Questions of the Grave and Details of the Barzakh World

Question

What happens after a person dies, from the moment they enter the grave until the Day of Resurrection? What are the questions of the grave, the details of the punishment or comfort in the grave, and the specifics of the Barzakh world?

Answer 1

Peace be upon you. It has been reported in the hadiths that there are four fundamental questions posed to the deceased: Who is your Lord? What is your religion? Who is your Prophet? Who is your Imam? It is narrated from Imam Al-Kadhim (peace be upon him) that the believer in his grave is asked: 'Who is your Lord?' He replies: 'Allah.' Then he is asked: 'What is your religion?' He says: 'Islam.' He is then asked: 'Who is your Prophet?' He replies: 'Muhammad.' Finally, he is asked: 'Who is your Imam?' He says: 'So-and-so.' When asked how he knew this, he responds: 'It was revealed to me by Allah, and I was steadfast upon it.' He is then told: 'Sleep a sleep without dreams, like the sleep of a bride.' A door to Paradise is opened for him, and he is filled with its spirit and fragrance, saying: 'O Lord, hasten the Day of Resurrection.' As for the disbeliever, Imam Al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) describes his state: the angels sit him up and infuse his spirit to his waist, asking him: 'Who is your Lord?' He stutters and says: 'I heard people say.' They ask him: 'What is your religion?' He stutters again, saying: 'I do not know.' They ask: 'Who is your Prophet?' He replies: 'I heard people say.' They say: 'You do not know.' He is then asked about the Imam of his time. A voice from the heavens calls out: 'My servant has lied. Spread out for him in his grave from the fire, dress him in the garments of fire, and open for him a door to the fire, until he comes to us with nothing but evil.' They strike him with a mallet three times, and with each strike, his grave erupts in flames. If that mallet were to strike the mountains of Tihama, they would turn to dust. May you be successful in all that is good.