2158. ʿUbayd Allah ibn Muhammad narrated to us; ʿUthman ibn Ahmad likewise, who said: Hanbal narrated to us, saying: I heard Abū ʿAbd Allah—meaning Ahmad ibn Hanbal—say:

“Once the servant is laid in his grave niche and his family walk away, his soul is returned to his body. At that moment he is questioned in his grave. About this Allah says: ‘Allah makes firm those who believe with the firm word, in the life of this world and in the Hereafter’ (Ibrahim 14:27)—that is, in the grave. We therefore ask Allah to keep us steadfast in obeying Him and to bless us at that hour when the questioning occurs. Truly fortunate is the one whom Allah grants felicity.”

He added: I also heard Abū ʿAbd Allah say, “We believe in the punishment of the grave and in Munkar and Nakir.”