In the grave....
Oh Allah protect us from the punishment within the grave, and let us receive good news and glad tidings on this day, ameen.
Subject: In the grave...
The Messenger of Allah (p.b.u.h.) said, "Seek Allah's protection from the punishment of the grave since punishment of the grave is a fact." (Sahih: At Tabarani in al Kabeer from Umm Khalid Bint Khalid Ibn Sa'eed Ibn al 'Aas.)
The Messenger of Allah (p.b.u.h.) said, "Verily the grave is the first stopping place for the Hereafter; so if he is saved therein, then what comes after is easier than it. And if he is not saved there from, then that which comes after is harder." (Hasan: At Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah, al Hakim: from Uthmaan)
The Messenger of Allah (p.b.u.h.) said, "When the dead person is buried, two black-blue angels come to him, one called al Munkar and the other called an Nakeer, and they say to him: 'What had you used to say about this man?' So he says what he used to say: 'Allah's slave and His Messenger, I bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped except Allah and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.' So they say: 'Verily we knew that you (would) say that.' Then his grave is widened for him to the extent of seventy cubits by seventy, then it is made light for him, then it is said: ' Sleep.' So he says: 'I should go to my family and inform them.' So they say: 'Sleep as the newly married sleeps whom no-one awakes except his favorite wife.' Until Allah raises him up from that place of sleep. And if he is a hypocrite (munaafiq), he says: 'I heard the people saying something so I said it too, I don't know.' So they say: 'We knew that you (would) say that.' So it is said to the earth: 'Crush him', so he is crushed until his ribs cross over and he remains in the state of torture until Allah raises him up from that resting place." (Hasan: At Tirmidhi from Abu Hurairah.)
The Messenger of Allah (p.b.u.h.) said, "...the righteous man sits in his grave and is not alarmed or afraid, then it is said to him (by angels): 'In (what state) were you?' So he says: 'In the (state of) Islam.' So it is said to him: 'What is this man?' So he says: 'Muhammad the Messenger of Allah who came to us with clear signs from Allah, so we believed that.' Then it is said to him: 'Have you seen Allah?' So he says: 'It does not behove any man that he sees Allah.' So an opening is made for him in the direction of the Fire, so he sees it, some parts of it smashing into others, and it is said to him: 'Look at what Allah, the Exalted, has saved you from.'
Then an opening is made for him in the direction of Paradise, and he looks to its brilliance and what is therein and it is said to him: 'This is your place.' And it is said to him: 'You were upon certain Faith and died upon it and upon it you will be raised up, if Allah wills.' And the wicked man sits in his grave alarmed and terrified and so it is said to him: 'In what state were you?' So he says: 'I do not know.' So it is said to him: 'Who is this man?' So he says: 'I heard the people saying something so I said it!' So an opening is made for him in the direction of Paradise and he sees its brilliance and what is therein, and it is said to him: 'Look at what Allah has refused you.'
Then an opening is made for him in the direction of the Fire, so he sees it crashing against itself and it is said: 'This is your place, you lived upon doubt and died upon it and you will be raised up upon it, if it is Allah's will." (Sahih: Ibn Majah from Abu Hurairah.)