2. The Questioning in the Grave
Itcanbeseenfrommanyahadiththatthespirithasaveryspecialrela-
tionwiththebodyinthegrave,althoughthenatureofthisrelationship
isnotclear.ThesixthImam,Ja`faras-Sadiq(a.s.),said,“Thosewhodeny
the questioning of the grave are not from our party (Shi‘ah).”
Whenthedeadpersonislaidinthegrave,theangelsofthequestion-
ingpresentthemselvesandaskhimabouthisfaith,beliefsanddeeds.If
thepersonhasfaithandhasdonegood,hejoinsthebelievers;ifnot,he
joinstheunbelieversandevil-doers.Andeveryonewillpasstheperiod
of Barzakh until the Resurrection with their respective group.
Shaykh Saduqwrites in his Risalahal-I`tiqadat:“In ouropinion,the
questioninginthegraveisatruth,andhewhoanswersrightlywillbe-
nefitinthegravefromcomfortandblessings,andthenextworldfrom
theGarden.Hewhocannotanswerrightlywillseetormentinthegrave,
and in the Resurrection he will go to the Fire.”