He was asked:
“Is it permissible to move the deceased? Do the souls of the dead meet one another? Does the soul of the deceased descend into the grave? Does the deceased recognize those who visit him?”
He answered:
Praise be to Allah. The deceased should not be exhumed except for a need, such as when something in the original burial place harms him. He may then be moved elsewhere, as some of the Companions did in such circumstances.
When the souls of the living are taken, they meet the souls of the dead. The dead ask the newcomer about the condition of the living, saying, “What happened to so-and-so?” They reply, “So-and-so has married; so-and-so is doing well.” They ask, “What happened to so-and-so?” He replies, “Has he not come to you?” They say, “No. He was taken to his mother—the Abyss.”
The souls of the dead meet one another: those higher up descend to those below, but those below do not ascend to those above. The soul looks down upon the grave and is sometimes returned to the burial niche, as the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:
“There is no man who passes by the grave of a man