[T-Rock]

Interesting reading - ‘adhab al-qabr.

Thanks for posting this article Richard.
It is an interesting concept…, why some true believers choose martyrdom to bypass judgment day, thus privileging them of bringing 70 members of his or her family and friends into Paradise.

After perusing several sites of the Uelma, the doctrine of “adhab al-qabr” appears to be widely accepted among Sunni and Shi’a alike.

The “Reliance of the Traveller: A Classic Manual of Islamic Sacred Law” states on page 823:

V2.2 “…It is also obligatory to believe in the torment of the grave, that is a fact, is just, and affects both body and souls, in the way Allah wills.

Many of the online sources I looked at had this to say:

As regards your question, we’d like to state that the issue of the punishment and bliss in the grave is a well-grounded fact that is based on the Qur'an and authentic Sunnah of the Prophet. Every Muslim should believe in these things without asking about the way they take place because this is beyond man’s comprehension.

http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/S...=1119503543856


From MEMRI…

The Koran promises the shahid a reward in the world to come. This glorious reward is depicted in some detail in a number of verses, and is greatly elaborated on in the Islamic tradition. The shahid 's reward is not merely direct entry into Paradise, without the "torment of the grave" ( 'adhab al-qabr) and without waiting for the Day of Judgment, but also the privilege of bringing 70 of his or her relatives and friends into Paradise.
http://www.memri.org/report/en/0/0/0/0/0/0/1220.htm

Also interesting to note, Abdullah Yusuf Azzam, one of UBL’s mentors - zealously preached that the shaheed who dies in the service of expanding the domain of 'Islam' against any and all Kufr, would not be punished in the grave:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WpXPFliTC4

Another sermon on adhab al-qabr
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWb-hYIm2WE