Judgement of deeds in the grave
| Fatwa #1173 | Category: Aqaaid (Beliefs) | Country: Pakistan | Date: 24th July 2024 |
| Fatwa #1173 | Date: 24th July 2024 |
| Category: Aqaaid (Beliefs) | |
| Country: Pakistan | |
Question
Whoever takes care of an orphan, will be with me in Paradise like these two fingers (index and middle fingers).” (Narrated by Bukhari)
My question is: “Will this good deed be accounted for on the Day of Judgment, and how will it be accounted for in the grave?”
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
The grave is the first step of the hereafter. Judgement will be of ones entire life, not only a few good deeds. A righteous life will result in ease in the grave. A life of sin may result in punishment in the grave.
The hadith you have cited is as follows:[1]
عن مُرَّة الفهري رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: أَنَا وَكَافِلُ اليَتيم فِي الْجَنَّةِ كَهَاتَيْن أَوْ (كَهَذِهِ مِنْ هَذِهِ) شَكَّ سفيان في الوسطى والتي تلي الإبهام
Translation: Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam said, “I and the one who nurtures an orphan will be as close as (the middle finger and the index finger) in Jannah.” (Al Adabul Mufrad – 133)
Ahadith of this nature do not guarantee that a person will not be punished at all in the hereafter as it is also possible that a person will first be punished for his sins and then will enter Jannah where he will be close to the prophet.
Consider the following:[2]
كَانَ عُثْمَانُ بْنُ عَفَّانَ إِذَا وَقَفَ عَلَى قَبْرٍ بكى حَتَّى يَبُلَّ لِحْيَتَهُ، فَقِيلَ لَهُ: تَذْكُرُ الْجَنَّةَ وَالنَّارَ وَلَا تَبْكِي، وَتَبْكِي مِنْ هَذَا؟! قَالَ: إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ – صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ – قَالَ: إِنَّ الْقَبْرَ أَوَّلُ مَنَازِلِ الْآخِرَةِ، فَإِنْ نَجَا مِنْهُ فَمَا بَعْدَهُ أَيْسَرُ مِنْهُ، وَإِنْ لَمْ يَنْجُ مِنْهُ فَمَا بَعْدَهُ أَشَدُّ مِنْهُ قَالَ: وَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ – صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ -: مَا رَأَيْتُ مَنْظَرًا قَطُّ إِلَّا وَالْقَبْرُ أَفْظَعُ مِنْهُ
Translation: When Uthman Radhiyallahu Anhu would stand by a grave, he would weep such that his beard would get wet. It was said to him, you remember Jannah and Jahannum and you don’t cry but you cry here? He said, Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam said, indeed the grave is the first stage of the stages of the hereafter. If one passes it, then what comes after is easier. If one fails it, then what is to come is worse than this. He then said, I have not seen a sight except that the grave is worse than it.”
Yes, one should always be hopeful of the mercy of Allah. Perhaps He may love one act of ours through which He forgives all our sins.
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Mufti Bilal Pandor
Concurred by
Mufti Muhammad Patel
Darul Iftaa Mahmudiyyah
Lusaka, Zambia
[1]الأدب المفرد بالتعليقات (ص: 72)
75- باب فضل من يعول يتيما من بين أبويه
133 – عن مُرَّة الفهري – رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ – عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: (أَنَا وَكَافِلُ اليَتيم فِي الْجَنَّةِ كَهَاتَيْن أَوْ (كَهَذِهِ مِنْ هَذِهِ) شَكَّ سفيان في الوسطى والتي تلي الإبهام
صحيح – «السلسلة الصحيحة» (800)
سنن ابن ماجه ت الأرنؤوط (5/ 333) [2]
4267 – حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ إِسْحَاقَ، حَدَّثَنِي يَحْيَى بْنُ مَعِينٍ، حَدَّثَنَا هِشَامُ بْنُ يُوسُفَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ بَحِيرٍ، عَنْ هَانِئٍ مَوْلَى عُثْمَانَ قَالَ
كَانَ عُثْمَانُ بْنُ عَفَّانَ إِذَا وَقَفَ عَلَى قَبْرٍ بكى حَتَّى يَبُلَّ لِحْيَتَهُ، فَقِيلَ لَهُ: تَذْكُرُ الْجَنَّةَ وَالنَّارَ وَلَا تَبْكِي، وَتَبْكِي مِنْ هَذَا؟! قَالَ: إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ – صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ – قَالَ: إِنَّ الْقَبْرَ أَوَّلُ مَنَازِلِ الْآخِرَةِ، فَإِنْ نَجَا مِنْهُ فَمَا بَعْدَهُ أَيْسَرُ مِنْهُ، وَإِنْ لَمْ يَنْجُ مِنْهُ فَمَا بَعْدَهُ أَشَدُّ مِنْهُ قَالَ: وَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ – صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ -: مَا رَأَيْتُ مَنْظَرًا قَطُّ إِلَّا وَالْقَبْرُ أَفْظَعُ مِنْهُ