What Happens After Burial?

After the person is buried, the grave tightens up and presses the dead. It presses the Muslim like a mother firmly embraces her child. It squeezes a Kaafir in such a way that the left ribs are crushed and interlock with the right side. When the people leave the burial, the dead person hears the footsteps of the people. At the time, two Angels called Munkar and nakeer come ripping through the earth with their long teeth. Their faces look very fearful and scary. Their bodies are black in color. They have blue eyes, which are very large in size and are popping out of their foreheads. They are fiery. Their hair is very frightful and long from head to toe. Their teeth are also very long with which they rip through the earth. They wake up the dead shaking and rattling them. With great strength and a gruff voice, they ask these three questions:

1. مَنْ رَّبُّکَ؟ meaning 'Who is your Lord?'
2. مَا دِیْنُک؟َ meaning 'What is your religion?'
3. مَاکُنْتَ تَقُوْلُ فِیْ حَقِّ ھٰزَاالرَّجُل؟ meaning 'What did you used to say about this person?'

If the dead person is a Muslim, he will reply as follows:

1. رَبِّی اللہُ meaning 'My Lord is Allah (عَزَّوَجَلَّ)
2. دِیْنِیَ الْاِسْلَامُ meaning 'My religion is Islam.'
3. ھُوَ رَسُوْلُ اللہِ meaning 'He (صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہِ وَسَلَّم ) is Allah's messenger.'

Now a voice from the skies will be heard saying: "My servant has spoken the truth. Lay the tablecloth of Paradise for him. Give him clothes from Paradise to wear and open the doors of Paradise (Jannah) form him." The cool air and the sweet fragrance of jannah will fill the air. The grave will be made wide and large. The Angels will say: "Sleep like a groom sleeps on his wedding night," this will be for the good pious Muslims.

The sinful will be punished according to their sins. This punishment will continue for a time. The punishment can stop when somebody supplicates (makes Du'a) for the dead person or when Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ the Most Merciful shows His mercy to the dead.

If the dead person is a hypocrite (Munafiq), then he will not be able to answer the questions and will say "ھَیْھَاتَ ھَیْھَاتَ لَااَدْرِی" meaning "Shame, for I know nothing." A caller will shout: "He is a liar, lay the table-cloth of fire for him, and give him clothes of fire to wear and open the doors of Hell for him, for which the heat of hell will reach him." There will be two Angels who will punish him and hit him with huge hammers of fire. Enormous scorpions and snakes will also bite him continuously. Different types of punishments will be meted out to him until the day of Resurrection.