4 Admonitory Stories About Sinners and the Reality of the Grave

Excruciating punishment for telling tales

19.  The lips of some people were being cut; I asked Jibraeel عَلَيْهِ السَّلَام, ‘Who are these people?’ He replied, ‘They used to tell tales.’

Horrific punishment for accusing others of sins

20.  Some people were hanging by their tongues, I asked Jibraeel عَلَيْهِ السَّلَام as to who they were, he replied, ‘They used to falsely accuse others of committing sins.’ (Sharh-us-Sudoor, pp. 182)

Don’t miss any good deed

Dear Islamic brothers! Did you see! Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ blessed the people who were being punished and set them free by virtue of different deeds such as obedience to parents, Wudu, Salah, fasting, Zikr of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ, Hajj, ‘Umrah, behaving relatives well, call to righteousness and prevention from evil, charity, good character, generosity, crying due to fear of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ, having hope in Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ etc.

Remember! All these matters depend upon the will of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ. He عَزَّوَجَلَّ is omnipotent, He عَزَّوَجَلَّ forgives or punishes whoever He عَزَّوَجَلَّ wants, and this is His justice. If He عَزَّوَجَلَّ wants, He عَزَّوَجَلَّ forgives by virtue of one (little) deed, but if He عَزَّوَجَلَّ wants, He عَزَّوَجَلَّ punishes for one (little) sin, and His punishment is very severe.

You have heard about the last two men mentioned in the foregoing Hadees. The Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم saw the retribution being given to those who tell tales and falsely accuse people of sins. Therefore, a wise person should not miss even an apparently minor-looking good deed because that good deed might lead to absolution, and he should avoid every type of sin, no matter how minor it seems to be as that sin might lead to punishment.

4 STORIES ABOUT SINNERS

1. Fire blazed up in grave

Sayyiduna ‘Amr Bin Shurahbil رَضِىَ اللهُ عَنْه has stated, ‘Once a person who was considered very pious passed away. After his burial, the angels of punishment entered his grave and said, ‘We will hit you 100 whips as punishment.’ Frightened, he asked ‘Why will you punish me, I was a righteous person?’ They replied, ‘We will hit you 50 whips’, but he continued to argue with them. At last, they decided to hit him only one whip. So, they hit him one whip, which filled the entire grave with blazes of fire and burnt him to ashes. When he was revived, he asked shivering with pain, ‘Why was I hit this whip?’ They answered, ‘Once you offered Salah without Wudu, and once an oppressed man came to you for help, but you did not help him.’ (Sharh-us-Sudoor, pp. 165)

Dear Islamic brothers! Did you see even a pious and righteous person was punished in his grave in case of the displeasure of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ? May Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ have mercy on us and forgive us without holding us accountable!

آمِيْن بِجَاهِ النَّبِيِّ الْاَمِيْن صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم

2. Unjust weighing led to divine wrath

Sayyiduna Haris Muhasibi رَحْمَةُ اللهِ عَلَيْه has stated that there was a person who used to do the work of measuring grain. He left his job and occupied himself with worshipping Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ.

When he died some of his close relatives saw him in a dream and asked, ‘مَا فَعَلَ اللهُ بِكَ؟’ (How has Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ treated you?) He replied, ‘Due to my carelessness, dust had stuck onto the scale I used to use for weighing grain. I did not use to clean it because of which the amount of grain equal to the weight of the dust would reduce at the time of weighing. I am now being punished for that.’ (Akhlaq-us-Salihin, pp. 56)

3. Screams from grave

Similarly, another man who used to weigh food and sell without cleaning his scales was also punished in his grave after his death, and people even heard him screaming from inside his grave. Some pious people رَحِمَهُمُ اللهُ تَعَالٰی pitied him and prayed for his forgiveness, and by the blessing of their prayers he was relieved from his punishment. (ibid)

Where do Haraam earnings end up?

There is a lesson in these two admonitory narrations especially for those who weigh things dishonestly. O Muslims! Although, sometimes, an apparent increase takes place in the wealth due to weighing unjustly, no goodness lies in this wealth. At times, these unlawful earnings prove to be a nuisance even in this world. This income may be lost in the form of huge medical fees, expensive medicines, robbery, bribery or theft, and above all, it may well bring about punishment in the Hereafter.

Karlay Taubah Rab ki rahmat hay bari

Qabr mayn warnah saza hogi kari

Repent as the mercy of Allah is immense

Or else punishment in grave will be intense

صَلُّوْا عَلَى الْحَبِيبْ  صَلَّى اللهُ عَلٰى مُحَمَّد

تُوْبُوْا اِلَى الله  اَسْتَغْفِرُ الله

 صَلُّوْا عَلَى الْحَبِيبْ  صَلَّى اللهُ عَلٰى مُحَمَّد

Two mountains of fire

It is stated in Ruh-ul-Bayan, ‘The one weighing unjustly will be thrown into the depths of Hell on the Day of Judgement, and having been made to sit between two mountains of fire, will be commanded to weigh them. When he approaches the mountains, the fire will burn him.’ (Ruh-ul-Bayan, pp. 364, vol. 10)

Dear Islamic brothers! Ponder for a moment! The foregoing narration contains the admonition of extremely severe punishment for weighing unjustly for the sake of a few despicable coins in this short-lived life. Today, one cannot bear the heat of the world, how can one bear the scorching heat of two mountains in Hell? For the sake of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ! Avoid greed for wealth, or else unlawful earnings will lead to ruin in the world as well as in the Hereafter.

4. Burden of a toothpick

Sayyiduna Wahb Bin Munabbeh رَضِىَ اللهُ عَنْه has stated, ‘There was a young Israelite who repented of all previous sins, and spent seventy years worshipping consistently. He would fast during the day and worship at night. He was so pious that he would refrain from resting in any sort of shade and from eating delicious foods.

When he died, some of his close relatives saw him in a dream and asked, ‘مَا فَعَلَ اللهُ بِكَ؟’ (How has Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ treated you?) He replied, ‘Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ held me accountable, and forgave all of my sins, but unfortunately, I am still not allowed to enter Heaven because of using a toothpick without its owner’s permission. I had not apologized to its owner.’ (Tanbih-ul-Mughtarin, pp. 51)

After all a sin is a sin

Dear Islamic brothers! Tremble with fear! When the wrath of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ intensifies, one can be punished even for such a sin he considers very minor, as mentioned in the previous narration that a righteous man was prevented from entering Heaven simply because he used a splinter as a toothpick without its owner’s permission and died without seeking forgiveness from the owner. Ponder for a moment! What is the worth of a splinter? These days, people defraud others of millions of dollars and feel no remorse at it.

تُوْبُوْا اِلَى الله   اَسْتَغْفِرُ الله