COMMUNICATION BETWEEN SPIRITS AND THE WORLD

[Taqavi]

Is communication between spirits and the world after death possible?

 

The topic of the spirits' connection with the material world after death is one of the most challenging issues for most people; the verses of the Holy Quran and the sacred narrations have mentioned that the souls of humans after death are connected to the material world and in some cases have had encounters.

The connection of souls with the world in the Holy Quran:

There are many verses on the connection of souls with the world, some of which we will discuss:

The Quran expresses the message of the martyrs: “They are happy because of the many blessings that Allah has given them of His bounty, and they are happy because of those who have not yet joined them (fighters and future martyrs); (Because the prominent officials see them in the next world; and they know) that there is no fear upon them, nor will they grieve."[1]

This indicates the attention of the martyrs to the states of the living after them.

A group of verses indicates the connection and hearing the voices of the living by the dead because the prophets spoke with the dead;

Allah Almighty commands the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) to talk with the former prophets as follows: "And ask those of Our messengers whom We sent before you: Did We make any gods besides the Most Gracious to be worshipped?" [2]

Other verses on this topic are the conversation of Prophet Saleh with his perished people[3] and the conversation of Prophet Shu'aib with his perished people.[4] Although some interpreters have considered this speech to be related to before the descent of punishment, some have considered this speech to be related to after their destruction.[5]

The connection of souls with the world in the narrations:

In the narrations, the issue of the connection of souls with the world is clearly evident;[6] For example, we can refer to some of the existing narrations in this regard:

Imam Sadiq (AS) said: The soul of a believer visits his family and sees what pleases him, but things that cause him displeasure are hidden from his view, and the unbeliever also sees his family and observes what causes him distress and displeasure, but things that please him are hidden from his view; also, he said: Some believers visit and meet their families once a week on Friday, and others can meet and visit them according to the amount of their deeds.[7]

In another narration, Ishaq ibn Ammar says: I asked Imam Kazim (AS) about the souls of the past, saying: Do they meet and see their families? He said: Yes.

I said: How often do they meet? He said: Once every Friday, once every month, and once every year, according to the rank and position of the believer. [8]

The Messenger of Allah (SAW) said: Send gifts (charity and prayer) to your dead, the souls of the believers come to the sky of the world every Friday, in front of their houses with weeping eyes they say: O my family, children, father, mother, and relatives! Be kind with a dirham, a piece of bread, a garment that Allah may clothe you with garments of Paradise; then the Prophet (SAW) and his companions wept...[9]

Also, Imam Kazim (AS) in response to a question about how the dead will meet his family said: The deceased visits the house of his relatives like a gentle bird that sits on their walls and looks down at them, if he sees them healthy, he is happy, and if he sees them unwell and needy, he becomes sad and depressed.[10]

The issue of the connection of souls with the world is so certain that even the Ahl al-Sunnah have acknowledged it in their books; for example, we can refer to these narrations: The Messenger of Allah (SAW) said: The deceased in his grave finds comfort with the one who loved him in the world and now has come to his grave.[11]  The famous hadith of Umm Salama is another narration found in Sunni sources; its meaning is as follows: Umm Salama says: I saw the Messenger of God (SAW) in a dream, while dust was on his blessed head and beard, I said, what happened, O Messenger of Allah! He said: Yesterday, I witnessed the martyrdom of Hussein.[12]

Ibn Juzay also narrated in Zad al-Masir from Ibn Abbas that the spirits of the living meet the spirits of the dead in their sleep, recognize each other, and ask each other questions, and then Allah returns the spirits of the living to their bodies. [13]

Abdullah ibn Mubarak also narrates from Abi Ayyub that: The deeds of the living are shown to the dead, so if there is goodness in their deeds, they are happy, and if there is evil in their deeds, they say: "O Allah, take it back." [14]

Conclusion

Based on the available verses and narrations, it can be said that the connection of spirits with the material world after death is possible; this connection shows that the world of the world and the world of Barzakh are connected, and spirits can come to this world and see their relatives and hear their voices, and this indicates that it is possible to communicate with the world of spirits and it is not impossible.

 

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[1] . Al-Imran: 170. «فَرِحِينَ بِمَا آتَاهُمُ اللَّهُ مِنْ فَضْلِهِ وَيَسْتَبْشِرُونَ بِالَّذِينَ لَمْ يَلْحَقُوا بِهِمْ مِنْ خَلْفِهِمْ أَلَّا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ»

[2] . Al-Zukhruf: 45.

«وَاسْأَلْ مَنْ أَرْسَلْنَا مِنْ قَبْلِكَ مِنْ رُسُلِنَا أَجَعَلْنَا مِنْ دُونِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ آلِهَةً يُعْبَدُونَ»

For further reading, refer to:  Al-Tibyan fi Tafsir al-Quran: Al-Sheikh Al-Tusi, vol: 9, page: 202 / Al-Tafsir al-Kabir (Mafatih al-Ghaib): Al-Razi, Fakhr al-Din, vol: 27, page: 635 / Al-Mizan fi Tafsir al-Quran: Al-Allama al-Tabataba'i, vol: 13, page: 19.

[3] . Al-A'raf: 77-79. «فَعَقَرُوا النَّاقَةَ وَعَتَوْا عَنْ أَمْرِ رَبِّهِمْ وَقَالُوا يَا صَالِحُ ائْتِنَا بِمَا تَعِدُنَا إِنْ كُنْتَ مِنَ الْمُرْسَلِي نَ - فَأَخَذَتْهُمُ الرَّجْفَةُ فَأَصْبَحُوا فِي دَارِهِمْ جَاثِمِينَ - فَتَوَلَّىٰ عَنْهُمْ وَقَالَ يَا قَوْمِ لَقَدْ أَبْلَغْتُكُمْ رِسَالَةَ رَبِّي وَنَصَحْتُ لَكُمْ وَلَٰكِنْ لَا تُحِبُّونَ النَّاصِحِينَ»

[4] . Al-A'raf: 91-93. «فَأَخَذَتْهُمُ الرَّجْفَةُ فَأَصْبَحُوا فِي دَارِهِمْ جَاثِمِينَ - الَّذِينَ كَذَّبُوا شُعَيْبًا كَأَنْ لَمْ يَغْنَوْا فِيهَا ۚ الَّذِينَ كَذَّبُوا شُعَيْبًا كَانُوا هُمُ الْخَاسِرِينَ - فَتَوَلَّىٰ عَنْهُمْ وَقَالَ يَا قَوْمِ لَقَدْ أَبْلَغْتُكُمْ رِسَالَاتِ رَبِّي وَنَصَحْتُ لَكُمْ ۖ فَكَيْفَ آسَىٰ عَلَىٰ قَوْمٍ كَافِرِينَ»

[5] . Al-Tibyan fi Tafsir al-Quran: Al-Sheikh Al-Tusi, vol: 4, page: 455 / Al-Tafsir al-Kabir (Mafatih al-Ghaib): Al-Razi, Fakhr al-Din, vol: 14, page: 309 / Al-Tafsir al-Kabir (Mafatih al-Ghaib): Al-Razi, Fakhr al-Din, vol: 14, page: 320.

[6] . Some books of hadith have dedicated a section to this topic, which can be referred to as: Al-Furoo min al-Kafi: Kulayni, Muhammad ibn Ya'qub, vol 3, page 230, Kitab al-Jana'iz, Bab anna al-mayyit yazur ahlahu. / Sharh al-Sudur bi Sharh Hal al-Mawta wal-Qubur: Al-Suyuti, Jalal al-Din, vol: 1, page: 201, Bab Ziyarat al-Qubur wa 'ilm al-Mawta bi Zuwwarihim wa Ru'yatihim lahum.

[7] . Al-Furoo min al-Kafi: Al-Sheikh Al-Kulayni, vol 3, page 230.

[8] .Ibid.

[9] . Jami' al-Akhbar: Al-Sabzawari, Muhammad, vol: 1, page: 482. / Manazil al-Akhira wa al-Mataleb al-Fakhira: Al-Qummi, Al-Sheikh Abbas, page 126.

[10] . Al-Furoo min al-Kafi: Al-Sheikh Al-Kulayni, vol 3, page 231 /

Al-Shafi fi al-Aqa'id wa al-Ahkam wa al-Akhlaq: Al-Fayd al-Kashani, vol 1, page 904.

[11] . Sharh al-Sudur bi Sharh Hal al-Mawta wal-Qubur: Al-Suyuti, Jalal al-Din, page 202.

[12] . Ibid, page 265.

[13] . Zad al-Masir fi 'Ilm al-Tafsir: Ibn al-Jawzi, vol 4, page 20.

[14] . Al-Ruh fi al-Kalam 'ala Arwah al-Amwat wal-Ahya' bil-Dala'il min al-Kitab wal-Sunna: Ibn al-Qayyim, page 7