Fatwa ID: 04466
Answered by: Alimah Nasima Umm Hamza
Question
As-salam Alaykum.
Can you please quote the full text as I don't have the ability to go look in the books directly? Apparently, this is one of the best full narrations on the subject so I ask you please provide the full text and also the Arabic version,
Sayyiduna Bara ibn 'Azib (radiyallahu 'anhu) reports that Nabi (sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam) said: "…When a Believer is leaving this world and heading for the Hereafter, angels with white radiant faces descend, as though their faces are [as bright] like the sun, they have shrouds of Jannah and [fragrance] from Jannah. They sit from him as far as his eyes can see. Then the angel of death comes, sits by his head, and says, 'O pure soul! Come out to the forgiveness and happiness of Allah. And when a disbeliever is leaving this world and heading for the Hereafter, angels with black faces descend with coarse fabric. They sit from him as far as his eyes can see. Then the angel of death comes, sits by his head, and says, 'O dirty soul! Come out to the displeasure and wrath of Allah…'"
(Musnad Ahmad, vol. 4 pg. 287/288)
'Allamah Haythami (rahimahullah) has declared the narrators reliable (rijaluhu rijalus sahih).
(Majma'uz Zawaid, vol. 3 pg. 49/50)
بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيْم
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
Please find the full narration of this hadith below from the Musnad of Imam Ahmad accompanied by its full translation.
18534 – حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا الْأَعْمَشُ، عَنْ مِنْهَالِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو، عَنْ زَاذَانَ، عَنِ الْبَرَاءِ بْنِ عَازِبٍ، قَالَ: خَرَجْنَا مَعَ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فِي جِنَازَةِ رَجُلٍ مِنَ الْأَنْصَارِ، فَانْتَهَيْنَا إِلَى الْقَبْرِ، وَلَمَّا يُلْحَدْ، فَجَلَسَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، وَجَلَسْنَا حَوْلَهُ، كَأَنَّ (1) عَلَى رُءُوسِنَا الطَّيْرَ، وَفِي يَدِهِ عُودٌ يَنْكُتُ فِي الْأَرْضِ، فَرَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ، فَقَالَ: " اسْتَعِيذُوا بِاللهِ مِنْ عَذَابِ الْقَبْرِ مَرَّتَيْنِ، أَوْ ثَلَاثًا، "، ثُمَّ قَالَ: " إِنَّ الْعَبْدَ الْمُؤْمِنَ إِذَا كَانَ فِي انْقِطَاعٍ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا وَإِقْبَالٍ مِنَ الْآخِرَةِ، نَزَلَ إِلَيْهِ مَلَائِكَةٌ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ بِيضُ الْوُجُوهِ، كَأَنَّ وُجُوهَهُمُ الشَّمْسُ، مَعَهُمْ كَفَنٌ مِنْ أَكْفَانِ الْجَنَّةِ، وَحَنُوطٌ مِنْ حَنُوطِ الْجَنَّةِ، حَتَّى يَجْلِسُوا مِنْهُ مَدَّ الْبَصَرِ، ثُمَّ يَجِيءُ مَلَكُ الْمَوْتِ، عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ، حَتَّى يَجْلِسَ عِنْدَ رَأْسِهِ، فَيَقُولُ: أَيَّتُهَا النَّفْسُ الطَّيِّبَةُ، (1) اخْرُجِي إِلَى مَغْفِرَةٍ مِنَ اللهِ وَرِضْوَانٍ ". قَالَ: " فَتَخْرُجُ تَسِيلُ كَمَا تَسِيلُ الْقَطْرَةُ مِنْ فِي السِّقَاءِ، فَيَأْخُذُهَا، فَإِذَا أَخَذَهَا لَمْ يَدَعُوهَا فِي يَدِهِ طَرْفَةَ عَيْنٍ حَتَّى يَأْخُذُوهَا، فَيَجْعَلُوهَا فِي ذَلِكَ الْكَفَنِ، وَفِي ذَلِكَ الْحَنُوطِ، وَيَخْرُجُ مِنْهَا كَأَطْيَبِ نَفْحَةِ مِسْكٍ وُجِدَتْ عَلَى وَجْهِ الْأَرْضِ " قَالَ: " فَيَصْعَدُونَ بِهَا، فَلَا يَمُرُّونَ، يَعْنِي بِهَا، عَلَى مَلَإٍ مِنَ الْمَلَائِكَةِ، إِلَّا قَالُوا: مَا هَذَا الرُّوحُ الطَّيِّبُ؟ فَيَقُولُونَ: فُلَانُ بْنُ فُلَانٍ، بِأَحْسَنِ أَسْمَائِهِ الَّتِي كَانُوا يُسَمُّونَهُ بِهَا فِي الدُّنْيَا، حَتَّى يَنْتَهُوا بِهَا إِلَى السَّمَاءِ الدُّنْيَا، فَيَسْتَفْتِحُونَ لَهُ، فَيُفْتَحُ لَهُمْ فَيُشَيِّعُهُ مِنْ كُلِّ سَمَاءٍ مُقَرَّبُوهَا إِلَى السَّمَاءِ الَّتِي تَلِيهَا، حَتَّى يُنْتَهَى بِهِ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ السَّابِعَةِ، فَيَقُولُ اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ: اكْتُبُوا كِتَابَ عَبْدِي فِي عِلِّيِّينَ، وَأَعِيدُوهُ إِلَى الْأَرْضِ، فَإِنِّي مِنْهَا خَلَقْتُهُمْ، وَفِيهَا أُعِيدُهُمْ، وَمِنْهَا أُخْرِجُهُمْ تَارَةً أُخْرَى ". قَالَ: " فَتُعَادُ رُوحُهُ فِي جَسَدِهِ، فَيَأْتِيهِ مَلَكَانِ، فَيُجْلِسَانِهِ، فَيَقُولَانِ لَهُ: مَنْ رَبُّكَ؟ فَيَقُولُ: رَبِّيَ اللهُ، فَيَقُولَانِ لَهُ: مَا دِينُكَ؟ فَيَقُولُ: دِينِيَ الْإِسْلَامُ، فَيَقُولَانِ لَهُ: مَا هَذَا الرَّجُلُ الَّذِي بُعِثَ فِيكُمْ؟ فَيَقُولُ: هُوَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَيَقُولَانِ لَهُ: وَمَا عِلْمُكَ؟ فَيَقُولُ: قَرَأْتُ كِتَابَ اللهِ، فَآمَنْتُ بِهِ وَصَدَّقْتُ، فَيُنَادِي مُنَادٍ فِي (1) السَّمَاءِ: أَنْ صَدَقَ عَبْدِي، فَأَفْرِشُوهُ مِنَ الْجَنَّةِ، وَأَلْبِسُوهُ مِنَ الْجَنَّةِ، وَافْتَحُوا لَهُ بَابًا إِلَى الْجَنَّةِ ". قَالَ: " فَيَأْتِيهِ مِنْ رَوْحِهَا، وَطِيبِهَا، وَيُفْسَحُ لَهُ فِي قَبْرِهِ مَدَّ بَصَرِهِ ". قَالَ: " وَيَأْتِيهِ رَجُلٌ حَسَنُ الْوَجْهِ، حَسَنُ الثِّيَابِ، طَيِّبُ الرِّيحِ، فَيَقُولُ: أَبْشِرْ بِالَّذِي يَسُرُّكَ، هَذَا يَوْمُكَ الَّذِي كُنْتَ تُوعَدُ، فَيَقُولُ لَهُ: مَنْ أَنْتَ؟ فَوَجْهُكَ الْوَجْهُ يَجِيءُ (2) بِالْخَيْرِ، فَيَقُولُ: أَنَا عَمَلُكَ الصَّالِحُ، فَيَقُولُ: رَبِّ أَقِمِ السَّاعَةَ (3) حَتَّى أَرْجِعَ إِلَى أَهْلِي، وَمَالِي ". قَالَ: " وَإِنَّ الْعَبْدَ الْكَافِرَ إِذَا كَانَ فِي انْقِطَاعٍ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا وَإِقْبَالٍ مِنَ الْآخِرَةِ، نَزَلَ إِلَيْهِ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ مَلَائِكَةٌ سُودُ الْوُجُوهِ، مَعَهُمُ الْمُسُوحُ، فَيَجْلِسُونَ مِنْهُ مَدَّ الْبَصَرِ، ثُمَّ يَجِيءُ مَلَكُ الْمَوْتِ، حَتَّى يَجْلِسَ عِنْدَ رَأْسِهِ، فَيَقُولُ: أَيَّتُهَا النَّفْسُ الْخَبِيثَةُ، اخْرُجِي إِلَى سَخَطٍ مِنَ اللهِ وَغَضَبٍ ". قَالَ: " فَتُفَرَّقُ فِي جَسَدِهِ، فَيَنْتَزِعُهَا كَمَا يُنْتَزَعُ السَّفُّودُ مِنَ الصُّوفِ الْمَبْلُولِ، فَيَأْخُذُهَا، فَإِذَا أَخَذَهَا لَمْ يَدَعُوهَا فِي يَدِهِ طَرْفَةَ عَيْنٍ حَتَّى يَجْعَلُوهَا فِي تِلْكَ الْمُسُوحِ، وَيَخْرُجُ مِنْهَا كَأَنْتَنِ رِيحِ جِيفَةٍ وُجِدَتْ عَلَى وَجْهِ الْأَرْضِ، فَيَصْعَدُونَ بِهَا، فَلَا يَمُرُّونَ بِهَا عَلَى مَلَأٍ مِنَ الْمَلَائِكَةِ، إِلَّا قَالُوا: مَا هَذَا الرُّوحُ الْخَبِيثُ؟ فَيَقُولُونَ: فُلَانُ بْنُ فُلَانٍ بِأَقْبَحِ أَسْمَائِهِ الَّتِي كَانَ يُسَمَّى بِهَا فِي الدُّنْيَا، حَتَّى يُنْتَهَى بِهِ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ الدُّنْيَا، فَيُسْتَفْتَحُ لَهُ، فَلَا يُفْتَحُ لَهُ "، ثُمَّ قَرَأَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: {لَا تُفَتَّحُ لَهُمْ أَبْوَابُ السَّمَاءِ وَلَا يَدْخُلُونَ الْجَنَّةَ حَتَّى يَلِجَ الْجَمَلُ فِي سَمِّ الْخِيَاطِ} [الأعراف: 40] فَيَقُولُ اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ: ” اكْتُبُوا كِتَابَهُ فِي سِجِّينٍ فِي الْأَرْضِ السُّفْلَى، فَتُطْرَحُ رُوحُهُ طَرْحًا “. ثُمَّ قَرَأَ: {وَمَنْ يُشْرِكْ بِاللهِ، فَكَأَنَّمَا خَرَّ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ فَتَخْطَفُهُ الطَّيْرُ أَوْ تَهْوِي بِهِ الرِّيحُ فِي مَكَانٍ سَحِيقٍ} [الحج: 31] " فَتُعَادُ رُوحُهُ فِي جَسَدِهِ، وَيَأْتِيهِ مَلَكَانِ، فَيُجْلِسَانِهِ، فَيَقُولَانِ لَهُ: مَنْ رَبُّكَ؟ فَيَقُولُ: هَاهْ هَاهْ لَا أَدْرِي، فَيَقُولَانِ لَهُ: مَا دِينُكَ؟ فَيَقُولُ: هَاهْ هَاهْ لَا أَدْرِي، فَيَقُولَانِ لَهُ: مَا هَذَا الرَّجُلُ الَّذِي بُعِثَ فِيكُمْ؟ فَيَقُولُ: هَاهْ هَاهْ لَا أَدْرِي، فَيُنَادِي مُنَادٍ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ أَنْ كَذَبَ، فَافْرِشُوا (1) لَهُ مِنَ النَّارِ، وَافْتَحُوا لَهُ بَابًا إِلَى النَّارِ، فَيَأْتِيهِ مِنْ حَرِّهَا، وَسَمُومِهَا، وَيُضَيَّقُ عَلَيْهِ قَبْرُهُ حَتَّى تَخْتَلِفَ فِيهِ أَضْلَاعُهُ، وَيَأْتِيهِ رَجُلٌ قَبِيحُ الْوَجْهِ، قَبِيحُ الثِّيَابِ، مُنْتِنُ الرِّيحِ، فَيَقُولُ: أَبْشِرْ بِالَّذِي يَسُوءُكَ، هَذَا يَوْمُكَ الَّذِي كُنْتَ تُوعَدُ، فَيَقُولُ: مَنْ أَنْتَ؟ فَوَجْهُكَ الْوَجْهُ يَجِيءُ (1) بِالشَّرِّ، فَيَقُولُ: أَنَا عَمَلُكَ الْخَبِيثُ، فَيَقُولُ: رَبِّ لَا تُقِمِ السَّاعَةَ " (2)
From Barra’ Ibn ‘Aazib: We went out with the Prophet (PBUH) to the funeral of a man from the Muhajireen, and so we ended at the grave. When he was buried the Prophet (PBUH) sat and we sat around him. It was as though there were birds around our heads, and in his hand was a piece of wood, which he was sketching on the ground. Then he raised his head and said: “Seek protection from the punishment of the grave” – twice or thrice. Then he said: “When a Believer is leaving this world and heading for the Hereafter, angels with white radiant faces descend, as though their faces are like the sun, they have with them shrouds from the shrouds of Jannah and fragrances from the fragrances of Jannah. They sit from him as far as his eyes can see. Then the Angel of Death (as) comes, sits by his head, and says, 'O pure soul! Come out to the forgiveness and happiness of Allah.”
He said: “Then it (the soul) comes outflowing, like the flowing of the droplet from the waterskin. Then the Angel of Death takes the soul. And when he takes the soul, he does not leave it for the blink of an eye. He takes it and puts it in the shroud, which is fragranced. And it comes out like the most pleasant scent of musk found on the face of the earth.”
He said: “So he (the Angel of Death) ascends with it, and they do not pass by any assembly of angels except that they ‘what is this good soul?’. And they say ‘So and so, the son of so and so, with the best names which he was named within the Dunya. They reach with it the skies of the Dunya, so they ask for it to be opened up for it, and it is opened up for them. They escort it through every heaven, approaching every heaven which is after it until ending with the seventh heaven.
Then Allah (SWT) says: ‘Write the Book of my servant in the Supreme Register [‘Illiyeen]. Then return him to the earth, for indeed I created them from it, and to it, I will return them, and from it, I will bring them out another time.’
He said: “So his soul is returned to his body, and two angels come to him and ask him: ‘who is your Lord?’ and he says ‘my Lord is Allah (SWT)’
They say to him: ‘what is your religion?’ and he says: ‘My religion is Islam’
They say to him: ‘what is this man who was sent to you?’ and he says: ‘he is the messenger of Allah (PBUH)’
So they say to him: ‘what is your knowledge?’ and he says ‘I read the Book of Allah (SWT) so I believed in it and confirmed it.’
Then a Caller from the Sky calls out: ‘Indeed my servant has spoken the truth, so make the way to Jannah paved for him, cloth him from Jannah, and open for him a door from Jannah.
He said: “So the relief of it and its goodness comes to him, and his grave is made spacious for him stretching out as far as he can see.”
He said: “And a man with a handsome face comes to him, with good clothes, and a good scent. And he says ‘rejoice by the one who makes you happy. This is your day, which you were promised.’ So he says to him, ‘who are you? For you face is the face coming with good.’ So he says: ‘I am your good deeds.’ So he says: “Oh my Lord, establish the Hour, even if I return to my family and my wealth.’
And when a disbeliever is leaving this world and heading for the Hereafter, angels with black faces descend with coarse fabric. They sit from him as far as his eyes can see. Then the angel of death comes, sits by his head, and says, 'O evil soul! Come out to the displeasure and wrath of Allah (SWT).’
He said: “The soul is separated from the body, it is plucked away like the skewer is plucked away from wet wool. Then he takes it. And when he takes it, he didn’t leave even for the blink of an eye, until he put the soul in that coarse fabric and from it comes out the most putrid of smells of a dead corpse found on the face of the earth. So he ascends with it and they do not pass by any assembly of angels, except that they say: ‘what is this evil soul?’
So they say: ‘So and so, son of so and so,’ with the foulest of names which he was named on the earth until they reach the heavens of the world. Then the opening is requested for him, but it is not opened.”
Then the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) recited: ‘the gates of Heaven will not be opened for them, nor will they enter Paradise until a camel enters into the eye of a needle.’ (Surah al-A’raf, verse 40)
Then Allah (SWT) says Write his book in Sijjeen in the lowest earth
Then he (PBUH) recited: ‘And he who associates with Allah – it is as though he had fallen from the sky and was snatched by the birds or the wind carried him down into a remote place.’ (Surah al-Hajj, Verse 31)
Then his soul is returned to his body, and two angels come to him and they make him sit up, and say to him: ‘Who is your Lord?’ and he says: ‘huh, huh, I don’t know.’
Then they ask him: ‘What is your religion?’ and he says: ‘huh, huh, I don’t know.’
They say to him: ‘what is this man who was sent to you?’ and he says: ‘huh, huh, I don’t know.’
Then a Caller from the heavens calls out: ‘That he lied, so pave a way for him to the Fire, and open a door for him to the Fire.’
So its heat comes to him, and its hot wind and his grave narrows around him until his ribs separate, and a man comes to him with a repulsive face, repulsive clothes and a rotting smell and he says: ‘rejoice, by the one you have become bad by, this is your day which you were promised’.
So he says: ‘who are you? Your face is a face that comes with bad.’
So he says: ‘I am your bad deeds.’
So he says: ‘Oh my Lord, don’t establish the Hour.’
Reference: Musnad Ahmad, Volume 30, Page 499-505, Hadith Number 18534
Only Allah knows best
Written by Alimah Nasima Umm Hamza
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
