It is a well-known reality that everyone has to taste death. Allah Ta'ala says in the Holy Quran: "Every soul shall have the taste of death". (3:185) The time of death is fixed for everyone. Every single person's age is fixed. It cannot increase from its fixed time nor can it decrease. Nothing can save one from death. Wherever you are, death will find you out, even if you are in towers built up high. When the time of death comes, nothing can delay it.

When a person’s life is ending, Sayyiduna Izraeel (alaihis salaam) comes to extract the dying person's soul. The person dying looks to his left and right and sees Angels everywhere. The Angels of Mercy come to a Muslim and for the Kaafirs, the Angels of Punishment appear. At this time, even the Kaafirs believe the truth about Islam, but their faith at this time is not counted. This is because faith is the name of believing the Message of Allah Ta'ala and his beloved Messenger (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) without seeing proof. At this time one sees the Angels and then believes and this is therefore, not accepted as a Muslim.

A Muslim's soul is taken out with ease and is then taken with respect by the Angels of Mercy. A Kaafir's soul is taken out with great pain and the Angels of Punishment take it with disgrace.

After death, the soul does not go into another body and is then reborn, but it stays in the world of "Barzakh" till the Day of Judgement. "Barzakh" means the interval between death and resurrection.

To believe in reincarnation - that the soul goes into another human body, or into an animal's body, or into trees or plants, etc. is wrong and is Kufr.

WHERE DOES THE SOUL REMAIN AFTER DEATH?

Death is when the soul comes out of the body. According to the faith and deeds performed by that person, a different place is fixed for the soul to remain. It stays in that place until the Day of Resurrection. Some stay underneath the "Arsh" (above the skies), some remain at "Aala Illiyyeen" (the highest point), some remain at the well of Zam Zam, and some remain in their grave. The souls of infidels are imprisoned. Some are imprisoned in the well of "Barhoot", some in "Sajeen" (the lowest point in Earth), and some at their place of cremation or burial.

DOES THE SOUL DIE?

In any situation, the soul does not die nor does it disintegrate but it remains unchanged. Whatever it's position and whatever it's state is, it always remains connected to the body. Those who believe that the soul can die and disintegrate are a "Bud Mazhab" (from a deviated sect). If the body experiences pain, the soul also feels the pain. If the body is relaxed, then the soul is also relaxed. When someone visits the grave, the soul sees the person, recognises him or her and listens to what they are saying. In relation to the Muslim's soul, it is stated in the Hadith Shareef that when a Muslim dies, the soul’s path is opened and it can go wherever it pleases. The dead also speaks. Animals, etc. except for normal humans and Jinn hear its voice.

WHAT HAPPENS AFTER BURIAL?

After burial, the grave tightens up and presses the dead. It presses the Muslim like a mother holds a child. It presses the Kaafir (infidel) to the extent of crushing them, like the left side bones end up on the right side. When the people leave after burial, the dead hears the footsteps.

At that time, two Angels called Munkar and Nakeer come ripping through the earth. Their faces look very fearful and scary. Their bodies are black in colour. They have green and black eyes, which are very large in size popping out, like the Jinn's eyes and they are made of fire. Their hair is very scary and long from head to toe. Their teeth are very long with which they rip through the earth. They wake up the dead shaking and rattling them.

With great strength with a deep voice, they ask these three questions:

a. "MAN RABBUKA" meaning "Who is your Lord?"
b. "MAA DEENUKA" meaning "What is your religion?"
c. "MAA KUNTA TAQUL FEE HAJAR RAJUL" meaning "What did you use to say about this person?"

If the dead person is a Muslim, he will reply as follows:
a. "RABBI ALLAH" – "My Lord is Allah."
b. "DEENIL ISLAM" – "My Religion is Islam."
c. "HUWA RASOOLULLAHE SALLALHO ALAIHI WASSALLAM" – "This is Allah's Messenger" 

Now, a Voice from the skies will be heard saying: "My servant has said the truth. Lay the tablecloth of Paradise for him. Give him clothes from Paradise to wear and open the doors of Paradise (Jannat) for him." The cool air and the sweet fragrance of Jannat will continue to come and wherever the eyesight can reach, the grave will be made wide and large. Angels will say: "Sleep like a groom sleeps". All this will be for the good pious Muslims. For the sinful, there will be punishment according to their sins.This punishment will continue for a time. Then from the prayers of the pious or from "Esaale Sawaab" (good acts performed by people for the dead's forgiveness) or from prayers for their forgiveness or simply from the Mercy of Allah Ta'ala, this punishment will stop. Then, there will be relaxation.

If the dead is a Kaafir, then he will not be able to answer the questions and will say "Haa Haa Ladri" meaning "Shame for I know nothing'". Now 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 (Dozakh) for him, from which the heat of Hell will reach him." There will be two Angels allocated to him to give him punishment and will hit him with great big hammers. Big scorpions and snakes will also bite him. All different kinds of punishment will continue until the Day of Resurrection.

WHO WILL NOT BE ASKED QUESTIONS IN THE GRAVE?

The Prophets will not be asked questions in their graves nor will their graves tighten. Many followers will also not be asked the questions, like those Muslims who die on a Friday or in the month of Ramadaan. The situation of relaxation and punishment in the grave is a fact. This punishment or reward is for both the body and the soul. Whether the body disintegrates or burns or mixes in the soil, it's original parts remains until the Day of Resurrection. It will receive reward or punishment. On the Day of Judgement it will be reformed back to a body. These original parts are actually situated in the spine and cannot be seen by humans. It also cannot be eaten by the soil nor can they be burned. These are the seeds of the body and from these Allah Ta'ala joins the rest of the parts of the body, which have been spread by either being turned into ashes or soil and are reformed into the original body. The soul then comes back into that body and is presented in the field of Resurrection. This day is known as "Hashr". The questions will be asked at that place at which a person has been buried or has been left to rot. Punishment will also occur there. For example, if a tiger has eaten a person, the questions will be asked inside the tiger's stomach, and the punishment and reward will also happen there. A person who rejects the fact of the punishment and reward of the grave is a misguided person.

WHO'S BODY CANNOT BE EATEN BY THE SOIL?

The Prophets, the Awliya (Friends of Allah Ta'ala), the Shuhada (Martyrs), a Hafiz of the Quran who also acts upon the instructions of the Holy Quran, a person who has never committed a sin and those who pray the Durood Shareef at all times, their bodies are not eaten by the soil. Those who say that the Prophet's bodies "have died and eaten by the soil" is a misguided person, from the wrong sect, or an evil and an insulting person.