Aslam

The Prophet said : When a dead man is placed in the grave, it says : O son of Adam, woe to you! Who kept you forgetful of Me? Don't you know that I am the abode of sorrows and sufferings, of intense darkness, of worms and insects? Why did you fear so much when you walked by my side? The Prophet said : A dead man sits in the grave and hears the footsteps of the living men. He does not talk with them, but his grave says : O son of Adam, woe to you! did nobody warns you of my narrow space, of stenchy and fearful condition of my worms and insects? What have you then prepared for me?

PUNISHMENT OF GRAVE AND QUESTIONS OF MONKAR AND NAKIR

Hazrat Bara'a bin-Ajib reported: The Prophet came out along with us to pray funeral prayer of an Ansar. He sat by his grave and said thrice : O God, we seek refuge to you from the punishment of the grave. Then he said : When a believer advances towards the next world, God sends to him some angels with bright faces like the sun. They carry for him scent and coffin. They take their seats so far as the eyesight goes. When his life goes out, every angel of heaven and earth send blessings on him and the doors of heaven are opened up for him. There is no such door as does not greet to take his soul through it. It says : O Lord, this is Thy servant. Then He says : Return him, show him the honour I have prepared for him as I promised it. From this I have created you and unto it I shall return you. When they depart, he hears their footsteps. He is then asked : O servant, who is your

414 DEATH AND SUBSEQUENT EVENTS Vol-IV

Lord! What is your religion? Who is your Prophet? He says : My Lord is Allah, my religion is Islam and my Prophet is Muhammad. These questions are asked in a very strong and stern manner. This is the last calamity which appears to a dead man. When he utters this, a proclaimer says : You have spoken the truth. To this effect, God says, God confirms those who believe with established formula.

Then someone with cheerful countenance and dressed with fragrant cloths says : Take good news of blessings of your Lord and Paradise of lasting peace. He'asked him : May God give you good news, who are you? He says : I am your pious deeds. By God, I don't know. If you were hasty in divine service and made delay in committing sins, may God give you reward of good. Then a proclaimer proclaims : Spread out abed of Paradise for him and open a door for him towards Paradise. Then he says : O God, bring the Resurrection very soon, so that I may return to my family members and wealth soon.