The Prophets Of Allah Are Alive, Even After Their Apparent Demise [‘alayhim as-salaatu wa as-salaam] 1. "Allah has forbidden the earth from consuming the bodies of Prophets and the Prophet of Allah [salla-llaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam] is alive and provided for [with Rizq] (fa nabiyyullahi hayyun yurzaq)."             [Ibn Majah, Bayhaqi, Mishkaat] 2. “Allah has forbidden the earth from consuming the bodies of Prophets.” [A sound (sahih) tradition related on the authority of Aws ibn Aws al-Thaqafi by: Ahmad in his Musnad, Ibn Abi Shayba in the Musannaf, Abu Dawud in the Sunan, Nisai in his Sunan, Ibn Majah in his Sunan, Darimi in his Musnad, Ibn Khuzayma in his Sahih, ibn Hibban in his Sahih, Hakim in the Mustadrak, Tabarani in his Kabir, Bayhaqi in Hayat al-anbiya, Suyuti in Anba al-adkhiya, Dhahabi who confirmed Hakim's grading, and Nawawi in the Adhkar.] 3. “The prophets are alive in their graves, praying to their Lord.” [A sound (sahih) tradition related on the authority of Anas ibn Malik by: al-Bazzar in his Musnad, Abu Yala in his Musnad, Ibn Adi in al-Kamil fi al-duafa, Tammam al-Razi in al-Fawaid, al-Bayhaqi in Hayat al-anbiya fi quburihim, Abu Nuaym in Akhbar Asbahan, Ibn Asakir in Tarikh Dimashq, al-Haythami in Majma al-zawaid (8:211), Suyuti in Anba al-adhkiya bi-hayat al-anbiya (#5), and al-Albani, in Silsilat al-ahadith al-sahiha (#621).] 4. (The night I ascended to my Lord [Israa` and Mi’raaj]) “I saw Moosaa standing in prayer in his grave.” [A sound (sahih) tradition related on the authority of Anas and others by Muslim, Nasai, Bayhaqi in the Dalail al-nubuwwa and the Hayat al-anbiya, and others. Some mention the beginning (in parentheses), while others omit it.] 5. “No one greets me except Allah has returned my soul to me so that I can return his salaam.” [Abu Hurayra in Abu Dawud (Manasik #2039) with a sound chain; Ibn Asakir, Mukhtasar tarikh Dimashq 2:407; Ahmad, Musnad 2: 527; Abu Nuaym, Akhbar Asbahan 2:353; ibn al-Najjar, Akhbar al-Madeenah p.145; Bayhaqi, Shu’ab al-Eemaan #4161; Haythami, Majma’ al-Zawaaid 10:162; Ibn Katheer, Tafseer 6:464; al-Mundhiri, al-Targheeb wa al-Tarheeb 2:499, Talkhis al-Habir 2:267.] 6. “ Whoever invokes blessings [salaat i.e. Allaahumma salli ‘alaa……………, and others] on me at my grave, I hear him, and whoever invokes blessings on me from afar, I am informed about it.” [Abu al-Shaykh cites it in Kitaab al-Salaat ‘alaa al-Nabi (Jala al-afham p.22), and Ibn Hajar says in Fath al-Baari (6:379): “Abu al- Shaykh cites it with a good chain (sanad jayyid).” Bayhaqi mentions it in Hayaat al-Anbiyaa and Shu’ab al-Eemaan (2:218 #1583) with “ublightuhu” in the end.] 7. “Whoever visits my grave, my intercession [shafaa’ati] becomes guaranteed for him” [Hadeeth hasan. Narrated by al-Daraqutni, al-Dulabi, al-Bayhaqi, Khateeb al-Baghdadi, al-Uqayli, Ibn Adi, Tabaraani, and Ibn Khuzaymah in his Saheeh, all through various chains going back to Moosaa ibn Hilaal al-Abdi from Ubaydullah ibn Umar, both from Nafi, From Ibn Umar. Dhahabi declared this chain hasan (fair) as narrated, in Mizan al-itidal, vol. 4, p. 226 and he said: "Huwa salih al-hadith" which means: "He -Musa ibn Hilal — is good in his narrations." This is also Imam Ahmad's opinion as related by Shawkani in Nayl al-awtar 5:95. Imam Sakhawi confirmed Dhahabi's grading in the Maqasid al-hasana, and al-Lucknawi also declared it hasan in his commentary on Jurjani entitled Zaf'r al-amani. p. 422 (3rd ed.) while al-Subki declared it sahih as stated by Samhudi in Saadat al-darayn 1:77, and Shawkani said: "Ibn al-Sakan, Abd al-Haqq (ibn al-Kharrat al-Ishbili), and Taqi al-Din al-Subki have declared this hadith sound (sahih)." Ibn Adi said in al-Kamil fi al-Duafa (6:2350): "He [Musa ibn Hilal] is most likely acceptable; other people have called him "unknown" [i.e. Abu Hatim al-Razi and al-Uqayli] and this is not true . . . He is one of the shaykhs of Imam Ahmad and most of them are trustworthy." Even the "Salafi" Albani declared him thabit al-riwaya (of established reliability) in his Irwa (4:338). About Ubayd Allah ibn Umar al-Umari: Dhahabi calls him saduq hasan al-hadith [truthful, of fair narrations] in al-Mughni 1:348; Sakhawi says of him salih al-hadith [of sound narrations] in al-Tuhfa al-latif'a 3:366; Ibn Main said to Darimi about him: salih thiqa [sound and reliable] in al-Kamil 4:1459.] Ref: Encyclopedia of Islamic Doctrine, Anwaar-ul-Hadeeth, Fazaail-e-Durood, Sunni Fazaail-e-A’maal, Mishkaat ul-Masaabeeh and Others. 8. Allah said in Soorat aal-‘Imraan: “Think not of those who are killed in the way of Allah as dead. Nay, they are alive, with their lord, and they have provision [rizq]. They rejoice in what Allah has bestowed upon them of his bounty and rejoice for the sake of those who have not yet joined them, but are left behind [not yet martyred] that on them no fear shall come, nor shall they grieve”. 9. Allah said in Soorat al-Baqarah: “And say not of those who are killed in the way of Allah, ‘They are dead.’ Nay, they are alive, but you perceive [it] not.” Allah said in Soorat an-Nisaa`: “And whoso obey Allah and the Messenger [Hazrat  Sayyidinaa Muhammad  (may Allah bless him, exalt his mention and protect him from imperfection)] then they will be in the company of those on whom Allah has bestowed his grace, of the prophets, the Siddeeqeen [those who made complete their belief and affirmed the truth of what the Prophets brought from Allah, by their belief, words and actions like Hazrat Abu Bakr as-Siddeeq (may Allah be pleased with him) and others], the Shuhadaa` [martyrs] and the Saaliheen [those who do right] and how excellent these companions are!” In the above verse, Allah has grouped the Muslims [Believers] into 4 categories in order of their rank, i.e. Anbiyaa`, Siddeeqeen, Shuhadaa` and Saaliheen. It is not possible for the Anbiyaa` and Siddeeqeen to be dead when Shuhadaa` are alive after their apparent demise, because Anbiyaa` and Siddeeqeen outrank any Shaheed. 10. In every Salaat, we recite: “At-tahyaatu lillaahi was-salawaatu wat-tayyibaatu as-salaamu ‘alayka ayyuhan-nabiyyu wa rahmatullaahi wa barakaatuhu as-salaamu ‘alaynaa wa ‘alaa ‘ibaadillaah-is-saaliheen ash-hadu an laa ilaaha illallaahu wahdahu laa shareeka lahu wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan ‘abduhu wa rasooluhu” The word “’alayka” is used. The ending “-ka” translates into “You” and it means that you are talking to the person and he is listening to you. Also, you use the word “ayyuha” for addressing him, meaning “O`”. So, it translates “Peace be upon you, O` Prophet, and the Mercy/Forgiveness of Allah and His Bounty/Blessings  upon you!”  Therefore, again, the Prophet [may Allah bless him, exalt his mention and protect him from imperfection] is proven to be alive and hearing even after his apparent demise. 11. “If they [hypocrites], when they had been unjust to themselves, had come to you [Muhammad sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam] and begged Allah’s forgiveness and the Messenger [sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam] had begged forgiveness for them: indeed they would have found Allah All-Forgiving [One who accepts repentance], Most-Merciful” Looking at the above-mentioned words of Allah and His Rasool (may Allah bless him, exalt his mention and protect him from imperfection) it becomes clear that  not only the Anbiyaa`ullah [Prophets of Allah] but the Siddeeqeen and Shuhadaa’ are alive even after their apparent demise and are provided for with rizq [provision] and should not be called “dead”. To do so in the case of Anbiyaa’ and Shuhadaa’ is clearly sinful as it is the opposite of what Allah and His Rasool (may Allah bless him, exalt his mention and protect him from imperfection) have stated literally, and to do so in the case of Siddeeqeen is also wrong by inference from Allah’s Word as mentioned previously. We are not able to perceive this authenticated fact at this time, as we are not able to perceive other things of the ghayb [unseen] and this is the Will of Allah. Al-Sayyid Dr. Mir Omar Ali, MD; Hanafi, Qaadiri; Khateeb, Salaat-ul-Jum’ah miromarali@yahoo.com Ref: Qur`aan, Tafseer Khazaain-ul’Irfaan, Tarjumah Kanz-ul-Eemaan, The Noble Qur`aan, Muqaam-e-Rasool, Tafseer al-Jalaalayn, Tafseer al-Muyassar in addition to previously cited references and others. Also, the Prophet Muhammad [sallallahu`alayhi wa sallam] led all the previous Anbiyaa’ in Salaat on Laylat-ul-Mi`raaj at Masjid-ul- Aqsaa, where all of them were present bodily, many years after their apparent worldly demise. This would not have been possible without them being alive in their graves.