Ar-Ruh: Life After Death Part 1

by Ibn Qayyim

THE DECEASED KNEW VISIT AND SALUTATION OF THE LIVING ONES

Ibn Abd Al-Barr said, it is reported that The Prophet (PBUH) have said, "When a Muslim pass through graveyard of his brotherhood during lifetime, and make a salutation for him (the deceased), Allah will return the soul of his brethren until he returned back the salutation." In the book of the two sahihs, it is also reported that the Prophet (PBUH) ordered to gather the bodies of Musyrikin Quraysh in Battle of Badr and placed into an old well. Soon after, he came forth and stood near to them and called upon each names of the dead, "O you son of his, O you son of his, do you realize that what have been promised by the Almighty is true? Verily, I knew that what have been promised by the Almighty to me is true."

'Umar bin Al-Khattab asked to the Prophet (PBUH), "O Messenger of Allah, why do you speak unto those dead people?" He replied, "By God whom sent me the true message, they are much more capable of hearing my utterance more than you do, but they couldn't reply for that." It is also reported that, from him that, the deceased could hear the sound of the footsteps of the people who escort him (to the grave) while they are leaving. The prophet Muhammad (PBUH) have showed sign to the ummah whenever they wanted to say salutation to the deceased in their graves, should they salute as they salute toward living man; by which:

السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكُمْ دَارَ قَوْمٍ مُؤْمِنِينَ

Meaning: "Peace be upon you, the dwelling of the believers."

Of course, this salutation should be addressed to someone who able to hear and think of it. If not, the salutation will be meaningless as if talking to someone who are not present at the scene, or like talking to non-living object. All the pious predecessor (salaf al-salih) are uninamously agreed upon this. Abu Bakr 'Abdillah bin Muhammad Al-Dunya mentioned in his book, Kitabul Qubur (The Book of The Grave), From 'Aisyah ra reported that the Prophet (PBUH) said, "Whenever someone pay visit to other muslim's grave and sat down near him, only which (the deceased) would be happy and replied to all his sayings, to the point he would stand."

Muhammad bin Qudamah al-Jauhari told to us that Abu Hurairah said, "When someone pass through a known deceased's grave and salutes, that brethren (the deceased) will reply his salutation and recognized him. If the deceased was not known to the person, he will only reply to that salutation."