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Are prophets alive in their graves?

Answered as per Shafi'i Fiqh by Qibla.com

Answered by Shaykh Amjad Rasheed

Is it true that prophets are alive in their graves? What is the proof?

Answer:
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Ahl as-Sunnah holds that the life of prophets in their graves is firmly established through authentic and explicit proofs. The great hadith master, Imam Bayhaqi compiled them in a separate book. Imam Jalal Al-Suyuti, M.H. [1], also authored a book on this topic. May Allah Most High have mercy on them both. Ibn Hajar [2], M.H., says:

Al-Bayhaqi compiled a brilliant book regarding the life of prophets in their graves in which he mentions the hadith of Anas, “The prophets are alive in their graves praying”, which he [3] transmits from the channel of Yahya Ibn Abu Katheer, who is a rigorously authenticated transmitter, on the authority of Al-Mustalim Ibn Sa’eed, whom Ahmad and Ibn Hibban deem reliable, on the authority of Al-Hajjaj Al-Aswad (a.k.a. Ibn Abu Ziyad Al-Basri), whom Ahmad and Ibn Ma’een deem reliable, on the authority of Thabit, on the authority of him [4].

Abu Ya’la also transmits it in his Musnad from this avenue. Al-Bazzar transmits it, but it appears with him on the authority of Hajjaj Al-Sawwaf, which is an error. Al-Hajjaj Al-Aswad is the correct name, as is explicitly mentioned in the narration of Al-Bayhaqi, which he rigorously authenticates.

This hadith is an authentic, explicit text that establishes the life of prophets in their graves and that they pray in them. Imam Bayhaqi supports what is mentioned in this hadith with what has been established in Saheeh Muslim in terms of the narration of Hammad Ibn Salamah, on the authority of Anas, on the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace), who said, “I passed by Moses at the red dune on the night in which I was transported [5] and he was standing in his grave praying.” He [6] also narrates it from another avenue on the authority of Anas. Al-Bayhaqi says:

If it is argued that this is specific to Moses, we say that we find supporting evidence in the hadith of Abu Hurayra, also in Saheeh Muslim, from the channel of Abdullah Ibn Al-Fadhl, on the authority of Abu Salamah, on the authority of Abu Hurayra (who promotes [7] it), “I found myself in the Hijr [8] and Quraish was asking me about my night journey … and I found myself amidst a group of prophets and Moses was standing in prayer … and Jesus Son of Mary was standing in prayer – the one who resembles him most being ‘Urwa Ibn Mas’ud – and Abraham was standing in prayer – the one who resembles him most being your companion [8] – then the prayer time entered and I led them in it.”

In the hadith of Sa’eed Ibn Al-Musayyib, on the authority of Abu Hurayra, it mentions, “that he met them in Jerusalem and then the time of prayer entered, so our prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) led them and then they gathered in Jerusalem.” In the hadith of Abu Dharr and Malik Ibn Sa’sa’ah regarding the story of the Night Journey, it mentions that he met them in the heavens.

These channels are rigorously authenticated, so they can be correlated as him having seen Moses standing in prayer in his grave, then he and the mentioned prophets ascended to the heavens, where he met them, then they gathered in Jerusalem. The time for prayer entered, and our prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) led them. [Al-Bayhaqi] says, “Their praying at different times and in different places is not logically refutable, and it has been established through transmission, so it indicates their life.”

Ibn Hajar, M.H., transmits these words of Al-Bayhaqi and doesn’t criticize them. Rather, he adds:

In my opinion, while their life is established through transmission, reason strengthens this, since martyrs are alive according to the text of the Qur’an, and prophets are better than martyrs.

Other supporting evidence for the hadith is found in what Abu Dawud transmits regarding the hadith of Abu Hurayra, which contains, “Pray for me, for surely, your prayers reach me wherever you are.” It’s chain of narrators is rigorously authenticated. Abu Al-Shaykh transmits it in Kitab Al-Thawab with a good chain of narrators with the wording, “Whoever prays for me at my grave, I hear him, and whoever prays for me remotely, it is imparted to me.” Ibn Khuzayma and others have rigorously authenticated what is in Abu Dawud and Al-Nasa’i, on the authority Aws Ibn Aws (who promotes it), regarding the virtue of Friday, “‘Increase in your prayers for me in it, for truly, your prayers are presented before me.’ They said, ‘Oh Messenger of Allah, how will our prayers be presented before you when you have decomposed?’ He said, ‘Allah has forbidden the earth to consume the bodies of prophets.'”

Amjad Rasheed

[Translated by Moustafa Elqabbany]

Translator’s Notes:

1. M.H., Master of Hadith (Ar. hafidh), one who has memorized 100,000 hadiths with their complete chain of narrators.

2. There are two major Shafi’i figures with the name Ibn Hajar: Ibn Hajar Al-Asqallani, author of Fath Al-Bari, an exegesis of Sahih Al-Bukhari, and Ibn Hajar Al-Haytami, author of Tuhfa Al-Muhtaj, an authoritative expounding of the Minhaj of Imam Nawawi. Ibn Hajar Al-Asqallani acquired the title of Commander of the Faithful in the Sciences of Hadith, and is without equal in his field, bar none. Ibn Hajar Al-Haytami, along with Al-Ramli, define the authoritative and final positions of the Shafi’i school in the Tuhfa and Nihaya, their respective exegeses of the Minhaj.

3. i.e. Al-Bayhaqi.

4. i.e. Anas (Allah be pleased with him).

5. i.e. The night of Isra’ and Mi’raj.

6. i.e. Al-Bayhaqi.

7. Promoting (Ar. rafa`a) a narration means attributing it to the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace).

8. i.e. The Hijr of Ka’ba.

9. Your companion: The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) is referring to himself.

السؤال : هل تثبت حياة الأنبياء في القبر ؟ وما الدليل ؟ الجواب : حياةُ الأنبياء في قبورهم ثابتةٌ بالدلائل الصحيحة الصريحة عند أهل السنة ، وقد جمع فيها الحافظ الكبير الإمام البيهقي كتاباً مستقلاً ، وألف في ذلك أيضاً الإمامُ الحافظ الجلال السيوطي رحمهما الله تعالى . قال الحافظُ ابن حجر في “فتح الباري” :” وقد جمع البيهقيُّ كتاباً لطيفاً في حياة الأنبياء في قبورهم أورد فيه حديثَ أنس :” الأنبياءُ أحياء في قبورهم يصلون “. أخرجه من طريق يحيى بن أبي كثير وهو من رجال الصحيح ، عن المستلم بن سعيد وقد وثقه أحمدُ وابنُ حبان ، عن الحجاج الأسود وهو ابن أبي زياد البصري وقد وثقه أحمد وابن معين ، عن ثابت عنه . وأخرجه أيضاً أبو يعلى في “مسنده” من هذا الوجه ، وأخرجه البزَّار ، لكن وقع عنده عن حجاج الصواف وهو وهمٌ ، والصوابُ الحجاج الأسود كما وقع التصريح به في رواية البيهقي وصححه البيهقي “. انتهى كلام الحافظ ابن حجر . فهذا الحديثُ نصٌّ صحيحٌ صريحٌ في إثبات حياة الأنبياء في قبورهم وفي أنهم يصلون فيها ، وقد أيد الإمام البيهقي ما في هذا الحديث بما ثبت في “صحيح مسلم” من رواية حماد بن سلمة عن أنس عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قال :” مررتُ بموسى ليلةَ أسري بي عند الكثيب الأحمر وهو قائم يصلي في قبره “. وأخرجه أيضاً من وجه آخر عن أنس . قال البيهقي : فإن قيل : هذا خاصٌّ بموسى . قلنا : قد وجدنا له شاهداً من حديث أبي هريرة أخرجه مسلم أيضاً من طريق عبد الله بن الفضل عن أبي سلمة عن أبي هريرة رفعه :” لقد رأيتني في الحجر وقريش تسألني عن مسراي “. الحديث وفيه :” وقد رأيتني في جماعة من الأنبياء فإذا موسى قائم يصلي “. وفيه :” وإذا عيسى ابن مريم قائم يصلي ، أقرب الناس به شبهاً عروةُ بن مسعود , وإذا إبراهيم قائم يصلي أشبه الناس به صاحبكم , فحانت الصلاة فأممتهم “. قال البيهقي :” وفي حديث سعيد بن المسيب عن أبي هريرة :” أنه لقيهم ببيت المقدس فحضرت الصلاةُ فأمَّهم نبيُّنا صلى الله عليه وسلم ثم اجتمعوا في بيت المقدس “. وفي حديث أبي ذر ومالك بن صعصعة في قصة الإسراء أنه لقيهم بالسماوات “. وطرقُ ذلك صحيحةٌ , فيُحمل على أنه رأى موسى قائماً يصلي في قبره , ثم عرج به هو ومن ذُكر من الأنبياء إلى السماوات فلقيهم النبيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم , ثم اجتمعوا في بيت المقدس فحضرت الصلاةُ فأمَّهم نبيُّنا صلى الله عليه وسلم . قال : وصلاتهم في أوقات مختلفة وفي أماكن مختلفة لا يرده العقل , وقد ثبت به النقل , فدل ذلك على حياتهم “. اهـ وقد نقل الحافظ ابن حجر كلام البيهقي هذا ولم يعترضه بشيء بل زاد عليه فقال : ” قلتُ : وإذا ثبت أنهم أحياء من حيث النقل فإنه يُقَوِّيه من حيث النظرُ كون الشهداء أحياء بنصِّ القرآن , والأنبياء أفضل من الشهداء . ومن شواهد الحديث ما أخرجه أبو داود من حديث أبي هريرة رفعه وقال فيه :” وصلوا عليَّ فإنَّ صلاتكم تبلُغني حيث كنتم “. سندُه صحيح , وأخرجه أبو الشيخ في ” كتاب الثواب ” بسند جيد بلفظ :” من صلى عليَّ عند قبري سمعته , ومن صلى عليَّ نائياً بُلِّغْته “. وعند أبي داود والنسائي وصححه ابنُ خزيمة وغيره عن أوس بن أوس رفعه في فضل يوم الجمعة:” فأكثروا عليَّ من الصلاة فيه فإن صلاتكم معروضة عليَّ . قالوا : يا رسول الله وكيف تعرض صلاتنا عليك وقد أَرِمْت ؟ قال : إن الله حَرَّمَ على الأرض أن تأكل أجساد الأنبياء “. “. انتهى كلام الحافظ ابن حجر .

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