say about Muhammad ﷺ; the believer bears witness that he is Allah's servant and Messenger and is shown his seat in the Garden, while the disbeliever or hypocrite says he does not know (al-Bukhari 1338). islamweb's fatwa, after Ibn Taymiyyah, adds that the grave is then either a garden of the Garden or a pit of the Fire until the Hour.

Evidence

QuranAl-Muminoon (The Believers)Quran 23:100

لَعَلِّىٓ أَعْمَلُ صَـٰلِحًا فِيمَا تَرَكْتُ ۚ كَلَّآ ۚ إِنَّهَا كَلِمَةٌ هُوَ قَآئِلُهَا ۖ وَمِن وَرَآئِهِم بَرْزَخٌ إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ يُبْعَثُونَ ١٠٠

That I might do righteousness in that which I left behind."[967] No! It is only a word he is saying; and behind them is a barrier until the Day they are resurrected.

Translator's notes

[967] Or "in that which I neglected."

Saheeh International · QuranEnc v1.1.2

Another translation: Al-Hilali & Muhsin Khan · QuranEnc v1.1.2

100. "So that I may do good in that which I have left behind!" No! It is but a word that he speaks; and behind them is Barzakh (a barrier) until the Day when they will be resurrected.

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Sahih

Sahih al-Bukhari 1338

Grades
GraderVerdict
al-BukhariSahih (included by al-Bukhari in his Sahih) (Sahih)
Full narration

حَدَّثَنَا عَيَّاشٌ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الأَعْلَى، حَدَّثَنَا سَعِيدٌ، قَالَ وَقَالَ لِي خَلِيفَةُ حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ زُرَيْعٍ، حَدَّثَنَا سَعِيدٌ، عَنْ قَتَادَةَ، عَنْ أَنَسٍ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ "‏ الْعَبْدُ إِذَا وُضِعَ فِي قَبْرِهِ، وَتُوُلِّيَ وَذَهَبَ أَصْحَابُهُ حَتَّى إِنَّهُ لَيَسْمَعُ قَرْعَ نِعَالِهِمْ، أَتَاهُ مَلَكَانِ فَأَقْعَدَاهُ فَيَقُولاَنِ لَهُ مَا كُنْتَ تَقُولُ فِي هَذَا الرَّجُلِ مُحَمَّدٍ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَيَقُولُ أَشْهَدُ أَنَّهُ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ وَرَسُولُهُ‏.‏ فَيُقَالُ انْظُرْ إِلَى مَقْعَدِكَ مِنَ النَّارِ، أَبْدَلَكَ اللَّهُ بِهِ مَقْعَدًا مِنَ الْجَنَّةِ ـ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَيَرَاهُمَا جَمِيعًا ـ وَأَمَّا الْكَافِرُ ـ أَوِ الْمُنَافِقُ ـ فَيَقُولُ لاَ أَدْرِي، كُنْتُ أَقُولُ مَا يَقُولُ النَّاسُ‏.‏ فَيُقَالُ لاَ دَرَيْتَ وَلاَ تَلَيْتَ‏.‏ ثُمَّ يُضْرَبُ بِمِطْرَقَةٍ مِنْ حَدِيدٍ ضَرْبَةً بَيْنَ أُذُنَيْهِ، فَيَصِيحُ صَيْحَةً يَسْمَعُهَا مَنْ يَلِيهِ إِلاَّ الثَّقَلَيْنِ ‏"‏‏.‏

Narrated Anas:The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "When a human being is laid in his grave and his companions return and he even hears their foot steps, two angels come to him and make him sit and ask him: What did you use to say about this man, Muhammad ? He will say: I testify that he is Allah's slave and His Apostle. Then it will be said to him, 'Look at your place in the Hell-Fire. Allah has given you a place in Paradise instead of it.' " The Prophet (ﷺ) added, "The dead person will see both his places. But a non-believer or a hypocrite will say to the angels, 'I do not know, but I used to say what the people used to say! It will be said to him, 'Neither did you know nor did you take the guidance (by reciting the Qur'an).' Then he will be hit with an iron hammer between his two ears, and he will cry and that cry will be heard by whatever approaches him except human beings and jinns

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