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Hadith

They are being tormented, but they are not tormented for a major sin. One of them would not save himself from being soiled with his urine, while the other used to walk about spreading malicious gossip

عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ رضي الله عنهما قَالَ: مَرَّ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بِقَبْرَيْنِ، فَقَالَ: «إِنَّهُمَا لَيُعَذَّبَانِ، وَمَا يُعَذَّبَانِ فِي كَبِيرٍ، أَمَّا أَحَدُهُمَا فَكَانَ لاَ يَسْتَتِرُ مِنَ البَوْلِ، وَأَمَّا الآخَرُ فَكَانَ يَمْشِي بِالنَّمِيمَةِ» ثُمَّ أَخَذَ جَرِيدَةً رَطْبَةً، فَشَقَّهَا نِصْفَيْنِ، فَغَرَزَ فِي كُلِّ قَبْرٍ وَاحِدَةً، قَالُوا: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، لِمَ فَعَلْتَ هَذَا؟ قَالَ: «لَعَلَّهُ يُخَفِّفُ عَنْهُمَا مَا لَمْ يَيْبَسَا».

Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) reported: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) passed by two graves and said: "They are being tormented, but they are not tormented for a major sin. One of them would not save himself from being soiled with his urine, while the other used to walk about spreading malicious gossip." He then took a green leaf of a date palm, split it into two, and planted one on each grave. They said: O Messenger of Allah, why did you do that? He replied: "Their torment might be alleviated until they become dry."

Agreed upon · hadeethenc:3010

Grading: Authentic (as published by the source; the grader is not named)

Explanation from the source
The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) passed by two graves and said: The two buried in these graves are being tormented but not for something that you would consider significant, although it is significant in the sight of Allah. One of them used to be heedless of keeping his body and clothes clean from the traces of urine when relieving himself, while the other used to spread slander among people, transferring others' talk with the intention of causing harm, dissension, and enmity among them.
  • Talebearing and heedlessness in shielding oneself from urine are major sins and a cause for punishment in the grave.
  • Allah Almighty revealed part of the unseen, such as the torment of the grave, as a sign of his prophethood.
  • The act of splitting the two date palm leaves and putting them on the grave is unique to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) because Allah informed him of the condition of the two buried in that grave. Therefore, none should be compared to him (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) because none is aware of the conditions of the dead.

Topics: The Barzakh Life (After death Period)

Source: HadeethEnc.com, published by HadeethEnc.com. Version API snapshot retrieved 2026-10-11 (the source publishes no version number) (retrieved 2026-10-11). Published by HadeethEnc.com. Shown unmodified; not reviewed by a scholar.