The Hadith:
“If anyone were to be saved from the squeezing of the grave, Sa’d bin Mu‘adh would have been saved from it.”
[Imâm-i Ahmad]
Ash-Shaykh Muhammad bin Saalih al-Uthaymeen rahimahullah, said:
ضمة القبر للمؤمن إذا صح الحديث فيها فإنها ضمة رحمة وحنان كضم الأم الحنون ابنها إلى صدرها، وأما ضم القبر للفاجر فإنه -والعياذ بالله- يضيق عليه قبره حتى تختلف أضلاعه
“… With regards to the squeeze of the grave for the believer – upon the authenticity of the hadeeth – then it is a squeeze of mercy and warm-heartedness. Similar to the squeeze of the compassionate mother for her son when squeezing him to her chest. As for the squeeze of the evil-doer then verily – while refuge with Allah is sought from it – the person’s grave will become narrow for him to the extent his ribs will overlap one another… ” End translation.
Ash-Shaykh Abdul-Azeez ar-Raajihi, may Allaah preserve him, said:
وأما الأنبياء فلا نعلم أن لهم في قبورهم ضمة
“And with regards to the Prophets, then we aren’t aware that they will be squeezed in their grave” End translation.
[Sharh at-Tahaawiyyah (pg.307)]
Translated by
AbdulFattaah Bin Uthman
Abu Fajr
Shaykh Abdul-Hameed Al-Hajooree mentioned in his book “The punishment of the grave and its bliss, Page 25”:
“I say: some of them say that the squeeze of the grave for the believers is like the squeezing of a compassionate mother. The narration refutes this statement since
the messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه و سلم said:
“Indeed he was squeezed a squeeze and then relieved from it”
Thus the word ‘relieved’ indicates upon hardship, and Allah is the one who gives success [to being guided] to the truth”
End quote.
Note: It comes in a narration of the prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم:
“In the grave there is a squeeze. If anyone were to be safe from it, it would have been Saad Ibn Muath”
This narration has an authentic chain
Another benefit that should be mentioned is the prophets and messengers won’t be squeezed in their graves:
Imam As Safaareeni mentioned in Lawaami’ Al Anwaar 2/16: “As for the prophets, then we don’t know [of any proof] that they will be squeezed in the grave”
Allah knows best
Translated by
Majid Jawed Al-Afghanee
Abu Layl
The squeezing of the grave has been authentically established in the Sunnah of the Prophet (ﷺ).
‘Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) said:
للقبرِ ضغطةً لو كان أحدٌ ناجيًا منها نجا سعدُ بنُ معاذٍ
“Verily the grave has a squeezing and if anyone were to be saved from it, then it would have been Sa’d bin Mu’adh” [Saheeh Jami no. 2180]
Abu Ayyub al-Ansaari (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that a child was buried. The Prophet (ﷺ) then said:
لَوْ أَفْلَتَ أَحَدٌ مِنْ ضَمَّةِ القَبْرِ لَأَفْلَتَ هَذَا الصَبِيُّ
“If anyone were to be spared from the squeezing of the grave, then this child would be spared” [as-Saheeha no. 2164]
Thus, the squeezing of the grave happens to everyone whether they be Muslim or non-Muslim. However, there is a difference between the squeezing that happens to a believer and the squeezing that happens to a disbeliever. The squeezing of the grave for the disbeliever is painful and permanent as is proven in the Hadith:
وَإِنْ كَانَ مُنَافِقًا قَالَ سَمِعْتُ النَّاسَ يَقُولُونَ فَقُلْتُ مِثْلَهُ لاَ أَدْرِي . فَيَقُولاَنِ قَدْ كُنَّا نَعْلَمُ أَنَّكَ تَقُولُ ذَلِكَ . فَيُقَالُ لِلأَرْضِ الْتَئِمِي عَلَيْهِ . فَتَلْتَئِمُ عَلَيْهِ . فَتَخْتَلِفُ فِيهَا أَضْلاَعُهُ فَلاَ يَزَالُ فِيهَا مُعَذَّبًا حَتَّى يَبْعَثَهُ اللَّهُ مِنْ مَضْجَعِهِ ذَلِكَ
“. . . If he was a hypocrite he would say: ‘I heard people saying something, so I said the same; I do not know.’ So they said: ‘We knew you would say that.’ So the earth is told: ‘Constrict him.’ So it constricts around him, squeezing his ribs together. He continues being punished like that until Allah resurrects him from his resting place” [Saheeh at-Targheeb no. 3560]
As for the believer, then their squeezing is in accordance to their actions and it is lighter than that of the disbeliever.
Imam al-Munaawi (d. 1031 H.), may Allah have mercy upon him, said, “The complete believer will be squeezed then released quickly, whereas the disobedient believer will be squeezed for longer and then released afterwards. As for the disbeliever, then he will be squeezed forever or almost forever” End translation. [Fayd ul-Qadeer (2/209)]
Likewise, Shaikh Yahya bin Ali al-Hajuri (may Allah preserve him) said that the squeezing is accordance to the actions of the person and it will be lightened for the believer. See 27:17 min until 28:28 of the following audio:
Imam as-Saffaarini (d. 1188 H.), may Allah have mercy upon him, said,
“Abul-Qaasim as-Sa’adi said: ‘The difference between the Muslim and disbeliever in terms of the squeezing of the grave is that the squeezing is perpetual for the disbeliever. As for the believer, the squeezing will occur initially when they enter the grave, then the grave will expand for him. The meaning behind the squeezing is that the sides of the grave will constrict upon the body of the deceased. al-Hakeem at-Tirmidhi said: ‘the reason for the squeezing of the grave is that there is no one except that they have committed a sin even if they are righteous. So this squeezing is a recompense for the sin, after which the mercy of Allah will reach them. So like that, Sa’d bin Mu’adh (may Allah be pleased with him) was squeezed in his grave'” End translation. [Lawaami’ al-Anwaar al-Bahiyyah (2/16)]
Interestingly, Shaikh Ibn ul-‘Uthaymeen (d. 1421 H.), may Allah have mercy upon him, said,
“This Hadith is well-known according to the scholars and is authentic. Verily the squeezing of the believer in the grave is a squeezing of mercy and compassion just like a mother squeezing her son on her chest. As for the squeezing of the disbeliever, then it is squeezing of punishment and the refuge of Allah is sought” End translation. [Liqaa al-Baab al-Maftooh (no. 161)]
This view of Shaikh Ibn ul-‘Uthaymeen was expressed before him by Muhammad at-Tameemi, one of the earlier Scholars [See: Lawaami’ al-Anwaar al-Bahiyyah (2/16)]
It is important to note that the squeezing of the grave for the believer is not from the punishments of the grave. Imam adh-Dhahabi (d.748 H.), may Allah have mercy upon him, said,
“This squeezing is not from the punishment of the grave at all. Rather it is an affair which the believer experiences just like the pain of losing his child and loved one in the worldly life. Just like the pain of his sickness and the pain of his soul exiting his body, and the pain of the questioning and testing in the grave. . .it is not from the punishment of the grave nor the punishment of the Hellfire at all. However, Allah will lighten some of it for him or all of it, and there is no true comfort except with the meeting of the Lord” End translation. [Siyar ‘Alaam an-Nubala (1/290)]
Note: The scholars mention that the squeezing of the grave does not afflict the Prophets and Messengers (may peace be upon them) because just as they will not be questioned in their graves, they will not be squeezed either. They will be in the bounty of Allah and the best of conditions [See: Lawaami’ al-Anwaar al-Bahiyyah (2/16), Fayd al-Qadeer (5/424), Sharh Saheeh Muslim Shaikh Abdul-Muhsin al-‘Abbad (no. 113), al-Hidaayah ar-Rabbaaniyyah fi Sharh al-Aqeedah at-Tahawiyyah of Shaikh Abdul-Aziz ar-Raajihi (pg. 631), and others]
And Allah Knows Best
Faisal bin Abdul Qaadir Bin Hassan
Abu Sulaymaan
