It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: When the time of a man's death approaches, angels come to him. If he is a righteous man, they say: O pure soul, which was in a pure body, come out, come forth, you are praiseworthy, glad tidings of comfort and fragrances are for you, your Lord is not displeased with you. They keep repeating these words until the soul comes out. Then it is taken up towards the sky and the gate of the sky is opened for it. It is asked: Who is this? The angels reply: This is so-and-so. The angels of the sky say: Welcome to the pure soul, which was in a pure body. (O soul!) You are praiseworthy, come forth, and glad tidings of comforts and fragrances and of such a Lord who is not displeased with you. The same is said to it at every sky, until it is taken to the sky where Allah Almighty is.

And if the dying person is evil (a sinner), the angels say: Come out, O wicked soul, which was in a wicked body, come out, you are blameworthy, glad tidings of boiling water, pus, and other such things are for you. These words are repeated until the soul comes out. The angels take it up towards the sky and the gate of the sky is opened for it. It is asked: Who is this? The angels say: This is so-and-so. The angels of the sky say: Wicked soul, which was in a wicked body, there is no welcome for it. (O soul!) You are blameworthy, go back, the gates of the sky will not be opened for you. It is thrown down from the sky and it reaches the grave. The righteous man is made to sit and those things are said to him which have been mentioned in the previous hadith, and the sinner is also made to sit and those things are said to him which have been mentioned in the previous hadith.

Sayyiduna Bara’ bin Azib (may Allah be pleased with him) says: We went with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) to attend the funeral of an Ansari. When we reached the grave, we saw that it had not yet been prepared. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) sat down, and we also sat around him, as if birds were sitting on our heads. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) had a stick in his hand, with which he began to scratch the ground. He raised his head and said two or three times: Seek refuge with Allah from the punishment of the grave. Then the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: When a believing person is at the last moments of this world and the first stages of the Hereafter, angels with faces as white as the sun descend from the sky. They have with them a shroud from Paradise and fragrance. They come and sit before the believer’s eyes. Then the Angel of Death comes and sits near his head and says: O pure soul! Come out to Allah’s forgiveness and pleasure. His soul comes out smoothly, just as a drop of water flows from a water-skin. The angels of Paradise do not let this soul remain in the hands of the Angel of Death even for a moment, but immediately take it and wrap it in the shroud and fragrance of Paradise. From it emanates a fragrance like the finest musk found on the face of the earth. The angels take it upwards, and whenever they pass by a group of angels, they ask: Whose pure soul is this? The angels reply with the best names by which he was called in the world, saying: This is so-and-so, son of so-and-so. They take it up to the first heaven and ask for the door to be opened for it, and it is opened for them. Then the angels closest to each heaven accompany the soul to the next heaven, and so it is taken up to the seventh heaven. Allah Almighty says: Record the book (of deeds) of My servant in ‘Illiyyin and return him to the earth, for I created him from it, and I shall return him to it, and then I shall bring him forth from it a second time. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Then his soul is returned to his body. Two angels come to him, make him sit up, and ask: Who is your Lord? He replies: My Lord is Allah. They ask: What is your religion? He replies: My religion is Islam. They ask: Who is this man who was sent among you? He replies: He is the Messenger of Allah. They ask: How did you come to know these things? He replies: I read the Book of Allah, believed in it, and affirmed it. Then a caller from the heavens proclaims: My servant has spoken the truth, so spread out a bed for him from Paradise, clothe him from Paradise, and open a door for him towards Paradise. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Then the breezes and fragrances of Paradise come to him, and his grave is made spacious as far as the eye can see. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Then there comes to him a man with a beautiful face, fine clothes, and a pleasant fragrance, who says: Rejoice in that which will please you; this is the day you were promised. The one in the grave asks: Who are you? Your face is one that brings good. He replies: I am your righteous deeds. The believer says: O my Lord! Establish the Hour so that I may return to my family and my wealth.

The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: When a disbelieving person is departing from this world and going towards the Hereafter, angels with dark faces descend from the sky. They have with them rough cloth (hairy sackcloth). They come and sit before him. Then the Angel of Death comes and sits near his head and says: O wicked soul! Come out to Allah’s wrath and anger. The soul disperses within his body. Then the angel pulls it out as a thorny iron rod is pulled through wet wool. When the angel takes it out, the other angels do not let it remain in his hand even for a moment, but immediately wrap it in the rough cloth. The foulest stench found on the face of the earth emanates from it. The angels take it upwards, and whenever they pass by a group of angels, they ask: Whose wicked soul is this? The angels reply with the worst and most despicable names by which he was called in the world, saying: This is so-and-so, son of so-and-so. They take it up to the first heaven and ask for the door to be opened, but the door is not opened for him. Then the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) recited this verse: {لَا تُفَتَّحُ لَہُمْ أَبْوَابُ السَّمَاِؑ، وَلَا یَدْخُلُوْنَ الْجَنَّۃَ حَتّٰی یَلِجَ الْجَمَلُ فِی سَمِّ الْخِیَاطِ۔} (Surah Al-A’raf: 40) meaning: The gates of heaven will not be opened for them, nor will they enter Paradise until the camel passes through the eye of the needle. Allah Almighty says: Record his book (of deeds) in Sijjin, the lowest earth. Then his soul is thrown down to the earth. At this point, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) recited this verse: {وَمَنْ یُشْرِکَ بِاللّٰہِ فَکَأَنَّمَا خَرَّ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ، فَتَخْطَفُہُ الطَّیْرُ أَوْ تَہْوِی بِہِ الرَّیْحُ فِی مَکَانٍ سَحِیْقٍ۔} (Surah Al-Hajj: 31) meaning: And whoever associates partners with Allah, it is as if he had fallen from the sky and the birds snatched him away or the wind carried him off to a distant place. After that, his soul is returned to his body, and two angels come to him, make him sit up, and ask: Who is your Lord? He says: Alas, alas! I do not know. They ask: What is your religion? He says: Alas, alas! I do not know. They ask: Who is this man who was sent among you? He says: Alas, alas! I do not know. A caller from the heavens proclaims: He has lied, so spread out a bed for him from Hell and open a door for him towards Hell. Then the heat and foul air of Hell come to him, and his grave is made so tight for him that his ribs interlock. Then a man with an ugly face, ugly clothes, and a foul stench comes to him and says: Receive the tidings of that which will displease you; this is the day you were promised. The one in the grave asks: Who are you? Your face is one that brings evil. He replies: I am your evil deeds. The one in the grave says: O my Lord! Do not establish the Hour.

(Second Chain of Transmission) It is stated in this: When the soul of a righteous person departs, every angel between the earth and the sky and every angel in the heavens prays for mercy for him, and the angels at every gate of the heavens pray that the soul of this righteous servant may ascend through their gate. When his soul is taken up, they say, "O Lord! This is Your such-and-such servant." Allah Almighty says: "Return him, My promise to them is that I created them from the earth, to it I shall return them, and from it I shall bring them forth a second time." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: The deceased hears the sound of the footsteps of those who return, when suddenly an angel comes to him and asks: "Who is your Lord? What is your religion? Who is your Prophet?" The righteous person replies: "My Lord is Allah, my religion is Islam, and my Prophet is Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him)." Upon hearing this answer, the angel rebukes him and then asks again: "Who is your Lord? What is your religion? Who is your Prophet?" (In reality) this is the last opportunity for the believer's trial and test. Regarding this, Allah Almighty has said: {یُثَبِّتُ اللّٰہُ الَّذِیْنَ آمُنْوا بِالْقَوْلِ الثَّابِتِ فِی الْحَیَاۃِ الدُّنْیَا وَفِی الْآخِرَۃِ۔} (Surah Ibrahim: 27) That is: Allah keeps the believers firm on the true word in this world and in the Hereafter. Thus, he (again) replies: "My Lord is Allah, my religion is Islam, and my Prophet is Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him)." This time the angel says: "Your answers are correct." Then a handsome, fragrant, and well-dressed man comes to him and says: "Receive glad tidings from Allah of honor and everlasting blessings." He says: "May Allah give you good tidings as well, who are you?" He says: "I am your good deeds. By Allah! You were swift in obeying Allah and slow in committing sins. May Allah reward you well." Then a door from both Paradise and Hell is opened for him, and it is said to him: "If you had disobeyed Allah, this (Hell) would have been your abode. Now Allah has prepared this (Paradise) place for you instead." Then when he sees the scenes and blessings of Paradise, he says: "O my Lord! Establish the Hour quickly so that I may return to my family and wealth." But it will be said to him: "Rest here in peace." As for the disbeliever, when he departs from this world and moves towards the Hereafter, harsh and severe angels come to him and pull out his soul as a branch with many thorns is pulled out from wet wool, and his soul is extracted along with his veins. Every angel between the earth and the sky and every angel in the heavens curses him, the gates of the heavens are closed for him, and the angels at every gate pray that his soul may not pass through their gate. When his soul is taken up, the angels say: "O Lord! This is Your such-and-such son of such-and-such servant." Allah Almighty says: "Return him. My promise to them is that I created them from the earth, to it I shall return them, and from it I shall bring them forth again." He hears the sound of the footsteps of those who return, when suddenly an angel comes to him. He asks: "Who is your Lord? What is your religion? Who is your Prophet?" He replies: "I do not know." The angel says: "You did not understand nor did you recite the Book of Allah." After that, a most ugly, foul-smelling, and badly dressed man comes to him and says: "Receive the tidings from Allah of disgrace, humiliation, and everlasting torment." He says: "May you also receive evil tidings, who are you?" He says: "I am your evil deeds. You were slow in obeying Allah and swift in committing sins. May Allah reward you with evil." Then a blind, deaf, and dumb angel is appointed over him, in his hand is an iron mace such that if it were struck on a mountain, it would be reduced to dust. The angel strikes him forcefully with this mace, the man turns to dust, Allah Almighty restores him again. He strikes him again, due to which he screams and cries, and everything except jinn and mankind hears his screams. Sayyiduna Bara’ bin Azib (may Allah be pleased with him) says: After this, a door to Hell is opened for him and a bed from Hell is spread for him.