The Illustrious Sahaabah The Illustrious Sahaabah of Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam)
While on the journey from Makkah Mukarramah to Baytul Muqaddas, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) was shown various scenes of people being punished.
The Muhadditheen explain that these scenes which Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) was shown were in actual fact scenes of the barzakh – scenes of people being punished in the graves. (Sharhuz Zurqaani 8/82)
Punishment of Gheebah (Backbiting)
Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) saw a group of people with copper fingernails. They were using their copper fingernails to scrape and peel off the skin from their faces and chests. When he asked Hazrat Jibreel (‘alaihis salaam) about these people, replied, “These are the people who used to consume the flesh of others.” In other words, they are those people who would backbite others and attack their honour. (Sunan Abu Dawood #4878)
Punishment of Riba
Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) also saw a person who was swimming in a river and eating stones. On asking Hazrat Jibreel (‘alaihis salaam) who this person was, he was told, “This is the person who would consume ribaa (interest).” (Musnad Ahmed #20101)
Punishment of Neglecting Fardh Salaah
Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) saw a group of people whose heads were being crushed with rocks. Each time their heads were crushed, they would be restored to their original condition. This punishment continued over and over. When Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) asked about these people, Hazrat Jibreel (‘alaihis salaam) replied that these are the people who were negligent regarding their fardh salaah.
Punishment of Not Discharging Zakaat
Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) saw certain people whose private parts were covered with rags. These people were grazing like camels and cows, and were eating the thorns and stones of Jahannum. Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) asked, “Who are these people?” Hazrat Jibreel (‘alaihis salaam) replied, “These are the people who would not discharge their zakaat upon their wealth.”
Punishment of Zina
Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) came across a group of people in front of whom were two pots. One pot was filled with cooked meat, while the other pot was filled with meat that was raw and rotten. The people were eating the raw and rotten meat and were leaving the cooked meat.
When Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) asked Hazrat Jibreel (‘alaihis salaam) as to who these people were, Hazrat Jibreel (‘alaihis salaam) said, “These are the men from your Ummah who had pure and halaal wives, but they would spend the night with adulteresses and unchaste women and remain with them until the morning. They are also the women of your ummah who had pure and halaal husbands, but they would leave their pure husbands and spend the night with adulterers and unchaste men.”
Punishment of Preaching Without Practising
Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) passed by a group of people whose tongues and lips were being cut off with iron scissors. As soon as their lips and tongues were cut off, they would be restored to their original condition, after which they would be cut off again, and this continued over and over again.
When Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) enquired from Hazrat Jibreel (‘alaihis salaam) about these people, he said, “These are the orators and lecturers of your Ummah who would preach to others but they themselves would not practise on what they preached.”.
Scene of the Great Rewards for the Mujaahideen
Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) also saw a group of people who would sow seeds, and in just one day, the crops would grow and they would harvest it. The field would then change back to its original condition. When Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) asked about this, Hazrat Jibreel (‘alaihis salaam) replied, “These are people who go in jihaad for the pleasure of Allah Ta‘ala. Their good deeds are multiplied more than seven hundred times, and whatever they spend in the path of Allah Ta‘ala, Allah Ta‘ala recompenses them with a far better replacement.” (Majma’uz Zawaa’id #235, #12182 & Fat-hul Baari 7/229)
Thereafter, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) passed an area with lovely fragrances and cool breezes. Hazrat Jibreel (‘alaihis salaam) informed him that this was the fragrance of Jannah. They then passed an area filled with a terrible stench. Hazrat Jibreel (‘alaihis salaam) informed him that this was the stench of Jahannum. (Majma’uz Zawaa’id #235)
