and his limbs are motionless, although his body may move because of the strength of the movement within him, and he may rise, walk, speak, and cry out because of the intensity of what is happening within him—this provides an analogy for understanding the condition of the deceased in his grave. His soul sits up, takes its seat, is questioned, experiences bliss and punishment, and cries out, all in connection with his body, even while it lies in the grave.

What he experiences may become so intense that its effects appear in his body. He may even be seen outside his grave, undergoing punishment, with the angels of punishment appointed over him; his body moves, walks, and emerges from his grave. More than one person has heard the voices of those being punished in their graves. People have been seen emerging from their graves while undergoing punishment, and others have been seen whose bodies sit up when the experience becomes intense. But this does not necessarily happen to every deceased person, just as not every sleeper’s body sits up in response to what he sees in sleep. Rather, it depends on the intensity of the experience.

It is known that many bodies are not consumed by the earth, such as the bodies of the Prophets, of the steadfastly truthful who are not Prophets, of the martyrs of Uhud, and of others besides those martyrs. Reports of this are mass-transmitted. The point, however, is that the Prophet’s unqualified statement about the deceased being made to sit up—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—encompasses their sitting up inwardly, even while the outward body remains lying down.

Something similar is found in his account—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—of the Prophets he saw in the heavens on the night of the Ascension. He saw Adam, Jesus, John, Joseph, Idrīs, Aaron, Moses, and Abraham—may Allah’s blessings and peace be upon them. He also reported that he saw Moses standing in prayer in his grave, yet he also saw him in the heavens. It is known that the bodies of the Prophets are in their graves, except for Jesus and Idrīs. And if Moses was standing in prayer in his grave, and the Prophet then saw him in heaven