Questions and Answers in the Grave

By: Ayatullah Shaheed Dastghaib Shiraazi
Among those things in which one must have faith and which form the essentials of the Shia faith is Sawaal… meaning the deed person will have to face questioning by Munkar and Nakeer (angels) in the grave. It is agreed that man must believe that there will be questioning in the grave. We need not go in details like whether this material worldly body will confront the said questioning or another Misaali (similar) one or it will be this dusty grave or any another pit or whether the questions will be addressed to the soul and/or whether the material physical body will also be affected by it or not etc. It is not obligatory for us to know all these details also because there is no source of knowing it except hadiths and there is no specific description in hadiths and Akbar. Of course, Allamah Majlisi has, in Beharul Anwaar Vol. 3 and also in Haqqul Yaqeen, mentioned that reliable hadiths show that the question in the grave and the squeezing in the grave will be experienced by this worldly body in which the deceased had lived in the world. It is understood tat the departed soul will be made to return to either the entire body or in some part of it (that is upto the chest or the waist as is mentioned in hadiths) so that the deceased may be able to understand the questions and to give replies.

Questioning About Beliefs And Deeds
We should also know about the things involved in questioning in the grave. It will be about beliefs and actions or deeds. It will be asked: Who is your God? Who is your Prophet? Which religion were you following? These questions will be asked to every one, the believer as well as the kafir. Of course lunatics or mentally retarded persons and minor children will be exempted from it. If the dead had faith in true beliefs it will state his or her beliefs and will testify to the Oneness of the Lord of the worlds and the Messengership of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.s.) and to the Imamat of the Holy Imams (a.s.). Otherwise the dead will remain dumb and will not be able to speak. Frightened by the said two interrogating angels some will say: You are my Gods. Sometimes they will say: People say Muhammad is the messenger of God and Quran is the Book of God. They will not give clear and correct replies. In short, if the deceased is able to give true replies a gate is being opened near his or her head and his or her grave is widened as far as one can see. Thus the door of Barzakh (which will continue till Resurrection) is the door of comfort and spaciousness (Fa Amaa… S, Waqiah, V: 88-93). Then the body will be told: Have a sweet and restful sleep (Nam… Usoole Kaafi).
If the deceased is unable to give correct answers, a door of the Hell of Barzakh will be opened for him or her and a breath from the breaths of Hell will fill up his or her grave. (All these sentences have been taken from narrations. Original text has not been mentioned for the sake of brevity).

Why This Questioning In Graves?
God already knows that this person is faithful or faithless, righteous or sinful. Then what is the use (benefit) of the above mention questioning? Questioning in the grave is, in fact, for the faithful, the beginning of the manifestation of Divine bounties. How much happy and pleased will be the faithful; when he will see the beautiful and pleasing face of the angel and will smell the fragrance of the gardens of paradise accompanying the said angels. That is why such angels are called (have been named “Mubasshir and Basheerâ€‌ (announcers of good tidings).
Moreover, the said questioning will be a cause of happiness for a faithful person. You must have seen pupils who had carefully and painstakingly studied their lessons in the school. They feel happy at the thought of being examined or questioned so that they may be able to show their talents and merits. Likewise a faithful servant of God also entertains a wish that he should be questioned about his Lord so that he may to give satisfactory testimony to the Oneness of the only one God and the Messengership of His Beloved Messenger Muhammad (s.a.w.s.).