Volume - II / CHAPTER - I / LESSON NO: 9
ABOUT DEATH & GRAVE
Q 1: What is death?
A. Everyone has a particular age, when his predestined time is over (Hadrat) Izraeel visits him and takes soul out of his body. This is death.
Q 2: What does a dying man see?
A. At the time of death one sees plenty of angels at his right and left sides to the extent of his sight-range. The believer observes the angels of mercy whereas the angels of torment look-on to a disbeliever.. They take the soul of believer with respect and of disbeliever with disdain and hatred.
Q3: Where are the souls kept?
A. There are different places where the souls are kept. The souls of virtuous believers have their different places than those of disbelievers and sinful believers. Some souls of Muslims live at their graves, some at sacred well of "Zam Zam"(blessed water), of some in between the earth and the heavens and of some in the 1st sky, second and also upto the seventh heaven and even higher than that.
Q 4: Where are the souls of unbelievers kept?
A. The impure and wretched souls of unbelievers live in their graves, cremation ground, from 1st layer of the earth to the lowest one and even deeper than the bottom of the earth.
Q 5: Does the soul maintain any link with the body after death?
A. Yes, after death the soul has a link with the body. If the body is comforted or tormented the soul feels it.
Q 6: Is the soul perishable like the body?
A. Death means separation of the soul from the body. It does not mean that the soul is annihilated. He who believes in perish of soul is a disbeliever and misguided.
Q 7: What does happen to the dead in grave?
A. Grave squeezes believer with affection like a mother who hugs her loving child and squeezes an unbeliever so much so that his ribs and bones get intertwined.
Q 8: Can the soul of any dead enter into other's body?
A. No, absolutely not. No soul can enter into the body of any humanbeing or animal. There is no concept of reincarnation in Islaam. Hindus believe in such absurdities which are false and infidelity.
Q 9: Who are Munkir Nakeer?
A. When people leave the graveyard after having buried the dead, he hears the sound of their steps and then two angels who are called "Munkir" and "Nakeer" enter the grave cleaving through the earth with their big teeth. They have dreadful appearance i.e. cauldron-like burning eyes and the whole body (from the head to the toe) covered with big hairs. They ask the dead in stern rebuke to sit and harshly question him.
Q10: What questions do Munkir & Nakeer ask of the dead?
A. 1st question: "Mar-Rabbuka" (Who is your Creator)?
2nd question: "Maa Deenuka" (What is your faith)?
3rd question: Pointing towards the Holy Prophet Hadrat Muhammad Mustafa (may Allah's choicest blessings & peace be upon him), they ask: "Maa Kunta Taqoolu Fee Haazar Rajul" (What did you use to say about him)?
Q11: How will a Muslim answer these questions?
A. If the dead is believer he will say: (answer to first question) "Rabbi-yal Laah" (my creator is Allah), (answer to second question) "Deeni-yal Islaam" (my faith is Islaam) and (answer to third question) "Huwa Rasoolul Laah (Sallal Laahu 'Alaihe wa Sallam" (He is the true Messenger of Allah).
Q12: What will be the reaction of the angels to these answers?
A. The angels will say that we had an idea that you would say so. Then a proclaimer will proclaim from the sky that "My servant has spoken the truth". Let the heavenly bed be spread for him and clothe him with the heavenly garment. A window will be opened to the paradise and grave enlarged to the extent of sight-range. The angels will say "now you have rest" and then leave. The dead will keep enjoying the fragrance and beautiful spectacles of paradise till the Doomsday. His virtues will adopt elegant and graceful forms to comfort and please him.
Q13: What treatment will be meted out to an unbeliever and a hypocrite?
A. If the dead is an unbeliever or a hypocrite he will answer every question saying: Alas! I know nothing. I used to say what I heard people said. Then a proclaimer will proclaim from the sky that he is a liar. Let the bed of hell-fire be spread for him and clothe him with the garment of fire. A hole will be opened to the hell to chastise him. Two angels will be detailed to beat him with iron mallets. His grave will be full of frightful snakes and scorpions and his sins will also take the shapes of dreadful dog and wolf to torment him.
Q14: Will the sinful Muslims be chastised in grave?
A. Yes, some sinful believers will face torment in grave because of their disobedience. However, they will be absolved either by the supplications and intercession of their spiritual guides, Allah's saints or by the grace of Allah Almighty.
Q15: Are those dead questioned who are not buried?
A. All dead are questioned irrespective of burial or being eaten away by animals and also get reward of their goodnesses and chastisement of sins.
Q16: Can the living ones benefit their dead or not?
A. Yes, the good deeds of living people benefit their dead. We should recite the Holy Qur-aan, Durood Shareef (invocation of Allah's blessings on the Holy Prophet), Kalimah Shareef and give alms and offer "Sawaab" (reward of virtue) thereof to our dead ones which is proved by the Sunnah.
Q17: Is it lawful or not to utter "Azaan" on grave?
A. Yes, uttering Azan (words of call to prayer) on grave is lawful. It comforts the dead in the horrid loneliness of grave.