"The Messenger of Allah stood up and mentioned the trail with which a person will be tested in his grave. When he mentioned that the people became restless, which prevented me from understanding what the Messenger of Allah had said. When they settled down, I said to a man who was near me: 'May Allah bless you, what did the end?' he said: 'It has been revealed to me that you will be tested in your graves with a trial close to that of the Dajjal."'
The Book of Funerals - Sunan an-Nasa'i 2062
This narration from Sunan an-Nasa'i describes the Prophet Muhammad's teaching about the trial in the grave, a fundamental aspect of Islamic eschatology that occurs between death and resurrection.
Scholarly Commentary
The trial in the grave (fitnat al-qabr) is a established doctrine in Islam, where the deceased is questioned by two angels, Munkar and Nakir, about their faith. The comparison to the trial of Dajjal indicates the severity and intensity of this spiritual test.
The people's restlessness demonstrates how profoundly disturbing this teaching was to the Companions, reflecting the gravity of the matter. The narrator's need to ask another Companion shows the importance of seeking knowledge when one misses part of a religious teaching.
This hadith emphasizes the necessity of preparing for this trial through sincere faith, righteous deeds, and proper Islamic beliefs during one's lifetime, as the answers given in the grave will determine one's comfort or punishment until resurrection.