Nakir and Munkar
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Nakir and Munkar, (Arabic: نكير و منكر ) in Islamic eschatology, are angels who test the faith of the dead in their graves.[1]
According to Islam, after death, a person's soul passes through a stage called barzakh, where it exists in the grave (even if the person's body was destroyed, the soul will still rest in the earth near their place of death). [2] Nakir and Munkar prop the deceased soul upright in the grave and ask three questions: "Who is your Lord? Who is your Prophet? What is your religion?" A righteous believer will respond correctly, saying that their Lord is Allah, that Muhammad is their prophet and that their religion is Islam. If the deceased answers correctly, the time spent awaiting the resurrection is pleasant. Those who do not answer as described above are chastized until the day of judgment. [3]
A person will correctly answers the questions not by remembering the answers before death but by his/her iman (concept) and deeds like salah, shahadah
Munkar is sometimes referanced under the name of Monkir.
But thou, false Infidel! shalt writhe Beneath avenging Monkir's scythe; And from its torment 'scape alone To wander round lost Eblis' throne;
The Giaour - Lord Byron
[edit] References
- ^ Britannica Concise Encyclopedia, Entry: Munkar and Nakir
- ^ "Life after death" at www.al-islam.edu.pk
- ^ The Encyclopedia of Death and Dying, Entry: Islam
nakir and munkar are regarded as angels(Farishte) in islam so they are not deamons
