It was narrated that Hani’ the freed slave of ‘Uthman bin ‘Affan, said:
“When ‘Uthman bin ‘Affan stood beside a grave, he would weep until his beard became wet. It was said to him: ‘You remember Paradise and Hell, and you do not weep, but you weep for this?’ He said: ‘The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “The grave is the first stage of the Hereafter. Whoever is delivered from it, what comes after it is easier. If he is not delivered from it, then what comes after it is harder.’” He said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “I have never seen any horrible scene but the grave is more horrible.”

حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ إِسْحَاقَ، حَدَّثَنِي يَحْيَى بْنُ مَعِينٍ، حَدَّثَنَا هِشَامُ بْنُ يُوسُفَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ بَحِيرٍ، عَنْ هَانِئٍ، - مَوْلَى عُثْمَانَ - قَالَ : كَانَ عُثْمَانُ بْنُ عَفَّانَ إِذَا وَقَفَ عَلَى قَبْرٍ يَبْكِي حَتَّى يَبُلَّ لِحْيَتَهُ فَقِيلَ لَهُ : تَذْكُرُ الْجَنَّةَ وَالنَّارَ وَلاَ تَبْكِي وَتَبْكِي مِنْ هَذَا قَالَ إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ : " إِنَّ الْقَبْرَ أَوَّلُ مَنَازِلِ الآخِرَةِ فَإِنْ نَجَا مِنْهُ فَمَا بَعْدَهُ أَيْسَرُ مِنْهُ وَإِنْ لَمْ يَنْجُ مِنْهُ، فَمَا بَعْدَهُ أَشَدُّ مِنْهُ " . قَالَ وَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ : " مَا رَأَيْتُ مَنْظَرًا قَطُّ إِلاَّ وَالْقَبْرُ أَفْظَعُ مِنْهُ " .