Sheikh Hamid Al-`Ali, instructor of Islamic Heritage at the Faculty of Education, Kuwait and Imam of Dahiat As-Sabahiyya Mosque, states that: “From an Islamic perspective, communicating with the dead is impossible, this is based on the verse in the Qur’an where Allah, Exalted be He, tells about the dead people: “And behind them is a barrier until the day when they are raised.” (Al-Mu’minoon: 100)
Meaning behind dead people is a world of Barzakh where they will stay until the Day of Judgment. No dead person can exceed the stage of Barzakh. Al-Barzakh means interval or a barrier between two things, and technically, it stands for an intermediary stage between this life and another life in the Hereafter; it’s an interval between death and the Day of Resurrection.
A number of Hadtih state that if the dead person is righteous in his or her life, he/she will be in one of the gardens of Paradise, his/her soul will be in Jannah (Paradise) just like the souls of martyrs will be in Jannah, but this will be different from entering Paradise in the Hereafter. However, if the person does not comply with the rules of Allah in this life, he/she will be in one of the pits of Hell-Fire. All scholars have unanimously agreed that no one can communicate with the souls of dead people whatsoever.
However, there can be communication with the soul of the deceased in dream; and this can be interpreted by people who are expert in interpreting dreams. This is because the soul of the living person, when sleeping, departs the Dunya (life) and experiences a brief death, as Allah, the Almighty, says: “And He it is Who takes your souls at night (in sleep).” (Al-An`aam: 60)
this explains why the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, used to supplicate upon waking up from sleep, saying: “Thanks are due to Allah Who has raised us up after causing us to die, and to Him do we return.”
So, when sleeping, there might be a communication between two souls, a living soul (that has tasted a brief death) and the soul of a dead person.
as for the claim that a person has the power to bring about a communication between the soul of the dead and a living, this is a kind of superstitions, lying, and deceit which aim at draining people’s money wrongfully.”
Communicating with the Dead
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