:wasalam:
During my childhood days I was often told that as part of our belief system, we should accept and believe that the soul of a family member that had passed can come and visit us and that they would come and visit us around maghrib time.
Seems very similar to the pagan belief surrounding 'Halloween'. According to the Encyclopaedia Britannica:
"...
Halloween had its origins in the festival of Samhain among the Celts of ancient Britain and Ireland. On the day corresponding to November 1 on contemporary calendars, the new year was believed to begin. That date was considered the beginning of the winter period, the date on which the herds were returned from pasture and land tenures were renewed. During the Samhain festival the souls of those who had died were believed to return to visit their homes, and those who had died during the year were believed to journey to the otherworld..."
Souls Coming Back To Visit
"...Praise be to Allaah.
When a person dies, he moves from this world to another realm, and his soul does not come back to his family and they do not feel anything of him. What is mentioned (in the question) about the soul coming back for forty days is a myth that has no foundation. Similarly the dead person does not know anything about the circumstances of his family, because he is absent from them, in a state of bliss or torment. But Allaah may inform some of the dead of some of the circumstances of their families, but this is not necessarily so. There are some reports, which cannot be relied upon, that say that the deceased may know something about his family’s circumstances...."
Souls Visiting Each Other
"... Ibn al-Qayyim said:
The second issue is whether the souls of the dead meet one another, visit one another and talk to one another.
This is a good question. The answer is that souls are of two types: those that are punished and those that are blessed. Those that are punished are too preoccupied with the torment that they are facing to visit and meet one another, but the souls that are blessed are free and are not detained, so they meet one another, visit one another and talk about what they used to do in this world and what happened to the people of this world. So each soul will be with its friends who did similar good deeds. The soul of our Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is with the highest companions. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“
And whoever obeys Allaah and the Messenger - those will be with the ones upon whom Allah has bestowed favor of the prophets, the steadfast affirmers of truth, the martyrs and the righteous. And excellent are those as companions.” [al-Nisaa’ 4:69]
This togetherness is confirmed in this world, in
al-Barzakh and in the abode of reward (Paradise), and “
A man will be with those whom he loves” in these three realms… Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“
(It will be said to the pious — believers of Islamic Monotheism): ‘O (you) the one in (complete) rest and satisfaction!
28. ‘
Come back to your Lord,— well‑pleased (yourself) and well‑pleasing (unto Him)!
29. ‘
Enter you then among My (honoured) slaves,
30. ‘
And enter you My Paradise!’”
[al-Fajr 89:27-30]
i.e., enter among them and be one of them. This is said to the soul at the time of death… And Allaah has told us that the martyrs are: “
are alive, with their Lord, and they have provision” [Aal ‘Imraan 3:169]; they “
rejoice for the sake of those who have not yet joined them, but are left behind” [Aal ‘Imraan 3:170] and “
They rejoice in a grace and a bounty from Allaah” [Aal ‘Imraan 3:171]. This indicates that they will meet one another in three ways:
(1) they are with their Lord and are given provision, and if they are alive then they meet one another;
(2) they rejoice at the arrival of their brothers and their meeting with them; and
(3) the word
yastabshiroon (translated as “
rejoice”) implies that they pass the good news to one another.
( Al-Rooh, p. 17, 18.)
Punishment of The Grave
"...With regard to what was narrated about the punishment of some Muslims in their graves, this applies to the sinners who mixed righteous deeds with bad deeds. Allah may punish them in their graves for their sins, and in the Fire on the Day of Resurrection until, when they have been cleansed and purified, He will grant permission for them to enter Paradise, as is proven in
Saheeh al-Bukhaari, 7047, from the
hadeeth of Samurah ibn Jundub (may Allah be pleased with him), that the punishment of the grave will be for many of the sinners among those who affirmed the Oneness of Allah,
such as those who slept and missed obligatory prayers, or those who
committed zina,
consumed riba (usury) and
liars whose lies spread far and wide..."
"It was reported in the
hadeeth of al-Miqdaam ibn Ma’di Karb that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:
“
The martyr (shaheed) has seven blessings from Allaah: he is forgiven from the moment his blood is first shed; he will be shown his place in Paradise; he will be spared the trial of the grave; and he will be secure on the Day of the Greatest Terror (the Day of Judgement); there will be placed on his head a crown of dignity, one ruby of which is better than this world and all that is in it; he will be married to seventy-two of al-hoor al-‘iyn; and he will be permitted to intercede for seventy of his relatives.”
May Allaah save us from the torment of the grave.
------------
Sources:
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Halloween
https://islamqa.info/en/answers/1318...y-or-his-house
https://islamqa.info/en/answers/2082...n-their-graves
https://islamqa.info/en/answers/1756...en-to-everyone
https://islamqa.info/en/answers/8511/the-six-blessings-of-the-martyrs