[Machine] I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ saying, "The grave is the first stage of the afterlife. If one is saved from it, then what comes after is easier. But if one is not saved from it, then what comes after is harsher." Sahih (authentic)
سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ «الْقَبْرُ أَوَّلُ مَنَازِلِ الْآخِرَةِ فَإِنْ نَجَا مِنْهُ فَمَا بَعْدَهُ أَيْسَرُ مِنْهُ وَإِنْ لَمْ يَنْجُ مِنْهُ فَمَا بَعْدَهُ أَشَدُّ مِنْهُ» صحيح
“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.”
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
ʿUthman ؓ used to stand by a grave and 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: ʿThe grave is the first stage of the hereafter. If one is saved from it (i.e., its torments), then what comes after it is easier than it. But if one is not saved from it {i.e. its torments), then what comes after it is worse.ʿ And the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: By Allah, I have never seen any frightening scene but the grave is more frightening than it.ʿ (Using translation from Aḥmad 454)
فَيُقَالُ لَهُ قَدْ تَذْكُرُ الْجَنَّةَ وَالنَّارَ فَلَا تَبْكِي وَتَبْكِي مِنْ هَذَا فَيَقُولُ إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ «إِنَّ الْقَبْرَ أَوَّلُ مَنَازِلِ الْآخِرَةِ فَإِنْ نَجَا مِنْهُ فَمَا بَعْدَهُ أَيْسَرُ مِنْهُ وَإِنْ لَمْ يَنْجُ مِنْهُ فَمَا بَعْدَهُ أَشَدُّ مِنْهُ» وَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ «مَا رَأَيْتُ مَنْظَرًا إِلَّا وَالْقَبْرُ أَفْظَعُ مِنْهُ»
“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.” (Using translation from Ibn Mājah 4267)
"إِنَّ الْقَبْرَ أَوَّلُ مَنَازِلِ الآخِرَة، فَإِنْ نَجَا مِنْهُ فَما بَعْدَهُ أَيْسَرُ مِنْهُ وَإِنْ لَمْ يَنْجُ مِنْهُ فَما بَعْدَهُ أشَدُّ مِنْهُ ".