Muslim Home School in America: Angels Munkar and Nakir

One of the kids was asking about angels (malaikat) Munkar and Nakir.

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The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) informed us about the torture in the grave and the enjoyment therein, and the questioning by the two angels: Munkar and Nakir.

The torture in the grave, such as:

the harmful insects of the Earth will eat the dead bosies.
the Earth will close in on the dead bodies.
their graves will become like ditches of Hell.
ninety-nine poisonous dragons bite a non-Muslim in his grave; the dragons breathing air will destroy all verdure on earth. (Tirmidhi)
The punishment of an unbeliever is that, in his grave ninety-nine serpents will be biting him and each serpent will have seven heads. This will continue up to the Resurrection Day.

The enjoyment for believers in the grave, such as:

their graves to be lit up like the light of a full moon.
their graves to be widened seventy (70) cubits[1] by seventy (70) cubits.

The prophets, martyrs, and children (who died before pubescence) are exempted from the questioning in the grave.

There are some statements in Al Quran and in Hadiths about the situations after burial in grave (kubur).

In Al Qur'an

Allah says in verse Surah Al An'am (6:31) that on the resurrection day, the unbelievers will regret when they have to carry their burdens (ie., sins) on their backs.

Ibn Kathir explains this bizarre situation (load) in this manner:
Every unjust person, upon entering his grave, will meet a man with ugly face, dark skin and awful odour and wearing dirty clothes; on the resurrection day the unjust person will carry this ugly companion on his back to enter hell.
In verse Surah At Thur (52:47) there is punishment in this world or in the grave for who have done wrong.
In verse Surah As Sajdah (32:21) Allah specifies this additional punishment. In this verse (32:21) Allah says that He will made out lighter penalty in this life, before inflicting the supreme penalty hereafter.
In verse Surah Ghafir (40:11) the disbelievers will say, " Allah, You made us lifeless twice and gave us life twice, and we have confessed our sins. So is there to an exit any way?"

In Hadiths

Once people have buried a dead, and start departing, the dead man listens to the sounds of the shoes of his relatives after they have put him in his grave (Sahih Muslim)
Then two angels come and speak to him.

Sahih Muslim writes that after the burial in the grave, and after the mourners have left the burial site, two angels enter the grave and ask the dead person regarding Allah and Muhammad. If he were a non‑Muslim he would be shown his seat in hell fire. Once the angels are satisfied that the corpse is that of a Muslim, they expand the grave of the believer to seventy cubits, and he will be shown his place in paradise.

The names of those two angels who interrogate the freshly‑buried corpse are Munkar and Nakir.
This hadiths says that Munkar and Nakir, the two angels of grave, have black faces and blue eyes. They will question a Muslim in his grave. When satisfied with the answers regarding Muhammad and Islam, these angels will increase the volume of the Muslim’s grave to 4900 cubic feet, light the grave, and instruct the Muslim to have a peaceful sleep. For a hypocrite his gravesides will be squeezed so much so, that his bones are crushed.
(Tirmidhi)
Allah even punishes those Muslims (in their graves), because of their family’s wailing over him (Sahih Muslim)

We have to believe that there will be questioning all our good and bad deeds in this world by two angels Munkar and Nakir.

This means that we have to believe the unseen, including the angels.

May Allah save us from the punishment of grave. Ameen.

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Activities and Worksheets for kids:

Read and Learn about the pillars in Islam.
You can find other informations in Muslim Home School in America
To learn:
- Five Pillars of Islam.
  - Saying Sahadah.
  - Sholat.
  - Zakat.
  - Sawm/Fasting in Ramadhan.
  - Hajj.
- Principles of Belief in Islam:
  - Belief in Allah.
  - Belief in Angel.
  - Belief in Books of Allah.
  - Belief in Messengers of Allah.
  - Belief in Qadr.
  - Belief in Akhirah.
Write paragragh about the angels, dead, and in the grave.
Memorize surah Tabarak.