The Prophet: You will be asked about me

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

In the long Hadeeth of Jaabir رضي الله عنه, about the description of the Prophet’s صلى الله عليه وسلم Hajj, he narrated that on the Day of `Arafah, in the valley of `Arafah, in his famous sermon, the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: ❝You will be asked about me. What will you say?❞They said: “We bear witness that you have conveyed (the message) and fulfilled (your duty) and offered sincere advice.” He صلى الله عليه وسلم then raised his forefinger towards the sky and pointing it at the people said: ❝O Allaah! Bear witness, O Allaah! Bear witness, O Allaah! Bear witness.❞

[Saheeh Muslim (2803), Sunan Ibn Maajah (3074), and Sunan Abu Dawood (1905)]

People will be asked about the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم twice. The first time is in their grave and the other is on the Day of Judgment.

The questioning in the grave:

The 4 questions in the grave:

A believer will be asked four questions in the grave instead of only three.

The two Angels, al-Munkar and al-Nakeer will question a Believer in the grave:

Q1. Who is your Lord? (In another narration: Whom did you worship?)

The Believer will reply: My Lord is Allaah. (In another narration: I used to worship Allaah).

Q2. What is your religion?

He will reply: My religion is Islaam.

Q3. Who is your Prophet (or what did you used to say about this man)?

He will reply: He is Allaah’s servant and His Messenger. I testify that none has the right to be worshiped but Allaah and that Muhammad is His slave and His Messenger.

Q4. Who made you aware of this?

He will reply: I read Allaah’s Book, believed in it, and considered it true.

As for the Kaafir or the hypocrite, he will be asked:

Q1. Who is your Lord? (In another narration: Whom did you worship?)

He will reply: Hah! Hah! I do not know. He will be told: You neither knew nor did you follow (the Believers).

Q2. What is your religion?

He would reply: Hah! Hah! I do not know.

Q3. What did you used to say about this man?

He would reply: Hah! Hah! I do not know. (In another narration: I heard people saying something, so I said the same.)

One who is blind and dumb will then be placed in charge of him, having a sledge-hammer such that if a mountain were struck with it, it would become dust. He will then give him a blow between his ears with the hammer and he will utter a shout which will be heard by all the creatures (near him) with the exception of men and jinn.

[Sunan Abu Dawood (4751, 4753) and graded as “Saheeh” by Shaikh al-Albaanee. See also Sunan al-Tirmidhee (1071) and graded as “Hasan” by Shaikh al-Albaanee]

۞۞۝۞۞

The questioning on the Day of Judgment:

The saying of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم: ❝You will be asked about me. What will you say?❞

The people will be questioned about the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم on the Day of Judgment: “Did My Messenger convey you My message?” The people will be questioned about him so that Hujjah (evidence/argument) is established against them and after which they will have no excuse. Otherwise, Allaah تعالى knows better that His Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم did indeed convey the message; and that he left them upon a bright (path) whose night is like its day; and that there was nothing left which would take them closer to the Jannah and distance them from the Fire, except that it had been made clear for them. As Allaah تعال mentioned in the Qur’aan:

﴿وَيَوْمَ يُنَادِيهِمْ فَيَقُولُ مَاذَا أَجَبْتُمُ الْمُرْسَلِينَ﴾

{And (remember) the Day (Allaah) will call to them, and say: “What answer gave you to the Messengers?”} [Surah al-Qasas (28): 65]

And this has been explained in the authentic Hadeeth:

Narrated Abu Sa`eed al-Khudree رضي الله عنه: Allaah’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم said: ❝Nooh (عليه السلام) will be called on the Day of Resurrection and he will say: ‘Labbaik and Sa`daik, O my Lord!’ Allaah will say: {Did you convey the Message?} Nooh will say: ‘Yes.’ His nation will then be asked: {Did he convey the Message to you?} They will say: ‘No Warner came to us.’ Then Allaah will say (to Nooh): {Who will bear witness in your favor?} He will say: ‘Muhammad and his followers. So they (i.e. Muslims) will testify that he conveyed the Message. {And the Apostle (Muhammad) will be a witness over yourselves}, and that is what is meant by the Statement of Allaah: {Thus We have made of you a just and the best nation that you may be witnesses over mankind and the Messenger (Muhammad) will be a witness over yourselves}.❞

[Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (3339, 4487, 7349). The Aayah is from Surah al-Baqarah (2): 143]

۞۞۝۞۞

The Companions response to the Prophet’s question: ❝What will you say?❞

The Companions responded saying: ❝We bear witness that you have conveyed (the message) and fulfilled (your duty) and offered sincere advice.❞

The Companions رضي الله عنهم أجمعين admitted and responded in the most beautiful way that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم did indeed convey the message. And this testimony, to which the Companions bore witness to, should be proclaimed by every Believer. None will bear witness to it except he who followed the Prophet’s صلى الله عليه وسلم Sunnah and avoided the Bid`ah in the Deen. As for the Mubtadi` (religious innovator), he implies with his actions that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم did not fully convey the message, nor did he fulfill his duty properly – we seek Allaah’s refuge from this falsehood.

O Allaah! We bear witness that Your Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم has conveyed (the message) and fulfilled (his duty) and offered sincere advice.