This same tripartite division has also been transmitted from the Prophet—peace and blessings upon him and his family—and from his Companions—may Allah be pleased with them:

2. The abode of the barzakh, an interim station; hence it is a mistake to call the grave one’s “final resting place.”

3. The abode of permanence, namely Paradise or Hell: “But the Hereafter—that is the home of permanence” (Q 40:39).

Once the deceased is placed in his grave, covered with earth, and the people turn back—he can in fact hear the sound of their footsteps, as the hadith states—his soul is returned to his body. This is a barzakh life known only to Allah, and Allah is capable of all things. After the soul is returned and he is granted this other life, two angels come to him and ask three questions:
Who is your Lord? What is your religion? Who is your Prophet? (1)

If he answers correctly, he has triumphed and prospered: his pit becomes a garden from the gardens of Paradise, and on the Day of Resurrection he will be among the people of Paradise. But if he fails to answer, remaining silent, his grave turns into a pit from the pits of Hell; it is compressed around him until his ribs interlock. As for the one who answered rightly, his grave is expanded as far as his sight reaches, and a gate to Paradise is opened for him so that its breeze and fragrance reach him. For the other, his grave is constricted until his ribs interlock, and then a gate is opened to