Question # 025
What happens to the soul when a person passes away? Does the school stay in the grave or is in Burzakh? Lastly, can the dead hear us talk/pray when we visit the Qabrastan? Jazak’Allah for the your hard work.
In the Name of Allaah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salaamu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullaahi wa-barakaatuh.
Jazakumullahu Khairan for your inquiry. When a person passes away, the soul is removed from the body and is then taken to the Barzakh which is the interval period between death and resurrection.
The following verses of Surah Mutaffifin indicate what will occur with the souls after death:
كَلَّآ إِنَّ كِتَـٰبَ ٱلْفُجَّارِ لَفِى سِجِّينٍۢ
But no! The wicked are certainly bound for Sijjin ˹in the depths of Hell˺ 83:7
كَلَّآ إِنَّ كِتَـٰبَ ٱلْأَبْرَارِ لَفِى عِلِّيِّينَ
But no! The virtuous are certainly bound for ’Illiyun ˹in elevated Gardens 83:18
From these verses, it is understood that the souls of the believers/righteous along with their book of records will be kept in the illiyin (beneath the seventh heaven under the divine throne) whereas the souls of the disbelievers along with their book of records will be in Sijjin (beneath the seventh earth).
In regards to the dead hearing us talk/pray, our scholars have adopted a moderate opinion that the dead can hear us however they cannot reply. This ability to hear is through the permission of Allah.
This was deduced from the following narration:
حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، حَدَّثَنَا يَعْقُوبُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي، عَنْ صَالِحٍ، حَدَّثَنِي نَافِعٌ، أَنَّ ابْنَ عُمَرَ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ أَخْبَرَهُ قَالَ اطَّلَعَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَلَى أَهْلِ الْقَلِيبِ فَقَالَ " وَجَدْتُمْ مَا وَعَدَ رَبُّكُمْ حَقًّا ". فَقِيلَ لَهُ تَدْعُو أَمْوَاتًا فَقَالَ " مَا أَنْتُمْ بِأَسْمَعَ مِنْهُمْ وَلَكِنْ لاَ يُجِيبُونَ ". (صحيح البخاري-1370)
Ibn `Umar narrates:The Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) looked at the people of the well (the well in which the bodies of the pagans killed in the Battle of Badr were thrown) and said, "Have you found true what your Lord promised you?" Somebody said to him, "You are addressing dead people." He replied, "You do not hear better than they but they cannot reply."(Sahih Bukhari-1370)
Please refer to the link below for further clarification:
And Allah سبحانه و تعلى knows best.
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Regards,
Student - Jamiah Islamiyah Abu Bakr
Checked & Approved by Shaykh Kasim Ingar
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