Al-Bara’ b. ‘Azib reported the Prophet as saying,“When a Muslim is questioned in the grave he testifies that there is no god but God and that Muhammad is God’s messenger.”That is verified by God’s words,“God establishes those who believe with the word that stands firm in this world and the next.”1 In a version the Prophet said:“God establishes those who believe with the word which stands firm”was revealed concerning the punishment in the grave. One will be asked who his Lord is and will reply that his Lord is God and his prophet is Muhammad. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Anas reported God’s messenger as saying,“When a man is placed in his grave and his friends leave him, he hears the beat of their sandals. Then two angels come to him and, having made him sit up, they say, ‘What was your opinion of this man, of Muhammad?’ The believer replies, ‘I testify that he is God’s servant and messenger.’ He is then told to look at his abode in hell for which God has substituted for him an abode in paradise, and he sees them both. The hypocrite and infidel are asked, ‘What was your opinion of this man?’ and reply, ‘I do not know; I held the opinion others held.’ They will retort, ‘You neither knew nor did you follow [the believers] .’ He will then be given a blow with iron hammers and will utter a shout which will be heard by all who are near him, with the exception of men and jinn.”(Bukhari and Muslim. The wording is Bukhari’s.)

‘Abdallah b. ‘Umar reported God’s messenger as saying,“When one of you dies, his abode among the inhabitants of paradise will be shown him morning and evening if he is to be one of them; but if he is to be one of the inhabitants of hell, his abode among them will be shown him. He will be told that this is his abode to which God will finally raise him on the day of resurrection.”(Bukhari and Muslim.)

‘A’isha told of a Jewess who visited her and mentioned the punishment in the grave adding,“May God preserve you from the punishment of the grave!”‘A’isha asked God’s messenger about the subject and he said,“Yes, the punishment in the grave is real.”‘A’isha said,“After that I never saw God’s messenger observing a prayer without seeking God’s protection from the punishment in the grave.”(Bukhari and Muslim.)

Zaid b. Thabit said: While we were accompanying God’s messenger who was riding a she-mule in a garden belonging to the B. an-Najjar, the animal shied and almost unseated him. It happened that there were five or six graves there, so he asked if anyone knew who were buried in them. A man replied that he did, and on being asked when they died said it was in the period when the people were polytheists. The Prophet then said,“These people are being afflicted in their graves, and were it not that you would cease to bury, I would ask God to let you hear the punishment in the grave which I am hearing.”Then he turned facing us and said,“Seek refuge in God from the punishment of the fire.”They said,“We seek refuge in God from the punishment of the fire.”He said,“Seek refuge in God from the punishment in the grave.”They said,“We seek refuge in God from the punishment in the grave.”He said,“Seek refuge in God from trials both open and secret.”They said,“We seek refuge in God from trials both open and secret.”He said,“Seek refuge in God from the trial of ad-Dajjal!”They said,“We seek refuge in God from the trial of ad-Dajjal.”Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying,“When the dead is buried two black and blue angels, one called al-Munkar and the other an-Nakir, come to him and ask him what opinion he held about this man. If he is a believer he replies, ‘He is the servant and messenger of God. I testify that there is no god but God and that Muhammad is His servant and apostle.’ They say that they knew he would say so. A space of 4900 square cubits is then made for him in his grave, it is illuminated for him, and he is told to sleep. He will then express a desire to return to his family to tell them, but will be told to sleep like one newly married who is wakened only by the member of his family who is dearest to him, until God resurrects him from that resting-place of his. But if he is a hypocrite he will say, ‘I heard men expressing a belief and I held the same, but I really do not know.’ They will tell him they knew he would say so; then the earth will be told to press in upon him and it will do so. His ribs will be pressed together and he will remain there suffering punishment till God resurrects him from that resting-place of his.”Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Al-Bara’ b. ‘Azib reported God’s messenger as saying,“Two angels will come to him, make him sit up, and ask him who his Lord is, to which he will reply that his Lord is God. They will ask him what his religion is, and he will reply that his religion is Islam. They will ask him about this man who was sent on a mission among his people, and he will reply that he is God’s messenger. They will ask him what made him aware of this, and he will reply that he read God’s Book, believed in it, and considered it true, which is verified by God’s words, ‘God establishes those who believe with the word that stands firm1...’ Then a crier will call from heaven, ‘My servant has spoken the truth, so spread a bed for him from paradise, clothe him from paradise, and open a door for him into paradise.’ A door will then be opened for him towards paradise, some of its air and perfume will come to him, and a space will be made for him in it as far as the eye can see.”He also mentioned the death of the infidel, saying,“His spirit will be restored to his body, two angels will come, make him sit up and ask him who his Lord is, to which he will reply, ‘Alas, alas, I do not know.’ They will ask him what his religion is, and he will reply, ‘Alas, alas, I do not know.’ They will ask him about this man who was sent on a mission among his people, and he will reply, ‘Alas, alas, I do not know.' Then a crier will call from heaven, ‘He has lied, so spread a bed for him from hell, clothe him from hell, and open a door for him into hell.' Then some of its heat and pestilential wind will come to him, and his grave will become restricted so that his ribs will be pressed together. One who is blind and dumb will then be placed in charge of him, having a sledgehammer such that if a mountain were struck with it it would become dust. He will give him a blow with it and he will utter a shout which will be heard by everything between the east and the west except by men and jinn, and he will become dust. Then his spirit will be restored to him." Ahmad and Abu Dawud transmitted it.

‘Uthman told that when he stood over a grave he would weep so sorely that the tears moistened his beard. Someone said to him,“You remember paradise and hell, without weeping, yet you are weeping over this." He replied that God’s messenger said,“The grave is the first stage of the next world ; if one escapes from it what follows is easier than it, but if one does not escape from it what follows is more severe than it." He further quoted God’s messenger as saying,“I have never seen a sight as horrible as the grave." Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah transmitted it, and Tirmidhi said this is a gharib tradition.

He also said that when the Prophet finished the burial of the dead he stood over it and said,“Ask forgiveness for your brother, then ask that he may be strengthened, for he is now being questioned." Abu Dawud transmitted it.