🧕🏼: As salam aleykum Patience, What do you think about the hypocrites in our society today?
🧕🏾: Wa aleykum as salam sis…Well, the hypocrite (munāfiq) is someone who lives in doubt and says one thing but believes another. They may utter, “Lā-ilāha-illallāh wa-anna-Muhammadan-Rasūlullāh” but harbor enmity towards Islam in their hearts.
🧕🏼: Exactly! They can recite the Qur’an and sit through lectures, yet they do it all for worldly gain, not true faith.
🧕🏾: Right. Their reality might be hidden from others, but it’s not from Allah. As it says in the Qur’an, “They were that day, nearer to disbelief than to faith, saying with their mouths what was not in their hearts” (Quran 3:167).
🧕🏼: And when these people are questioned in the grave about their faith, they won’t be able to answer.
🧕🏾: Yes, when asked, “Who is your Lord? What is your Religion? Who is your Prophet?” they’ll respond with confusion, saying, “Hāh, hāh… I do not know!” They may just have repeated what they heard from others to impress people.
🧕🏼: And what happens then?
🧕🏾: It’s severe. They will be told, “You did not comprehend and you did not recite.” Then, they will face punishment in their grave, feeling the tightness until their ribs snap.
🧕🏼: That’s terrifying!
🧕🏾: It is. They’ll scream, “O my Lord! Do not establish the Hour,” knowing what’s coming is even worse. This belief in the punishment of the grave is crucial and confirmed by numerous narrations.
🧕🏼: I’ve heard some people deny the trial of the grave.
🧕🏾: Yes, particularly the Mu’tazilites. They rely solely on intellect, claiming they find the dead unchanged in graves. But we respond, saying they can’t perceive the unseen realities of the Barzakh.
🧕🏼: So, even advanced technology can’t reveal what’s beyond our senses?
🧕🏾: Exactly. Just because we can’t see something doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. Many hide their struggles from others, yet they’re suffering deeply inside.
🧕🏼: That’s true.
🧕🏾: It’s an obligatory belief for every Muslim. The Imāms Abu Hātim and Abu Zur’ah stated, “The punishment of the grave is true.” It’s a core belief from the Qur’an and Sunnah.
🧕🏼: And there’s a clear mention of the punishment of the disbelievers too, right?
🧕🏾: Yes, Allah says, “The Fire; they are exposed to it, morning and afternoon” (Quran 40:46). This is their torment in the Barzakh.
