(b) The Disbelieving Soul: Angels approach disbelieving soul for questioning, but he can barely answer their questions by saying: 'Alas! I do not know…'

The Abode and Companion (a) The Believing Soul: Some of joys of Paradise and its fragrance come to him and his grave is made spacious for him as far as an eye can see. A man with a beautiful face, beautiful garments and sweet odor comes to righteous slave and says: "Rejoice in what pleases you, for this is your day which you have been promised." He asks: "Who are you?" He replies: "I am your good deeds." He then says: "My Lord, bring Last Hour; my Lord bring Last Hour, so I may return to my people and my property."

(b) The Disbelieving Soul: Some of Hell's heat and hot air comes to him, his grave is made narrow for him such that his ribs interpenetrate into each other. A man with an ugly face, ugly garments and an offensive odor comes to him and says: "Be grieved with what displeases you, for this is your day which you have been promised." He asks: "Who are you? For your face is most ugly and brings evil." He replies: "I am your wicked deeds." He then says: "My Lord, do not bring Last Hour." From above we know how soul is taken out of human body upon death and presented before Allah. If soul is righteous, it enjoys bounties of Allah and if it is wicked, it suffers torment of grave, which is very severe and none can escape its anguish and suffering. The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) said: "This Ummah will be tried in its grave. If it were not for fear that you might not bury your dead, I would pray to Allah to make you hear what I hear." [Saheeh Muslim] Uthman Ibn Affan (radhiallahu anhu) used to cry until he wet his beard, if he was to stand on a grave. He was told: 'You mention Heaven and Hell-Fire and you don't cry, but when you mention grave, you burst in tears!' He said: 'I heard Prophet of Allah (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) saying: "The grave is first stage of Hereafter, whoever passes it will be at ease afterwards, and if he does not succeed in it, he will be in worst of conditions." I also heard him saying: "Never have I seen a sight more horrifying than that of grave."

To living, grave is simply an empty, dark hole in ground, but to dead it is a window into either Paradise or Hell, where he faces realities of Hereafter all by himself. The grave is a place of solitude, and there is no greater isolation than this! What can be a bigger isolation for someone, than being separated from parents, family, and relatives? One leaves back all his possession and wealth and is put in grave, under gravel and sand? Nothing accompanies dead in his grave except his deeds, Allah's Messenger (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) said: "Three things follow a dead man, two of which will return and one will remain with him. His people, his property and his deeds follow him but his people and property return, while his deeds remain with him." [Saheeh al-Bukharee (8/ 521)]

At this time, if one's deeds are good and righteous, they become for him a good company. Allah's Messenger (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) said: "(After questioning) a man with a beautiful face, beautiful garments and sweet odor comes to righteous slave and says: "Rejoice in what pleases you, for this is your day which you have been promised." He asks: "Who are you? For your face is perfectly beautiful and brings good." He replies: "I am your good deeds." He then says: "My Lord, bring Last Hour; my Lord bring Last Hour, so I may return to my people and my property." Regarding evildoer, he (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) said: "… a man with an ugly face, ugly garments and an offensive odor comes to him and says: "Be grieved with what displeases you, for this is your day which you have been promised." He asks: "Who are you? For your face is most ugly and brings evil." He replies: "I am your wicked deeds." He then says: "My Lord, do not bring Last Hour." [Saheeh al-Jami as-Sageer, 1/1676]

All this and Hereafter has still not commenced for us. So, let this be a reminder for all to prepare for death by doing good deeds in accordance to Qur'aan and Sunnah, even if it means to give a trifle in charity. Allah's Messenger (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) said: "Protect yourself from Hellfire, even by a part of a date (that is given in charity)." [Saheeh al-Bukharee]

After clarifying good and evil in this world, Allah, Exalted, has given every man a free will to choose between them. It is up to individual, whether he takes enough good deeds to accompany him in his grave, or he chooses to carry burden of evil deeds. This choice of evil and good is only valid as long as one is alive. As death approaches, all deeds come to an end and person becomes weak and helpless; so helpless that after death he is in need of living to give him ghusl, shroud him, place him in his grave and make Du'aa for his forgiveness. Allah's Messenger (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) said: "When coffin is ready (for its burial) and people lift it on their shoulders, then if deceased is a righteous person he says, 'Take me ahead,' if he is not a righteous one, then he says, 'Woe to it (me)! Where are you taking it (me)!' And his voice is audible to everything except human beings; if they heard it they would fall down unconscious." [Bukharee (2/ 462)]

After knowing realities of death, how helpless and weak man becomes after death, and how he faces realities of Hereafter and witnesses great Power of Allah… Can a Muslim, who believes that Allah alone has Power to benefit and harm, accept that a dead man's soul can come back to this world and help living? Or after witnessing Power of Allah dead would dare to scare living, harm them, possess them or demand offerings from them, etc…etc…?

5. Water pile, and continue process of laying. Do not trample on heap as if it is matted down, aeration will be impeded.

Within a few days heap will begin to heat up and start to shrink in size. The heap is turned with a pitchfork 2 - 3 weeks after being made, and again at about 5 weeks of age. Care is taken during turning to place outer parts of heap on inside so that they can decay fully.

Do not turn heap too frequently, as it needs to build up heat for decaying process. Keep pile moist, but not wet, and let nature take its course. The compost will be finished after about 3 months.

When To Apply Compost:

The main influence on timing, rate and method of applying compost is its condition, age, and degree to which composting process is complete. Fully mature compost resembles - indeed, it is - supersoil, a light, rich loam. If half completed so it still retains some fibrous material, it will continue to decompose and generate heat. Such compost should be permitted to finish composting. Never place it near growing plants. However, if you have unfinished compost in fall of year, it is safe to apply it. It will finish up in soil and be ready to supply growth nutrients to first spring plantings.

The preferred time to apply fully matured compost is a month or so before planting - or, if you are a successive cropper, planting two or more crops to same parcel of land each session, just before planting. The closer to planting time it goes on, finer it should be shredded or chopped, and more thoroughly it should be hoed or tilled into your soil.

If compost is ready in fall but not intended for use until spring, it should be kept covered and stored in a protected place. If it is kept for a long period of time during summer, finished compost should be watered from time to time.

How To Apply:

For general application, soil should be stirred or turned thoroughly. Then compost is added to top four inches of soil. For flower and vegetable gardening, it is best to pan compost through a 1/2 inch sieve. Course material remaining may then be put into another compost heap.

To avoid disturbing roots of established plants, compost should be mixed with topsoil aand applied as mulch. This is often termed "side dressing". It serves a double purpose, providing plant food that will gradually work itself down to growing crop, and as a mulch giving protection from extremes of temperature, hard rains and growth of weeds.

For best results, compost should be applied liberally, from 1 - 3 inches per year. There is no danger of burning due to overuse, as happens with artificial fertilizers. Apply compost either once or twice a year.

Layered Garden or "Lasagna" Garden

For those of you who are short on garden space, you might want to try one of two methods pictured on right. The first picture allows for more intensive gardening (more plants for area available).

See pictures at http://www.growitgold.com/resources/soil.shtml 1. Begin by digging a pit of appropriate size

2. Line bottom with wire mesh if rodents are a problem in your area The core or bottom of your compost pile garden is made up of twigs, small branches, and other coarse materials Next comes twigs, finely shredded branches, sawdust, etc

3. On top of this, place garden materials such as weeds, lawn clippings, fruit and vegetable peelings from kitchen, coffee grounds, shredded leaves. It's best to shred leaves, as too many leaves placed in whole can pack down and prevent natural aeration and decomposition (it might start to stink)

4. Follow with a layer of partially finished compost.

5. Top with fully finished compost mixed with quality topsoil

For more gardening information, please visit http://www.growitgold.com/resourceindex.shtml

This article has been brought to you by: GROWIT GOLD Garden & Landscape design software. See slideshow – http://www.growitgold.com