Muslims believe that when a human being dies, their soul returns to their creator, awaiting the Day Of Judgement. In Islam, we can take solace in knowing that we will be united with those we love, and that death is just the beginning of the journey to our permanent home in the afterlife.
On the day of one's death, one meets the angels that will take away one's soul in a full state of submission to them, while the body is placed into the grave prepared for it to rot. The life that passes with great bustle over the course of 60 or 70 years eventually comes to an end in the grave.
WHAT IS BARZAKH?
Before Allah decides Jannah or Jahannam for a Muslim, the person goes to Barzakh. It is a place that differentiates between the living and the dead.
Barzakh is an Arabic word meaning "obstacle", "hindrance", "separation", or "barrier" designates a place separating the living from the hereafter; a veil between the dead and their return to world of the living, but also to a phase happening between death and resurrection.
Barzakh represents the intermediate world, a state between life and physical death. A space located between hell and paradise. A real non-place. Whoever enters Barzakh, is waiting to be judged, but doesn't know when or where he will be going.
What is the punishment of the Barzakh?
In the life of Barzakh, the souls of the sinners and disbelievers are kept and punished in a place called Sijjin which is said to be located at the lowest level of the earth (traditionally hell, before the Day of resurrection or underworld). The books containing the full records of their deeds are also kept here.
The grave is the first stage of the Akhirah, if it is good then the rest of the stages are easy, if it is bad then the rest of the stages are difficult” [Tirmidhī]
May Allah ease our questioning and preserve us upon goodness, Aameen Yaa Rabbil Alameen.