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118 - Explaining that people are tested in the grave    
Q:  When a human being dies and is buried, will they be punished during the period  between death and the Day of Resurrection if they are wrong-doers, or they will  be punished for a period of time according to their evil deeds? We would be  grateful if you could elaborate on this point, may Allah bless you! .  
A: All praise be to Allah! The Sahih (authentic) Hadiths  reported about Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) stress that when one is  buried in their grave, two angels come to them and ask them about their lord,  their Deen and their messenger. If they answer these questions firmly, Allah  will open for them a gate to Paradise from which blessings and the fragrance of  Paradise come to them. Also, a gate to Hellfire is opened for them to see the  abode of Hellfire from which Allah has saved them and given them an abode in  Paradise instead. As for disbelievers, they will experience the opposite as a  gate to Hellfire is open for them from which torture, foul odors and a fierce  hot wind of Hellfire come to them. A gate to Paradise is open for them to see  their abode in Paradise which they would have been given if they had done good,  but since they disbelieved in Allah, Allah will deprive them of an abode in  Paradise. The literal meanings of the Sunnah and the Holy Qur'an stress that the  righteous will enjoy blessings, whereas the disbelievers will experience  punishment in the grave. However, it is not known how they will be punished and  how long such punishment will continue! 
The entire matter is referred to Allah (Glorified and  Exalted be He). The same applies to the righteous and how they will enjoy  pleasure in the grave. A believer has to do nothing but to believe in what is  mentioned in the Prophetic Hadiths. As for the way the righteous enjoy blessings  and the way the disbelievers experience punishment in the grave and whether such  blessings or punishment will continue or not, the entire matter is referred to  Allah (Exalted be He). Allah (Glorified be He) informs us regarding Fir`aun (Pharaoh) : |  |   | (Part No. 4;  Page No. 317) |   |  |   The  Fire, they are exposed to it, morning and afternoon. And on the Day when the  Hour will be established (it will be said to the angels): "Cause Fir‘aun’s  (Pharaoh) people to enter the severest torment!"  This Ayah  indicates that they are exposed to Hellfire, morning and afternoon, not  continuously. Thus, punishment or pleasure is determined by Allah with regard to  the details and the way of punishment or pleasure. However, we know that a  believer enjoys blessings in the grave, whereas a disbeliever experiences  punishment in the grave, but the manner of pleasure or punishment belongs to  Allah (Exalted be He). We have nothing to say about this point except for what  is mentioned in the Sunnah that a gate to Paradise is open for the believer,  from which blessings and fragrances of Paradise come to him and a gate to  Hellfire is open for the disbeliever, may Allah save us! It  is related in the Two Sahih (authentic) Books of Hadith (by Al-Bukhari and  Muslim),  As  narrated by Ibn `Abbas, Once the Prophet, while passing through one of the  graveyards of Medina or Mecca, heard the voices of two persons who were being  tortured in their graves. The Prophet said, "These two persons are being  tortured not for a major sin (to avoid)." The Prophet then added, "Yes! (they  are being tortured for a major sin). Indeed, one of them never saved himself  from being soiled with his urine while the other used to go about with calumnies  (to make enmity between friends)."  The Prophet (peace be upon him) said that those two persons were being tortured  for two sins, but he did not explain how they were being tortured. As for the  sinful, nothing in the Prophetic Sunnah or the Noble Qur'an indicates 
how they enjoy blessings or how they undergo punishment in  the grave. Whoever die while committing a sin from which they have not repented  such as adultery, drinking alcohol or being ungrateful to parents may be exposed  to the danger of punishment, but none knows anything about this matter except  for Allah (may He be Exalted and Glorified). However, sinful persons are neither  treated like disbelievers nor like the believers, as they will be in a rank  between the two parties. In the Hereafter, the sinful may be punished or  pardoned by Allah and admitted into Paradise. They may be entered into Hellfire,  but they will not remain there forever. They will be punished according to their  sins and they will be then taken out of Hellfire to be admitted into Paradise.  Sinful persons are no more than wrong doers, as they are neither believers nor  disbelievers, but Paradise will be their final abode.  
Q:  Will those experiencing pleasure in their graves enjoy continuous blessings  until being admitted into Paradise in the Hereafter, or may they later be  punished on the Day of Resurrection? |  |   | (Part No. 4;  Page No. 318) |   |  |   A: There are authentic Hadiths reported about Allah's  Messenger (peace be upon him) that indicate that a dead person is tested in his  grave where they will be asked about their lord, their Deen and their prophet.  If they give correct answers to these questions, a gate to Paradise is open for  them from which blessings, the fragrance of Paradise comes to them and their  grave become a garden of the gardens of Paradise. Such blessings will remain  till the Day of Resurrection when they will be taken from their grave to  Paradise. If one fails this test saying, "Aa, Aa, I do not know, as I heard  people say such and such thing, so I followed them," they will be punished in  the grave, may Allah forbid! Then, they will be subject 
Allah's Will. If they are sinful, they will be under  Allah's Will, but if they are disbelievers, they are taken from their graves to  Hellfire, may Allah forbid, as Allah (Glorified be He) says: |  |   | (Part No. 4;  Page No. 319) |   |  |   Verily, Allâh forgives not that partners should be set up with Him  (in worship), but He forgives except that (anything else) to whom He  wills   |  | 
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