Death and the Grave
It is a well-known reality that everyone has to taste death. Allah Ta'ala says in the Holy Quran: "Every soul shall have the taste of death". (3:185)
The time of death is fixed for everyone. Every single person's age is fixed. It cannot increase from its fixed time nor can it decrease. Nothing can save one from death. Wherever you are, death will find you out, even if you are in towers built up high. When the time of death comes, nothing can delay it.
When a person�s life is ending, Hazrat Izraeel (alaihis salaam) comes to extract the dying person's soul.
The person dying looks to his left and right and sees Angels everywhere. The Angels of Mercy come to a Muslim and for the Kaafirs, the Angels of Punishment appear. At this time, even the Kaafirs believe the truth about Islam, but their faith at this time is not counted. This is because faith is the name of believing the Message of Allah Ta'ala and his beloved Messenger (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) without seeing proof. At this time one sees the Angels and then believes and this is therefore, not accepted as a Muslim.
A Muslim's soul is taken out with ease and is then taken with respect by the Angels of Mercy.
A Kaafir's soul is taken out with great pain and the Angels of Punishment take it with disgrace.
After death, the soul does not go into another body and is then reborn, but it stays in the world of "Barzakh" till the Day of Judgement. "Barzakh" means the interval between death and resurrection.
To believe in reincarnation - that the soul goes into another human body, or into an animal's body, or into trees or plants, etc. is wrong and is Kufr.
WHERE DOES THE SOUL REMAIN AFTER DEATH?
Death is when the soul comes out of the body.
According to the faith and deeds performed by that person, a different place is fixed for the soul to remain. It stays in that place until the Day of Resurrection. Some stay underneath the "Arsh" (above the skies), some remain at "Aala Illiyyeen" (the highest point), some remain at the well of Zam Zam, and some remain in their grave.
The souls of infidels are imprisoned. Some are imprisoned in the well of "Barhoot", some in "Sajeen" (the lowest point in Earth), and some at their place of cremation or burial.
DOES THE SOUL DIE?
In any situation, the soul does not die nor does it disintegrate but it remains unchanged. Whatever it's position and whatever it's state is, it always remains connected to the body.
Those who believe that the soul can die and disintegrate are a "Bud Mazhab" (from a deviated sect).
If the body experiences pain, the soul also feels the pain. If the body is relaxed, then the soul is also relaxed.
When someone visits the grave, the soul sees the person, recognises him or her and listens to what they are saying.
In relation to the Muslim's soul, it is stated in the Hadith Shareef that when a Muslim dies, the soul�s path is opened and it can go wherever it pleases.
The dead also speaks. Animals, etc. except for normal humans and Jinn hear its voice.
