What is the validity of the claim that the earth does not consume the body of one who stands in night prayer?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Question:
His second question says: I saw my father in the middle of the night praying the night prayer of eight rak'ahs, so I asked him about the benefit of praying at night, and he said: The person who prays at night, the earth does not consume his body after his death. Is this true? And does the person remain in his grave if he prays the night prayer while people are sleeping? And does the soul remain in the body after death or does it ascend to its Creator?
Answer:
Night prayer is a great act of devotion and a confirmed sunnah (recommended practice). Allah (Exalted and Majestic is He) said in describing the servants of Allah: [Al-Furqan: 64]. And He the Exalted said in describing the righteous: [Adh-Dhariyat 51:17] and in the early hours of the morning they seek forgiveness [Adh-Dhariyat: 18]. Allah said to His Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): Stand in prayer during the night, except for a little, half of it, or less than that a little, or more than that, and recite the Qur'an with measured recitation [Al-Muzzammil: 4]. And He the Exalted said: [As-Sajdah: 16]. And the verses in this regard are numerous, indicating the virtue of standing in night prayer. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to perform tahajjud (the late-night voluntary prayer) at night frequently (peace and blessings be upon him), and he said: Mishkat al-Masabih 1907 Tahajjud at night is among the best acts of devotion and among the greatest acts of obedience. And he (peace and blessings be upon him) mostly prayed eleven rak'ahs, saying the closing salam after every two, and completing the odd number with one (peace and blessings be upon him). Sometimes he would complete the odd number with less than this, sometimes with nine, sometimes with seven, and sometimes with five. But mostly he prayed eleven, and sometimes he prayed thirteen (peace and blessings be upon him) at night, lengthening his recitation, bowing, and prostration (peace and blessings be upon him).
As for the claim that the earth does not consume his body if he prays at night, I do not know any basis for this. I do not know any evidence in the Shari'ah (Islamic sacred law) that indicates this.
As for the soul—the soul of the believer—it hangs in the trees of Paradise, being in Paradise...Sunan Ibn Majah 4271Da’if (Darussalam).
As for the souls of the martyrs, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) informed.
So the souls of the believers are honored in Paradise, but the souls of the martyrs have a special status. And Allah returns the souls to their bodies when He wills, just as He returns them during the questioning. When a person dies and is placed in his grave, the angel comes to him and asks him about his Lord, his religion, and his Prophet. And Allah returns his soul to him so he hears the question and answers if he was righteous, and he hesitates and is unable to answer if he was a disbeliever or a hypocrite. We ask Allah for safety.
As for the souls of the disbelievers, they are in the Fire. We ask Allah for well-being. Their souls are in the Fire. Allah (Exalted and Majestic is He) said regarding the family of Pharaoh: [Ghafir: 46].
The scholars differed regarding their resting place. It was said: in the Fire itself. It was said: in the graves of their owners. And it was said: in something else.
But in any case, they are being tormented. We seek refuge in Allah. They are exposed to the Fire and their destination is the Fire. We ask Allah for well-being. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you.
His second question says: I saw my father in the middle of the night praying the night prayer of eight rak'ahs, so I asked him about the benefit of praying at night, and he said: The person who prays at night, the earth does not consume his body after his death. Is this true? And does the person remain in his grave if he prays the night prayer while people are sleeping? And does the soul remain in the body after death or does it ascend to its Creator?
Answer:
Night prayer is a great act of devotion and a confirmed sunnah (recommended practice). Allah (Exalted and Majestic is He) said in describing the servants of Allah:
And those who spend [part of] the night to their Lord prostrating and standing [in prayer]
وَالَّذِينَ يَبِيتُونَ لِرَبِّهِمْ سُجَّدًا وَقِيَامًاThey used to sleep but little of the night,
كَانُوا قَلِيلًا مِنَ اللَّيْلِ مَا يَهْجَعُونَ O you who wraps himself in his garment
يَا أَيُّهَا الْمُزَّمِّلُ They arise from [their] beds; they supplicate their Lord in fear and aspiration, and from what We have provided them, they spend.
تَتَجَافَى جُنُوبُهُمْ عَنِ الْمَضَاجِعِ يَدْعُونَ رَبَّهُمْ خَوْفًا وَطَمَعًا وَمِمَّا رَزَقْنَاهُمْ يُنفِقُونَIf you people greet all whom you meet, provide food, care for the wellbeing of your kindred, and pray at night when people are asleep, you will enter paradise in peace.
أيها الناس، أفشوا السلام، وأطعموا الطعام، وصلوا الأرحام، وصلوا بالليل والناس نيام، تدخلوا الجنة بسلامAs for the claim that the earth does not consume his body if he prays at night, I do not know any basis for this. I do not know any evidence in the Shari'ah (Islamic sacred law) that indicates this.
As for the soul—the soul of the believer—it hangs in the trees of Paradise, being in Paradise...
The believer’s soul is a bird that eats from the trees of Paradise
روح المؤمن طائر، يعلق في شجر الجنةAs for the souls of the martyrs, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) informed
That they are in the bodies of green birds, roaming in Paradise wherever they wish, then returning to lamps hanging under the Throne.
أنها تكون في أجواف طير خضر، تسرح في الجنة حيث شاءت، ثم تعود إلى قناديل معلقة تحت العرشSo the souls of the believers are honored in Paradise, but the souls of the martyrs have a special status. And Allah returns the souls to their bodies when He wills, just as He returns them during the questioning. When a person dies and is placed in his grave, the angel comes to him and asks him about his Lord, his religion, and his Prophet. And Allah returns his soul to him so he hears the question and answers if he was righteous, and he hesitates and is unable to answer if he was a disbeliever or a hypocrite. We ask Allah for safety.
As for the souls of the disbelievers, they are in the Fire. We ask Allah for well-being. Their souls are in the Fire. Allah (Exalted and Majestic is He) said regarding the family of Pharaoh:
The Fire, they are exposed to it morning and evening. And the Day the Hour appears [it will be said], "Make the people of Pharaoh enter the severest punishment."
النَّارُ يُعْرَضُونَ عَلَيْهَا غُدُوًّا وَعَشِيًّا وَيَوْمَ تَقُومُ السَّاعَةُ أَدْخِلُوا آلَ فِرْعَوْنَ أَشَدَّ الْعَذَابِThe scholars differed regarding their resting place. It was said: in the Fire itself. It was said: in the graves of their owners. And it was said: in something else.
But in any case, they are being tormented. We seek refuge in Allah. They are exposed to the Fire and their destination is the Fire. We ask Allah for well-being. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.