The Messenger of Allah passed by one of the gardens of Makkah or Al-Madinah and heard the sound of two men being tormented in their graves. The Messenger of Allah said: "They are being punished but they are not being punished for anything that was difficult to avoid." Then he said: "Indeed, one of them used not to take care to avoid getting urine on his body or clothes, and the other used to walk around spreading gossip." They he called for a palm stalk which he broke in two and placed a piece of it on each grave. It was said to him: "O Messenger of Allah, why did you do that?" He said: "May it be reduced for them so long as this does not dry out" or: "until this dries out."
The Book of Funerals - Sunan an-Nasa'i 2068
A commentary from the perspective of classical Islamic scholarship on the hadith concerning punishment in the grave.
The Incident and Its Significance
This narration establishes the reality of punishment in the grave (ʿadhāb al-qabr), a fundamental belief in Islam confirmed by numerous Quranic verses and prophetic traditions. The Prophet's ability to hear the torment demonstrates his unique spiritual perception granted by Allah.
The location near gardens indicates that divine punishment can occur anywhere, not merely in desolate places, reminding believers of Allah's omnipresence and the immediacy of accountability.
Analysis of the Sins
The first individual was punished for negligence regarding ritual purity (ṭahārah) from urine. Classical scholars emphasize that urine is among the strongest impurities (najāsah), and its proper removal is essential for the validity of prayer. This punishment highlights the seriousness Islam places on physical and spiritual cleanliness.
The second individual was punished for nameemah (gossip, tale-bearing) - spreading words to create discord. Scholars classify this among the major sins due to its destructive social consequences, breaking bonds of brotherhood and spreading corruption within the community.
The Prophet's statement "not for anything difficult to avoid" indicates these were preventable sins requiring basic religious consciousness rather than extraordinary effort.
The Prophetic Intervention
The splitting of the palm stalk and placing pieces on the graves represents a form of supplication (duʿāʾ) and intercession (shafāʿah). Scholars explain this as a special privilege granted to the Prophet to alleviate punishment for specific individuals by Allah's permission.
The drying of the stalks indicates a temporary nature of this relief, teaching that while prophetic intercession can benefit sinners, ultimate forgiveness depends on Allah's mercy and the individual's spiritual state.
Legal and Theological Implications
This hadith confirms the reality of the intermediate realm (barzakh) where souls experience comfort or punishment between death and resurrection.
It establishes the permissibility of seeking beneficial outcomes for the deceased through lawful means, while distinguishing between the unique capabilities of prophets and the limitations of ordinary believers.
The narration serves as a powerful reminder to maintain ritual purity and guard one's tongue - two areas the Prophet frequently emphasized as fundamental to Islamic practice.