Grave Punishment in Islam: From Authentic Hadith

In the world of slumber, dreams are primarily of two kinds. One type comes from Allah the Most Merciful, sometimes bearing good news, other times serving as a profound warning about unseen realities, like the Day of Judgment or the certainty of grave punishment in islam. The other type originates from the accursed Satan, intended only to mislead and frighten. But when a dream is seen by the greatest of all creation, the leader of the Prophets, Muhammad ﷺ himself, there remains not a shadow of a doubt about its truthfulness. Such a vision is an impossibility for Satan to conjure; rather, it is a form of divine revelation—a living reality meant to stir the soul of every believer.

The narrator of this Hadith, the companion Samurah ibn Jundub (may Allah be pleased with him), reported that it was the habit of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ to turn to his companions after the Fajr (dawn) prayer and ask, “Has any one of you seen a dream?” Then, whoever had seen a dream would narrate it to him.

But one morning was different. This time, the Prophet ﷺ himself began to describe a long and wondrous dream he had seen. He said:

The Journey Begins: An Escort by Two Angels

“Last night, two visitors [angels] came to me. They woke me up and said, ‘Proceed with us.’ I immediately set out with them.”

Scene 1: A Glimpse of Grave Punishment in Islam for Abandoning the Qur’an

“We came upon a man lying helplessly on his side, with another man standing over him holding a massive boulder. He would strike the lying man’s head with the rock, crushing it completely. After the strike, the rock would roll away. By the time the man went to retrieve it, the crushed head would miraculously reform, becoming whole again. The man would then return and strike him again with the same terrifying force.

Seeing this horrifying example of grave punishment in islam, I shuddered and asked my companions, ‘Subhan’Allah! (Glory be to God!) What is this?’ They did not answer, only saying, ‘Proceed, proceed.’”

Scene 2: The Grave Punishment in Islam for a Prolific Liar

“We moved on and came to a man lying flat on his back. Standing beside him was another figure holding a sharp iron hook. He would insert the hook into one side of the man’s face and tear his cheek, nose, and eye all the way to the back of his head. The sight was utterly gruesome. He would then move to the other side and do the exact same thing. No sooner would he finish with one side than the other would heal completely, only for the torment to be repeated.

Pained by this sight, I asked, ‘Subhan’Allah! Who are these people?’ But they only replied, ‘Proceed, proceed.’”

Scene 3: The Shameful Punishment of Adulterers

“Next, we arrived at a large pit that resembled a tannur (an earthen oven). Cries of anguish and loud noises were echoing from within. We peered inside and saw a large number of naked men and women trapped there. From beneath them, the licking flames of a blazing fire would rise. Whenever the fire touched them, they would scream in agony. I asked my companions, ‘Who are these unfortunate souls?’ They said, ‘Proceed, proceed.’”

Scene 4: The Vile End of the Devourer of Interest (Riba)

“Then, we reached a river whose water was as red as blood. In this river, a man was flailing as he swam. On the riverbank stood another man who had collected a large pile of stones. Whenever the swimmer, exhausted, approached the bank, he would open his mouth, and the man on the bank would shove a stone into it. The swimmer would then turn back to the middle of the river, and this horrific act, another form of grave punishment in islam, would be repeated over and over. I asked them, ‘Who are they?’ And again, they replied, ‘Proceed, proceed.’”

Scene 5: The Encounter with the Keeper of Hellfire

“We continued our journey and came across a man of such grotesque appearance, I had never seen anyone so hideous. Before him was a fire, which he was kindling and running around. I asked my companions, ‘Who is that man?’ They said, ‘Proceed, proceed.’”

Scene 6: The Serene Garden of Prophet Ibrahim and the Innocent Children

“Finally, we entered a vast, beautiful, and lush green garden. It was filled with all the blossoms of spring that captivated the eyes. In the middle of the garden stood a man so tall that I couldn’t see his head against the sky. And surrounding him were more innocent children than I had ever seen before. I asked my companions with longing, ‘Who is he? And who are these pure children?’ They told me, ‘Proceed, proceed.’”

Scene 7: The Garden of Eden and the Abode of the Believer

“We walked on until we reached a magnificent and majestic tree, larger and more beautiful than any I had ever witnessed. They told me, ‘Climb it.’ So we ascended until we arrived at a dazzling city built of bricks of gold and silver. We reached the city’s gate and asked for it to be opened, and it was opened for us.

As we entered, we were greeted by a group of people whose bodies were half unimaginably beautiful and half unimaginably hideous. My two companions told them, ‘Go and immerse yourselves in that river.’ It was a wide, flowing river with water as white as milk. They went and submerged themselves in it. A short while later, when they returned to us, their ugliness had completely vanished, and they had become perfectly beautiful.

Then my companions told me, ‘This is Jannah al-Adn (the Garden of Eden), and that over there is your residence.’ I looked up and saw a grand palace that looked like a white cloud. They said, ‘That is your home.’ Overwhelmed with joy, I said, ‘May Allah bless you both! Let me go and enter my home.’ They replied, ‘You will surely enter it, but not right now.’”

The Detailed Interpretation of Every Scene

“I said to them, ‘I have seen many wonders tonight. What is the true meaning behind all of this?’ They then explained the reason behind every event:

• As for the first man whose head was being crushed with a rock, he is the one who accepts the Holy Qur’an but then abandons it (turns away from its teachings) and sleeps through the obligatory prayers (Salat).
• As for the man whose face was being torn with an iron hook, he is the one who leaves his home in the morning and tells a lie so great that it spreads across the horizons.
• As for the naked men and women inside the oven-like pit, they are the fornicators and adulterers.
• As for the man who was swimming in the river of blood and having stones shoved into his mouth, he is the vile devourer of Riba (interest).
• As for the hideous man who was near the fire, kindling it and running around it, he is Malik, the chief guardian (angel) of Hell.
• As for the tall man in the green garden, he is the Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him). And the children surrounding him are all those who died upon the Fitrah (the pure, natural state of Islam). (In a narration by al-Barqani, it is mentioned that some Muslims asked, ‘O Messenger of Allah! Are the children of the polytheists also there?’ The Prophet ﷺ replied, ‘The children of the polytheists are also there.’)
• And as for those people who were half beautiful and half ugly, they are the people who committed a mix of righteous and evil deeds. But Allah, in His infinite mercy, has forgiven them.”

Conclusion: A Living Warning for Every Believer

This long and detailed vision of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ is not merely a story. It is a powerful and living warning for all of humanity, and especially for his Ummah (community). Each scene vividly portrays the harsh realities of the Hereafter before our very eyes.

This dream teaches us about the terrifying reality of grave punishment in islam and the endless consequences of devastating sins like abandoning the Qur’an, neglecting prayer, spreading lies, engaging in adultery, and consuming interest. At the same time, it shines a light of hope. The forgiveness granted to those with mixed deeds and the serene abode prepared for innocent souls in Paradise remind us of the boundless mercy of the Most Compassionate. This vision serves as a profound jolt to our souls, urging us to forsake the temptations of this world and prepare for a life focused on the Hereafter.

May Allah Ta’ala grant us all the ability (Tawfiq) to learn from this hadith and to walk on the path that pleases Him. Ameen.