The Deceased is tormented due to the crying of his Family over him

Question :

Is the deceased tormented due to the crying of his family over him?

Answer:

Yes, the deceased is tormented due to the crying of his family over him, because that is confirmed from the Messenger of Allâh. However, the scholars have differed over the interpretation of this Hadith. Some of them have said that it means the disbeliever and some of them said that the intent behind it is the person who requests his family to cry over him after his death. Others said that it is concerning the man who knows that among his family there are those who cry over their deceased and he does not prohibit them from that before his death. This is because his acceptance and his silence are a proof of his being pleased with the evil act, and the person who is pleased with an evil is like the one who does the evil.

These are three interpretations of this Hadith. However, they are all contradictory to the obvious meaning of the Hadith, because it does not contain any of these understandings (in the wording). The apparent meaning of the Hadith is that the deceased will be tormented due to the crying of his family over him, and torment is not the same as punishment. This is because he has not committed a sin that he should be punished for, but it is a torment in that he feels pain and discomfort from this crying. Feeling pain and discomfort does not necessarily mean that it is a punishment. Do you not see the Prophet's statement concerning travel where he said that it is a piece of the torment? Yet, travel is not a punishment or a torment. However, it is a worry, a preparation and a personal agitation. For this reason, the torment of the deceased in his grave from this type (of torment) means that he happens to feel some pain, agitation and discomfort, even though that is not a punishment for a sin.

Source:
Ash-Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaimin
Fatawa Islamiyah, Vol. 3 Pages 132-133