Barzakh

When a person dies and his soul leaves his body, he enters into a realm called the Barzakh. Barzakh refers to the period from the time a person passes away till he is resurrected on the day of Qiyaamah. Every person who dies enters this realm, whether he is buried in a grave or not (e.g. burnt to ash, drowned in the ocean, eaten by predators, etc.).

The souls of the Ambiya Alayhimus Salaam are in أَعْلَى عِليِّين (the highest stage in Jannah). The souls of the martyrs are in the bellies of green birds in Jannah, they roam around wherever they like in Jannah. The souls of some martyrs will not enter Jannah because of debts which they did not pay off. The souls of the children of the believers are in Jannah.

The abode of the souls of the general believers will differ according to their deeds. Some are in عِليِّين, some are in the seventh heaven, some are kept back in their graves, and some above their graves, etc. Therefore, there is no specific place for the souls of the believers, nor does it remain in one place.

Although some souls are in Jannah, they are at the same time in the heavens, and have a connection with their graves and bodies. To understand this, some Ulama give the example of the sun. The sun is in the sky, yet its rays is on the earth, although the example does not fit completely, because the rays is an effect of the sun, whereas the soul itself comes down.

After death, the soul has a connection with its body, by means of which he can enjoy the bounties of Allah Ta’aala if he was an obedient servant of Allah Ta’aala, or feel the pain of the punishment if he was a disobedient slave of Allah Ta’aala.

The condition of a dead person is similar to a person sleeping, that is why it is said: النوم أخت الموت – Sleep is the sister of death.

Sleep like a bridegroom
(Musannaf Abdur Razzaq, vol.3, pg.568)