Question

Is this narration reliable?

Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) was once explaining what will happen in the grave when the Angels come to question a person. Sayyiduna ‘Umar (radiyallahu ‘anhu) asked Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) if he will be stable during questioning. When Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) replied in the affirmative, he said, ‘Then I will be able to manage the questioning and answer them O Rasulullah’.

Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) then took an oath and said, ‘Jibril (‘alayhis salam) has informed me that when the Angels come to question you in the grave you will say ‘Allah is my Rabb, Who is your Rabb, Muhammad is my Nabi, who is your Nabi and Islam is my religion what is your religion’?

The Angels will then say in astonishment, ‘We don’t know if we were sent to question you or were you sent to question us’?

Answer

This narration has been recorded in several Hadith collections without the extra part regarding Sayyiduna ‘Umar (radiyallahu ‘anhu) questioning the Angels. These narrations end at the point where Sayyiduna ‘Umar (radiyallahu ‘anhu) says, “Then I will be able to manage the questioning and answer them O Rasulullah”.

Hafiz Ibn Hajar (rahimahullah) has declared one of the [mursal] chains reliable.

(Al Matalibul ‘Aliyah, Hadith: 4531)

‘Allamah Muhibb At Tabari (rahimahullah) has referenced the extra part regarding Sayyiduna ‘Umar (radiyallahu ‘anhu) questioning the Angels to “At Tabsir” of ‘Abdul Wahid ibn Muhammad Al Maqdisi.

(Ar Riyadun Nadirah, vol. 1, pg. 346, ‘ilmiyyah edition. Also see: Hayatus Sahabah, vol. 3, pg. 429/430)

However, I have not come across the chain of narrators.

And Allah Ta’ala Knows best.

Answered by: Mawlana Suhail Motala

Approved by: Mawlana Muhammad Abasoomar

Checked by: Mawlana Haroon Abasoomar