Recently I was on a leave to my native place in India. The Imam of our mosque repeatedly declared in his two Friday sermons that Prophet Muhammad(PBUH) was having Knowledge of the Unseen, and those who don’t believe in this are hypocrites. And secondly he translated the meaning of Shahadah as ?There is no God but Allah And Muhammad (PBUH) is the messenger of Allah?. And he derived that from the meaning ?Muhammad (PBUH) is a messenger of Allah? indicating the prophet is still alive. Later I him that the Prophet(PBUH) was not having the knowledge of the unseen with proof from Qur?an and the Meaning of the Shahadah is ?There is no God but Allah And Muhammad (PBUH) is the messenger of Allah?, and it doesn’t indicate that he is alive, whereas he has died about 1400 years ago. On this they brought a fatwa from Ratnagiri, a place in India, declaring me as a non-believer and banned me from praying with jamaat (congregation) in our area mosque. So please guide and inform me, Was I right or Not? And send me a fatwa about them if possible signed and stamped at the earliest.
Only Allah Ta’ala possesses complete knowledge of the unseen. He says, ?And with Him are the keys to the unseen, no one knows them except Him.? (Surah6 V59). Allah Ta’ala granted certain knowledge of the unseen to the prophets (alayhis salaam), but complete knowledge of it is only possessed by him. (Ahsanul Fataawa vol.1 pg.202)
It is the belief of the Ahlus sunnah Wal Jamaa that Nabi (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) passed away. Allah Ta’ala states, ?You Nabi (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) will die and they will die.? (Surah 39 Aayat29)
Ambiyaa and other chosen servants of Allah are alive in their graves. However, this life is life of the Barzakh and not of this world. The level of life in the Barzakh differs with each individual, however, the level of life in the prophets (alayhis salaam) is more than that in others.? (Imdaadul Ahkaam vol.1 pg.342)
We would not advise you to get involved into a confrontation with these people, as experience has shown that they may not accept. Rather, use wisdom in calling them towards the truth. Use a common point, such as the fact that we both agree that Nabi (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) is alive in his grave as well as the fact that Allah Ta’ala granted certain knowledge of the unseen to Nabi (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam).
and Allah Ta’ala Knows Best
Mufti Ebrahim Desai