Fitnah of the Grave

The first stage after death is the fitnah of the grave. The people will face trial or will be tested in their graves regardless of whether one is buried in the ground or is thrown in the sea or is eaten by a lion or (his ashes are) dispersed in the wind. He will face this fitnah and he will be asked about three matters;

a) Who is your Lord?

b) What is your Religion?

c) Who is your Prophet?

A believer will reply, 'My Lord is Allah, my religion is Islam and my Prophet is Muhammad .' Then a caller will call from the heavens that my slave has spoken the truth.

His grave will then be widened for him as far as his eyes can see. It will be furnished with furnishings from Paradise. A door will be opened into Paradise through which will come its fragrance and blessings. This condition is without doubt more complete than his condition in the world.

A disbeliever or hypocrite will say upon being asked about his Lord, Religion and Prophet, 'Oh, Oh, I don't know. I heard the people say something and I said it.’

Reflect upon what, 'Oh, Oh,' means. It indicates that the slave recollects something, tries to recall it but is unable to remember. One's inability to recall is more distressing than being completely unaware. If you are asked about something and you are unaware of it, you will say, 'I don't know.' This is without doubt deficiency but it does not cause grief - but if you are asked about something and you knew it but you are incapable of recalling it - this causes grief. So the disbeliever will say, 'Oh, Oh.' - as if he remembers something - “I don't know. I heard the people say something and I said it." 

The disbeliever will then be hit with a large iron hammer whereupon he will let out a scream the sound of which will be heard by everything except the jinn and mankind – because if they were to hear it, they would be struck dumb. It is narrated that if all the people of a city like Mina were to gather together to carry this hammer, they would not be able to. 

It is obligatory to believe in the Fitnah of the grave because believing in it is part of faith in the Last Day. 

Question: How can belief in the fitnah of the grave be part of faith in the Last Day whereas the fitnah of the grave occurs in this world? 

Reply: When a man dies, his day of Judgment has been established (and thus fitnah of the grave is part of faith in the Last Day).