Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

As Salam Alaikum I heard that if a muslim dies during the month of Ramdan, that he does not get questioned in the grave by the angels. I also heard that he goes straight to paradise. Is this true? Does this mean that he also does not get tormented in the grave? I also heard that if 100 people pray at a deceased muslims janazah prayer, God will forgive him his sins and grant him paradise. Is this true?  

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Answer:

If one dies in Ramadhan are all his sins forgiven?

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Dear Brother, both the things that you have heard are not true! It does not matter when one dies, and who and how many people offer to pray his ‘janaazah’…. Allah will forgive and honor only those who have believed, and done righteous good deeds in accordance with His Commands! They are the ones Allah has promised his Mercy, Forgiveness and the Gardens of Paradise in the Holy Quran. It does not matter where and when such good believers die, they will have no fear and no grief in the Hereafter.

And if one lives his whole life in the disobedience of Allah and His Commands; it does not matter where and when he dies; he will have to give a full and severe account of his deeds to Allah Subhanah.

Allah Subhanah is Just! He does not base His Mercy and Fogiveness and Reward on where and when someone dies…. He has clearly declared time and again in the Glorious Quran that His Mercy and Forgiveness if for those who believe, and do righteous good deeds in accordance with His Guidance! Besides, the time and place of the death of any person is determined by Allah Subhanah. The dying person has absolutely no control and choice over the time and place he wishes to die! And the Just system of Allah is such that He only rewards or punishes man for the deeds which he did of his own free will and choice.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 2 Surah Baqarah verse 277:As to those who believe and do good deeds, establish Salaah, and pay the Zakaat; they will most surely have their reward with their Lord; and they will have nothing to fear nor to grieve.

Your Question: Does this mean that he also does not get tormented in the grave?

Every good person, who believed and did righteous deeds, will be saved by the Mercy of Allah, from the punishment of the grave; no matter where and when he dies! And every evil person, who denied Allah and His Messenger (saws), will be punished in the grave; no matter where and when he dies!

The Prophet (saws) said: “Verily the grave is the first step in the stages of the Hereafter. If one finds salvation at this stage, the succeeding stages become easy for him. And if he does not find salvation at this stage, what follows this stage is very hard upon him. I have never seen a site more horrible than that of the grave.”

The Prophet (saws) said: "The grave is one of the gardens of Paradise, or one of the pits of Hell."

The Messenger of Allah (saws) said that each and every person will be questioned in the grave and related this narration:

The Prophet (saws) said: “When a believer is buried in the grave two angels will come to him (Munkar and Nakir, both have dark faces and blue eyes), make him sit up, and ask : ‘Who is your Lord?’ He will reply: ‘My Lord is Allah.’ They will ask him: ‘What is your religion?’ He will reply: ‘My religion is Islam.’ They will ask him: ‘What is your opinion about the man who was sent on a mission among you?’ He will reply: ‘He is the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him).’ They will ask: ‘ Who made you aware of this?’ He will reply: ‘I read Allah's Book, believed in it, and considered it true.’ Then a crier will call from Heaven: ‘My servant has spoken the truth. So spread a bed for him from Paradise, clothe him from Paradise, and open a door for him into Paradise.’ Then some of its air and perfume will come to him, and a space will be made for him as far as the eye can see. At the death of the unbeliever his soul will be restored to his body in the grave. Then two angels will come to him. They will make him sit up and ask him: ‘Who is your Lord?’ He will reply: ‘Alas, alas! I do not know.’ They will ask him: ‘What is your religion?’ He will reply: ‘Alas, alas! I do not know.’ They will ask: ‘Who was the man who was sent on a mission among you?’ He will reply: ‘Alas, alas! I do not know.’ Then a crier will call from Heaven: ‘He has lied, so spread a bed for him from Hell, clothe him from Hell, and open for him a door into Hell. Then some of its heat and burning hot wind will come to him, and his grave will be compressed, such that his ribs will be crushed together. An angel who is blind and dumb will then be placed in charge of him, having a sledge-hammer, such that, if a mountain were struck with it, it would become dust. He will give him a blow with it, which will be heard by everything between the east and the west except by men and jinn, and he will become dust. Then his soul will be restored to him (again, and the punishment repeated until the Day of Judgment!).

Your Question: I also heard that if 100 people pray at a deceased muslims janazah prayer, God will forgive him his sins and grant him paradise. Is this true?  

If a good person dies, and his brothers supplicate Allah for him, it will definitely benefit him and Allah may, if He Wills, raise his position and increase rewards in Paradise. But if an evil person (disbeliever, mushrik or hypocrite, etc.) dies, no matter if the whole population of the world comes to his janaaza, Allah will not forgive him!

Allah makes this process clear in the Glorious Quran, when he made it known to the Prophet (saws) that He would not accept even the Prophet’s (saws) supplication of forgiveness for the hypocrites and disbelievers!

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 9 Surah Taubah verse 80:(O Prophet, it will be all the same) whether you beg forgiveness for such people (disbelievers, hypocrites, etc.) or not! For Allah will not forgive them, even if you beg forgiveness for them seventy times! That is because they have no belief in Allah and His Messenger; and Allah does not show guidance to the doers of wrong.

Thus brother, it matters little where and when one dies; or how many people attend the Janaza! What is important in the sight of Allah is sincere belief in Allah and His Messenger (saws), and good righteous deeds of the person in accordance to the guidance revealed by Him.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your Brother in Islam,

Burhan