Muhammad b. Salih Al-`Uthaymīn (d.2001CE) has objected to taking proof from the aforementioned verse of the Qur’ān [and had they, when they were unjust to themselves, come to you and asked forgiveness of Allah and the Messenger had (also) asked forgiveness for them, they would have found Allah Oft-returning (to mercy), Merciful] as he said in his formal legal opinions (Fatāwā) 1/89:
“Idh (when) is an adverb [denoting time] that has passed by and not an adverb [denoting action that will take place] in the future. Allāh has not said: ‘And had they, when they are unjust’, rather Allāh said ‘when (idh) they were unjust’.
Hence this verse is referring to something that took place during the life of the Messenger of God [sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam].
And the possibility that the Messenger of God [sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam] asks forgiveness for them after his death is something impossible.
This is due to the fact that after the death of a person all of his actions are discontinued – as the Messenger [sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam] has said – except for three: ongoing charity, knowledge which is being benefited from or a righteous child who prays for him. Hence there is no possibility for a man to ask forgiveness after his death for anyone, or even for himself, because his deeds have been discontinued.”(End of quote.)
-----------------
I say: this is a bold enterprise on the part of Al-`Uthaymīn, we ask Allāh for safety.
Its rebuttal is as follows:
His restriction of idh to the past tense let us examine it.
Idh is used in the past as well as in the future and it has several other meanings that were mentioned by Ibn Hishām in Mughnī Al-Labīb [1/ 80 – 83]. Al-Azharī has [also] stated that idh (when) is used in the future; he said in Tahzīb Al-Lugha [15/47] that Arabs use idh for the future and idha for the past.
God, the Great and Almighty said: “And could you see when (idh) they shall become terrified” [Qur’ān: Saba’, 51]
I say, [we could also mention] as an example of using idh in the future what Allāh, Exalted is He, said:
“And could you see when (idh) they are made to stand before the fire” [Qur’ān: Al-An’ām, 27];
“And could you see when (idh) they are made to stand before their Lord.” [Al-An’ām, 30];
“And if you had seen when (idh) the unjust shall be in the agonies of death” [Al-An’ām, 93];
“And could you but see when (idh) the guilty shall hang down their heads before their Lord” [Al-Sajda, 12].
As for his saying that asking the Messenger [صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم] for forgiveness is impossible due to the fact that if a person dies his actions will be discontinued except for three things, this is wrong. [On the contrary,] asking our liege-lord the Messenger of Allāh [صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم] for forgiveness is not impossible for several reasons.
The first one is that it was authentically reported that the Prophet [صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم] said:
“the Prophets are alive in their graves praying” as mentioned by Al-Bayhaqī in Ḥayāt Al-Anbiyā’, page 15, by Abu Ya’lā in his Musnad,147/6, Abu Nu’aym in Akhbār Asbahān 44/2, and Ibn ‘Adī in Al-Kāmil 2/739.
Al-Haythamī said in Al-Majma’ that “the narrators (rijāl) of Abu Ya’lā are trustworthy” and there are other chains for the ḥadīth. [Furthermore], the Messenger of Allah [صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم] said “I came across Moses when he was standing praying in his grave” as mentioned by Muslim 4/1845, Aḥmad 3/120, and Al-Baghawī in Sharḥ Al-Sunna 13/351 as well as by others.
In addition to that, Ibn al-Qayyim said in his (poem) Nūniyya about the life of the Messengers after their demise [Al-Nūniyya with Sharḥ ibn ‘Īsa 2/160], The Messengers are at a more excellent state than him (the Martyr) and this is clearly demonstrated Because they were even in their lives more accomplished than our martyrs in wisdom and in giving proofs And because the Messenger’s marriage is not annulled after his death, and his wives remained chaste and protected In this is not there evidence that He is alive, for he who has ears to hear?
The second reason is that it has been proven that the Prophet [صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم] has led the prayer as the Imām before the Prophets (may the peace and blessings of God be upon them) during Isra’ [the night journey through the spiritual world] - this is a mass narrated ḥadīth (mutawātir) - and all of them were deceased and Musa [AS] had requested him to reconsider regarding the prayers and he [صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم] saw other [Prophets] in the heavens. How can it be impossible for a person in this state to ask forgiveness [for the others] (knowing that prayer is supplication, asking for forgiveness and imploring)?
The third reason is that it has been authentically reported that the Prophet [صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم] said:
“My life is a great good for you, you will relate about me and it will be related to you, and my death is a great good for you, your actions will be exhibited to me, and if I see goodness I will praise Allah, and if I see evil I will ask forgiveness of Him for you”. It is an authentic narration, and Hāfiẓ al-Iraqī said about it in Tarh al-Tathrīb 297/3: good chain.
Al-Haythamī said in Al-Majma’[9/24]: it was narrated by Al-Bazzār and his narrators are authentic.
Al- Suyūṭī also authenticated it in al-Khaṣā’iṣ[2/281]. And the sayings of al-‘Irāqī and al-Haythamī are only with regard to the Isnād of al-Bazzār. Otherwise, the narration is authentic as Al-Ḥāfiẓ Al-Suyūṭī as well as others, have said. The ḥadīth will be expanded upon later if God wills.
The fourth reason is that the Prophet[صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم] asking God’s forgiveness could happen for all the believers whether they were present during his lifetime or not as Allāh – Exalted is He - said: “and ask forgiveness for thy fault, and for the men and women who believe” [Qur’ān: Muḥammad, 19] and this is a favor from Allāh – Exalted is He – and one of the distinguishing qualities of our liege-lord the Messenger of Allāh [صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم].
We have realized from the aforementioned [arguments] that the three matters related in this Qur’ānic verse and are:
1) To visit him [صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم];
2) Asking for forgiveness;
3) The Prophet [صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم] asking forgiveness for the believers.
Those three [matters] can happen during his lifetime [صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم] and after his demise.
And people shouldn’t say that this verse was meant for particular groups of people.
They shouldn’t say this because the well known principle is “The conclusion is derived from the generality of terms used and not from the specific conditions (at the time of revelation)”.
Therefore, the exegetes and others have understood from this verse the generality [of wording] and they recommended for those who come to the honored grave to read this Qur’ānic verse:
“and had they, when they were unjust to themselves, come to you and asked forgiveness of Allah and the Messenger had (also) asked forgiveness for them, they would have found Allah Oft-returning (to mercy), Merciful” [Qur’ān: Al-Nisā, 64 ] and to ask Allāh – Exalted is He – for forgiveness.
And both the tafasīr which we have and the (books on) rituals (of hajj) which have been classified by the scholars of the Madhāhib(schools of jurisprudence) likewise all have sincerely adduced this (action) from this verse.
Why do we go so far, here is the exegete Abu Muḥammad Ibn Qudāmah al-Ḥanbalī, the author of al-Mughnī, about whom Ibn Taymiyyah said: “no one possessing more understanding [of religion] than Ibn Qudāmah has entered Syria after Al-‘Awza’ī”.
He [i.e. Ibn Qudāmah] mentions this verse of the Qur’ān in al-Mughnī [3/590] regarding the visit to Al-Mustafa [the Elected one] صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم and he has related something similar on page 65. He said regarding the manner of visiting (the grave): Then you visit the grave, you turn your back, face its center and say: May the peace, mercy and blessings of Allāh be upon you, O Prophet! May the peace of Allāh be upon you O Prophet of Allāh and the best of His creation. Till he says after praising and sending blessings upon the Prophet: O Allāh! you said, and your saying is truthful: “and had they, when they were unjust to themselves, come to you and asked forgiveness of Allah and the Messenger had (also) asked forgiveness for them, they would have found Allah Oft-returning (to mercy), Merciful” [Qur’ān: 4, 64], and I have come to you seeking forgiveness for my sins, seeking intercession through you to my Lord, hence I ask you O Lord to obligate forgiveness for me as you have made it an obligation for those who came to him during his lifetime [صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم]. O Allah make him [صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم] be the first among intercessors, the most successful among seekers and the most generous of the last and first [prophets], with your mercy, O Most Merciful. Then he invokes Allāh in favor of his parents and all his Muslim brothers. End of the concise quote.
[What] remains is commenting on the saying of Ibn ‘Uthaymīn whereby he said “because if a person dies, his actions will be discontinued except for three …”.
I say that our liege-lord the Prophet of Allāh [صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم] had perfections and distinguishing qualities which others did not share. And this has been affirmed by Ibn Taymiyya in his book Al-Ṣārim al-Maslūl ‘Alā Shātim Al-Rasūl, which is one of his best books.
And he Prophet [صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم] is in progress and exaltation till the Day of Judgment. And such matters are known as a necessity from the religion and affirmed in the books of Al-Khaṣā’iṣ, Dalā’il al-Nubūwwah, Al-Shifā and the corresponding commentaries.
As he Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم has said that “Whoever calls to guidance will have the same reward as those who follow it without their reward being reduced in the slightest bit”[ Reported by Muslim and others].
All the deeds which are done by the Community of Muhammad [صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم], therefore, revert to the Prophet of Allāh’s [صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم] preaching (da’wah) and the reward (for these good acts) reverts to him. And he certainly takes profit of them (the good actions of the ummah) without the rewards (of the ummah) being reduced the slightest bit.
And
regarding this, Ibn
Taymiyya said
in his
legal opinions [Fatāwa:
1/191]:
It
has been proven about the Prophet [صَلَّى
اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم]
in the Saḥīḥ that he said:
“Whoever calls to guidance will have the same reward as those who follow it without their reward being reduced in the slightest bit”. And Muhammad [صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم] is the caller (da’ī) to his community’s good deeds (i.e. he originally called them towards these good deeds), hence he has from what they do the same reward as they do without theirs being reduced the slightest bit. [End of Ibn Taymiyya quote.]
And what happened is that Ibn ‘Uthaymīn has erred in what he said.
We seek Allah’s protection from speaking about the Book of Allāh without any knowledge and trespassing on the status of our liege-lord, the Prophet of Allāh [صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم].
[Shaykh Mahmūd Sa’īd Mamduh, Excerpted from: Raf’ al-Mināra bi-Ahadīth al-Tawassul Wa al-Ziyāra (Raising the Lighthouse with the Ḥadīths of Seeking Means and Visitation [of the Prophet (صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم)]
DEEDS PRESENTED TO THE PROPHET AFTER HIS PASSING
صَلَّى
اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم
"My
life is a great good for you, you will relate about me and it will be
related to you, and my death is a great good for you, your actions
will be exhibited to me, and if I see goodness I will praise Allah,
and if I see evil I will ask forgiveness of Him for you."
Shaykh
Muhammad ibn Alawi al-Maliki (ra) said:
The hadith master
al-`Iraqi said in the book of Jana'iz of his work Tarh al-Tathrib fi
Sharh al-Taqrib:
"Its chain is good" (isnâduhu
jayyid)[1]
The hadith master al-Haythami said: "Al-Bazzar
narrated it and its sub-narrators are the men of the Sahih."[2]
The
hadith master al-Suyuti declared it sound (sahîh) in al-Mu`jizat and
al-Khasa'is.
So did al-Qastallani the commentator of
al-Bukhari.
Al-Munawi also declared, in Fayd al-Qadir, that it
is sahîh. [3]
So did al-Zurqani in his commentary on
al-Qastallani's al-Mawahib al-Laduniyya.
So did Shihab al-Din
al-Khafaji in his commentary on [al-Qadi `Iyad's] al-Shifa'.[4]
So
did al-Mulla `Ali al-Qari in his, adding: Al-Harith ibn Usama
narrated it in his Musnad with a sound chain.[5]
Ibn Hajar also
mentioned it in al-Matalib al-`Alya.[6]
This hadith also came to
us through another, mursal way from [the Tabi`î] Bakr ibn `Abd Allah
al-Muzani.
The hadith master Isma`il al-Qadi narrated it in his
monograph on the invocation of blessings on the Prophet , and Shaykh
al-Albani said about it: "Mursal sahîh."[7]
The
hadith master Ibn `Abd al-Hadi declared it sound (sahîh) despite his
excessive rigor and harshness in his book al-Sarim al-Munki. After
all this evidence, does any meddler have anything left to say?
The
hadith is undoubtedly sound, and no-one questions its authenticity.
---------------
[1] Al-`Iraqi, Tarh al-Tathrib
(3:297).
[2] Al-Haythami, Majma` al-Zawa'id (9:24 #91).
[3]
Al-Munawi in Fayd al-Qadir (3:401) only reported al-`Iraqi's words
"Its narrators are the men of the Sahih except
for `Abd al-Majid ibn Abi Rawwad who, despite
being retained by Muslim as a
narrator and being declared trustworthy (thiqa)
by Ibn Ma`in and al-Nasa'i, was
declared weak by some."
Al-Munawi
then went on to criticize al-Suyuti's
unmitigated authentication of the narration in Manahil al-Safa
although al-Suyuti is correct.
[4]
Al-Khafaji, Sharh al-Shifa' (1:102).
[5] Al-Qari, Sharh
al-Shifa' (1:102), referring to the mursal hadith
of Bakr al-Muzani.
[6] Ibn Hajar, al-Matalib al-`Alya
(4:22).
[7] In his edition of Isma`il
al-Qadi's Fadl al-Salat `ala al-Nabi - Allah bless and greet him -
(p. 37), after which he goes on to say that the hadith is weak, as in
his Silsila Da`ifa (#979). ]
----------------
Shaykh GF Haddad
Regarding the above Hadith:
Narrated from Ibn
Mas`ud by al-Bazzar in his Musnad (1:397) with a sound chain
as stated by al-Suyuti in Manahil al-Safa (p. 31 #8) and al-Khasa'is
al-Kubra (2:281), al-Haythami (9:24 #91), and al-`Iraqi in Tarh
al-Tathrib (3:297) - his last book, as opposed to al-Mughni`an Haml
al-Asfar (4:148) where he questions the trustworthy rank of one of
the narrators in al-Bazzar's chain.
Shaykh
`Abd Allah al-Talidi said in his Tahdhib al-Khasa'is al-Kubra (p.
458-459 #694) that this chain is sound according
to Muslim's criterion, and Shaykh Mahmud Mamduh in Raf`al-Minara (p.
156-169) discusses it at length and declares it sound.
Their shaykh, al-Sayyid `Abd Allah ibn al-Siddiq al-Ghumari (d.
1413/1993) declared it sound in
his monograph Nihaya al-Amal fi Sharh wa Tashih Hadith `Ard
al-A`mal.
Opposing these six
judgments al-Albani declares
it weak in his notes on
al-Qadi Isma`il's Fadl al-Salat (p. 37 n. 1).
It is also
narrated with weak chains from
Anas and - with two sound mursal chains missing the
Companion-link - from the Successor Bakr ibn `Abd Allah al-Muzani by
Isma`il al-Qadi (d. 282) in his Fadl al-Salat `ala al-Nabi (p. 36-39
#25-26). The latter chain was declared sound by
al-Qari in Sharh al-Shifa' (1:102), Shaykh al-Islam al-Taqi al-Subki
in Shifa' al-Siqam, his critic Ibn `Abd
al-Hadi in al-Sarim al-Munki (p. 217), and al-Albani in
his Silsila Da`ifa (2:405). A third, weak
chain is related from Bakr al-Muzani by al-Harith ibn Abi
Usama (d. 282) in his Musnad (2:884) as per Ibn Hajar in al-Matalib
al-`Aliya (4:23).
Al-Albani declared
the hadith weak on the grounds
that some authorities questioned the memorization of the Murji'
hadith master `Abd al-Majid ibn `Abd al-`Aziz ibn Abi
Rawwad.
However, he was retained by Muslim in his Sahih and
declared thiqa by Yahya ibn
Ma`in,
Ahmad, Abu Dawud, al-Nasa'i, Ibn Shahin, al-Khalili, and al-Daraqutni, while al-Dhahabi listed him in Man Tukullima Fihi Wa Huwa Muwaththaq (p. 124) as stated by Mamduh in Raf` al- Minara (p. 163, 167).
Al-Arna'ut
and Ma`ruf declare him thiqa in
Tahrir al-Taqrib (2:379 #4160) as well as Dr. Nur al-Din `Itr in his
edition of al-Dhahabi's Mughni (1:571 #3793) and Dr. Khaldun al-Ahdab
in Zawa'id Tarikh Baghdad (10:464).
Even
if al-Albani's grading
were hypothetically accepted, then
the weak musnad narration in
conjunction with the sound mursal
one - graded sahîh by al-Albani -
would yield a final grading of hasan or sahîh, not da`îf.
In
addition to this, Mamduh quoted al-Albani's own
words in the latter's attempted refutation of Shaykh Isma`il
al-Ansari entitled Kitab al-Shaybani (1:134-135) whereby "The sound
mursal hadith is a proof in
all Four Schools and other
than them among the Imams of the principles of hadith and fiqh,
therefore it is apparent to every
fair-minded person that the
position whereby
such a hadith does not form a proof only because it is mursal, is
untenable."
This
is one of many examples in which al-Albani not
only contradicts, but soundly refutes himself.
---
Proofs That Deeds Are Presented To The Prophet(s)
by Mawlana ‘Abd al-Hafiz al-Makki Here
Read the Full article: Here [...]
An article was published on 4 Jumada ‘l-Ula, 1429 (9 May, 2008) in Roshni, a religious supplement published each Friday with the Saudi-based Urdu News newspaper, in clarification of a column published a few weeks earlier, discussing a story about a man who was told on his death bed that he had been forgiven due to his devotion to sending Blessings and Peace (Salat wa Salam) to the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) each morning. [...]
‘Abd al-Hafiz writes: Dr Sayyid Sa’id ‘Abidi’s : “Are Our Actions Presented to the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace)? [Roshni supplement page, 8. on 27 Rabi’ al-Ula, 1429 (4 April, 2008)]
---
Dr ‘Abidi considers the story to be contrary to Islamic belief (‘aqida) and therefore makes some serious accusations against the author [of the book in which the story was originally mentioned].
The purpose of narrating this story is not to explain belief; rather, it is to encourage the sending of Peace and Blessings. It is for this that senior ‘ulama — such as Imam Ibn al-Jawzi, Ibn al-Qayyim, al- Dhahabi and others — have always included such stories in their writings.
In fact, it has been narrated from the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) himself that an immoral woman, seeing a thirsty dog at the side of a well, felt sorry and lowered her shoe inside. Having filled it, she gave the dog water to drink. On this, Allah Most High forgave her.
Regarding the hadith about the deeds of the Umma being presented to the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace),
---
Dr ‘Abidi, in an unbefitting fashion, writes: “Were the actions of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) also presented to the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) when he was alive?
So, how and for what reason are they presented after the Messenger of Allah’s (Allah bless him and give him peace) death?”
---
The question of why actions are presented [as mentioned by Dr ‘Abidi in his article] remains.
However, the Messenger of Allah has clarified this in that very hadith [1]: “Whatever good I shall see, I shall praise Allah for that; and whatever bad I shall see, I shall seek repentance on your behalf.”
The purpose has been explained by the Prophet of Guidance and Mercy (Allah bless him and give him peace) himself — something at which Dr ‘Abidi and all of us should rejoice.
What remains now is the issue surrounding this hadith, which Dr ‘Abidi has separated into two parts and then individually explained at great length.
Hafiz ‘Iraqi says the chain of narration (isnad) of this hadith is excellent (jayyid).
Imam Hafiz Haythami also mentions the same in Majma’ al-Zawa’id and writes that Imam Qastallani, the commentator of Sahih al-Bukhari, considers it to be authentic (sahih).
The great hadith scholar, Mulla ‘Ali al-Qari has also mentioned it to be authentic in Sharh al-Shifa and writes that Imam Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti has mentioned it to be authentic in his books. Imam Munawi has mentioned it to be authentic in Fayd al-Qadir, likewise, Imam Zurqani in Sharh al-Mawahib has considered it to be authentic and so has Imam Shihab al-Khafaji in Sharh al-Shifa.
In addition, the hadith has been narrated mursal [2] from a different chain of narration — this has been mentioned by Hafiz Isma’il al-Qadi in Juz’ al-Salat ‘ala ‘l-Nabi.
Sh Nasir al-Din al-Albani writes that it is mursal sahih and Ibn ‘Abd al-Hadi al-Hanbali has mentioned it authentic in his book Al-Sarim al-Munki.
Shaykh ‘Abd Allah al-Ghumari has also penned a booklet, entitled Nihayat al-Amal fi Sihha wa Sharh Hadith ‘Ard al-‘Amal, solely on this hadith.
Imam Ibn al-Jawzi — who has been quoted by Dr ‘Abidi, and who is considered to be among those hadith scholars known for their critical research and stringency — has penned a brilliant two-volume book on the Prophet’s life, entitled Al-Wafa bi Ahwal al-Mustafa (Allah bless him and give him peace).
In its introduction to the book, Imam Ibn al-Jawzi writes that he has only included authentic hadiths and kept it completely clear of lies.
Imam Ibn al-Jawzi also devotes an individual chapter comprising three hadiths to the subject — Al-Bab al-Sabi’ wa w’l-Arba’un fi ‘Ard ‘Amal Ummatihi ‘Alayh (The Forty-Seventh Chapter Regarding the Presentation of His Umma’s Action to Him).
*The first of these hadiths has been narrated by Sayyiduna Aws ibn Aws (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Noble Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said: “The best of your days is Friday. On that day Adam (peace be upon him) was created, on that day he died, on that day the Trumpet will be blown and on that day all of creation will swoon. So send a great deal of blessings upon me, for your blessings will be shown to me.” They said, “Oh Messenger of Allah, how will our blessings upon you be shown to you when you have turned to dust?” He said, “Allah has forbidden the Earth to consume the bodies of the Prophets (peace be upon them).”
*The second hadith is the one mentioned by Dr ‘Abidi — not the one from Sayyiduna ‘Abd Allah ibn Mas’ud, but one from Bakr ibn ‘Abd Allah al-Muzani, which is mursal and which Sh Albani says is mursal sahih.
*The third hadith has been narrated by Sayyiduna Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said: “My life is also good for you in that wahy (revelation) comes to me from the sky and that I can inform you about what is permissible and what is impermissible; and my death is also good for you in that your actions will be presented to me every Friday. So whatever is good, I shall praise Allah for that; and whichever sins I shall see, I shall seek repentance on your behalf.”
The hadiths about the presentation of deeds — including the presentation of Peace and Blessings, as that is also a deed — have been narrated from three individuals:
Sayyiduna ‘Abd Allah ibn Mas’ud,
Sayyiduna Anas ibn Malik and
Bakr ibn ‘Abd Allah al-Muzani.
One of the hadiths regarding “peace and blessings” has been narrated from Sayyiduna Aws ibn Aws and one from Sayyiduna Abu ‘l-Darda’, which, at the end, includes the wording:
“Hence the Messenger of Allah is alive and being given his sustenance.”
This hadith [contrary to what Dr ‘Abidi writes in his article] has also been considered authentic by Hafiz Mundhiri, ‘Allama Zurqani, Hafiz Ibn Hajar al-‘Asqalani, Mulla ‘Ali al-Qari, Qadi Shawkani and others.
Ibn
al-Qayyim in his book, Zad
al-Ma’ad, writes in detail
that:
“It
is definitely known that the pure body of the Prophet (Allah
bless him and give him peace) is
completely fresh in his blessed grave. The
Companions (may Allah be pleased
with them) asked the Prophet (Allah
bless him and give him peace) how
Peace and Blessings would be presented to him after his death?
At this, the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said that Allah Most High has forbidden the Earth from consuming the bodies of the Messengers.
If
the Prophet’s pure body was not in the noble grave then he would
definitely not have replied as such.
Likewise,
it has been authentically established from the Prophet that Allah
Most High has appointed angels at his noble grave to convey the
greetings of his Umma. It is
also authentically established that the Prophet (Allah
bless him and give him peace) once
stood between Sayyiduna Abu Bakr and Sayyiduna ‘Umar and said: ‘We
will be raised like this.’
“With
all these truths, it
is also absolute that the Prophet’s blessed soul is in the Highest
Heaven (A’la
‘Illiyyin) at the Rafiq
al-A’la together
with the souls of the other messengers (peace
be upon them). Hence,
the soul is there and is in connection with his pure body, which
is in his blessed grave.
The
relationship between the soul and the body is
such that the Prophet
offers prayer (salat)
in his noble grave and responds
to the greetings of those who visit him. On
the basis of this relationship between the soul and the
body, he
saw Sayyiduna
Musa (peace
be upon him) offering
prayer standing in his grave.”
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[1] Dr ‘Abidi mentions this hadith from Sunan Nasai on the authority of Sayyiduna ‘Abd Allah ibn Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him).
[2] Mursal is that hadith whose chain of narration’s end link has not been mentioned. In other words the Tabi’i (Follower) mentions from the Prophet of Allah (peace and blessings upon him) missing out the Companion (Sahabi). (See Mufti Sa’id Ahmad al-Palanpuri’s Tuhfat al-Durar Sharh Nukhbat al-Fikar).
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