Barzakh (Intermediate State) الْبَرْزَخ

Overview

Barzakh (Arabic: الْبَرْزَخ; literally "barrier" or "partition") is the intermediate state of the soul between physical death and the bodily resurrection on the Day of Judgement. It is the phase in which the soul resides in or near the grave, undergoes the questioning by Munkar and Nakir, and either enjoys an opening of Paradise or suffers a foretaste of the Fire — pending the final reckoning.

Quranic references

• Surah Al-Mu'minun 23:99–100 — "Until, when death comes to one of them, he says: My Lord, send me back, that I may do righteousness in what I left behind. No! It is only a word he is saying — and behind them is a barzakh until the Day they are resurrected."
• Surah Ghafir 40:46 — "The Fire — they are exposed to it morning and evening; and on the Day the Hour comes, [it will be said]: Make the people of Pharaoh enter the severest punishment." Classical commentary identifies this as punishment in the Barzakh.
• Surah Aal Imran 3:169–170 — "And do not think of those who have been killed in the cause of Allah as dead. Rather, they are alive with their Lord, receiving provision." The martyrs in the Barzakh.
• Surah Nuh 71:25 — "Because of their sins they were drowned and put into the Fire."

Hadith

Al-Barāʾ ibn ʿĀzib reported the Prophet ﷺ described the believer's death and entry into Barzakh in detail, including how a window from Paradise is opened to the believer's grave; conversely, a window from the Fire is opened to the disbeliever's grave. — Sunan Abi Dawud 4753 (graded Sahih by al-Albani); Musnad Aḥmad 18557

Anas ibn Mālik reported the Prophet ﷺ said: "When the servant is placed in his grave and his companions turn to leave him, two angels come to him, sit him up, and ask: What did you used to say about this man, Muhammad?…" — Sahih al-Bukhari 1338; Sahih Muslim 2870

Significance

Belief in the Barzakh — including the questioning, the punishment of the grave, and the bliss of the grave — is part of authentic Sunni creed (al-Ṭaḥāwiyyah, al-Wāsiṭiyyah). The standard daily supplication includes seeking refuge from "the punishment of the grave" (Sahih al-Bukhari 1377; Sahih Muslim 588). The Barzakh is the preliminary justice; the full reckoning awaits the resurrection.

See also

• Munkar and Nakir
• Death
• Day of Judgement
• Akhirah
• Adhab

References

1. The Quran (Sahih International translation): Surahs Aal Imran 3:169–170; Al-Mu'minun 23:99–100; Ghafir 40:46; Nuh 71:25.
2. Sahih al-Bukhari 1338, 1377; Sahih Muslim 588, 2870.
3. Sunan Abi Dawud 4753, graded Sahih by al-Albani.
4. Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyyah, ar-Rūḥ, sections on Barzakh.
5. al-Qurṭubī, at-Tadhkirah fī Aḥwāl al-Mawtā wa-Umūr al-Ākhirah, opening chapters.
6. Umar Sulayman al-Ashqar, al-Yawm al-Ākhir: al-Qiyāmah aṣ-Ṣughrā (Dar an-Nafāʾis).