The Narration of Bara Concerning the Punishment of the Grave

8/2/2019 The Narration of Bara Concerning the Punishment of the Grave

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IImmmm AAmmaadd mmeennttiioonnss iinn hhiissMMuussnnaadd::

Upon the authority of al-Bar ibn zib who said: We left with the Prophet () toparticipate in a janzah for a man from the Anr and continued to follow it until wereached the site of his grave. Once his body was placed into the ground, then theMessenger of Allh () sat down and we then sat down around him as though therewere birds perched upon our heads. In his [the Prophets ()] hand was a branch that heused to scratch at the ground. Then he raised his head and said: Seek refuge in Allhfrom the punishment of the grave two or three times. Then he said: Indeed thebelieving servant, once his ties to the life of this world are severed, and embarks uponhis journey in the Hereafter is descended upon by angels from the heavens. They have bright white faces that radiate as though they were the sun. They bring with themshrouds from the shrouds of Paradise and embalmment from the embalmment ofParadise. They sit down near the deceased at a distance which is equal to the extent ofhis sight. Then the angel of death (5) approaches until he sits at the head of thedeceased. Then he [the angel of death (5)] says: O virtuous soul, depart unto theforgiveness of Allh and His pleasure. He said: Then his soul poured out of his body anddeparted just as a drop of water flows from the water skin. Then he [the angel of death(5)] took it [the soul of the deceased] and once he acquired it, it would not remainin his hand even for the duration of the blinking of an eye before they took it andshrouded it. Contained in the shroud was the embalmment that left a scent that was likethe most beautiful fragrance upon the face of the earth. He said: They [the angels]ascended with it and did not pass any gathering of angels except that it was said tothem: Who is this virtuous soul? They [the angels carrying the soul] would reply: It is so& so the son of so & so and would continue to describe the soul with the best names thatwere used to address him in his worldly life. They would proceed until they reached theextent of the worldly heavens. They would then seek permission to enter and theirpermission would be granted. Those who were close would follow the soul as it passedfrom one level of heaven to the next until it reached the seventh heaven. Then Allh theMighty and Majestic will say: Record the account of My servant in the Iliyn (theinscribed register that documents good deeds) and return him to the earth. For indeed,from it I have created them and to it, I will return them; and from it I will bring themforth once again. He said: They will then return the soul to its body and it will beapproached by two angels that cause the body to sit up. They say to him: Who is yourLord? Then he responds: My Lord is Allh. Then they say to him: What is your religion?

Then he says: My religion is Islm. Then they say to him: Who is this man who was sentto you? Then he replies: He is the Messenger of Allh (). Then they said to him: Howdid you know? Then he responds: I read the Book of Allh and believed in it andembraced its truth. Then a caller will announce from the heavens: My servant hasspoken the truth. So accommodate him and grant him residence in the Paradise. Clothehim from the garments of Paradise, and open for him the doors of Paradise. He said:Then they will offer him food and drink and perfume from Paradise and will expand hisgrave to the limits of his eyesight. He said: Then he will be approached by a man with ahandsome face, attractive clothing, and a wonderful scent. Then he will say: I give youglad tidings of what will please you. This is the day that you were promised. Then he


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will say: Who are you? You have the face of someone who brings good news. Then hewill say: I am your righteous deeds. Then he will say: O my Lord establish the Hour so Ican return to my family and my property. He said: Indeed the disbelieving servant once

his ties to the life of this world are severed, and embarks upon his journey in theHereafter is descended upon by angels from the heavens. They have black faces and theybring with them coarse fabric. They sit down near the deceased at a distance which isequal to the extent of his sight. Then the angel of death approaches until he sits at thehead of the deceased. Then he [the angel of death] says: O wretched soul! Depart untothe scorn of Allh and His anger. He said: Then the soul became frightened within thebody. Then it was yanked out forcefully just as one might yank a skewer through wetwool until it was removed. Once he [the angel of death] took it [the soul of the deceased]and once he acquired it, it would not remain in his hand even for the duration of theblinking of an eye before they took it and shrouded it with that coarse fabric that left afoul stench that was like the most revolting smell of dead animals upon the face of the

earth. They [the angels] ascended with it and did not pass any gathering of angels exceptthat it was said to them: Who is this wretched soul? Then they would say: It is so & sothe son of so & so and would continue to describe the soul with the worst names thatwere used to address him in his worldly life. They would proceed until they reached theextent of the worldly heavens. They would then seek permission to enter and theirpermission would be denied. Then the Messenger of Allh () recited [the followingverse]: The gates of Heaven will not be opened for them, nor will they enter Paradiseuntil a camel passes through the eye of a needle. [Srah al-Arf7:40] Then Allh theMighty and Majestic will say: Record his account in the Sijjn (the inscribed register thatdocuments evil deeds) and return him to lowest place on earth. Then his soul is throwndown forcefully. Then he [the Messenger of Allh ()] recited: And whoever directs

worship to other than Allh, then it is as though he has fallen from the sky and wasseized by the birds or the wind which carried him down into a remote place. [Srahal-ajj 22:31] Then his soul is returned to his body and it is approached by two angelsthat cause the body to sit up. They say to him: Who is your Lord? Then he responds: Uhuh, I dont know. Then they say to him: What is your religion? Then he says: Uh uh, Idont know. Then they say to him: Who is this man who was sent to you? Then hereplies: Uh uh, I dont know. Then a caller will announce from the heavens: He lied. Soaccommodate him and grant him residence in the Hellfire. And open for him the doorsof the Hellfire. Then its heat and venom will begin to reach him. Then his grave willbecome constricted to the extent that his ribs will intertwine and become tangled withone another. Then he will be approached by a man with an ugly face, unsightly clothing,

and a foul stench. Then he will say: I give you tidings of what will displease you. This isthe day that you were promised. Then he will say: Who are you? You have the face ofsomeone who is the bearer of bad news. Then he will say: I am your evil deeds. Then hewill say: O my Lord, please do not establish the Hour. 1

1 Extracted by Imm Amad in hisMusnad as well as the Sunan of Ab Dwd, and al-kim andthe wording cited here is taken from the Musnad of Imm Amad.

The Narration of Bara Concerning the Punishment of the Grave

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