Questioning in the grave
3-11-2004 | IslamWeb
Question:
I want to know the Hadeeth that talks about the 5 questions that the angels ask you in the grave (who is your God and who is your Prophet) but I need it in English, please if you can e-mail it to me.
Answer:
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger. We ask Allaah to exalt his mention as well as that of his family and all his companions.
It could be that the questioner is referring to the narration reported by Imaam Ahmad, may Allaah have mercy on him, that the Prophet 
said: -In relation to a believing slave: "When a believing slave comes close to the Hereafter and nearer to the end of the present life (i.e. at a state of last breath), angels descend to him; two angels come to him, make him sit up and ask him: Who is your Lord? He replies ''My Lord is Allaah". Then he is asked: "And what is your religion?" He replies: "My religion is Islam." He is asked again: "Who was that person who was sent to you?" He answers: "He is the Prophet of Allaah ." Lastly, he is asked: "And what did you do?" He answers: "I read the Book of Allaah, and I believed in it."
After that Allaah says (interpretation of meaning): {My Servant has spoken the truth, so spread a bed for him in Paradise, clothe him from Paradise and open a door towards him from
- In relation to a disbelieving slave, the Prophet said: "When the disbelieving slave comes close to the end of the present life and nearer to the Hereafter (i.e. at a state of last breath), two angels come to examine him. They ask him "Who is your Lord"? He will reply: "Alas, alas, I do not know." Then they ask him: "Who is your Prophet"? He will reply: "Alas, alas, I do not know." Then he is asked: "And what is your religion"? So, he will reply: "Alas, alas, I do not know." Then Allaah says (interpretation of meaning): {He has lied, so spread a bed for him from Hell, clothe him from Hell, and open towards him a door into Hell…}.
So the Muslim is asked four questions: Who is your Lord? What is your religion? Who was that person who was sent to you? And fourthly: What did you do? Whereas the non-Muslim is asked three questions: Who is your Lord? What is your religion? Who was that person who was sent to you? So Allaah will make the Muslim firm in his answers and guides him to the correct answer, whereas He misleads the non-Muslim. This is what is meant by the saying of Allaah (interpretation of meaning): {Allaah keeps firm those who believe, with the firm word, in worldly life and in the Hereafter. And Allaah sends astray the wrongdoers. And Allaah does what He wills.}[14:27].
The Prophet said: "When a Muslim is questioned in the grave, he will testify that "Laa ilaaha Illallaah Muhammadun Rasoolullaah'' (there is None worthy of worship but Allaah and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allaah), this is the saying of Allaah (interpretation of meaning): {Allaah keeps firm those who believe, with the firm word, in worldly life and in the Hereafter.}. We ask Allaah to keep us firm with the firm word in this worldly life and in the Hereafter. Ameen.
Allaah knows best.