Can our deceased relatives hear us? Can the dead hear us?

When someone close to us dies, the living want to know whether the dead can hear or see us after physical death, whether it is possible to contact them and get answers to questions. There are many real stories that support this hypothesis. They talk about the intervention of the other world in our lives. Different religions also do not deny that the souls of the dead are close to loved ones.

What does a person see when he dies?

What a person sees and feels when the physical body dies can only be judged by the stories of those who have experienced clinical death. The stories of many patients whom doctors were able to save have much in common. They all talk about similar sensations:

1. A man watches other people bending over his body from the side.
2. At first one feels strong anxiety, as if the soul does not want to leave the body and say goodbye to the usual earthly life, but then calm comes.
3. Pain and fear disappear, the state of consciousness changes.
4. The person doesn't want to go back.
5. After passing through a long tunnel, a creature appears in a circle of light and calls for you.

Scientists believe that these impressions do not relate to what the person who has passed on to another world feels. They explain such visions as a hormonal surge, the effects of medications, and brain hypoxia. Although different religions, describing the process of separation of the soul from the body, talk about the same phenomena - observing what is happening, the appearance of an angel, saying goodbye to loved ones.

Is it true that dead people can see us?

To answer whether deceased relatives and other people see us, we need to study different theories about the afterlife. Christianity talks about two opposite places where the soul can go after death - heaven and hell. Depending on how a person lived, how righteously, he is rewarded with eternal bliss or doomed to endless suffering for his sins.

When discussing whether the dead see us after death, we should turn to the Bible, which says that souls resting in paradise remember their lives, can observe earthly events, but do not experience passions. People who were recognized as saints after death appear to sinners, trying to guide them on the true path. According to esoteric theories, the spirit of the deceased has a close connection with loved ones only when he has unfulfilled tasks.

Does the soul of a deceased person see his loved ones?

After death, the life of the body ends, but the soul continues to live. Before going to heaven, she stays with her loved ones for another 40 days, trying to console them and ease the pain of loss. Therefore, in many religions it is customary to schedule a funeral for this time in order to escort the soul to the world of the dead. It is believed that ancestors see and hear us even many years after death. Priests advise not to speculate about whether the dead see us after death, but to try to grieve less about the loss, because the suffering of relatives is difficult for the deceased.

Can the soul of the deceased come to visit?

When the connection between loved ones was strong during life, this relationship is difficult to interrupt. Relatives can feel the presence of the deceased and even see his silhouette. This phenomenon is called a phantom or ghost. Another theory says that the spirit comes to visit for communication only in a dream, when our body is asleep and our soul is awake. During this period, you can ask for help from deceased relatives.

Can a deceased person become a guardian angel?

After the loss of a loved one, the pain of loss can be very great. I would like to know if our deceased relatives can hear us and tell us about their troubles and sorrows. Religious teaching does not deny that dead people become guardian angels for their kind. However, in order to receive such an appointment, a person during his lifetime must be a deeply religious person, not sin and follow God’s commandments. Often the guardian angels of a family become children who left early, or people who devoted themselves to worship.

The older you get, the more losses you have to experience. The closest ones are dying, those to whom they are accustomed, those who are not and will not be closer: dad, mom, relatives, friends, neighbors - all those whom they knew and loved. And no one can do anything about it, and you can’t turn back time, and you won’t get used to it. They say time heals, but not always and not for everyone. Our turn will come when the priest sings over the coffin “trampling on death with death.” And now, in this crazy speed century, perhaps only once a year you can see all your relatives - this is on the day of Radonitsa. Meet, remember the dead, talk with the living, rejoice that they exist... and God willing they will be around for a long time...
I was always interested in many things, and I constantly asked my mother, mother, why there are so many people at the cemetery on Rainbow Day? What could she, brought up in the “best Soviet traditions” of complete disbelief in God, answer me? So she secretly said what her parents told her, and their parents told them, and so on from generation to generation. It may be true, or it may be a legend, but I remember it for the rest of my life. It turns out that on the day of Radonitsa, from dawn to sunset, the dead wait for us near their graves, and even meet us immediately at the cemetery gates! They don’t need to be told anything, they know everything about us and see everything, all the time, because where they are, there are no clocks, numbers and alarm clocks, there is only their Kingdom, the Kingdom of the dead. They tell us from heaven and help us alive, how we should live, how we should act, we probably call this the inner voice. And be that as it may, on Radonitsa Day, we must come to them, because they wait for this day like no other in the year, they wait right at the gate.
Two years ago, I agreed with some friends to go to a half-abandoned sawmill near the Mayak stop (along the Slutsk highway). And there, not far from the sawmill, a few meters away, there is a village cemetery where my uncle is buried. The funeral took place in winter, the grave was somewhere on the very outskirts of the cemetery. Many people, many wreaths, then several years of travel, searches, and returns. All this time I remembered that my uncle was buried in this cemetery. I started looking, but the grave, which several years ago was the last one, was “overgrown” on all sides with neighboring graves. I searched for a long time, as if I was being led or taken away from the grave by someone unknown to the living me. They were already hurrying me out of the car, saying, let’s go home. Well, how can it be, what a shame, nephew, that you can’t find your uncle’s grave. I was already getting ready to leave, promising myself that next time I would arrive early, pick a bouquet of flowers and be sure to find them. How a village woman appeared to meet me. Out of some kind of despair or something, I was a stranger to her, and told her how ugly it was of me for so many years and would never appear!? I couldn’t find a grave, the woman looked into my eyes in an unusual way and said, don’t blame yourself, you never know what happens in life, you’re looking for the main thing, you’re ashamed. Just call your uncle by name, you will see, he will respond. The woman appeared just as suddenly and disappeared among the crosses, monuments and graves, and my stupor from what I heard gave way to curiosity, what if!? As I was leaving the cemetery, I began to quietly call, Uncle Adam, forgive me for being a good-for-nothing, forgive me, and tell me where you are. You may not believe it, I’m not used to swearing, but somewhere around the third or fourth time (I had walked this place several times before both up and down) something made me turn around, Poteychuk Adam caught my eye...
I told this story to many people, this evening my cousin (Uncle Adam’s daughter) called me and said, Vova, I remembered how you advised me, on the advice of a village woman, to find the grave. The cemetery is growing from year to year, and no matter how hard I tried to find it, I couldn’t find the graves of my old neighbors. And then, following the advice given to you, she called you by name, turned around and saw the inscription on the monument. She asked for forgiveness and remembered, brought order to Radonitsa, they no longer had anyone left.
What I mean by all this is that many of us on the day of Radonitsa will look for the graves of those whom we once knew. Try to do as that woman in that cemetery advised me...
Vladimir REPIK Search line: deceased

Records found: 36

Hello. This was the first time I was faced with the death of a loved one. On October 26th it will be 40 days since grandma has been gone. Tell me, please, what needs to be done? I don't understand anything about this at all. Thank you in advance.

Hope

Hope, first of all, the deceased need our prayerful support. Most likely, after the death of your grandmother, you have already ordered a magpie for repose (that is, commemoration at the Liturgy for forty days). Now, if you have the desire and opportunity, you can order a liturgy for a year or six months. On the fortieth day, come to the temple, pray for your grandmother at the liturgy, order a memorial service. Visit the cemetery and then have a memorial meal. The meal usually includes pancakes with honey and kutia - rice with honey and raisins. It is better to give up alcohol.

Priest Vladimir Shlykov

Question to Father Alexander Hello, father. How can the deceased not see us and not hear our prayers if they are alive even after death, and am I right in thinking that they know what is happening with us, in this world?

Catherine

Hello, Ekaterina. Why guess, you and I will each find out in due time what it’s like “out there.” Just as we in our present natural state do not see souls - neither living nor dead, so the souls of the dead do not see us. And our prayers influence the souls of the departed not directly, but through the mercy of God, who accepts our work for the sake of loved ones and eases their lot. The fact that we hear reports of some phenomena of an “otherworldly” nature does not violate this rule, but refers to a different kind of reality. Some saints, who make up one millionth of all humanity, had certain visions, about which the Apostle spoke very well: “I know a man in Christ, who fourteen years ago (whether in the body - I don’t know, whether outside the body - I don’t know: God knows) was caught up to the third heaven. And I know about such a man (I just don’t know - in the body or outside the body: God knows) that he was caught up into paradise and heard unspeakable words, which it is impossible for a man to utter" (2 Cor. 12.2- 4). I saw, but there was nothing to say. Another reality cannot be described by our concepts. And what is described by our concepts belongs to our world, i.e. earth, and we know that the devil and his angels were cast out to earth. Let's leave...

Priest Alexander Beloslyudov

Due to certain circumstances, the funeral service for my brother was not performed (he died on August 17). The body could not be kept in the morgue for a long time, because... It was hot and there were a lot of dead people. I know that you need to “seal” the land for up to 40 days, i.e. until 25.09. I'm afraid to go to the cemetery, because... There is a checkpoint on the way that is periodically fired upon. What can I do in this situation? How to follow all the rules in such an environment? Cry from the heart. Help!

Natalia

Dear Natalya, it is not necessary to pour the soil from the absentee funeral service onto the grave of the deceased before forty days. No earthly action can hinder or contribute to the action of God's mercy. What the departed really need is our prayer. When peace is established, then you can go to the cemetery and finish what you can’t do now. God bless you.

Priest Sergius Osipov

Hello! My story began when my father began to get sick. His illness frightened me greatly. His suffering was painful not only for him, but also for me. And I started going to church often to pray for his health. But the Lord took my daddy. My life has turned upside down. It is so important to me that my father sees my love for him. Not just when he was alive. My greatest fear was that my father would not be able to see Paradise. During his life, he was not a strong believer, but he often said that angels came to him, and then he confessed and received communion on the eve of his death. I know that on the 40th day after death, God will determine his soul. But I want to influence his fate. I love my father so much that every day I come to church and order proskomedia, memorial services... It is important to me where his soul will dwell. His bodily pain is emptiness compared to hell, there is no death there... I am very worried about my father. I can’t find a place for myself because I’m afraid that dad will go to hell. I so want to make him happy, I so want him to rejoice forever, to go to Paradise, where there is no pain and sadness. I know that I must pray for him all my life. And through your deeds show your love for God. But I have a question. Can the dead see us? Are our prayers felt? Does my father know how much I love him? And should I believe dreams? After all, he comes tenderly into my dreams. Today is 40 days. My soul hurts and rejoices, I don’t want to cry, because my dad is next to the Lord, but I want to see him so much. I'm afraid that after 40 days Eternity will come, and I don't know what it is. I don’t like going to his grave, because there is only a symbol there - victory over death. I wish my father to live forever in my prayers. And only in the temple I feel a dialogue with him, I feel how he looks. I know that today is a very important day, today he will rise again before God, but I sincerely hope that the Lord will have mercy on his soul and I will find peace with my dad.

Olesya

Hello, Olesya. My condolences. Death is the common destiny of all people. And you and I will be sung and buried. But he who does not die cannot be resurrected. The Lord defeated death by death. Physical death puts an end to the existence of sin. Continue the remembrance of the deceased. Your prayers help your father. He does not see or hear you, but the connection between you remains - this is prayer. Don’t pay attention to dreams, you don’t see your father, but your memory of him. We ask the Lord to give eternal memory to the deceased; behold, the Lord fulfills our requests and does not allow us to forget our loved ones. We remember them, so we pray for them and see them in our dreams. The saints called sleep a delirium of the soul. This is how you feel about dreams. These are not revelations or phenomena, just a natural reaction of the soul. God help you.

Priest Alexander Beloslyudov

Hello! My mom and dad died. Mom is one year old on September 7th, and dad is 40 days old on September 11th. Is it possible to do everything in one day? And when exactly?

Irina

Irina, you can have a memorial meal on any day convenient for you. But on the very days of remembrance of your parents, go to church, order a liturgy of repose and a memorial service. Prayer is the main thing that the departed expect from us.

Priest Vladimir Shlykov

Hello, father! Tell me, please, before the birth of Christ, did all people go to hell? Did I understand correctly? I read the Law of God, it is written there, “When the body of the Savior lay in the tomb, He descended with His Soul into hell, to the souls of people who died before His suffering and death. And He freed all the souls of righteous people who were waiting for the coming of the Savior from hell. " This means that all righteous, holy, pious people went to hell for the slightest sin? Can you explain please! And another question, my husband and I are not married, he doesn’t want to, the marriage is registered, is our life fornication? Do I need to confess this sin constantly? What if my husband never wants to get married? Thank you.

Valentina

Valentina! 1. Before the coming of the Savior, the departed righteous were in Abraham’s bosom. According to the teachings of the Orthodox Church, this is a place in hell where the souls of the Old Testament righteous went before the Resurrection of Christ. There was no hellish torment in this place, but there was no heavenly joy either. Abraham indicates the state of man in this place when he speaks of Lazarus: “Now he is comforted here” (Luke 16.25). He does not “enjoy”, as in heaven, but is only “consoled” by the fact that, unlike the merciless rich man who suffers in hell, he has escaped the torments of hell; that I found here communion with the ancestors and forefathers of the Jewish people; that from their lips I received confirmation of the ancient promise of the future coming into the world of the Messiah, who would save the human race and bring the souls of the righteous from hell to heaven, which happened after the Resurrection of Christ. 2. The Orthodox Church recognizes the legality of marriage registered with state authorities. Such a marriage is not a prodigal cohabitation. Just pray for your husband, so that he will come to faith and realize the importance of the sacrament of marriage for Orthodox spouses as God’s blessing and His gracious help on the path of family life.

Priest Vladimir Shlykov

1. In my prayer book, in the prayer for the living, it is written: “...save, Lord, and have mercy on the Most Holy Ecumenical Bishop (name),” etc. What is the name of the Ecumenical Bishop? 2. Is it necessary to be baptized at the entrance to the cemetery, at the exit and at the grave? Do I need to read some kind of prayer?

Tatiana

1. Here we mean the Ecumenical Patriarchate, also known as the Patriarchate of Constantinople. In our time, Bartholomew is the Patriarch of Constantinople. 2. And this is a matter of your will and desire: if your soul asks, why not cross yourself, give yourself this joy. There are no special prayers at the entrance to the cemetery, however, out of pious feeling you can read the troparion “Rest with the Saints” or, given that now is Easter days, “Even if You Descend into the Grave, Immortal”, “Flesh Asleep” and other hymns Easter. Yes, and “Christ is risen” can be said to the departed. The lives of the saints speak of the Kiev-Pechersk saint, the Venerable Dionysius, who once descended into the caves to his departed brethren and exclaimed to them: “Christ is risen!” And the departed brethren answered him: “Truly he is risen!” At that moment, such grace overwhelmed the saint that he asked the abbot’s permission to never leave the caves again and spent the rest of his days there in asceticism and prayer.

Hegumen Nikon (Golovko)

Hello, father! Christ is Risen! My dad died unbaptized. I know that you can remember him in home prayer. And in church, when a memorial service is being served or the deceased are remembered at the liturgy, can I silently pray for his repose?

Tatiana

Yes, Tatyana, it is possible, and even very good! The Lord is merciful and will accept your prayer as a favorable sacrifice, pray!

Hegumen Nikon (Golovko)

Hello! My dad died, he died suddenly, the shock and grief is indescribable. But the most important thing that torments me greatly is that I did not have time to tell him the main words about how much I love him, I could not ask for forgiveness for some insults and misunderstandings. Now I’m crying, asking for forgiveness, praying for his soul. Does he hear me, has he forgiven me?

Natalia

Natalya, very often after the death of loved ones we realize how much we did not have time to tell them in time. Now your love for dad should be manifested in fervent prayer for him. The deceased feel our prayer; it greatly facilitates their posthumous fate.

Priest Vladimir Shlykov

Hello. Please tell me, my grandmother died the day before, and in a month it’s my birthday. Tell me, can I celebrate or not?

Alexander

Alexander, there are no special rules on this issue. But personally, I think All Souls Day is more important than birthdays. The deceased cannot pray for themselves, and therefore they rely on our and church prayer. So my advice is that until 40 days have passed, there is no need to celebrate your birthday. During this period, it is better to pray intensely for your grandmother and order a memorial for her in the Church. And celebrate your birthday later - a little late, but that’s okay.

Hieromonk Victorin (Aseev)

Dear priests, in the Old and New Testaments, in the lives of saints, we often find that signs and revelations come to people in dreams. But at the same time, many spiritual books say that dreams cannot be trusted, because we are sinful people and are not able to recognize the nature of these phenomena. How should modern people feel about this? After all, sometimes we dream about our dear departed ones, or we see some events “as if in reality.” Thank you for your reply.

Tatiana

Tatyana, notice how many such significant, prophetic dreams are described in the Holy Scriptures? Just a few. How much do we dream about? A whole stream! So, dreams from God are a very, very rare thing, and the Holy Fathers teach to recognize them this way: if a dream brings you into a deeply repentant feeling, into the consciousness of your sins and your disastrous spiritual situation, then perhaps it is from God, although it is possible that not. And in all other cases, even when we dream about deceased relatives, but the dream does not change us spiritually, it has nothing to do with God.

Hegumen Nikon (Golovko)

Hello. Tell me, is it necessary to hold a wake for the deceased, 11 years old?

Elena

Elena, you need to pray for the deceased no matter how old he is or how long ago he died. The deceased are always waiting for our prayer for them. On the anniversary of the deceased, you must definitely pray for him in church, and at the end of the service, ask the priest to serve a memorial service. The funeral table is another matter - it is far from so important, although it will not be superfluous.

Hieromonk Victorin (Aseev)

How to count 40 days? Since the day of his death?

Yuri

Yuri, the day of death is considered the first day, from which you need to count 3, 9 and 40 days. It is extremely important to remember that the departed need prayer. They can no longer pray for themselves, so we, the living, must pray for them. Days 3, 9 and 40 are special memorial days for the deceased. These days you need to pray for them, serve memorial services and order a church commemoration for the baptized deceased. The most important day is the 40th, when it is determined where the soul will go, to heaven or hell.

Hieromonk Victorin (Aseev)

Good afternoon On August 10th I ordered the magpie for my dad, there was a liturgy and a memorial service, but my dad will be 9 days old on August 14th. I was told at the church that you can order in advance. This is right? Did I make a mistake? I’m very worried.

Elena

Elena, commemorating the newly deceased is very important for his soul. The deceased cannot pray for themselves. Special memorial days are 3, 9 and 40. These days should not be transferred to another date. It is necessary to remember these days. The most important day for the deceased is the 40th day, when his posthumous fate is determined. Therefore, stick to the exact date.

Hieromonk Victorin (Aseev)

Hello, dear father! On June 29 it will be 1 year since my mom died. We do funerals at home, please tell me, are they meatless or meatless?

Svetlana

Svetlana, more attention needs to be paid not to the feast, but to the prayerful remembrance of the departed. The deceased cannot pray for themselves; they really rely on us, the living, and on church prayer. June 29 will be Saturday, on this day you need to pray in church during the Liturgy and remember your mother, after the end of the service you need to serve a memorial service. Peter's Fast begins on July 1, there is no fast on June 29, and therefore any food can be placed on the funeral table, including meat.

Hieromonk Victorin (Aseev)

Is it possible to celebrate a wedding on the death day of a long-dead grandfather?

Lyudmila

Lyudmila, in principle, you can, but don’t forget that your grandfather needs prayer - and who else will pray for him if not close relatives? The deceased rely on our prayer for them.

Hieromonk Victorin (Aseev)

Is it possible for a husband to go to his grandmother’s funeral if there is a newborn in the house?

Alyona

Alena, what does this have to do with a newborn?! All these are some kind of superstitions. Your husband can go to his grandmother’s funeral without any doubt. But you need to pray for the departed, both at home and in church. Commemoration of the dead is our direct responsibility to our deceased relatives. The deceased cannot pray for themselves, and therefore we must help them with our prayer.

Hieromonk Victorin (Aseev)

Hello, fathers! Why did it happen that you need to remember the dead and go to the cemetery on Radonitsa? And about the remaining days of the year for special commemoration of the dead. On this day, are we better seen and heard by our loved ones? But on other days they don’t see and hear? And why exactly is it customary to go to the cemetery? Is it where our loved ones see us, but not in another place? I thought that in the sky they see us everywhere. Then why do these days lead us to the cemetery? And I wonder how they actually see and hear us - just like we, the living, here? Or was this done more for us living people, so that we remember our loved ones and pray? But, as they say about the painful music that sees you off on your last journey, some people cry bitterly, and some people don’t care, and music won’t change anything. After all, people who are close in spirit, and not just out of duty, constantly remember and pray.

Lyudmila

Lyudmila, whether the deceased see us or don’t see us - there are many opinions on this, but now, living on earth, we cannot say for sure. Only one thing is clear: an invisible spiritual connection, of course, always exists. Regarding why after Easter it is customary to go to the cemetery only on Radonitsa, we can say that this tradition is of a statutory nature: for the sake of the triumph, joy and greatness of Easter, for some time the Church does not perform public prayers for the dead, but only secret ones, in the altar. But on Radonitsa we all go to cemeteries in order to proclaim Easter joy to the departed with the greeting “Christ is Risen!” This tradition is not connected with the fact that the deceased, as you say, see us better on this day than on other days, no, this is done to emphasize the solemnity of the holiday. But we must always remember our departed ones, and an Orthodox Christian, following the example of the Mother Church, which commemorates the departed every day, also commemorates his departed relatives every day, even during the Easter period, at home in prayer.

Hegumen Nikon (Golovko)

Hello! My daughter’s birthday (1 year old) is May 12th, is it possible to celebrate it? Or is it impossible for a week after Easter (before the remembrance of the dead)? Thank you!

Olga

Olga, May 12 will be Sunday during St. Thomas Week. And it’s very good to celebrate your birthday on this day. There is no fasting on this day. There is no need to connect this with the remembrance of the dead. We all have deceased relatives for whom we are obliged to pray, and on May 14 there will be Radonitsa. Radonitsa is Easter joy for the departed. Don’t have any doubts and celebrate your birthday calmly.

Hieromonk Victorin (Aseev)

Hello, father! My grandfather recently died. He was not a believer, but he was buried as an Orthodox Christian and prayers were read. I began to worry very much about how he would go through the ordeal in the air... I read on the Internet that in order for my prayer to be pleasing to the Lord, I must impose certain restrictions on myself and perform a spiritual feat. I was tormented by prodigal thoughts all the time, but here I decided at all costs to stop thinking about them for 40 days. I found a huge prayer for the deceased on the Internet (“Akathist for the One Who Died”) and every day for two weeks I tried to read it without distraction. But recently I became very ill, and lustful thoughts enveloped me with renewed vigor. But as soon as I feel better, I hope to pull myself together again and continue praying. But I’m worried about whether such a prayer will be pleasing to God after a seven-day break? Will I be able to help my grandfather through the ordeal with such a prayer? If, God forbid, a soul ends up in hell, is it possible to beg it out of there? And also, is it possible to pray for a soul after 40 days, and will this help it?

Anna

Anna, that’s why the Church exists, so that people come and repent of their sins. Sins can be cleansed only during life, through repentance. After death there is no repentance, after death there is the reward that a person receives for his life. As it is said in the Gospel, “the righteous are barely saved,” but what will happen to the sinner who died without repentance? Of course, you can pray to your deceased relatives, but for this it is not enough to pray for only 40 days. You need to devote your whole life to this. You need to renounce all sinful endeavors, lead your life piously, go to church regularly, confess and receive communion, pray for your departed and for yourself. And so all my life. If you live like this, you yourself will be saved, and through your prayer the Lord will have mercy on your grandfather too. The deceased cannot pray for themselves; they rely on us and church prayer. God always hears us when we sincerely pray. Even if there is a break in prayer, you should not give up, you must continue.

Hieromonk Victorin (Aseev)

1

After a loved one passes away, our consciousness does not want to accept the fact that he is no longer around. I would like to believe that somewhere far away in heaven he remembers us and can send a message.

In this article

The connection between the soul and a living person

Followers of religious and esoteric teachings consider the soul as a small particle of Divine consciousness. On Earth, the soul manifests itself through the best qualities of a person: kindness, honesty, nobility, generosity, the ability to forgive. Creative abilities are considered a gift from God, which means they are also realized through the soul.

She is immortal, but the human body has a limited lifespan. Therefore, at the end of earthly life, the soul leaves the body and goes to another level of the universe.

Basic theories about afterlife

Myths and religious views of peoples offer their vision of what happens to a person after death. For example, the “Tibetan Book of the Dead” describes step by step all the stages through which the soul passes from the moment of dying to the next incarnation on Earth.

Heaven and Hell, Heavenly Court

In Judaism, Christianity and Islam, a person after death awaits a Heavenly court, at which his earthly deeds are evaluated. Depending on the number of mistakes and good deeds, God, angels or apostles divide dead people into sinners and righteous people in order to send them either to Heaven for eternal bliss or to hell for eternal torment.

However, the ancient Greeks had something similar, where all the dead were sent to the underground kingdom of Hades under the guardianship of Cerberus. Souls were also distributed according to their level of righteousness. Pious people were placed in Elysium, and vicious people were placed in Tartarus.

The judgment of souls is present in different variations in ancient myths. In particular, the Egyptians had a deity, Anubis, who weighed the heart of the deceased with an ostrich feather to measure the severity of his sins. Pure souls headed to the paradise fields of the solar god Ra, where the rest were not allowed to go.

The souls of the righteous go to heaven

Evolution of the soul, Karma, Reincarnation

The religions of ancient India look at the fate of the soul differently. According to traditions, she comes to Earth more than once and each time she gains invaluable experience necessary for spiritual evolution.

Any life is a kind of lesson that is passed in order to reach a new level of the Divine game. All actions and deeds of a person during life constitute his karma, which can be good, bad or neutral.

The concepts of “hell” and “heaven” are not here, although the results of life are important for the upcoming incarnation. A person can earn better conditions in the next reincarnation or be born in the body of an animal. Everything determines behavior during your stay on Earth.

The space between worlds: the restless

In the Orthodox tradition there is the concept of 40 days from the moment of death. The date is important, since the Higher powers make the final decision about the residence of the soul. Before this, she has the opportunity to say goodbye to places dear to her on Earth, and also undergoes tests in the subtle worlds - ordeals, where she is tempted by evil spirits.

The Tibetan Book of the Dead names a similar period of time. And it also lists the trials encountered on the path of the soul. There are similarities between completely different traditions. Two beliefs tell about the space between the worlds, where a deceased person resides in a subtle material shell (astral body).

In 1990, the film “Ghost https://www.kinopoisk.ru/film/prividenie-1990-1991/” was released. Death overtook the hero of the film suddenly - Sam was treacherously killed on a tip from a business partner. While in the body of a ghost, he investigates and punishes the culprit.

This mystical drama perfectly outlined the astral plane and its laws. The film also explained why Sam was stuck between worlds: he had unfinished business on Earth - protecting the woman he loved. Having achieved justice, Sam gains passage to heaven.

Restless souls become ghosts

People whose lives were cut short at an early age, as a result of murder or an accident, cannot come to terms with the fact that they are gone. They are called restless souls. They wander the Earth as ghosts and sometimes even find a way to make their presence known. This phenomenon is not always caused by tragedy. The reason may be strong attachment to spouses, children, grandchildren or friends.

Video – a film about restless souls:

Is it true that dead people can see us?

There are many similarities in the stories of those who have experienced clinical death. Skeptics doubt the reliability of such an experience, believing that post-mortem images are hallucinations generated by a fading brain.

The famous healer Mirzakarim Norbekov talks about how he led a study of clinical death for four years. 380 out of 500 patients described the experience exactly the same, the difference was only in the details.

The person saw his physical body from the outside, and these were not hallucinations. Another vision was turned on, allowing one to observe what was happening in the hospital room and beyond. Moreover, a person could absolutely accurately describe a place where he was not physically present. All cases are carefully documented and verified.

What does a person see?

Let’s take the word of people who have looked beyond the physical world and systematize their experience:

1. The first stage is failure, a feeling of falling. Sometimes - literally. According to the story of a witness who received a knife wound in a fight, he first felt pain, then began to fall into a dark well with slippery walls.
2. Then the “deceased” finds himself where his physical shell is located: in a hospital room or at the scene of an accident. At the first moment he does not understand what he sees from himself. He does not recognize his own body, but, feeling the connection, he can mistake the “deceased” for a relative.
3. The eyewitness comes to the realization that in front of him is his own body. He makes the shocking discovery that he is dead. There is an acute feeling of protest. I don’t want to part with earthly life. He sees the doctors working their magic on him, observes the anxiety of his relatives, but can do nothing.
4. Gradually, a person gets used to the fact of death, and then the anxiety recedes, peace and tranquility comes. A person understands that this is not the end, but the beginning of a new stage. And then the way up opens before him.

What does the soul see?

After this, the person receives a new status. Humanity belongs to the Earth. The soul is sent to Heaven (or a higher dimension). In that moment everything changes. The soul perceives itself as a cloud of energy, more like a multi-colored aura.

The souls of loved ones who passed away earlier appear nearby. They look like living substances emitting light, but the traveler knows exactly who he has met. These essences help to move on to the next stage, where the Angel awaits - a guide to the higher spheres.

The path the soul follows is illuminated by Light

People find it difficult to describe the image of the Divine being on the path of the soul in words. This is the embodiment of Love and a sincere desire to help. According to one version, this is a Guardian Angel. According to another, he is the progenitor of all human souls. The guide communicates with the newcomer using telepathy, without words, in the ancient language of images. He demonstrates the events and misdeeds of his past life, but without the slightest hint of condemnation.

The road passes through space filled with Light. Those who have experienced clinical death talk about the feeling of an invisible barrier, which probably serves as the border between the world of the living and the kingdom of the dead. None of those who returned comprehended beyond the veil. What lies beyond the line is not given to the living to know.

Can the soul of the deceased come to visit?

The religion condemns the practice of spiritualism. This is considered a sin, since a tempting demon may appear under the guise of a deceased relative. Serious esotericists also do not approve of such sessions, since at this moment a portal opens through which dark entities can penetrate into our world.

The Church condemns seances for communicating with the dead

However, such visits can occur on the initiative of those who left Earth. If there was a strong connection between people in earthly life, then death will not break it. For at least 40 days, the soul of the deceased can visit relatives and friends and observe them from the side. People with high sensitivity sense this presence.

The deceased uses the dream space to meet the living. He may appear to a sleeping relative to remind him of himself, provide support or give advice in a difficult life situation.

Unfortunately, we do not take dreams seriously, and sometimes we simply forget what we dreamed at night. Therefore, the attempts of our departed relatives to reach us in a dream are not always successful.

Can a deceased person become a guardian angel?

Everyone perceives the passing of a loved one differently. For a mother who has lost a child, such an event is a real tragedy. A person needs support and consolation, because the pain of loss and longing reign in the heart. The bond between mother and child is especially strong, so children feel suffering acutely.

Children who die early can become guardian angels

However, any deceased relative can become a guardian angel for a family. It is important that during his lifetime this person is deeply religious, observes the laws of the Creator and strives for righteousness.

How can the dead contact the living?

The souls of the deceased do not belong to the material world, therefore they do not have the opportunity to appear on Earth as a physical body. In any case, we will not be able to see them in their previous form. In addition, there are unspoken rules according to which the dead cannot directly interfere in the affairs of the living.

1. According to the theory of reincarnation, deceased relatives or friends return to us, but in the guise of a different person. For example, they may appear in the same family, but as a younger generation: a grandmother who has passed on to another world may return to Earth as your granddaughter or niece, although, most likely, her memory of the previous incarnation will not be preserved.
2. Another option is spiritualistic seances, the dangers of which we discussed above. The possibility of dialogue, of course, exists, but is not approved by the church.
3. The third communication option is dreams and the astral plane. This is a more convenient platform for those who have passed away, since the astral plane belongs to the immaterial world. The living enter this space also not in a physical shell, but in the form of a subtle substance. Therefore, dialogue is possible. Esoteric teachings recommend taking dreams involving deceased loved ones seriously and listening to their advice, since the dead have greater wisdom than the living.
4. In exceptional cases, the soul of the deceased may appear in the physical world. This presence can feel like a chill down your spine. Sometimes you can even see something like a shadow or silhouette in the air.
5. In any case, the connection between the departed people and the living cannot be denied. Another thing is that not everyone perceives and understands this connection. For example, the souls of the departed can send us signs. There is a belief that a bird that accidentally flies into a house carries a message from the afterlife calling for caution.

This video talks about communicating with the dead through dreams:

Scientists' opinions on the soul and the afterlife

Representatives of science took the position of materialism, and the church always condemned atheists.

In earlier times, scientists believed that there was no soul. Consciousness and psyche are the activities of the brain and nervous system. Accordingly, with the cessation of life of the physical body, consciousness also dies. Scientists also did not take the afterlife seriously. They were convinced that in church they talked about heaven and hell in order to achieve obedience among parishioners.

About a century ago, Albert Einstein put forward the general theory of relativity, which revolutionized scientific views on the structure of the Universe. It turned out that such categories of matter as time and space are unstable. And Einstein questioned matter itself, declaring that it was more reasonable to talk about energy in its various manifestations.

The development of quantum physics has also made adjustments to the worldview of scientists. A theory has emerged about many variants of the Universe. And it has been experimentally proven that consciousness can influence processes in the world of microparticles.

This video talks about the view of modern scientists on the phenomenon of death:

What individual scientists say

As they moved into outer space and immersed themselves in the processes of the microworld, scientists pushed the boundaries of perception and came to the idea of ​​the existence of a Universal Mind, which religions call God. They became convinced of the animation of the Cosmos not through blind faith, but during numerous scientific experiments.

Russian biologist Vasily Lepeshkin

In the 1930s, a Russian biochemist discovered energy emissions emanating from a dying body. The bursts were recorded on ultra-sensitive photographic film. Based on observations, the scientist came to the conclusion that a special substance is separated from the dying body, which in religions is usually called the soul.

Professor Konstantin Korotkov

Doctor of Technical Sciences has developed a method of gas discharge visualization (GDV), which makes it possible to record fine-material radiation from the human body and obtain an image of the aura in real time.

Using the GDV method, the professor recorded energy processes at the moment of death. In fact, Korotkov’s experiments gave a picture of how a subtle component emerges from a dying person. The scientist believes that then consciousness, together with the subtle body, goes to another dimension.

Physicists Michael Scott from Edinburgh and Fred Alan Wolf from California

Adherents of the theory of many parallel Universes. Some of their options coincide with reality, others radically differ from it.

Any living being (more precisely, its spiritual center) never dies. It is simultaneously embodied in different versions of reality, and each individual part is unaware of its counterparts from parallel worlds.

Professor Robert Lantz

He drew an analogy between the continuous existence of humans and the life cycles of plants, which die in the winter, but begin to grow again in the spring. Thus, Lanz’s views are close to the Eastern doctrine of personal reincarnation.

The professor admits the existence of parallel worlds in which the same soul lives at the same time.

Anesthesiologist Stuart Hameroff

Due to the specifics of my work, I observed people on the verge of life and death. Now he is sure that the soul has a quantum nature. Stewart believes that it is not formed by neurons, but by the unique substance of the Universe. After the death of the physical body, spiritual information about the personality is transmitted into space and lives there as free consciousness.

Conclusion

As you can see, neither religion nor modern science denies the existence of the soul. Scientists, by the way, even named its exact weight - 21 grams. Having left this world, the soul continues to live in another dimension.

Blue color of the aura in a person’s biofield: how a passion for esotericism can make you clairvoyant

One sister asked if the dead could hear us...
My father passed away two weeks ago. I would like to know: does he hear us and what we tell him when our family comes to his grave? If not, is it possible to make him hear us? Please reply as quickly as possible as I hope this will help ease my pain.
Praise be to Allah
The basis is that the dead do not hear the living, according to the words of Allah:
وما أنت بمسمع من في القبور
إنك لا تُسمع الموتى
“You will not make the dead hear” (Ants 27:80)
When the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) addressed the dead kuffars after the Battle of Badr, Allah gave them the opportunity to hear his words, although they were buried at the bottom of the well. The scholars (may Allah have mercy on them) noted that this was a special case. See Al-Ayyat al-Bayinat fi adam Sama'a al-Amwat.
From a psychological point of view, your desire for your father to hear you is an attempt to resume the interrupted communication between you and thereby alleviate the pain of separation. Sister, Islam pointed out the actions that the living can perform for the benefit of the dead and which will reach him in the grave. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “When a person dies, all his deeds cease except three: continuous charity, knowledge that can be used (by other people), or a righteous child who will turn to Allah with prayers for him" (at-Tirmidhi, 1376; he also called the hadith reliable and good).
The greatest benefit after death and in the grave comes from prayer: pray for your father, ask for forgiveness and mercy for him, ask for Paradise and salvation from Fire, and also read other good duas.
The prayer of children for forgiveness of their deceased parents brings great benefits. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Verily, a Muslim will be elevated to a degree in Paradise, and he will ask: “Why do I need this?” They will answer him: “Your child asked for forgiveness for you.” Ibn Majah, 3660; "Sahih al-Jami", 1617.
The deceased also benefits from alms given on his behalf. It is reported that Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) said: “One person said to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): “My mother died suddenly, but I think that if she could talk, she would give alms. Will she receive a reward if I do this for her?” He said: “Yes.” Al-Bukhari, 1388.
It is narrated from Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) that the mother of Sa'ad ibn Ubadah (may Allah be pleased with them both) died while he was away from home. He said: “O Messenger of Allah, my mother has died and I am far from her. Will she receive a reward if I give alms on her behalf? He replied: “Yes.” Then Sa'ad said: "Be a witness that I give my fertile garden as alms from her." Al-Bukhari, 2756.
It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that one man said to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him): “My father died and he had money left. He didn't leave a will. Will it be atonement for his sins if I give some of them as alms from him?” He replied: “Yes.” Narrated by an-Nasai.
It is reported that Sa'ad ibn Ubadah (may Allah be pleased with them both) said: “I said: “O Messenger of Allah, my mother has died. Should I give alms from her? He (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) replied: “Yes.” I asked: “What kind of alms will be best?” He (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) replied: “Water.” Hadith narrated by an-Nasai.
Hajj and Umrah for the deceased can also benefit him, provided that the one who intends to do this has already performed Hajj or Umrah for himself.
It is reported from Abdullah ibn Buraidah (may Allah be pleased with them both) that his father said: “Once, when I was sitting with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), a woman came up to him and said: “I gave it to my mother as a slave as alms and now my mother is dead.” He (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “You have already received the reward and the right of inheritance returns your gift back (to you).” She said: “O Messenger of Allah, she has to make up for one month of fasting, can I fast for her?” He (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) replied: “Fast for her.” She said: “My mother has never performed Hajj, can I do it for her?” He (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) replied: “Perform Hajj for her.” Narrated by Muslim, 1149.
This hadith shows that it is permissible to fast for the deceased.
Another act that benefits the dead is fulfilling their vows. It is reported from Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with both of them) that one day a woman came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and said: “My mother vowed to perform the Hajj, but she died without doing so. Can I perform Hajj for her? He (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Yes, perform Hajj for her. If your mother had a debt, would you pay it off? She replied: “Yes.” He (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Then repay your debt to Allah, because an oath to Allah most deserves to be fulfilled.” Al-Bukhari, 7315.
If a person makes a sacrifice and dedicates part of it to the deceased, then this can also benefit him. When the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) performed a sacrifice, he said: “In the name of Allah. O Allah, this is from Muhammad and the family of Muhammad." Narrated by Muslim, 1967. Muhammad's family included both the living and the dead.
It should be noted, sister, that if you pray earnestly for your father, it will be better and more important for you, and will benefit the deceased more than thoughts about whether he hears or does not hear. So do something that will benefit both of you. You and your family should beware of innovations, such as commemorating forty days or a year after death, collective readings of Al-Fatiha, innovations at the grave, etc., which are often done by ignorant people.
I ask Allah to forgive your father and have mercy on him and all the deceased Muslims, truly He is Forgiving, Merciful.

Sheikh Muhammad Salih al-Munajid

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muslim_77 (banned) wrote:

“...and you cannot make those in the grave hear” (Creator 35:22) إنك لا تُسمع الموتى “You will not make the dead hear” (Murav...some of your arguments contradict the verses:
“...and you cannot make those in the grave hear” (Creator 35:22)
إنك لا تُسمع الموتى

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muslim_77 (banned) wrote:

some of your arguments contradict the verses:
“...and you cannot make those in the grave hear” (Creator 35:22)
إنك لا تُسمع الموتى
“You will not make the dead hear” (Ants 27:80) and these are the words of Allah. and also contradicts the hadith The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “When a person dies, all his deeds cease except three: continuous charity, knowledge that can be used (by other people), or a righteous child who will turn to Allah with prayers for him” (at-Tirmidhi, 1376; he also called the hadith reliable and good). Everyone knows perfectly well that after death a person has to account for it, but not prayer, not repentance, not dua - this is the lot of the living. or will you cross it out and leave it unattended?

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muslim_77 (banned) wrote:

some of your arguments contradict the verses: وما أنت بمسمع من في القبور “...and you cannot make those who are in the grave hear” (Creator 35:22) إنك لا تُسمع الموتى “You you can’t make the dead hear” (Murav...some of your arguments contradict the verses:
“...and you cannot make those in the grave hear” (Creator 35:22)
إنك لا تُسمع الموتى
“You will not make the dead hear” (Ants 27:80) and these are the words of Allah. and also contradicts the hadith The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “When a person dies, all his deeds cease except three: continuous charity, knowledge that can be used (by other people), or a righteous child who will turn to Allah with prayers for him” (at-Tirmidhi, 1376; he also called the hadith reliable and good). Everyone knows perfectly well that after death a person has to account for it, but not prayer, not repentance, not dua - this is the lot of the living. or will you cross it out and leave it unattended?

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muslim_77 (banned) wrote:

1. Those who hear.
2. Dead.






































Answer:


















Answer:

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muslim_77 (banned) wrote:

The Almighty said: “Truly, you will not make the dead hear and you will not make the deaf hear the call when they turn back” Ar-Rum, 52. The imam from among the great Tabi'ins is Muqatil ibn Suleiman...The Almighty said: “Verily, you will not make the dead hear and you will not make the deaf hear the call when they turn back” Ar-Rum, 52.
Imam from among the great Tabi'ins - Muqatil ibn Suleiman (died 150 AH) in his Tafsir said: “Truly, you will not make the dead hear” - i.e. an appeal, He compared the infidels with the dead, says: how not the dead man hears the call, and in the same way the infidels do not hear the faith and do not heed. Then he said: “and you cannot make the deaf hear the call when they turn back” and also compared it with the deaf who rushed back.” See Tafsir Muqatil, 3/50.
Imam at-Tabari (224-310 AH) in the interpretation of this Ayat said: “Truly, you - O Muhammad! - “will not make the dead hear and you will not make the deaf hear the call when they turn back” - says (Allah about that): you cannot give them an ear with which they could understand what you say to them. This example with (such) a lesson: make understand those polytheists to whom Allah has sealed their hearing and whom Allah has deprived of the understanding of what they read exhortations - you are not able to do this, it is equivalent to how you cannot understand the dead, - deprived of hearing by Allah, - having given these dead hearing. What we have said is similar to the words of the interpreters (of the Qur'an) "After this, listing those to whom this opinion belongs, he cited an isnad from Qatadah, who said: This is the example given by Allah for the unbelievers: just as the dead do not hear the call, likewise the unbeliever does not listen to it. “And you cannot make the deaf hear a call when they turn back” - just as if a deaf person runs away and you call him, he will not hear, in the same way, an infidel does not listen and does not benefit from what he hears." See Tafsir At -Tabari, 20/117.
Imam As-Samarkandi (died 375 AH) said: “He likened the unbelievers to the dead: just as the dead do not hear the call, and also cannot answer it, so the infidels do not listen to it when they are called to faith.” See . Bakhrul-"ulum, 3/365.
Ibn Abi Zamanin al-Maliki (324-399 AH) in his tafsir (4/29) said: “That is: you cannot force the unbelievers to hear, hear and accept, just like those who are not in their graves hear."
Imam Ash-Shaukani said in his interpretation of the Ayat: “Just as you cannot make someone who has died himself hear, so you cannot make someone whose heart has died hear.” See Fathul-Qadir, 4/486.
It is an established basis that the dead cannot hear. However, one should work with the arguments and understanding of the righteous predecessors not haphazardly, but according to established and recognized rules. And it is known from Usul-fiqh that “Work on a generalized argument is obligatory according to its generality, except if there is an argument that excludes some parts of the general.” See Sharh usul as-sunnah, 2/16.
Because if the text of the Qur'an or Sunnah has arrived, it is obligatory to accept what they indicate, except if another exclusionary argument has arrived, and it is impossible to continue working on this generality. This rule was also used by the Sahaba, as transmitted from some of them, as well as by the Tabieen and the scholars who came after them. Therefore, when it was established that in general the dead do not hear, it became obligatory to follow this, and in those particular cases about which reliable arguments were found in two collections, etc., to exclude it from the general rule. As, for example, it is known that after being buried a dead person hears the footsteps of people leaving and some other particular arguments are an exception. One of them is a Hadith from Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) about how the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said to the slain polytheists on the day of the Battle of Badr: “Have you found what your Lord promised you to be true? ?" and when Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) asked: “O Messenger of Allah, are you talking to people who are rotten?” He replied: “You hear my words no better than they do!” (Al-Bukhari, Muslim)
Qatada said: “Allah revived them so that they would hear his words as reproach, humiliation, revenge, with bitterness and regret” (Sahih al-Bukhari, 3679)
The words of Qatada indicate that for them to develop hearing, it is necessary to return life to them, as Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali said: “The words of Qatada about the people of the well (Badr) are an argument that the dead do not hear words except when returning souls into his body, as it came directly in the long Hadith transmitted by al-Bara ibn Azim from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)." See Ahualu al-qubur, 1/132.
Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani said: “Said (Abdul-Wahid) Ibn-t-Tin (died 611 AH): there is no contradiction between the hadith of Ibn Umar and the Ayat. Because the dead cannot hear, there is no doubt about it, however If Allah wants to give hearing to someone who is usually deaf, then there is no barrier to this.” See Fathul Bari, 3/235
Taftazani (died in 749 AH) said: “As for the words of the Almighty from Surah Fatir, verse 22: “And you will not make those who are in the graves hear,” then this is likening the state of the infidels to the state of the dead, and there is no disagreement about that the dead cannot hear." See Sharh al-Maqasid, 2-220
I won’t deny that these are all Salafist scholars...
1. The Almighty said: “Only those who hear answer. And Allah will raise the dead, after which they will be returned to Him” (6:36).
As can be seen from this verse, the Almighty has identified two categories of people:
1. Those who hear.
2. Dead.
And if the dead were from those who hear, then this division would be wrong.
2. The Almighty said: “You will not make the dead hear and you will not make the deaf hear the call when they turn back” (27:80).
All interpreters of the Koran agreed that the dead and deaf in this verse mean living unbelievers. The Almighty compared them to the dead and deaf, since they, as if dead and deaf, do not respond to the call to monotheism. After all, if you turn to a dead and deaf person and call him to do something, he will not answer you, because he does not hear or understand you. Therefore, in one of the verses, the Almighty said: “Truly, it makes no difference to the disbelievers whether you warned them or not. They still won't believe. Allah has sealed their hearts and ears, and over their eyes is a veil. Great torment is reserved for them” (2:6-7).
Based on this, the Quburite Sufis responded to the above argument by saying that in this verse, the dead and deaf do not mean the dead righteous in their graves, but the unbelievers, who in their lack of understanding of the call are like the dead and deaf.
The answer to their statement would be the following:
1. The verse carries a general meaning and nothing prevents us from understanding it in the literal sense.
2. If we say that this verse refers to the disbelievers, whom the Almighty compared to the dead and deaf, then this is an even stronger argument in our question. If we say: “Ahmad is like a lion in his courage,” what do we understand from this comparison? What we understand from this is that the lion is braver than Ahmad, otherwise there would be no point in comparing Ahmad with the lion. In the same way, if we say: “The unbelievers do not understand or hear conversion like the dead,” what do we understand from this comparison? We understand two things from this:
1. That the dead, in their inability to hear and understand, are superior to unbelievers, otherwise, if the dead could hear, there would be no point in comparing unbelievers with them.
2. From this comparison we understand that the inability of the dead to hear is an absolute axiom among people, because if the people to whom the Quran was revealed were not sure that the dead do not hear, there would be no point in giving them this dubious comparison.
Therefore, one of the imams of the Hanafi madhhab, Imam al-Janjuhi (1323), commenting on this verse, said: “Here the Almighty compared the unbelievers with the dead in that they do not hear. From this we understand that the dead do not hear, otherwise the comparison would be incorrect.”
Also, this verse draws a fine line between the dead and the deaf. It lies in the fact that when speaking about the dead, Allah did not add anything to this, but when speaking about the deaf, He said: “And you will not make the deaf hear the call when they turn back.” Why did the Almighty discuss the inability of the deaf to hear the call by saying that this is only possible if they turn back, that is, go a long distance?! After all, a deaf person cannot hear, regardless of whether he is far or close. This is because if a deaf person is nearby during the call, then he can understand the essence of the call by hand movements and facial expressions, but if he goes far away, then he will not see these movements and facial expressions. Based on this, it becomes clear that a dead person, in his inability to hear and understand, is superior to a deaf person, since a dead person, unlike a deaf person, neither hears nor sees.
This fine line was explained by one of the Hanafi imams, Imam an-Nasafi (710 AD) in his book “al-Madarik”.
3. Allah said: “The living and the dead are not equal. Verily, Allah grants hearing to whomever He wills, and you cannot force those who are in the grave to hear” (35:22).
Commenting on this verse, the Hanafi imam at-Taftazani (792 AD) said: “In this verse, the Almighty compared the unbelievers to the dead. And there is no disagreement that the dead does not hear.” “Sharh ul-Maqasid” 5/116.
The words of this Hanafi Imam lead us to a surprising conclusion. Despite the fact that there is no disagreement that the dead do not hear, the Quburite Sufis, who consider themselves to be part of the Hanafi madhhab, for some reason are trying at the top of their lungs to defend the false opinion that the dead hear, and better than the living, moreover, so that turning to them is more beneficial than turning to Allah.
4. Allah said: “He lengthens the day at the expense of the night and lengthens the night at the expense of the day. He has subdued the sun and the moon, and they are moving towards the appointed time. This is Allah, your Lord. To Him belongs the power, and those to whom you call besides Him do not even own the chaff of a date stone. When you call on them, they do not hear your prayer, and even if they heard, they would not answer you. On the Day of Resurrection they will reject your worship. No one will guide you like the One who knows” (35:13-14).
The Sufis responded to this argument by saying that this verse refers to stones, idols and graven images, which were worshiped by the polytheists of the times of ignorance, invoking them. However, the answer to this will be that the expression: “And those to whom you call” says that they called to rational beings, since if we were talking about stones and idols, then the Almighty would say: “Otherwise , what are you calling for? And also the expression: “They will reject your worship” says that those prophets, angels and righteous people to whom the polytheists called, after they are resurrected on the Day of Judgment and learn that these pagans worshiped them besides Allah, will reject their worship. As for stones and idols, as is known from religious contexts, they will not be resurrected on the Day of Judgment, since they are not described by the qualities of “life” and “death.”
Therefore, in similar verses, the Almighty said: “On that day He will gather them all, and then He will say to the angels: “Were they the ones who worshiped you?” They will say: “Glorified are You! You are our Patron, not them. They worshiped the jinn, and most of them believed in them" (34:40-41).
And also: “Allah said: “O Isa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary)! Have you told people: “Accept me and my mother as two gods along with Allah?” He said: “Glorified are You! How could I say something that I have no right to say? If I said that, You would know about it. You know what is in my soul, but I do not know what is in Your Soul. Verily, You are the Knower of the unseen” (5:116).
And also: “On that day He will gather them and those whom they worshiped instead of Allah, and will say: “Did you mislead these servants of Mine, or did they themselves go astray?” They will say: “Glorified are You! It was not right for us to take patrons and helpers instead of You. However, You allowed them and their fathers to enjoy the benefits, so that they forgot the Reminder. They were a lost people." They have refuted what you say, and you can neither avert the punishment nor help yourself. Those of you who have done wrong We will give a taste of great torment" (25:17-19).
Also, in the verse we cited, the argument is that even if these dead righteous people (auliyya) were able to hear the speech and appeals of people, they would not be able to respond to these appeals. This is because the ability to hear does not carry with it the ability to respond.
Therefore, the Hanafi imam al-Alusi said: “And even if they heard” - i.e. Even if you imagine this, “they would not answer you,” because the dead are not endowed with the ability to speak, and the presence of hearing does not mean the ability to answer.” "Ruh ul-Ma'ani" 22/182.
5. Allah said: “Who is in greater error than those who call instead of Allah to those who will not answer them until the Day of Resurrection and who are not aware of their call?! And when the people are gathered, they will become their enemies and reject their worship” (46:5-6).
6. Allah said: “Or over one who passed by a village that was destroyed to the ground? He said: “How will Allah resurrect this after all this has died?” Allah killed him for a hundred years, and then revived him and said: “How long have you been here?” He said: “I stayed a day or part of a day.” He said: “No, you stayed a hundred years. Look at your food and water: they haven't even changed. And look at your donkey. We will certainly make you a sign to the people. See how We gather the bones and then cover them with meat.” When this was shown to him, he said: “I know that Allah is capable of everything” (2:259).
The Hanafi imam al-Finjifiri said: “It was the prophet ‘Uzair. The Almighty killed him so that he could see how the Almighty revives the dead. He lay on the face of the earth unburied for a hundred years. Then Allah revived him and asked: “How long did you stay in this state?” to which ‘Uzair suggested in doubt: “A day or part of a day.” And he didn’t know that he had lain like that for a hundred years. This suggests that this great prophet did not feel the change of day and night and how generations change... Therefore, this event is an argument that the dead do not hear, along with the fact that he was on the surface of the earth and was not buried in the ground. Also, this event is an argument that the souls of the prophets are not in their bodies after death, and that their death is a real death, and that their life in the grave is an otherworldly life, and not an ordinary, bodily one." "Jawahir ul-Quran » 1/127.
Based on this story, we understand that the dead prophets do not hear or know anything about what is happening in this world. This applies to prophets, not to mention ordinary righteous people. If someone nevertheless assumes that the righteous differ in these abilities from the prophets and still hear, see and know what is happening, then let him read the following Words of Allah:
7. Allah said: “We sealed their ears in a cave for many years... Thus We awakened them so that they questioned each other. One of them said, “How long have you been here?” They said: “We stayed a day or part of a day.” They said: “Your Lord knows best how long you have stayed. Send one of you into the city with your silver coins. Let him see what the best food is and bring it to you to eat. But let him be careful so that no one guesses about you... They spent three hundred years and nine more in the cave. Say: “Allah knows best how long they stayed. With Him is the secret of heaven and earth. How beautifully He sees and hears! They have no patron besides Him, and no one makes decisions with Him” (18:11, 19, 25-26).
These verses are evidence that the dead do not hear. This is because these young men were not dead, but were just sleeping in a deep sleep, but what can we say about those who died?!
8. Abu Talha related that on the day of the Battle of Badr, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) ordered the bodies of twenty-four (24) leaders of Quraish to be thrown into the Badr ditch. Usually, when the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) won a battle, he remained on the battlefield for three days, but after the Battle of Badr he prepared to leave on the third day. He ordered his animal to be prepared, after which he mounted it, set off, and was followed by his companions. They said to each other: “Something important must have happened.” When the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) passed by this ditch, he stood on its edge and began to address the dead Quraish by their names and the names of their fathers: “Oh, so-and-so, son of so-and-so! Oh, so-and-so, son of so-and-so! Would you like to return to this world now and submit to Allah and His Messenger? Verily, we have found what our Lord promised us in truth, and have you found what your Lord promised you in truth?” Then ‘Umar turned to the prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, and said: “O Messenger of Allah! How do you address bodies devoid of spirit?” Then the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “By Him in Whose Hand is the soul of Muhammad, you hear what I say no better than they.” Qatada said: “The Almighty revived them so that they could hear his words for greater humiliation, shame, revenge and regret” (Sahith Hadith; Bukhari 4/1461).
In one of the rivayat: “Now they hear what I say” (Sahily rivayat; Bukhari 7/242).
In another narration: “O Messenger of Allah! How can they hear you? And how will they answer you, since they have already rotted?” (Reliable; Muslim 4/2203).
What is surprising is the logic of the Quburite Sufis, who cite this hadith as an argument that the dead hear, while this hadith is a clear argument that the dead do not hear. The explanation for this is as follows:
1. The words of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace: “Now they hear what I say” indicate that they heard him only at that moment, otherwise there is no point in discussing this phenomenon with the word “now.”
2. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not object to ‘Umar’s surprise and did not say to him: “Don’t you know that the dead hear as if they were alive?” On the contrary, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) made it clear to ‘Umar that his surprise was appropriate, but this event was from the category of miracles.
3. In this hadith, the argument is that the firm belief of the Companions was that they knew that the dead do not hear, and, accordingly, no one can cite this hadith as an argument that the dead hear.
4. The words of Qatada indicate that the Almighty revived them, and at that moment they were not dead, and, accordingly, no one can cite this hadith as an argument that the dead hear.
5. The basis is that the dead never hear anyone, but this story was one of the miracles of the prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, which consisted in the fact that the Almighty revived them at that moment. That is why Khatib al-Tibrizi cited this hadith in his book “al-Mishkat” (No. 5983) in the chapter “On Miracles”.
6. Addressing the unbelievers after their death is an ancient custom of the prophets, in order to further increase the regret and shame of these unbelievers.
Allah said, speaking about the prophet Salih and the death of his people: “An earthquake struck them, and they were thrown down on their faces in their homes. He turned away from them and said: “Oh, my people! I brought to you the message of my Lord and sincerely wished you well, but you do not love those who wish you well" (7:78-79), and also about Shu'aib: "An earthquake struck them, and they were thrown down on their faces in their homes. Those who considered Shueib a liar were as if they had never lived there. Those who considered Shuaib to be a liar found themselves the losers. He turned away from them and said, “Oh. my people! I have brought to you the messages of my Lord and sincerely wished you well. How can I be sad for unbelieving people? (7:91-93).
Sufis refer to the following “strong” hadiths: 1. Anas ibn Malik said that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said: “Verily, when a servant of Allah is laid in the grave and his friends move away from him and he hears the tramp of their sandals , two angels come to him...” (Reliable hadith; Bukhari 1/462-463; Muslim 4/2200-2201).
Their conclusion: the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said that the buried person hears the sound of sandals of people leaving him, and accordingly the dead hear.
Answer:
1. The same point is explained in the hadith cited by Imam Ahmad and Abu Dawood from Bara ibn ‘Azib. In this hadith comes a very important passage: “And then the soul returns to his body and two angels come to him...”. From this passage it is understood that the soul returns to the body of the buried person and he is no longer among the dead, and the soul remains in his body until he answers the questions of these angels. Therefore, this hadith is in no way an argument in favor of the fact that the dead hear, on the contrary, the clause that in order to answer the questions of the angels the soul is returned to him, says that if the soul had not been returned to his body, then he would not could hear the angels' questions and could not answer them.
2. One of the Hanafi scholars ‘Abdussalam ar-Rustami responded to this hadith as follows: “This hadith only indicates that the buried person hears the trampling of sandals. There is no indication in this hadith that he hears people’s appeals to him or understands their appeals. It is like someone who is under a roof and hears the footsteps of someone walking on the roof, but does not hear or understand his words.” "at-Tibyan" p. 140.
3. It is also surprising how these Quburite Sufis, who are mostly Ash'arites and Maturids, argue for this hadith. After all, their belief is that a hadith that has not reached the level of mutawatir cannot serve as an argument in ideological matters, not to mention the case when the external conclusion of this hadith contradicts obvious, numerous verses of the Quran. So what made them grab this hadith and suddenly “forget” their basics?!
Be that as it may, this hadith does not contradict the Koran and there is no evidence in it that the dead hear.
And all praise belongs to Allah alone.
2. Abu Hurayrah said that when the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was returning from the battle of Uhud, he stood over the grave of Mus'ab ibn 'Umair and other companions and said: “I bear witness that they are alive with Allah Almighty, visit them and greet them with peace. I swear by the One in whose Hand my soul is, whoever greets them with peace, they will certainly answer him until the Day of Judgment” (Rejected Hadith; al-Beyhaqi; al-Hakim).
This hadith is unreliable, as imams al-Dhahabi, Ibn Rajab and others said. Moreover, Imam al-Dhahabi even called it false, although the weakness of this hadith does not reach this level. See al-Da'ifa 5225.
3. Abu Hurayrah reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever passes by the grave of a believer whom he knew during his lifetime and greeted him with peace, that deceased person will recognize him and respond to him with peace.” (Rejected Hadith ; al-Khatib in "Tarikh" 6/137; see "ad-Da'ifa" 4493).
This hadith is no stronger in strength than the previous one; in its isnad, ‘Abdurrahman ibn Zeid ibn Aslam is a very weak transmitter. Hafiz al-Hakim said about him in Madkhal (1/180) that he invented hadiths and transmitted them from his father. Therefore, Imam Ibn Rajab said: “The hadith is weak, moreover, rejected.” Hadiths of this level of weakness are not suitable for making an argument.
4. Zeid ibn Aslam said: “One day, Abu Huraira passed by the grave with his friend and said: “Greet him.” His friend replied: “Shall we greet the grave with peace?” Then Abu Hurayrah said: “If this person has seen you in this world at least once, he will certainly recognize you now” (False, fictitious hadith; ‘Abdurrazzaq in Musannaf 6723).
This hadith is much weaker than the previous two, because this hadith is not just weak, but false, since in its chain Yahya ibn al-'Ala is the inventor of hadiths.
5. Abu Huraira said that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said: “Whoever greets me with peace, Allah will certainly return my soul to the body and I will answer him” (Good hadith; Abu Dawud 1/319; Beyhaqi 5/245; Ahmad 2/227; Tabarani in al-Awsat 449; see al-Sahiha 2266).
There is no evidence in this hadith that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) hears the greetings of those who greet him, but the Almighty returns his spirit and gives the opportunity to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) to return the greeting. Based on this hadith, it is understood that the spirit of the prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, is with Allah, and not in his body, and the prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, does not hear the speech of people and is not able to help them. All that is there is that his spirit returns and he returns the greeting. How this happens is unknown, since this world is hidden.
Another proof that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) does not hear those who greet him and ask for blessings on his behalf is the hadith narrated by Abu Hurayrah: “The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “ Do not turn my grave into a place of constant gatherings, but ask for blessings for me, truly, your blessings will be conveyed to me wherever you are” (Good Hadith; Abu Dawud 2042; Ahmad 2/367).
The words of the prophet: “they will be brought to me” clearly indicate that he himself does not hear these blessings.
As for the hadith: “Whoever asks for a blessing for me at my grave, I will hear it, and whoever asks for a blessing from afar, it will be brought to me,” then this hadith is false.
In his isnad, Muhammad ibn Marwan al-Suddi was a liar and made up hadiths. Therefore, Imam Ibn al-Jawzi cited this hadith in his collection of false hadiths “al-Maudu’at” (1/302-303). Also see al-Da'ifa No. 203.
7. If the dead cannot hear, then why greet them when visiting a grave?
Answer:
Greeting the dead while visiting graves with the words: “Peace be with you, oh, believing inhabitants of these places,” is done not because the dead hear these greetings, but this is a prayer for them for peace and forgiveness.
Thus, we have presented the doubts of the Quburite Sufis, with which they are trying to prove such an important ideological issue.
It should be noted here that their belief that the dead hear is one of the most important pillars of their ideology, on which they build all their subsequent actions, such as asking the dead, worshiping them, showing respect for their graves, etc. They believe that this is what religion is all about and cannot imagine a religion that is not associated with graves. We ask them: if the issue of hearing the dead is so important in religion, then why is there not a single verse in the entire Quran confirming what they hear, just as there is not a single reliable, indisputable, explicit hadith about this?! For if it were so important, and it were the basis of religion, sacred contexts would be replete with evidence of it. This is because the more important the issue, the more detailed it is covered in contexts. Therefore, we see hundreds and thousands of hadiths about ablution, prayer, hajj, uraz, etc.
The Hanafi imam Ibn Abil-'Izz said: “Therefore, the greater the need of people to understand a particular issue, the more obvious the contexts regarding this issue are, like mercy from Allah to His creations.” “Sharkh ‘Aqida Tahauiya” p. 93.
After we have found out that scholars and imams of the Hanafi madhhab clearly state that the dead do not hear, it is also necessary to give the names of representatives of other madhhabs so that the reader is convinced that this opinion is not limited only to the Hanafis. But, based on the fact that citing the statements of these scientists will lengthen the already protracted topic too much, we will limit ourselves to only citing their names and indicating the sources in which their words and statements can be found.
So, the opinion that the dead do not hear was also expressed by:
1. Abul-Walid Suleiman al-Bazhi (474 ​​years old). See al-Muntaqa 1/69.
2. Muhammad ibn ‘Ali al-Maziri (536).See. “al-Mu'lim fi Sharh Muslim” 17/206.
3. Abul-Fadl Qady ‘Iyad (544 g/h). See “Sharkh Zurkani ‘ala Muatta Malik” 1/63.
All of them are among the greatest imams of the Maliki madhhab.
4. Qady Abu Ya'lya (458 g/x). See al-Jami' al-Kabir.
5. Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali (795 year). See "al-Ahual ul-Kubur"
6. Muhammad ibn Ahmad al-Saffarini (1188). See al-Bahr al-Zajirah.
All of them are among the greatest imams of the Hanbali madhhab.
7. Al-Hussein ibn Muhammad at-Tibi (743 year). See al-Mafatih fi hillil-Masabih.
8. Ibn Hajar al-'Askalyani (852 year). See Fath ul-Bari 3/182.
9. ‘Abdurrauf al-Munawi (1031). See Fayd ul-Qadir.
All of them are among the greatest imams of the Shafi'i madhhab.
I cited the names of these imams not because no one else supported this opinion, but simply because they are one of the greatest imams of their madhhabs. Imam at-Tabari (224-310 AH) in the interpretation of this Ayat said: “Truly, you - O Muhammad! - “will not make the dead hear and you will not make the deaf hear the call when they turn back” - says (Allah about that): you cannot give them an ear with which they could understand what you say to them. This example with (such) a lesson: make understand those polytheists to whom Allah has sealed their hearing and whom Allah has deprived of the understanding of what they read exhortations - you are not able to do this, it is equivalent to how you cannot understand the dead, - deprived of hearing by Allah, - having given these dead hearing. What we have said is similar to the words of the interpreters (of the Qur'an) "After this, listing those to whom this opinion belongs, he cited an isnad from Qatadah, who said: This is the example given by Allah for the unbelievers: just as the dead do not hear the call, likewise the unbeliever does not listen to it. “And you cannot make the deaf hear a call when they turn back” - just as if a deaf person runs away and you call him, he will not hear, in the same way, an infidel does not listen and does not benefit from what he hears." See Tafsir At -Tabari, 20/117.
Imam As-Samarkandi (died 375 AH) said: “He likened the unbelievers to the dead: just as the dead do not hear the call, and also cannot answer it, so the infidels do not listen to it when they are called to faith.” See . Bakhrul-"ulum, 3/365.
Ibn Abi Zamanin al-Maliki (324-399 AH) in his tafsir (4/29) said: “That is: you cannot force the unbelievers to hear, hear and accept, just like those who are not in their graves hear."
Imam Ash-Shaukani said in his interpretation of the Ayat: “Just as you cannot make someone who has died himself hear, so you cannot make someone whose heart has died hear.” See Fathul-Qadir, 4/486.
It is an established basis that the dead cannot hear. However, one should work with the arguments and understanding of the righteous predecessors not haphazardly, but according to established and recognized rules. And it is known from Usul-fiqh that “Work on a generalized argument is obligatory according to its generality, except if there is an argument that excludes some parts of the general.” See Sharh usul as-sunnah, 2/16.
Because if the text of the Qur'an or Sunnah has arrived, it is obligatory to accept what they indicate, except if another exclusionary argument has arrived, and it is impossible to continue working on this generality. This rule was also used by the Sahaba, as transmitted from some of them, as well as by the Tabieen and the scholars who came after them. Therefore, when it was established that in general the dead do not hear, it became obligatory to follow this, and in those particular cases about which reliable arguments were found in two collections, etc., to exclude it from the general rule. As, for example, it is known that after being buried a dead person hears the footsteps of people leaving and some other particular arguments are an exception. One of them is a Hadith from Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) about how the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said to the slain polytheists on the day of the Battle of Badr: “Have you found what your Lord promised you to be true? ?" and when Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) asked: “O Messenger of Allah, are you talking to people who are rotten?” He replied: “You hear my words no better than they do!” (Al-Bukhari, Muslim)
Qatada said: “Allah revived them so that they would hear his words as reproach, humiliation, revenge, with bitterness and regret” (Sahih al-Bukhari, 3679)
The words of Qatada indicate that for them to develop hearing, it is necessary to return life to them, as Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali said: “The words of Qatada about the people of the well (Badr) are an argument that the dead do not hear words except when returning souls into his body, as it came directly in the long Hadith transmitted by al-Bara ibn Azim from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)." See Ahualu al-qubur, 1/132.
Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani said: “Said (Abdul-Wahid) Ibn-t-Tin (died 611 AH): there is no contradiction between the hadith of Ibn Umar and the Ayat. Because the dead cannot hear, there is no doubt about it, however If Allah wants to give hearing to someone who is usually deaf, then there is no barrier to this.” See Fathul Bari, 3/235
Taftazani (died in 749 AH) said: “As for the words of the Almighty from Surah Fatir, verse 22: “And you will not make those who are in the graves hear,” then this is likening the state of the infidels to the state of the dead, and there is no disagreement about that the dead cannot hear." See Sharh al-Maqasid, 2-220
I won’t deny that these are all Salafist scholars...
1. The Almighty said: “Only those who hear answer. And Allah will raise the dead, after which they will be returned to Him” (6:36).
As can be seen from this verse, the Almighty has identified two categories of people:
1. Those who hear.
2. Dead.
And if the dead were from those who hear, then this division would be wrong.
2. The Almighty said: “You will not make the dead hear and you will not make the deaf hear the call when they turn back” (27:80).
All interpreters of the Koran agreed that the dead and deaf in this verse mean living unbelievers. The Almighty compared them to the dead and deaf, since they, as if dead and deaf, do not respond to the call to monotheism. After all, if you turn to a dead and deaf person and call him to do something, he will not answer you, because he does not hear or understand you. Therefore, in one of the verses, the Almighty said: “Truly, it makes no difference to the disbelievers whether you warned them or not. They still won't believe. Allah has sealed their hearts and ears, and over their eyes is a veil. Great torment is reserved for them” (2:6-7).
Based on this, the Quburite Sufis responded to the above argument by saying that in this verse, the dead and deaf do not mean the dead righteous in their graves, but the unbelievers, who in their lack of understanding of the call are like the dead and deaf.
The answer to their statement would be the following:
1. The verse carries a general meaning and nothing prevents us from understanding it in the literal sense.
2. If we say that this verse refers to the disbelievers, whom the Almighty compared to the dead and deaf, then this is an even stronger argument in our question. If we say: “Ahmad is like a lion in his courage,” what do we understand from this comparison? What we understand from this is that the lion is braver than Ahmad, otherwise there would be no point in comparing Ahmad with the lion. In the same way, if we say: “The unbelievers do not understand or hear conversion like the dead,” what do we understand from this comparison? We understand two things from this:
1. That the dead, in their inability to hear and understand, are superior to unbelievers, otherwise, if the dead could hear, there would be no point in comparing unbelievers with them.
2. From this comparison we understand that the inability of the dead to hear is an absolute axiom among people, because if the people to whom the Quran was revealed were not sure that the dead do not hear, there would be no point in giving them this dubious comparison.
Therefore, one of the imams of the Hanafi madhhab, Imam al-Janjuhi (1323), commenting on this verse, said: “Here the Almighty compared the unbelievers with the dead in that they do not hear. From this we understand that the dead do not hear, otherwise the comparison would be incorrect.”
Also, this verse draws a fine line between the dead and the deaf. It lies in the fact that when speaking about the dead, Allah did not add anything to this, but when speaking about the deaf, He said: “And you will not make the deaf hear the call when they turn back.” Why did the Almighty discuss the inability of the deaf to hear the call by saying that this is only possible if they turn back, that is, go a long distance?! After all, a deaf person cannot hear, regardless of whether he is far or close. This is because if a deaf person is nearby during the call, then he can understand the essence of the call by hand movements and facial expressions, but if he goes far away, then he will not see these movements and facial expressions. Based on this, it becomes clear that a dead person, in his inability to hear and understand, is superior to a deaf person, since a dead person, unlike a deaf person, neither hears nor sees.
This fine line was explained by one of the Hanafi imams, Imam an-Nasafi (710 AD) in his book “al-Madarik”.
3. Allah said: “The living and the dead are not equal. Verily, Allah grants hearing to whomever He wills, and you cannot force those who are in the grave to hear” (35:22).