The Commander of the Faithful, the Gateway of Knowledge, Imam Ali (a.s.) said:

                “O Servants of Allah! The state in the grave of a person whose sins are not forgiven is more horrifying than death itself. Fear its (grave’s) narrowness, its squeezing, its imprisonment, and its loneliness. Verily the grave calls out daily: I am the house of loneliness, of terror and worms. Grave is like a garden of Paradise for pious, while it is a dungeon of Hell for the evil doer. Allah tells His enemies that He will send ninety nine serpents in their graves, which will tear their flesh and smash their bones, and this punishment will continue till the outbreak of Qiymat. If one of these serpents exhales towards this earth, all plants and trees will be destroyed. O servants of Allah! your souls are tender and your bodies delicate, you cannot confront an ordinary serpent of this world, and how then will you face them?”  

Following are the acts (a’maal) to save one from the squeeze in the grave:

The Commander of the Faithful (a.s.) said that a person who recites Surah al-Nisa every Friday will remain safe.

A person who recites Surah al-Zukhruf, Allah will save him from the reptiles of the earth and squeeze.

A person who recites Surah al-Qalam in obligatory prayers or Nafela will remain safe.

Imam Jafar alSadiq (a.s.) said that a person dies between the sunset of Thursday and the sunset of Friday will be safe.

Imam Ali al-Reza (a.s.) said that if a person recites Night Prayers in the last part of the night, Allah will save him from the squeeze of the grave, grant him immunity from the Hell-Fire, and will increase his age and sustenance.

The Noble Prophet (s.a.w.a.s.) said that if a person recites Surah al-Takasur before going to bed, he will be safe.

A person who is buried in Najaf al-Ashraf will not only be safe from squeeze but also the questioning by Munkir Nakir.

Put two wet sticks or branches in the grave. It is narrated that once the Noble Prophet (s.a.w.a.s.) was passing by a grave and saw that Allah’s wrath was descending on a grave, he asked for 2 wet branches and placed on the upper and lower side of the grave. Sprinkling water on the grave is also helpful.

A person, who recites 10 rakat namaz on 1^st. of Rajab such that in every rakat after Surah al-Hamd, recites 3 times Surah al-Tawheed, will be safe from the squeeze.

Fast 4 days in the month of Rajab or 12 days in the month of Sha’baan.

The Noble Prophet (s.a.w.a.s.) said: “Verily, reciting Surah al-Mulk frees a person from the punishment in the grave.

It is narrated by Qutubaddin Rawandi in Da’waat that the Noble Prophet (s.a.w.a.s.)said that when a person is being buried and someone recites the following supplication3 times, the corpse will remain safe from the punishment in the grave till the Day of Qiyamat:  “Allahhumma inni as-aloka be’haqqe Muhammadin wa Ale Muhammadain alla to’azzib ha’zal maiyyat.”

Shaykh Tusi in his Misbahul Mutahajjid relates that the Noble Prophet (s.a.w.a.s.)said that if a person recites 2 rakat namaz on Friday night such that in each rakat afterSurah al-Hamd recite 15 times Surah az-Zalzal, then Allah will free him from the punishment in the grave, and save him from fear on the Day of Qiyamat.

Recite 30 rakat of namaz in the middle of Rajab such that after Surah al-Hamd, recite 10 times Surah al-Tawheed. Similarly, recite the same on 16^th and 17^th of Rajab.

Keep “Khake Shafa”(the soil from the grave of the King of the Martyrs, Imam Husayn (a.s.)) in the shroud (kafan) or rub it on the parts of prostration (Sajdah).

It is narrated from Imam Jafar al-Sadiq (a.s.) in “Anware No’maniya” that if 40 persons gather near the body and recite: “Allahhumma inna laa na’lamo minho illah khairan wa anta a’lamo behi minna faghfirlahu” Allah will safeguard the man from the punishment in the grave.

Reference: Manazelul A’khera (Stages of the Hereafter) by Allama Shaikh Abbas Qummi (r.a.)