Questions Asked in the Grave According to Islam: What Every Muslim Should Know

Questions Asked in the Grave According to Islam ~ Hi all readers! In the previous article, I explained the pleasure and torment in the grave. In this article, I will discuss the questions that will be asked by the angels Munkar and Nakir to us in the grave. As Muslims, we must know about this, because with this knowledge, we will be more cautious in how we live out our destiny in this world. In addition, it helps us prepare for the afterlife.

If we understand the previous article, we already know that life in the grave is a temporary stop before we enter eternal life in the afterlife. We must believe in this. All the actions we do in this world will have a significant impact on our experiences in the grave. What we go through in the grave will determine our fate in the afterlife. It is an interconnected and decisive link.

The Prophet Muhammad sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam said:

"إن القبر أول ما نزل الآخرة فإن نجا منه فما بعده أيسر منه وإن لم ينج منه فما بعده أشد منه"

"Indeed, the grave is the first stage towards the afterlife. If someone survives it, what comes after will be easier, but if he does not, what comes after will be harder." (This hadith is narrated by at-Tirmidhi in Sunan at-Tirmidhi, 2308, and Ibn Majah in Sunan Ibn Majah, 4567).

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We can find information about the questions asked by the angels Munkar and Nakir in the grave in the following hadith of the Prophet Muhammad:

عن البراء بن العازب , قال : خرجنا مع رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم في جنازة رجل من الأنصار فانتهينا إلى القبر ولما يلحد فجلس رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وجلسنا حوله كأنما على رؤوسنا الطير وفي يده عود ينكت به في الأرض , فرفع رأسه فقال : استعيذوا بالله من عذاب القبر مرتين أو ثلاثا . زاد في حديث جرير هنا , وقال : وإنه ليسمع خفق نعالهم إذا ولوا مدبرين حين يقال له : من ربك؟ وما دينك؟ ومن نبيك؟ قال هناد قال : ويأتيه ملكان فيجلسانه فيقولان له : من ربك؟ فيقول ربي الله , فيقولان له : ما دينك؟ فيقول : ديني الإسلام , فيقولان له : ما هذا الرجل الذي بعث فيكم؟ قال فيقول : رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم , فيقولان : وما يدريك؟ فيقول : قرأت كتاب الله فآمنت به وصدقت

From al-Barra' bin 'Azib, he said: We went out with the Messenger of Allah sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam to attend the funeral of a man from the Ansar. When we arrived at the grave, it had not yet been dug. The Prophet sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam sat down, and we sat around him, as if birds were on our heads (in silence). He had a stick in his hand which he was striking the ground with. Then he raised his head and said, "Seek refuge in Allah from the torment of the grave." He repeated it two or three times. [In the narration by Jarir, it adds:] He said, "The dead person will hear the sound of the sandals of those who leave after burying him, when he is asked: 'Who is your Lord? What is your religion? Who is your Prophet?'" Hannad said: "Two angels will come to him and make him sit down and ask: 'Who is your Lord?' He will answer, 'My Lord is Allah.' They will ask, 'What is your religion?' He will answer, 'My religion is Islam.' They will ask, 'Who is this man who was sent among you?' He will reply, 'He is the Messenger of Allah sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam.' They will ask, 'How do you know?' He will reply, 'I read the Book of Allah, believed in it, and affirmed it.'" (This hadith is narrated by Ahmad in Musnad, 18063).

If we reflect on this hadith, we understand that scholars have different opinions regarding the number of questions asked in the grave. Some scholars say there are three: Who is your Lord? What is your religion? Who is your Prophet? Others say there are four: Who is your Lord? What is your religion? Who is your Prophet? What did you do? We do not need to debate the exact number of questions. In fact, some scholars say there are six: Who is your Lord? What is your religion? Who is your Prophet? What is your book? What is your qibla? Who are your brothers? For me, regardless of these differences, the three main questions remain: Who is your Lord? What is your religion? Who is your Prophet?

In the above hadith, we see that a person in the grave who was a Muslim during his life and followed the teachings of Islam was able to answer the questions from Munkar and Nakir. However, those who did not follow the teachings of Islam and the Prophet Muhammad during their lives will not be able to answer these questions. Once again, it is an interconnected and decisive link.

Certainty about the questions in the grave is a certainty decreed by Allah Ta’ala for all of us. The conditions we will experience there depend on what we have done in this world. Nevertheless, there are many hadiths of Prophet Muhammad that describe the terrifying conditions in the grave. Among them is the following hadith:

ولقد أوحي إلي أنكم تفتنون في قبوركم , مثل أو قريبا من فتنة المسيح الدجال

Indeed, it has been revealed to me that you will be tested in your graves like, or nearly the same as, the trial of the Dajjal. (The hadith is narrated by al-Bukhari in Sahih, Kitaab al-‘Ilm, 86).

ما رأيت منظرا إلا والقبر أفظع منه

I have not seen any scene more horrifying than that of the grave. (The hadith is narrated by at-Tirmidhi in Sunan at-Tirmidhi, 2308, and Ibn Majah in Sunan Ibn Majah, 4567).

There is a prayer we can recite to seek protection from the torment of the grave. Below is one of the prayers recommended by Prophet Muhammad:

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّيْ أَعُوْذُ بِكَ مِنْ عَذَابِ جَهَنَّمَ وَمِنْ عَذَابِ القَبْرِ وَمِنْ فِتْنَةِ المَحْيَا وَالمَمَاتِ وَمِنْ شَرِّ فِتْنَةِ المَسِيْحِ الدَّجَّالِ

O Allah, I seek refuge in You from the punishment of Jahannam, the torment of the grave, the trials of life and death, and the evil of the trials of the Dajjal.

This is a brief review of the questions that will be asked by angels Munkar and Nakir in the grave. I hope this article is beneficial. May we be among the servants of Allah who can answer these questions and be saved from the torment of the grave. Ameen.

I hope you found this helpful, and see you again in the next article!