AN AWFUL PUNISHMENT IN BARZAKH

Hadhrat Ismat Ubaadaan (rahmatullah alayh) narrated the following episode:

“On my sojourn through a wilderness, I approached a church. A priest was sitting nearby. I said to him: ‘Tell me of any wonderful episode you have witnesses at this place.’ The priest replied: ‘One day I saw a strange white bird the size of an ostrich on this rock. The bird vomited, and with its vomit emerged a human head. It continued vomiting, and human feet appeared. In this manner with each vomiting a human limb would be disgorged. As the limbs emerged from the bird’s mouth, they miraculously became joined until a complete man was formed. When the man made a movement to rise, the bird began the process of dismembering him and devoured limb by limb until the entire body of the man was gulped up. This episode was enacted for several days.

   This episode reinforced by firm belief in the power of Allah Ta’ala. I was fully convinced that after death Allah Ta’ala will resurrect the dead bodies. One day I addressed the bird and said: ‘O Bird! For Allah’s sake, wait for a while to enable me to question the man. The bird responded in eloquent Arabic: ‘The entire universe is the property of my Creator. He is eternal. He will annihilate all things. There is no annihilation for Him. I am an Angel appointed to punish this man.’

               I then addressed the man: ‘O sinful man! Who are you? What is your story?’ The man said: ‘I am Abdur Rahmaan Muljim the murderer of Hadhrat Ali (Karramallaahu wajhah). After I was executed, my soul was presented to Allah Ta’ala. Allah Ta’ala has appointed this Angel to punish me in this manner until Qiyaamah.’”