Hadeeth

1. Hadeeth What is attributed to the Prophet (saw), be it a statement, an action, an endorsement, or a description. It consists of two parts: a chain (Isnaad) and the text (matn).

2. Hadeeth - How did they reach us? Mutawaatir: Reported by such a large number of people that it is impossible for all of them to have agreed upon a lie. Aahaad: That which does not reach the level of mutawaatir.

3. ‘Aqeedah A firm and unwavering belief that is open to no doubt with its beholder.

4. Ibn ‘Abbaas (ra) said: Allaah’s Messenger (saw) passed by two graves and said, ‘indeed they are being punished, but they are not being punished for something major.’ Then he said, ‘rather it is so. One of them did not used to protect himself from being soiled with his urine. The other used to go about telling stories to cause enmity.’ [Bukhaaree (1/141 no. 215) / Muslim (1/171 no. 575)]

5. Taqi Ud-Deen An-Nabahaanee said:The Founder of Hizb-ut-Tahrir Indeed, from them (the aahaad ahaadeeth) are those which require action, so it is acted upon. So from Abu Hurayrah who said: The Messenger of Allaah (saw) said: “When any of you finishes the last tashahhud, he should seek refuge with Allaah from four things: from the punishment of the Hellfire, from the punishment of the Grave, from the trials of life and death from the evil trials of the Dajjal”...

6. Taqi Ud-Deen An-Nabahaanee cont... ...And from ‘Aa’ishah: from the Prophet(saw), that he used to make supplication in the prayer: "O Allaah! I seek refuge in You from the punishment of the grave, I seek refuge in You from the trials of the Maseeh-ud-Dajjal, I seek refuge in You from the trials of life and death. O Allaah! I seek refuge in You from debt and sin”…

7. Taqi Ud-Deen An-Nabahaanee cont... … So these two ahaadeeth are aahaad narrations and they contain the requirement of an action, i.e. to carry out this supplication after finishing the tashahhud. So it is recommended to make this supplication after finishing tashahhud and it is permissible to make tasdeeq (attest) what is contained in them...

8. Taqi Ud-Deen An-Nabahaanee cont... ...However, what is haraam (forbidden) is to hold it with certainty – meaning: to have it as part of ones ‘aqeedah – as long as it has only been reported in the aahaad hadeeth, a dhannee proof. However, if it occurs in mutawaatir form, then it is obligatory to make it part of ones ‘aqeedah [Ad-Dawsiyyah (p.6) of Taqee-ud-Deen an-Nabahaanee]

9. Imaam ash-Shafi‘ee (d.204H) said: Indeed al-Qadr (predestination): both the good and evil consequences are from Allaah – the Mighty and Majestic. Indeed Punishment of the Grave is haqq, the questioning of those in the graves is haqq, the Resurrection is haqq, the Accountability is a haqq, Paradise and Hellfire are haqq. Whatever else is related in the Sunnah and so mentioned by the scholars and their followers throughout the lands of the Muslims is also true [Manaaqib-ush-Shafi‘ee(1/415) of al-Bayhaqee]

10. Imaam Ahmad (d.241H) said: From the essential Sunnah, which if a person leaves any one of its points – not accepting it and not having eemaan in it – then he will not be from its people are: … eemaan in the Punishment of the Grave. [Usool-us-Sunnah (no.8) of Imaam Ahmad] He also said: Punishment of the Grave is haqq. The servant will be questioned about his Religion and his Lord. Munkir and Nakeer and Paradise and Hellfire are also haqq. [Risaalat-us-Sunnah (p.72) of Imaam Ahmad]

11. Imaam at-Tahaawee (d.321H) said: This is an explanation of the ‘aqeedah of Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jamaah upon the way of scholars of this religion; Abu Haneefah an-Nu’maan ibn Thaabit al-Koofee, Abu Yoosuf Ya‘qoob ibn Ibraaheem al-Ansaaree and Abu ‘Abdullaah Muhammad ibn al-Hasan ash-Shaybanee – may Allaah be pleased with them all – and the beliefs they held concerning the fundamentals of of the deen and their ‘aqeedah in the Lord of the worlds… We have eemaan in the Angel of Death who is charged with taking the souls of all the worlds; and in the Punishment of the Grave for those who deserve it. [‘Aqeedatut-Taahaawiyah (nos 79-80)]

12. Imaam Abul-Hasan al-Ash‘aree (d.324H) said: The Mu‘tazilah denied Punishment in the Grave. It has been related from the Prophet (saw) by many ways and by his Companions (ra). Nothing has been related from a single one of them denying or negating this; to the point when there is ijmaa‘ (comcensus) from the Companions of the Prophet (saw). [Al-Ibaanah ‘an Usool-id-Diyaamah (p.201) ] He also said: There is consensus that the Punishment of the grave is a true fact, and that people will be tested and questioned in their graves. So may Allaah establish us with that which He loves. [Risaalah ilaa Ahli-th-Thaghr (p.279) of Abul-Hasan al-Ash‘aree]

13. Imaam al-Barbaharee (d.329H) said: Eemaan in the punishment of the grave and Munkir and Nakeer. [Sharh-us-Sunnah(no.18)]

14. Imaam al-Laalikaa’ee (d.418H) said: Chapter: a report of what is related from the Prophet (saw) with regards to the fact that when the Muslims are lowered into their graves, they will be questioned by Munkar and Nakeer, and that Punishment in the grave is a haqq and eemaan in it is obligatory. [Sharh Usool I‘tiqaad Ahl-us-Sunnah wal-Jamaah (6/1127) of al-Laaliaa’ee.]

15. Imaam Ahmad (d.241H) said: Marwadhee said, “I said to Abu ‘Abdullaah: there is a person who says that the narration necessitates action but does not necessitate knowledge.” So he censured it and said, “I do not know what this is.” [Mukhtasar Sawaa’iq al-Mursalah p. 475]