Journey of the soul series: Barzakh III (soul of a believing servant)

In the Name of Allaah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.

"Have We not made the earth a container. For the living and the dead?" Q77:25-26‎

"Man shabba 'ala shay'in shaabba 'alaiy"

"He who spends his youth on something will attain his old age on that thing."

People seek for admission into institutions, and after being admitted they are taught, then tested and results announced wherein they either pass or fail and this often at times is a reflection of the efforts they exerted. Sometimes, when man fails, he argues in defense of his failure and seeks for re-examination, sometimes man is guilty of a particular sin but his skills of argument and the league of extraordinary legal luminaries, nepotism, selective justice at his disposal provide an exit route for him and he walks out freely without reproof or having to face any legal consequences.

Allaah the Most Wise, the Just, the Entirely Merciful is able to do all things. He told us in the Glorious, flawless Qur'an that He has created death and life in order to test us which of us is best in deed.

Allaah has given us a never out-dated manual, He has stated all the tests, given all the leakages ("expo"), and announced the test results even before we die yet man doesn't take the full advantage of the leakages "expo". With respect to the dead in the grave he is going to be questioned and the answer will determine whether his grave will be a window to Jannah (Paradise) ‎or a window to Jahannam (Hell).

Allaah Exalted be He said in His inimitable style:‎

Have We not made the earth a container. For the living and the dead?" Q77:25-26

Some living above while some living below. A king on his throne and a former king below the throne (in the grave), a governor above, a one time governor below the earth, a wealthy man above, a once wealthy man below the earth, a scholar above, a one time scholar below, a youth above, a youth below and this chain continues endlessly. Whatever we are, there was someone that was like that before us but now he's six feet below the earth.‎

In the last article on this series,  a journey through the hadith of Al-Baraa' bin 'Azib in the musnad of Imam Ahmad, Abu Dawud and others authenticated by al-Albani in Sahih ul-Jami was undertaken and there was a stopover at the point where Allaah Exalted be He commands the angels to write the records of the soul of the believing servant in 'Illiyyun.

After this executive journey of the soul of a believing servant to meet Allaah, the soul is returned back to the body lying in the grave for the ultimate test of the grave.‎

The Prophet (Pbuh) continued... after the soul is returned back to him and he's made to sit up and he hears the footsteps of his companions (family, friends and enemies) living the grave..

"Two angles of severe reprimand then come to him, and shake him. They make him sit up, and ask him, "Who is your Lord?" He replies "My Lord is Allaah." They ask him, "What is your Deen (religion)?" He replies, "My Deen is Islam." They ask him, "Who is that man who was sent to you?" He replies, "He is Allaah's Messenger (Pbuh)." They ask him, "What did you do?" He replies, "I read Allaah's Book, believed in it, and obeyed it." They shake him again, asking "Who is your Lord?" What is your Deen? Who is your Prophet?" And this is the last fitnah (trial) to which a believer is subjected. In this regard, Allaah Exalted be He says:

"Allaah keeps the believers firm with firm words in the first life, and in the last one." Q14:27

He repeats, "My Lord is Allaah, my Deen is Islam and my Prophet is Muhammad (Pbuh)." A caller then calls from the heavens, "My servant has spoken the truth; so provide him with furnishings from Jannah; clothe him from Jannah; and open for him a door to Jannah." Thus he receives provision and perfume from it; and his grave is spread to the extent of his eyesight.

Before him appears a man with a pleasant face, nice garments and a good smell. He says to him, "I am to give you glad tidings that will please you: tidings of Allaah's acceptance, and gardens with everlasting bliss. This is the day that you have been promised." He responds, "Glad tidings from Allaah be to you too. Who are you? Your face is one that brings goodness." He says, "I am your good deeds. By Allaah, I only knew you quick in obeying Allaah, and slow in disobeying Him. May Allaah reward you with good."

A door is opened for him to Jannah and another one to the Fire; and he is told, "This (the fire) would have been your dwelling had you disobeyed Allaah. But Allaah has substituted it for you with this (Jannah)." When he sees what is awaiting him in Jannah (of pleasures), he says, "O my Lord, speed up the arrival of the Hour (of Resurrection), so that I may enjoin my family and property." He is told, "Calm down."

This brings us to the end of the journey of the soul of the believing servant who dies obeying Allaah, abstaining from shirk, bid'ah, putting his knowledge into practice without frowning at what Allaah and His Messenger have ordered, without deliberately refusing to stick to the sunnah.

It should be understood analytically from the above that he who lives a life of Qur'an and Sunnah as understood by the pious predecessors devoid of sentiments and desires will be able to answer the questions swiftly and perfectly well, and the test result is not coming from the angels that conducted the test but rather a caller from the heavens above saying: "My servant has spoken the truth."‎ It is not possible for anyone who does not live a life of Tawheed and Sunnah to answer these questions. You live those lives, hopefully you answer what you lived.

In conclusion, Allaah says: "O you who believe! Fear Allaah and let every soul look to what (provision) he has sent forth for the morrow. Yes fear Allaah for Allaah is well-acquainted with (all) that you do." Q59:18

Hold yourself accountable before you are recompensed, and contemplate what you have kept for yourselves of good deeds for the day of your return and being paraded before your lord.

May Allaah bless us with a life of obedience, a life reflecting the Qur'an and Sunnah, a life of diligence, a meticulous existence, a life worthy of emulation so that we die upon piety and our questioning in the grave will be made easy for us to answer.

Next on the series is the journey of the soul of a disbelieving, disobedient, sinful servant of Allaah.

To be continued in shaa Allaah. 

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