Is the soul of the deceased sent to the sky after burial, and then does it return after that to be asked the three questions in the grave?

Question:
May Allah reward you, Honorable Shaykh. This questioner asks: Is the soul of the deceased sent to the sky after burial, and then does it return after that to be asked the three questions in the grave?

Answer:
Yes. When the soul of the deceased is taken, they ascend with it to the sky. For the believer, the gates of the sky are opened for it, while for the disbeliever, the gates of the sky are closed against it, and it is cast down to the earth, as in the long hadith of al-Bara' ibn 'Azib. As in the hadith of al-Bara' ibn 'Azib regarding the angels ascending with the soul: the soul of the believer has the gates of the sky opened for it, while the soul of the disbeliever is closed off; the gates of the sky are not opened for them, and they do not enter Paradise. Yes.