What is the meaning of Aisha's statement, "By Allah, I did not enter except while my clothes were tightly bound on me out of shyness from 'Umar after he was buried"?

The questioner : Our Shaykh, Al-Hakim narrated with a valid chain, as in your book *Defense of the Biography*, the statement of Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her): "I used to enter the house where 'Umar was buried with them, and by Allah, I did not enter except while my clothes were tightly bound on me out of shyness from 'Umar."

The Shaykh: Yes.

The questioner : We want the meaning of this report, O Shaykh.

The Shaykh : It appears, and Allah knows best, that the Lady Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) believed that some of the special ones among the Muslims have a special life in the barzakh (the interval between death and resurrection), similar to the life of the prophets and messengers, about some of whose specific matters the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) spoke. This includes his statement (peace and blessings be upon him) in the well-known hadith in the Sunan, Musnad Ahmad, and also in Al-Hakim's Mustadrak, in the long hadith whose conclusion says: And there is no doubt that the implication of this hadith is not that the body remains without perishing as other human bodies perish, whether they are righteous or not. Rather, this hadith means what he (peace and blessings be upon him) indicated in another hadith where he said: Similarly, his statement (peace and blessings be upon him): So the meaning of this hadith and that one is that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) has a true barzakh life while he is in his grave, this being with respect to him (peace and blessings be upon him). Then it appears from the report of Aisha about which you asked that she sees that the chosen, righteous believers have a great share of this barzakh life, even though it does not rise or ascend to the prophetic barzakh life. Therefore, she indicates that 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), although he was dead, had a life in his grave; he might perceive and feel. And I mean what I am saying is not a confirmation but a hope that 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) might have a share of this barzakh life, especially since he was killed as a martyr. This is what appears to me from this valid report from Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her).