Hadith 2080

Al-Bara' ibn Azib (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: We went out with the Prophet (ﷺ) for the funeral of a man from the Ansar. When we reached the grave, it had not yet been dug. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) sat down, and we sat around him as if birds were perched on our heads. In his hand was a stick with which he was tapping the ground. He raised his head and said, "Seek refuge in Allah from the punishment of the grave," two or three times. Then he said, "When a believing servant is about to depart from this world and enter the Hereafter, angels with white faces descend from the heavens. Their faces are as bright as the sun, and they bring with them a shroud from Paradise and embalming perfume from Paradise. They sit as far as the eye can see. Then the Angel of Death comes and sits at the head of the dying person and says, 'O pure soul, come out to forgiveness and pleasure from Allah.' The soul then flows out like a drop of water flowing from a waterskin. The Angel of Death takes it, and they do not leave it in his hand for even a moment before placing it in the shroud and perfume. A fragrance like the finest musk on earth emanates from it. They ascend with it, and whenever they pass by a group of angels, they ask, 'Who is this pure soul?' They reply, 'So-and-so, the son of so-and-so,' using the best names he was called in the world. They continue until they reach the lowest heaven and request it to be opened for them, and it is opened. The angels of each heaven accompany it to the next until it reaches the seventh heaven. Allah, the Exalted, says, 'Record the book of My servant in Illiyyin and return him to the earth, for I created them from it, and to it I will return them, and from it I will bring them forth again.' The soul is then returned to the body, and two angels come to him, sit him up, and ask, 'Who is your Lord?' He replies, 'Allah is my Lord.' They ask, 'What is your religion?' He replies, 'My religion is Islam.' They ask, 'Who is this man who was sent among you?' He replies, 'He is the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ).' They ask, 'What is your knowledge?' He replies, 'I read the Book of Allah, believed in it, and affirmed it.' A caller from heaven announces, 'My servant has spoken the truth. Spread for him from Paradise, clothe him from Paradise, and open for him a gate to Paradise.' He is then enveloped by its breeze and fragrance, and his grave is expanded as far as the eye can see. A man with a handsome face, beautiful clothes, and a pleasant fragrance comes to him and says, 'Receive the glad tidings that please you. This is your day that you were promised.' He asks, 'Who are you? Your face brings good news.' The man replies, 'I am your good deeds.' He then says, 'O Lord, hasten the Hour so that I may return to my family and wealth.' When a disbelieving servant is about to depart from this world and enter the Hereafter, angels with dark faces descend from the heavens, wearing coarse garments. They sit as far as the eye can see. Then the Angel of Death comes and sits at the head of the dying person and says, 'O foul soul, come out to the wrath and anger of Allah.' The soul is then dispersed throughout the body and is extracted like a skewer is pulled from wet wool. The Angel of Death takes it, and they do not leave it in his hand for even a moment before placing it in the coarse garments. A stench like the foulest corpse on earth emanates from it. They ascend with it, and whenever they pass by a group of angels, they ask, 'Who is this foul soul?' They reply, 'So-and-so, the son of so-and-so,' using the worst names he was called in the world. They continue until they reach the lowest heaven and request it to be opened for them, but it is not opened. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) then recited, 'The gates of heaven will not be opened for them, nor will they enter Paradise until a camel passes through the eye of a needle' (Qur'an 7:40). Allah, the Exalted, says, 'Record his book in Sijjin in the lowest earth.' His soul is then cast down, and the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) recited, 'And whoever associates others with Allah, it is as though he had fallen from the sky and was snatched by the birds or blown away by the wind to a far-off place' (Qur'an 22:31). The soul is then returned to the body, and two angels come to him, sit him up, and ask, 'Who is your Lord?' He replies, 'Hah, hah, I do not know.' They ask, 'What is your religion?' He replies, 'Hah, hah, I do not know.' They ask, 'Who is this man who was sent among you?' He replies, 'Hah, hah, I do not know.' A caller from heaven announces, 'He has lied. Spread for him from Hell, and open for him a gate to Hell.' He is then enveloped by its heat and scorching winds, and his grave is constricted until his ribs are crushed together. A man with an ugly face, filthy clothes, and a foul stench comes to him and says, 'Receive the tidings that displease you. This is your day that you were promised.' He asks, 'Who are you? Your face brings bad news.' The man replies, 'I am your evil deeds.' He then says, 'O Lord, do not hasten the Hour.'" In another narration, it is added: "When the soul of a believer is taken, every angel between the heavens and the earth and every angel in the heavens prays for him, and the gates of heaven are opened for him. There is no gatekeeper who does not pray to Allah that his soul be taken through their gate. When the soul of a disbeliever is taken, it is extracted along with his veins, and every angel between the heavens and the earth and every angel in the heavens curses him. The gates of heaven are closed, and there is no gatekeeper who does not pray to Allah that his soul not be taken through their gate." [Narrated by Ahmad, Abu Dawud in his Sunan, Al-Hakim in his Mustadrak, Ibn Abi Shaybah in his Musannaf, Al-Bayhaqi in Kitab 'Adhab al-Qabr, At-Tayalisi and 'Abd ¹ in their Mustadraks, Hannad ibn As-Sari in Az-Zuhd, Ibn Jarir, Ibn Abi Hatim, and others through authentic chains. Mi'rak said, "The hadith of Ahmad is a good hadith."