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Jami' at-TirmidhiThe Book on Jana''iz (Funerals)

Describing part of the bliss of the grave and its torment

Chapter: What Has Been Related About The Punishment In The Grave

Good (hasan) 4 scholars’ grades Jami' at-Tirmidhi 1071

Narrator:Abu Hurayrah

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو سَلَمَةَ، يَحْيَى بْنُ خَلَفٍ حَدَّثَنَا بِشْرُ بْنُ الْمُفَضَّلِ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ إِسْحَاقَ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْمَقْبُرِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏

"‏ إِذَا قُبِرَ الْمَيِّتُ - أَوْ قَالَ أَحَدُكُمْ أَتَاهُ مَلَكَانِ أَسْوَدَانِ أَزْرَقَانِ يُقَالُ لأَحَدِهِمَا الْمُنْكَرُ وَالآخَرُ النَّكِيرُ فَيَقُولاَنِ مَا كُنْتَ تَقُولُ فِي هَذَا الرَّجُلِ فَيَقُولُ مَا كَانَ يَقُولُ هُوَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ وَرَسُولُهُ أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ ‏.‏ فَيَقُولاَنِ قَدْ كُنَّا نَعْلَمُ أَنَّكَ تَقُولُ هَذَا ‏.‏ ثُمَّ يُفْسَحُ لَهُ فِي قَبْرِهِ سَبْعُونَ ذِرَاعًا فِي سَبْعِينَ ثُمَّ يُنَوَّرُ لَهُ فِيهِ ثُمَّ يُقَالُ لَهُ نَمْ ‏.‏ فَيَقُولُ أَرْجِعُ إِلَى أَهْلِي فَأُخْبِرُهُمْ فَيَقُولاَنِ نَمْ كَنَوْمَةِ الْعَرُوسِ الَّذِي لاَ يُوقِظُهُ إِلاَّ أَحَبُّ أَهْلِهِ إِلَيْهِ ‏.‏ حَتَّى يَبْعَثَهُ اللَّهُ مِنْ مَضْجَعِهِ ذَلِكَ ‏.‏ وَإِنْ كَانَ مُنَافِقًا قَالَ سَمِعْتُ النَّاسَ يَقُولُونَ فَقُلْتُ مِثْلَهُ لاَ أَدْرِي ‏.‏ فَيَقُولاَنِ قَدْ كُنَّا نَعْلَمُ أَنَّكَ تَقُولُ ذَلِكَ ‏.‏ فَيُقَالُ لِلأَرْضِ الْتَئِمِي عَلَيْهِ ‏.‏ فَتَلْتَئِمُ عَلَيْهِ ‏.‏ فَتَخْتَلِفُ فِيهَا أَضْلاَعُهُ فَلاَ يَزَالُ فِيهَا مُعَذَّبًا حَتَّى يَبْعَثَهُ اللَّهُ مِنْ مَضْجَعِهِ ذَلِكَ ‏"

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "When the deceased – or one of you – is buried, there come to him two black and blue angels; one of whom is called Munkar and the other Nakīr. They say: 'What did you say about this man?' So, he says what he used to say about him: 'He is the slave of Allah and His Messenger. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.' They say: 'We knew that you would say that.' Then his grave is made spacious for him, seventy cubits by seventy, then it is illuminated for him. Then it is said to him: 'Sleep,' and he says: 'May I go back to my family and tell them?' They say: 'Sleep like the bridegroom who will be woken by none but the dearest of his family to him,' until Allah raises him from that resting place of his. But if he is a hypocrite he says: 'I heard the people say something so I said something like what they said. I do not know.' They say: 'We knew that you would say that.' Then it is said to the earth: 'Tighten your sides around him,' so it tightens its sides around him until his ribs interlock, and he continues to be tormented therein until Allah raises him from that resting place of his.'"

Reported by At-Tirmidhi (No. 1071).

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Explanation

When the deceased is buried, two black and blue angels come to him; one named Munkar and the other Nakīr. They say to him: What did you use to say about this man? They mean the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). He says: He is the slave of Allah and His Messenger; I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and that Muhammad is His slave and messenger. They say: We knew that you would say that; then his grave is widened for him seventy cubits by seventy, then it is illuminated for him. Then it is said to him: Sleep; and he will say: I wish to return to my family and inform them of my pleasant condition so that they would be happy and not grieve over me. They will say: Sleep like the sleep of a bridegroom who will not be awakened except by the most beloved of his family to him. Then, he will sleep peacefully until Allah resurrects him on the Day of Resurrection. On the other hand, if the deceased is a hypocrite he will say: I heard people saying something, i.e. that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, so I said as they were saying: and I do not really know if he was a prophet or not. They will say: We knew that you would say that; then it will be said to the earth: gather together and tighten around him. Then its parts will gather around him tightly until his ribs will be no longer in the normal arranged state as they used to be due to the severity of the pressure and the squeezing of his body parts, thereby each of his two sides will cross over the other. He will continue to be tormented in this condition until Allah, the Exalted, resurrects him on the Day of Resurrection.

Explanation in Arabic

إذا دُفن الميت أتاه ملكان أسودان أزرقان، اسم أحدهما: المنكر، والآخر: النكير، فيقولان له: ما كنت تقول في هذا الرجل؟ يريدان النبي -عليه الصلاة والسلام-، فيقول: هو عبد الله ورسوله، أشهد أن لا إله إلا الله، وأن محمدا عبده ورسوله، فيقولان: قد كنا نعلم أنك تقول هذا؟ ثم يوسع له في قبره سبعون ذراعا في سبعين ذراعا، ثم ينوَّر له في قبره، ثم يقال له: نم. فيقول: أريد الرجوع إلى أهلي، فأخبرهم بأن حالي طيب؛ فيفرحوا بذلك ولا يحزنوا عليَّ. فيقولان له: نم كنومة العروس الذي لا يوقظه من نومه إلا أحب أهله إليه، فينام نومًا طيبا حتى يبعثه الله يوم القيامة، وإن كان منافقا قال: سمعتُ الناس يقولون قولا، وهو أن محمدا رسول الله، فقلت مثل قولهم، ولا أدري أنه نبي في الحقيقة أم لا، فيقولان: قد كنا نعلم أنك تقول ذلك، فيقال للأرض: انضمي واجتمعي عليه وضيقي عليه، فتجتمع أجزاؤها عليه، حتى تزول أضلاعه عن الهيئة المستوية التي كانت عليها، من شدة انضمامها عليه، وشدة الضغطة وانعصار أعضائه، وتجاوز جنبيه من كل جنب إلى جنب آخر، فلا يزال في تلك الحالة معذبا حتى يبعثه الله عز وجل يوم القيامة.

  • فيه إثبات سؤال الملكين المنكر والنكير للميت في قبره.
  • إثبات أن في القبر نعيما وعذابا.

Classical commentary

Al-Mubarakfuri — Tuhfat al-Ahwadhi

قَوْلُهُ : ( إِذَا قُبِرَ الْمَيِّتُ ) بِصِيغَةِ الْمَجْهُولِ أَيْ إِذَا أُدْخِلَ فِي الْقَبْرِ وَدُفِنَ ( أَوْ قَالَ أَحَدُكُمْ ) شَكٌّ مِنْ الرَّاوِي أَيْ أَوْ قَالَ أَحَدُكُمْ مَكَانَ لَفْظِ الْمَيِّتِ ( أَتَاهُ مَلَكَانِ أَسْوَدَانِ أَزْرَقَانِ ) بِزَايٍ فَرَاءٍ أَيْ أَزْرَقَانِ أَعْيُنُهُمَا. زَادَ الطَّبَرَانِيُّ فِي الْأَوْسَطِ مِنْ طَرِيقٍ أُخْرَى عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ : أَعْيُنُهُمَا مِثْلُ قُدُورِ النُّحَاسِ , وَأَنْيَابُهُمَا مِثْلُ صَيَاصِي الْبَقَرِ , وَأَصْوَاتُهُمَا مِثْلُ الرَّعْدِ. وَنَحْوُهُ لِعَبْدِ الرَّزَّاقِ مِنْ مُرْسَلِ عَمْرِو بْنِ دِينَارٍ وَزَادَ : يَحْفِرَانِ بِأَنْيَابِهِمَا وَيَطَآنِ فِي أَشْعَارِهِمَا , مَعَهُمَا مِرْزَبَّةٌ لَوْ اِجْتَمَعَ عَلَيْهَا أَهْلُ مِن…

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Scholars’ grades

ScholarGradeApplies toWork
Al-Albanid. 1420 AH Good (hasan)Hasan حسن The hadith No. 1071
Zubair Ali Zaid. 1435 AH Good chain (hasan)Isnaad Hasan The chain only No. 1071
Ahmad Shakird. 1377 AH Good (hasan)Hasan The hadith No. 1071
At-Tirmidhid. 279 AH Good (hasan)حسن غريب The hadith سنن الترمذي No. 1071
Grades of other versions (3)
  • Good (hasan)Al-Albani حسن — صحيح الترغيب (3560)
  • Al-Albani إسناده جيد رجاله ثقات — السلسلة الصحيحة (1391)
  • Authentic chainAl-Mundhiri إسناده صحيح أو حسن أو ما قاربهما — الترغيب والترهيب (4/283)

Other versions

Good (hasan) Mishkat al-Masabih 130

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…

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «إِذَا قُبِرَ الْمَيِّتُ أَتَاهُ مَلَكَانِ أَسْوَدَانِ أَزْرَقَانِ يُقَالُ لِأَحَدِهِمَا الْمُنْكَرُ وَالْآخَرُ النَّكِيرُ…

Narrated by Abu Hurayrah

Also reported by… (1)
  • الأمالي الخميسية للشجري (2199)إِذَا قُبِرَ الْمَيِّتُ أَوْ أَحَدُكُمْ ، أَتَاهُ مَلَكَانِ أَسْوَدَانِ أَزْرَقَانِ ، يُقَالُ لِأَحَدِهِمَا : الْمُنْكَرُ , وَلِلْآخَرِ النَّكِيرُ ، فَيَقُولَانِ لَهُ : مَا كُنْتَ تَقُولُ فِي هَذَا الرَّجُلِ ؟ فَيَقُولُ مَا كَانَ يَقُولُ : هُوَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ وَرَسُولُهُ ، وَأَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ

On the same subject

Not graded Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Riyad as-Salihin 427

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "When a believer is questioned in the grave, he testifies that, 'there is no true god except Allah and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.' About him the Words of Allah, the Exalted, are: 'Allah will keep firm those who believe, with the firm statement (The Testimony of Faith)…

وعن البراء بن عازب، رضي الله عنهما، عن النبي، صلى الله عليه وسلم، قال‏:‏ “المسلم إذا سئل في القبر يشهد أن لا إله إلا الله، وأن محمداً رسول الله، فذلك قوله تعالى‏:‏ ‏{‏يثبت الله الذين آمنوا بالقول الثابت في الحياة الدنيا…

+ 11 other versions

Authentic Jami' at-Tirmidhi 3120

that regarding Allah's saying: Allah will keep firm those who believe, with the word that stands firm in this world and in the Hereafter (14:27). The Prophet (ﷺ) said: "In the grave, when it is said to him: 'Who is your Lord? What is your religion? And who is your Prophet?'"

"‏ فِي الْقَبْرِ إِذَا قِيلَ لَهُ مَنْ رَبُّكَ وَمَا دِينُكَ وَمَنْ نَبِيُّكَ؟ ‏"

Narrated by Al-Barā' ibn ‘Āzib + 6 other versions

Authentic Sunan Abu Dawud 4751

The Messenger of Allah(ﷺ) entered the garden of the palm trees of Banu al-Najjar. He heard a voice and was terrified. He asked: Who are the people buried in these graves? The people replied: Messenger of Allah! These are some people who died in the pre-Islamic times. He said: Seek refuge in Allah…

‏ ‏"‏ إِنَّ الْمُؤْمِنَ إِذَا وُضِعَ فِي قَبْرِهِ أَتَاهُ مَلَكٌ فَيَقُولُ لَهُ ‏:‏ مَا كُنْتَ تَعْبُدُ فَإِنِ اللَّهُ هَدَاهُ قَالَ ‏:‏ كُنْتُ أَعْبُدُ اللَّهَ ‏.‏ فَيُقَالُ لَهُ ‏:‏ مَا كُنْتَ تَقُولُ فِي هَذَا…

Narrated by Anas ibn Mālik + 1 other version

Authentic Sunan Abu Dawud 4750

When a Muslim is questioned in the grave he testifies that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is Allah’s Apostle. That is verified by Allah’s words: “Allah establishes those who believe with the word that stands firm.”

‏ إِنَّ الْمُسْلِمَ إِذَا سُئِلَ فِي الْقَبْرِ فَشَهِدَ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَذَلِكَ قَوْلُ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ ‏‏{‏ يُثَبِّتُ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا…

Narrated by Al-Barā' ibn ‘Āzib

Not graded Musnad Ahmad 14020

حَدَّثَنَا شَاذَانُ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ عَيَّاشٍ عَنِ الْأَعْمَشِ عَنْ أَبِي سُفْيَانَ عَنْ جَابِرٍ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِذَا رَأَى مَا فُسِحَ لَهُ فِي قَبْرِهِ يَقُولُ…

Narrated by Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh + 1 other version Arabic only

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