The Reckoning of Masrur

Both Maqrur and Masrur lost sensation after their death. Death had totally terminated their feelings. They both entered a completely new and different world. As soon as they entered

Their tombs, they regained their senses. This time, their feelings were strange and new as they embraced both life and death at the same time. Each one of them was fully aware that he had

died and that he was brought back to life again.

 

Masrur was greatly astonished. Death had seized him and carried him away and woe was in store for him. He thought that death finalized one's feeling but now he realized the truth. He discovered that this belief was untrue and that feeling, on the contrary, is actually doubled and multiplied after death. One can perceive without an eye and can feel without senses.

 

No sooner did Masrur enter his grave than he felt as if its walls were compressing him fiercely. He screamed loudly but nobody heard him except animals and beasts of the surrounding region and they were greatly terrified.

 

Unexpectedly, Masrur encountered two angels in his grave. They made him sit up and thus his shroud sloped down off his shoulders. .

 

One of them asked him, "Who is your Lord?"

 

Masrur was surprised by such a question.

 

The angel asked him again, "What is your religion? Who is your prophet?"

 

Actually, Masrur was unable to reply to these questions. Extreme terror tied his tongue and so he said nothing. One of the two angels pointed forward and commanded him to have a look. When Masrur perceived the center of kindled fire his blood froze.

 

He then asked the angel, "What is this'?"

 

"This is the Consuming One."

 

Masrur was terrified, "Why did you make me see it? What have I got to do with it?"

 

"This is your dwelling place in the He1l—fire. Do you not know it? You have not yet answered my questions."

 

Masrur felt that they were interrogating him. He was filled with a feeling of great horror. He tried several times to answer their questions but he failed. What should he say? Verily, gold was the god he had worshipped and tricks and caprices were the religion he followed. As for prophets, he had never heard of them except that they were rebels. Thusly, he did not know what to say. He kept silent for fear that his words might agitate his investigators. As a result Masrur was subjected to severe torment within his grave.