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Home , Hell, Paradise

Islamic Lesson 3: The Intermediate Realm Questioning in the Grave

• The fate of the people in the first two groups (the exemplary believers and the disbelievers) is quite different from those of the third group. • The first group, who were completely pure, are immediately admitted into the of and given the glad tidings of paradise in the hereafter as well. • The second group, who were completely impure, are lead directly to the of barzakh and are promised the torment of hell in the hereafter. Questioning in the Grave

• The people in the third group will remain in a state between hope and fear until the Day of Judgement when their fate will be decided. وھ دﺣأ ﺔﺛﻼﺛ روﻣأ درﯾ ﻠﻋ ﮫﯾ ﺎﻣإ: ةرﺎﺷﺑ مﯾﻌﻧﺑ ،دﺑﻷا ﺎﻣإو ةرﺎﺷﺑ باذﻌﺑ ،دﺑﻷا ﺎﻣإو نﯾزﺣﺗﺑ نﯾزﺣﺗﺑ ﺎﻣإو ،دﺑﻷا باذﻌﺑ ةرﺎﺷﺑ ﺎﻣإو ،دﺑﻷا مﯾﻌﻧﺑ ةرﺎﺷﺑ ﺎﻣإ: ﮫﯾ ﻠﻋ درﯾ روﻣأ ﺔﺛﻼﺛ دﺣأ وھ لﯾوﮭﺗو رﻣأو مﮭﺑﻣ ﻻ يردﯾ نﻣ يأ ا ﻟ قرﻔ .وھ قرﻔ ﻟ ا يأ نﻣ يردﯾ ﻻ مﮭﺑﻣ رﻣأو لﯾوﮭﺗو “ is one of three states: it is the receiving of good news of eternal bliss, or the bad news of eternal torment, or it is the sorrow and fear of one who does not know which group he belongs to.”- Imam Ali (a)

Source: Ma’aani al-Akhbaar, p. 288 Questioning in the Grave

• Since the fate of the first two groups becomes clear at the first stage and in the first night, they move to a further stage which is not experienced by the third group. This is the questioning in the grave. In fact, this is just a final stage to confirm their permanent abodes: ﺎﻣﻧإ لﺄﺳﯾ ﻲﻓ هرﺑﻗ نﻣ ضﺣﻣ نﺎﻣﯾﻻا ﺎﺿﺣﻣ رﻔﻛﻟاو ﺎﺿﺣﻣ ﺎﻣأو ﺎﻣ ىوﺳ كﻟذ ﻰﮭﻠﯾﻓ مﮭﻧﻋ ﻰﮭﻠﯾﻓ كﻟذ ىوﺳ ﺎﻣ ﺎﻣأو ﺎﺿﺣﻣ رﻔﻛﻟاو ﺎﺿﺣﻣ نﺎﻣﯾﻻا ضﺣﻣ نﻣ هرﺑﻗ ﻲﻓ لﺄﺳﯾ ﺎﻣﻧإ “Only the exemplary believers and the absolute disbelievers are questioned in the grave. All others are left alone.”- Imam al-Sadiq (a)

Source: al-Kafi, v. 3, p. 235 Munkar and Nakeer

• For the absolute disbelievers, there is nothing more distressing and painful than their encounter with these two , whose terrifying appearance causes them to lose any remaining sense of composure and control. اوﺻأ ﺎﻣﮭﺗ ﺎﻛ دﻋرﻟ ا ﻟ ﻘ ،فﺻﺎ أو ﺎﻣھرﺎﺻﺑ ﺎﻛ ﻟ قرﺑ ﻛ ﻣرﺻ و،ﺻ در ﻛ ﻣﺗاﺻ “Their voices reverberate like thunder and their gaze is as piercing as lightening.”- The Prophet (s)

Source: Bihar al-Anwar, v. 6, p. 225 Munkar and Nakeer

• In appearance, these two angels are truly Munkar and Nakeer, meaning ”ugly” and “fearsome”, because the individuals’ inner pollution has distorted their perception- they see beauty as ugliness and vileness as pleasant. • The role of these angels is quite different from that of Rumaan. They are not there to remind, rather they have come to both evaluate and validate that which Rumaan has brought out so that the worthiness of the deceased individual can be assessed and an appropriate abode and provision be assigned to him in the of the dead. Munkar and Nakeer

• However, what does worthiness mean in this place and what are the parameters for assessing it? • This is the realm of malakoot and here everything is related to . It is for this reason they open their questioning by asking: ﻣن رﺑّك “Who is your God?” Munkar and Nakeer

• This question is not meant to distress the new arrival, rather its purpose is to gauge the level of their understanding so as to be able to evaluate accordingly. • In reality, these angels are not actually frightening at all; it is the individual’s -tinged and self-absorption that makes everything related to God appear frightening and bleak. • This poor soul searches into the depths of his being for an answer. He did not worship God during his life, nor did he bother to ask about Him. God was never relevant in his life and he did not feel any adverse effects as a result Munkar and Nakeer

• But now everything has changed. In this world, God is the only important reference and yet he cannot perceive any trace of Him anywhere. • His silence and incomprehension enrages the angels and with angry faces they ask him who his Prophet was and what did he follow and what scripture did he read. • However, he cannot recall any prophet or any religion or any scripture. • They ask him about his priorities in the world, how he passed his days, how he earned his living and where he spent his wealth. Munkar and Nakeer

• In the course of their interrogation, they gradually expose the deepest features of his character. Every question forces him to face the unpleasant truth that is reflected within the barzakhi manifestation of his actions. • He wants to get rid of the company of these angels as soon as possible. He does not want to hear their constant attempts to teach him about God anymore. • He realizes that the is more compatible with his nature than the remembrance of God. When the angels see that this is the case, they withdraw, and leave him in the hell of his own creation. Munkar and Nakeer

• He who could not face the truth, now turns his mind away from it and defiantly ventures into the hell of barzakh, turning his back on God and heading off in the opposite direction. • He will look for others like him and try to get to know them. It is as if there is a strong rope drawing him forward. • It seems as if he wants to break free of God and get away as far as he can, however, because the essence of beings is based on the love of God, and heart’s comfort only comes from His remembrance and proximity, every step he takes away only increases his misery, pain and frustration. Munkar and Nakeer

إِ ﱠن ا ّ َ ﻻَ ﯾَ ْظ ِﻠ ُم اﻟﻧﱠﺎ َس َﺷ ْﯾﺋًﺎ َو َﻟـ ِﻛ ﱠن اﻟﻧﱠﺎ َس أَﻧﻔُ َﺳ ُﮭ ْم ﯾَ ْظ ِﻠ ُﻣو َن

“Indeed God is not unjust to people in the least, but people are unjust to themselves.” 10:44 Mubashir and Basheer

• The two angels who come to the believers are called Mubashir and Basheer because they are messengers from God bringing the good news of eternal and reward. • Every question that they ask and every layer of his life that they expose is good news for him. • He is able to reply confidently because the truth has saturated his heart and soul. • There is nothing sweeter to him than witnessing the barzakhi manifestations of the actions he performed in his life. Mubashir and Basheer

• Now that they have made him aware of every layer of his being and introduced him to a deeper cognizance of God, they open for the deceased a window to paradise through which the breeze of God’s mercy fills his grave with perfume, light and happiness. • The angels enlarge his grave in proportion to his character and goodness until a resembles a garden from the gardens of paradise. And in this way the pure enter the paradise of barzakh. Mubashir and Basheer

نﺎﺣﺳﻔﯾﻓ ﮫﻟ ﻲﻓ هرﺑﻗ دﻣ ،هرﺻﺑ نﺎﺣﺗﻔﯾو ﮫﻟ ﺎﺑﺎﺑ ﻰﻟإ ،ﺔﻧﺟﻟا ﻰﻟإ ﺎﺑﺎﺑ ﮫﻟ نﺎﺣﺗﻔﯾو ،هرﺻﺑ دﻣ هرﺑﻗ ﻲﻓ ﮫﻟ نﺎﺣﺳﻔﯾﻓ

”…they enlarge his grave for as far as his eyes can see and they open a window into paradise…”- Imam Ali (a)

Source: Bihar al-Anwar, v. 6, p. 225 Mubashir and Basheer

ﻓَ ِر ِﺣﯾ َن ﺑِ َﻣﺎ آﺗَﺎھُ ُم ا ُّ ِﻣن ﻓَ ْﺿ ِﻠ ِﮫ َوﯾَ ْﺳﺗَ ْﺑ ِﺷ ُرو َن ﺑِﺎﻟﱠ ِذﯾ َن ﻟَ ْم ﯾَ ْﻠ َﺣﻘُواْ ﺑِ ِﮭم ِّﻣ ْن َﺧ ْﻠ ِﻔ ِﮭ ْم أَﻻﱠ َﺧ ْو ٌف َﻋﻠَ ْﯾ ِﮭ ْم َوﻻَ ھُ ْم ﯾَ ْﺣ َزﻧُو َن

“Rejoicing in what God has bestowed upon them of His bounty, and desiring to share the good tidings with those who have not yet joined them…” Quran 3:170 Mubashir and Basheer

ﻗِﯾ َل ا ْد ُﺧ ِل ا ْﻟ َﺟﻧﱠﺔَ َﻗﺎ َل ﯾَﺎ ﻟَ ْﯾ َت َﻗ ْو ِﻣﻲ ﯾَ ْﻌﻠَ ُﻣو َن ﺑِ َﻣﺎ َﻏﻔَ َر ِﻟﻲ َرﺑِّﻲ َو َﺟﻌَﻠَﻧِﻲ ِﻣ َن ا ْﻟ ُﻣ ْﻛ َر ِﻣﯾ َن

“It was said, "Enter Paradise." He said, "I wish my people knew of how my Lord has forgiven me and placed me among the honored.” Quran 36:26-27 Meeting with Friends and Relatives

• As the individual enters paradise of barzakh, the soul encounters his friends and relatives who has preceded him and is drawn to the group whose souls most closely match his own. • Immediately on arrival, acquaintances gather around him, welcoming him and eagerly inquiring about mutual friends and he shares the news about each of them. • If they find out that their relative or friend is still alive, they are delighted because they hope to be reunited with them after their death. But if he informs them that the person already died, they are saddened because they realize that something prevented them from entering the barzakhi paradise. Meeting with Friends and Relatives

• It has been reported from Imam al-Sadiq (a) that:

“Souls occupy forms that resemble human bodies and live in gardens of paradise; they recognize and communicate with one another. And when a new arrival joins them, they leave him alone for a while to recover after his difficult experience. Then they ask him about different individuals; if he says that they were alive when he died they become hopeful that he may join them, but if he says that they died, they cry out, “He has fallen, he has fallen!” Source: al-Kafi, v. 3, p. 244 Meeting with Friends and Relatives

• The soul begins to explore the paradise of barzakh. The individual meets with different groups of believers, finally attaching himself to the group with which he is most compatible. وﻟ فﺷﻛ كﻟ أرﻟ ﯾ مﮭﺗ ﺎﻘﻠﺣ ﺎﻘﻠﺣ ﺣﻣ ﺗ ﺑ نﯾ نوﺛدﺎﺣﺗﯾ “If the veil fell away from your eyes, you would see them congregated in groups conversing.”- Imam Ali (a)

Source: al-Kafi, v. 3, p. 243 Meeting with Friends and Relatives

• A person feels completely at home in the barzakhi paradise and cannot imagine better company to spend their days with. • This feeling is because in barzakh and the , the factors that cause attraction and repulsion are the similarities in previous deeds and the inner characteristics, and these two qualities mould their outward features. • In the same way, the soul that has entered the barzakhi hell meets and gets to know its inmates. However, in hell there is no welcome, only hate and everybody tries to intimidate and subjugate everyone else. The People of the Middle State

• According to a report, Imam al-Baqir said about these people: “A passage will be created between their graves and the paradise that God has created in the west (that is, of the barzakhi realm). Through this they will experience comfort and until the Day of Judgement when they will meet their Lord and account for their good and deeds. Thereafter, they will go to paradise or hell. These are the people whose fate depend on God’s decree.”

Source: al-Kafi, v. 3, p. 247 The People of the Middle State

• And those who are more impure will similarly be attracted to the hell of barzakh and its flames will burn them: ”A passage will be created between their graves and the hell that God has created in the east (that is, the hell of the barzakhi realm). Through this they will feel its scorching heat, smoke, and scalding water will enter into their graves.”

• This situation will persist until the Day of Judgement arrives and their ultimate fate is decided. The Landscape of Barzakh

• There is endless diversity within the life in barzakh and no two groups, or even two people, have the same experience. • Catering for this diversity and allocating the various lands of barzakh is a complex process; we can really only gain a general idea of the geographic details of this vast realm. The Landscape of Barzakh

• The primary division in barzakh is between: • The Land of the Virtuous نوﺑرﻘﻣ Those brought near • • Righteous • The Land of the People of the Middle State • The Land of the Evildoers The Land of the Virtuous

• The land of the virtuous is itself divided into two areas; the barzakh of the servants that God has brought near and the barzakh of the righteous. • These two areas are like two different countries. The muqarraboon are free to come and go within the land of the righteous and whey they come to that land, it resembles the majestic arrival of kings. • However, the righteous cannot enter the land of muqarraboon except in rare instances and with special permission. This is because entry into that land is beyond their capacity. The Land of the Virtuous

• On special occasions the souls of the believers gather in locations that are more beautiful and grander than their own; here they socialize and converse and discuss any new bounty that they received from God etc. • Sometimes, they also get to meet and enjoy the company of the elite and close servants of God. • Occasionally, these meetings take place in Wadi Salam in Najaf, whose barzakhi manifestation is one of the most magificent gardens in the barzakhi world and sometimes near the Dome of the Rock at Bayt al- Maqdis in . The Land of the People of the Middle State

• This is the dwelling place or land of the ones who were niether completely righteous nor completely evil. • In this region of barzakh, life passes as in sleep; although their experience is much richer in comparison to the life of this world, but compared to the life of the righteous and their knowledge, freedom of movement and joy, they might as well be sleeping. • Most of their experience of joy is confined to the material aspects of barzakh and has very little to do with spritual richness. In fact, they are quite unable to perceive or understand the experiences of the righteous. The Land of the Evildoers

• The land of the evildoers is divided amongst its inhabitants according to their levels of evil. • Each area is associated with a particular vice. It is as if the inhabitants of this land are organized into different tribes each immersed in the torment befitting its particular evil habit. • However, there is one trait here that is common to all, and that is that each person despises everyone else, and each tries to enslave the other and force them to serve him. This is an instinct that arises from their self-love. The Land of the Evildoers

• The angels are constantly involved in the affairs of this land and whoever crosses the bounds in harassing anybody else is immediately subject to harsh punishment. • The inhabitants of the land of evildoers gather every night to try too overpower each other, they boast about themselves and humiliate one another. • They want everyone to do what they want, and not only desire domination over every man, and creature, they desire that God too should act according to their wishes. The Land of the Evildoers

• The location of their meetings is a desolate desert in Yemen which is known as Barahoot. • According to Imam al-Baqir (a), the imaginal representation of this place in barzakh is a scortching desert; in it dry winds blow which are more searing than the fire of dunya.

Source: al-Kafi, v. 3, p. 246-247 The Connection Between the Living and the Dead :لﺎﻗ ﮫﺗﻟﺄﺳ نﻋ تﯾﻣﻟا روزﯾ ؟ﮫﻠھأ :لﺎﻗ مﻌﻧ :تﻠﻘﻓ ﻲﻓ مﻛ ؟روزﯾ :لﺎﻗ ﻲﻓ ﺔﻌﻣﺟﻟا ﻲﻓو رﮭﺷﻟا رﮭﺷﻟا ﻲﻓو ﺔﻌﻣﺟﻟا ﻲﻓ :لﺎﻗ ؟روزﯾ مﻛ ﻲﻓ :تﻠﻘﻓ مﻌﻧ :لﺎﻗ ؟ﮫﻠھأ روزﯾ تﯾﻣﻟا نﻋ ﮫﺗﻟﺄﺳ :لﺎﻗ ﻲﻓو ا ﺔﻧﺳﻟ ﻰﻠﻋ ردﻗ ﻟزﻧﻣ ،ﮫﺗ زﻣرﻗ ﻠ ﻧﻟا ﻓ

Ishaaq b. Ammar says that I asked Imam al-Kadhim (a), ‘Does the dead person visit his relatives?’ He replied, ‘Yes.” I asked, ‘How often?’ He said, ‘Every Friday, or every month, or every year, depending on their status.’

Source: al-Kafi, v. 3, p. 230 The Connection Between the Living and the Dead ﺎﻣ نﻣ نﻣؤﻣ ﻻو رﻓﺎﻛ ﻻإ وھو ﯾ ﺄ ﻲﺗ ﮫﻠھأ دﻧﻋ لاوز ا سﻣﺷﻟ اذﺈﻓ ىأر ﮫﻠھأ نوﻠﻣﻌﯾ نوﻠﻣﻌﯾ ﮫﻠھأ ىأر اذﺈﻓ سﻣﺷﻟ ا لاوز دﻧﻋ ﮫﻠھأ ﻲﺗ ﺄ ﯾ وھو ﻻإ رﻓﺎﻛ ﻻو نﻣؤﻣ نﻣ ﺎﻣ تﺎﺣﻟﺎﺻﻟﺎﺑ دﻣﺣ ﷲ ﻰﻠﻋ كﻟذ اذإو ىأر رﻓﺎﻛﻟا ﮫﻠھأ نوﻠﻣﻌﯾ تﺎﺣﻟﺎﺻﻟﺎﺑ تﻧﺎﻛ ﮫﯾﻠﻋ ةرﺳﺣ ﮫﯾﻠﻋ تﻧﺎﻛ تﺎﺣﻟﺎﺻﻟﺎﺑ نوﻠﻣﻌﯾ ﮫﻠھأ رﻓﺎﻛﻟا ىأر اذإو كﻟذ ﻰﻠﻋ ﷲ دﻣﺣ تﺎﺣﻟﺎﺻﻟﺎﺑ “There is not a single believer or disbeliever who does not visit his family [in dunya] at midday. When the believer see their living relatives doing acts of goodness they become happy and thank God; and when the disbeliever see their living relatives doing acts of goodness they are filled with regret.”- Imam al-Sadiq (a)

Source: al-Kafi, v. 3, p. 230 The Connection Between the Living and the Dead • Another method by which the people of barzakh can connect with this world is when the relatives visit their graves. • At such times the dead usually sense them and it increases their love for them. The Connection Between the Living and the Dead اوروز ﺗوﻣ مﻛﺎ ﺈﻓ مﮭﻧ نوﺣرﻔﯾ ﯾزﺑ مﻛﺗرﺎﯾﺑنﺣﻔ ﮭ ﻓمﺎﺗﻣ وو

“Visit your deceased because they are gladdened by your visitation.”- Imam Ali (a)

Source: al-Kafi, v. 3, p. 229 The Connection Between the Living and the Dead يإ ﷲو إ مﮭﻧ ﻟ نوﻣﻠﻌﯾ مﻛﺑ نوﺣرﻔﯾو ،مﻛﺑ ﺗﺳﯾو ﺄ نوﺳﻧ إ ﻟ مﻛﯾ نﺳ ﺳو،ﻛ نﺣﻔومﺑ وﻠﯾﻟ ﮭ وي

“I swear by God that they are aware of your presence and are gladdened by it and your visit increases their love for you.”- Imam al- Sadiq (a)

Source: Wasail al-Shia, v. 2, p. 878 The Connection Between the Living and the Dead نإ ا تﯾﻣﻟ ﻟ حرﻔﯾ ﺑ ﺎ ﻟ مﺣرﺗ ﻠﻋ ﮫﯾ رﺎﻔﻐﺗﺳﻻاو ،ﮫﻟ ﺎﻣﻛ حرﻔﯾ ا ﻲﺣﻟ ﺑ ﺎ ﺔﯾدﮭﻟ ىدﮭﺗ إ ﻟ ﮫﯾ دﺗﺔدﻟﺎﺑﻲﻟا رﯾ ﻣ ﮫ رﻔﺗﻻوﮫ ﻋمر رﯾﻟتﻣ ن

“The deceased become happy when someone prays for mercy and forgiveness for them, just as the living are happy when they receive gifts.”- Imam al-Sadiq (a)

Source: Wasail al-Shia, v. 2, p. 878 The Connection Between the Living and the Dead ﻰﺗﺣ أ ﮫﻧ ﻟ ﯾ نوﻛ ﻲﻓ قﯾﺿ ﻓ ﻊﺳوﯾ ﷲ ﻠﻋ ﮫﯾ ذ كﻟ ا قﯾﺿﻟ ك ﮫ ﻋﷲﻊو قﺿﻲ نﻛﯾﻟ ﻧأ ﺗ

“It may be that he is [feeling] constricted and God expands that constriction [because of what you offered…”- Imam al-Sadiq (a)

Source: Wasail al-Shia, v. 2, 655