It is mentioned in chapter 56 of the Quran that when people will be resurrected on the Day of Resurrection, they will be categorized into three categories: those who will be near to Allaah the Almighty, the people of the right and the people of the left. Is it possible that a Muslim could be one of the people of the left, although the verses clearly state that these people are disbelievers who deny the Resurrection, and not Muslims? Will the people of the right be tortured in their graves or afterwards?

All perfect praise be to Allaah, the Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His Slave and Messenger.

Scholars state that some sinners will take their records in their left hand behind their backs. Al-Munaawi stated that a sinful person will be given his record in his left hand, while a disbeliever will be given his record behind his back. The Maaliki scholar Al-Qurtubi stated that Ibn ‘Abbaas said that the Saying of Allaah the Almighty (that means): {But as for he who is given his record behind his back} [Quran 84:10], generally refers to both Muslims and disbelievers. Thus, it is known that both sinners and disbelievers will be given their records on the Day of Resurrection in their left hands; we ask Allaah the Almighty to save us from that.

On the other hand, some people of the right may be tortured in their graves to be purified from the sins they committed in this worldly life. There are many proofs that discuss the pleasure and punishment of the grave, one of which is a Hadeeth narrated on the authority of Asmaa’ bint Abu Bakr and her father, that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, discussed the trial a person faces in the grave. Having explained this, the Companions were terrified - due to the severity of what he told them. [Al-Bukhari]

Allaah Knows best.