According to the hadiths Muhammad believed that unbelievers are tormented in their graves. Believers, however, are given respite:
Narrated Masruq:
‘Aisha said that a Jewess came to her and mentioned the punishment in the grave, saying to her, “May Allah protect you from the punishment of the grave.” ‘Aisha then asked Allah’s Apostle about the punishment of the grave. He said, “Yes, (there is) punishment in the grave.” ‘Aisha added, “After that I never saw Allah’s Apostle but seeking refuge with Allah from the punishment in the grave in every prayer he prayed.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Volume 2, Book 23, Number 454 https://www.searchtruth.com/book_display.php?book=23&translator=1&start=0&number=454)
Narrated Al-Bara’ bin ‘Azib:
The Prophet said, “When a faithful believer is made to sit in his grave, then (the angels) come to him and he testifies that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah and Muhammad is Allah’s Apostle. And that corresponds to Allah’s statement: Allah will keep firm those who believe with the word that stands firm . . . (14.27). (Sahih al-Bukhari, Volume 2, Book 23, Number 450 https://www.searchtruth.com/book_display.php?book=23&translator=1&start=0&number=450)
Narrated Asma’ bint Abi Bakr:
Allah’s Apostle once stood up delivering a sermon and mentioned the trial which people will face in the grave. When he mentioned that, the Muslims started shouting loudly. (Sahih al-Bukhari, Volume 2, Book 23, Number 455 https://www.searchtruth.com/book_display.php?book=23&translator=1&start=0&number=455)
We can more fully appreciate why these Muslims started shouting when we see the kinds of punishment awaiting the dead in their graves:
Narrated Anas:
The Prophet said, “When a human being is laid in his grave and his companions return and he even hears their footsteps, two angels come to him and make him sit and ask him: What did you use to say about this man, Muhammad? He will say: I testify that he is Allah’s slave and His Apostle. Then it will be said to him, Look at your place in the Hell-Fire. Allah has given you a place in Paradise instead of it.” The Prophet added, “The dead person will see both his places. But a non-believer or a hypocrite will say to the angels, I do not know, but I used to say what the people used to say! It will be said to him, Neither did you know nor did you take the guidance (by reciting the Quran). Then he will be hit with an iron hammer between his two ears, and he will cry and that cry will be heard by whatever approaches him except human beings and jinns.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Volume 2, Book 23, Number 422 https://www.searchtruth.com/book_display.php?book=23&translator=1&start=0&number=422)
Narrated AbuHurayrah
Allah’s Messenger said: When the dead body (of a Muslim) is buried in the grave there appear before him two Angels, both having black faces and blue eyes. One is called Munkar and the other is called Nakir and they say: Say what you have to say about this person and he will say: He is the servant of Allah and His Messenger. I bear testimony to the fact that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is His Messenger and they both will say: We already knew that you would say this. Then his grave will be expanded to the extent of 4900 square cubic feet and it will be illuminated, then it will be said to him: Go to sleep and he will say: I intend to go to my family in order to inform them and they would say: Go to sleep like the sleep of a newly wedded bride whom no one awakens but one who is dearest to her amongst his family members. Only Allah would resurrect him from his resting place. If he (the dead) were a hypocrite he will say: I heard people making a statement (pertaining to the oneness of Allah and the apostlehood of Muhammad) and I said the same but I do not know. And they would say: We already knew that you would say this and the earth will be told to press him and it will press him till his ribs are clasped together and he will not be relieved of the torment till Allah resurrects him from his resting-place.
Transmitted by Tirmidhi. (Tirmidhi Hadith, Number 44 https://www.oocities.org/tirmidhihadith/page1.html)
If being hit with hammers weren’t bad enough Muhammad also taught that literal dragons would torture unbelievers!
1 Faith
(5b) Chapter: Confirmation of the Punishment in the Grave –
Abu Sa’id reported God’s messenger as saying, “Ninety-nine dragons will be given power over an infidel in his grave, and will bite and sting him till the last hour comes. If one of those dragons were to breathe over the earth, it would bring forth no green thing.”
Darimi transmitted it, and Tirmidhi transmitted something similar, but he said seventy instead of ninety-nine.
Grade: Hasan (Zubair `Aliza’i)
Reference: Mishkat al-Masabih 134
In-book reference: Book 1, Hadith 127 (sunnah.com https://sunnah.com/mishkat:134; emphasis mine)
Narrated AbuSa’id
Allah’s Messenger said: There dominate NINETY-NINE DRAGONS over the unbeliever in the grave. They (constantly) bite him and sting him till there comes the hour (of resurrection). (These dragons are so poisonous) that if one of them exhales on the Earth, no verdure will ever grow upon it.
Reported by Darimi, Tirmidhi transmitted something similar but he said seventy instead of ninety-nine. (Tirmidhi Hadith, Number 46 https://www.oocities.org/tirmidhihadith/page1.html)
Narrated AbuSa’id
When the Prophet went out to the prayer and saw the people looking as if they were grinning he said, “If you were to keep much in remembrance death which is the cutter-off of pleasures, it would distract you from what I see. Keep much in remembrance death which is the cutter-off of pleasure, for a day does not come to the grave without its saying, ‘I am the house of exile, I am the house of solitude, I am the house of dust, I am the house of worms.’ When a believer dies the grave says to him, ‘Welcome and greeting; you are indeed the dearest to me of those who walk upon me. I have been given charge of you today and you have come to me and you will see how I shall treat you.’ It will then expand for him as far as the eye can see and a door to Paradise will be opened for him. But when the profligate or infidel is buried the grave says to him, ‘No welcome and no greeting to you; you are the most hateful to me of those who walk upon me. I have been given charge of you today and you have come to me and you will see how I shall treat you.’ AbuSa’id told that Allah’s Messenger indicated it by interlacing his fingers. Then he said, “SEVENTY DRAGONS will be put in charge of him of such a nature that if one of them were to breathe on the earth it would produce no crops as long as the world lasted, and they will bite and scratch him till he is brought to the reckoning.” He also reported Allah’s Messenger as saying. “The grave is one of the gardens of Paradise, or one of the pits of Hell.”
Tirmidhi transmitted it. (Tirmidhi Hadith, Number 1429 https://www.oocities.org/tirmidhihadith/page8.html)
To say that these statements reflect the mind of a truly sick, twisted, demented, and sadistic individual would be to put it mildly. Such claims do not at all reflect the loving, compassionate and merciful God revealed in Jesus Christ. It is more a reflection of Satan and one inspired by him.
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