Can animals speak to the pious in the grave.

Someone asked if deers or other animals speak to the pious in the grave?

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.  

In principle, the following concepts are established through the Qur’ān and Sunnah:

1)     Everything in creation (including animals) glorifies Allāh Ta`ālā but we as humans are unable to understand them.[1]

2)     If Allāh Ta`āla wills, then he grants some of his living servants the ability to converse directly with animals such as the story of Sulaymān (`alayhis salām) narrated in the Qur’ān[2] and the story of the shepherd and wolf as narrated in Bukhārī.[3]

3)     In certain instances, the dead hear certain sounds from the living and the Animals are able to hear the voices of the dead as proven through the following narration:

عَنْ أَنَسٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: ” العَبْدُ إِذَا وُضِعَ فِي قَبْرِهِ، وَتُوُلِّيَ وَذَهَبَ أَصْحَابُهُ حَتَّى إِنَّهُ لَيَسْمَعُ قَرْعَ نِعَالِهِمْ، أَتَاهُ مَلَكَانِ، فَأَقْعَدَاهُ، فَيَقُولاَنِ لَهُ: مَا كُنْتَ تَقُولُ فِي هَذَا الرَّجُلِ مُحَمَّدٍ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ؟ فَيَقُولُ: أَشْهَدُ أَنَّهُ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ وَرَسُولُهُ، فَيُقَالُ: انْظُرْ إِلَى مَقْعَدِكَ مِنَ النَّارِ أَبْدَلَكَ اللَّهُ بِهِ مَقْعَدًا مِنَ الجَنَّةِ، قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: ” فَيَرَاهُمَا جَمِيعًا، وَأَمَّا الكَافِرُ – أَوِ المُنَافِقُ – فَيَقُولُ: لاَ أَدْرِي، كُنْتُ أَقُولُ مَا يَقُولُ النَّاسُ، فَيُقَالُ: لاَ دَرَيْتَ وَلاَ تَلَيْتَ، ثُمَّ يُضْرَبُ بِمِطْرَقَةٍ مِنْ حَدِيدٍ ضَرْبَةً بَيْنَ أُذُنَيْهِ، فَيَصِيحُ صَيْحَةً يَسْمَعُهَا مَنْ يَلِيهِ إِلَّا الثَّقَلَيْنِ “

It is narrated on the authority of Anas (radiyallāhu `anh) that the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ said, “When a human being is laid in his grave and his companions return and he even hears their footsteps, two angels come to him and make him sit and ask him: What did you use to say about this man, Muhammad? He will say: I testify that he is Allah’s slave and His Apostle. Then it will be said to him, ‘Look at your place in the Hell-Fire. Allah has given you a place in Paradise instead of it.’ “The Prophet (ﷺ) added, “The dead person will see both his places. But a non-believer or a hypocrite will say to the angels, ‘I do not know, but I used to say what the people used to say! It will be said to him, ‘Neither did you know nor did you take the guidance (by reciting the Qur’an).’ Then he will be hit with an iron hammer between his two ears, and he will cry and that cry will be heard by whatever approaches him except human beings and jinns.”[4]

In relation to animals specifically speaking to the pious in their graves, this is a matter of the unseen whose knowledge belongs with Allāh Ta`ālā alone. If He through His will desires to allow His pious servants to speak to the animals while they are in their grave, then it is surely possible.[5]

However, such questions are irrelevant as they do not have any effect on our Īmān or our Ākhirah.[6] As Muslims, we should focus on strengthening our Īmān and fulfilling our obligations and pay no heed to such discussions as they only distract us from focusing on our primary goals and objectives.

And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best

Bilal Mohammad

Student Darul Iftaa
New Jersey, USA

Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.

www.daruliftaa.net