There is a Hadeeth narrated by Ibn Al-Qayyim, may Allaah have mercy upon him, that reads, “Allaah The Almighty makes life three stages; the life of this world, the life of Al-Barzakh and the life of the permanent settlement (i.e. the Hereafter)?” I would like to know more about it.

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.

What the questioner has mentioned is not a Prophetic Hadeeth (narration). However, it is said by the eminent scholar Ibn Al-Qayyim in which he explained,

“Every human being after birth has to pass through three stages of life. First, the life of this world. Second, the life of Al-Barzakh. Third, the life of the Hereafter which follows the beginning of the Hour. In fact, every stage has its unique characteristics.

“The life of this world is well known. The life of Al-Barzakh is a period of time which every deceased person will inevitably experience, whether a Muslim or a non-Muslim. During it, everyone will experience the Trial of the Grave which is the questioning of the two angels, and then takes his due bliss or torment.

“The life of Al-Barzakh is totally different from that of this worldly life. In it, there will be a connection between the soul and the body the nature of which is unknown to us, the reality and nature of this life is known to Allaah The Almighty alone.

“The life of the permanent settlement (i.e. the Hereafter) will be either Paradise or Hell. It was named so for it will last for ever and will never cease.”

The great scholar, As-Saffaareeni Al-Hanbali cited what Ibn Al-Qayyim mentioned in this regard, “The trials of this worldly life befall mainly the body and the soul accompanies it. During the life of Al-Barzakh, they afflict mainly the soul and the body accompanies it. On the Day of Resurrection, bliss and torment will befall the soul and the body together.”

Accordingly, this refers to the different kinds of bliss and torment that every human being experiences in every stage of life.

Allaah Knows best.