As for the hypocrite—may Allah protect us—or the unbeliever, when the two angels question him he stammers, “Haah, haah… I do not know. I only heard people saying something and I repeated it,” for faith never penetrated his heart; it remained on his tongue alone. He hears yet does not grasp the meaning, and a gate is opened for him in his grave—[to the Fire]. This is an exceedingly grave trial, and for that reason the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, instructed us to seek Allah’s protection from it in every prayer: “Allahumma inni aʿudhu bika min ʿadhab al-qabr wa ʿadhab an-nar” (“O Allah, I seek refuge in You from the torment of the grave and the torment of the Fire”).

Part of our creed, moreover, is to believe in the bliss of the grave and its punishment: bliss for those believers who merit felicity, and punishment for those who deserve chastisement. This has been affirmed in the Qur’an and the Sunnah, and the people of the Sunnah and the Community are unanimous upon it.

In the Book of Allah, the Exalted, He says: “Thus does Allah reward the God-fearing—those whom the angels take while they are pure, saying, ‘Peace be upon you; enter Paradise for what you used to do’” (an-Nahl 16:32). And at the end of Sūrat al-Wāqiʿah He says: “So if the deceased is one of those brought near, then [for him is] rest, fragrant delight, and a Garden of Bliss” (al-Wāqiʿah 56:89). These words pertain to the dying person when death comes to him: if he is among those brought near, on that very day he receives repose, sweet fragrance, and the Garden of Delight.

As for the punishment of the grave, listen to the words of Allah, exalted is He: “Were you to see when…”