There has been major accusations against the general Muslim laity that they are guilty of ash-Shirk ul-Akbar  [major polytheism] due to their performing acts of tawassul, shifaa’a or istighaathah through the the Prophets of Allah and the pious. Such accusations have explicitly accused the majority of Muslim believers of being disbelievers of the worst kind. According to those who have spearheaded these accusations the Muslim believers of today far more worse than the likes Abu Jahl and the musrikeen who understood the message of Islam, yet rejected it. For the Muslims that have been affected by such Khawaarij Wahhabi thinking I have drawn up this document from the Qur’an, sunnah and the understanding of the Ulemaa regarding the permissibility of tawassul, shifaa’a and istighaathah through the the Prophets of Allah and the pious. For such people to be convinced that what I am speaking to them is the traditional standpoint and the truth of the Ahl us-Sunnah wal Jamaa’ah, I am going have to proof that

1. The Prophets alayhim as-salam and Awliyah Allah rahimahumallah are alive in their graves [answered in part I]

2. They have been given the ability to see and hear from near or afar [answered in part II]

3. They can answer with speech [answered in part II]

4. They can even help by Allah’s permission [answered in part II]

5. The Prophets alayhim as-salam can even appear manifest in the flesh to help [answered in part II]

6. Calling upon them is not worship [answered in part II]

7. The Sahaabah radiy Allahu anhum called upon the Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wasallam  [answered in part II]

8. Many great scholars deemed it to be permissible [answered in part III]

9. How the Khawaarij have takfeered Sahaabah radiy Allahu anhum, great scholars and the Ahl us-Sunnah wal-Jamaa’ah in general and that being a reason to leave the Khawaarij-Wahhabi cult altogether.  [answered in part III]

In this said  format, it shall be proven beyond the shadow of a doubt that calling upon the “dead” is not shirk and from the very beginning it has been the practice of the Salaf radiy Allahu anhum, and all the generations of Muslims that come after them. After witnessing the following evidences, I urge all the sincere from amongst the Wahhabi Khawaarij to leave this cult and embrace the true Sunni doctrine of Islam, for indeed it is the true way of the authentic saved sect. To hold a position that calls them infidels pits one against them not only in this life but also in the here-after. Whereas the Ahl us-Sunnah wal-Jamaa’ah will be enjoying the fruits of paradise, it’s opposition that spent its efforts in declaring the people of truth as disbelievers in Allah will be feeling the painful punishment in the depths of the hell. Something we should never wish for anybody.

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 SECTION ONE

 

The Prophets alayhim as-salam are alive in their graves

Often, when presented with the belief that the Prophets alayhim as-salaam are alive in their graves, the most common objection is “no. The Prophet is DEAD, Allah says in the Qur’an – Every soul shall taste death [Qur’an 3:185]- and Abu Bakr radiy Allah anhu said -Whosoever worships Muhmmad, know that he is dead! -“

Although these evidences serve to be true within their true context and meaning, the objectors always seem to misunderstand or even deliberately misinterpret the position of the Ahl us-Sunnah wal-Jamaa’ah and what we truly believe regarding the passing of the Messenger of Allah sal Allahu alayhi wasallam. By using such argument, the objector is building what is known as a straw-man argument, which is to build an argument and then attribute it to us, and then proceed to refute that argument thereby claiming victory.

It is crucial to clarify at this point, that, we believe that our Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wasallam did indeed taste the death of this world. We believe that he simply passed away from this physical world. We believe the ayah of Allah “Every soul shall taste death” and we believe in the statement of the first Khalifah of Islam, Abu Bakr radiy Allahu anhu.

However this does not mean that we believe that the Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wasallam is in a complete state of annihilation, for there is an abundance of evidences that clearly demonstrate that all of the Prophets alayhim as-salaam are alive in their graves, and even the Awliyah of Allah. We shall document these evidences.

However before we do so, I would like to quote directly from Muhammad Ibn ‘Abdul Wahhab’s very own son ‘Abdullah ibn Muhammad Ibn Abdul Wahhab, from a letter he wrote after he and his military expedition took the sacred masjid by force and overthrew the valid Muslim authority in 1218. He says in this document:

“And what we believe is that the status of our Prophet Muhammad (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam) is absolutely the highest status of the creations, and that he is alive in his grave with the life of the barzakh, higher than the life of the shuhadaa’ that has been mentioned in the Revelation, because he is better than them without doubt. And that he hears the Muslim’s sending greetings (salaam) on him, and that it is sunnah to visit him, however it is not allowed to set out on a journey except to visit the masjid and pray in it, and if he intends along with that to visit the grave of the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam), then there is no objection.And whoever spends his most precious time in sending the prayers (salaah) on him (‘alayhis-salaatu was-salaam) according to the manner narrated from him, then he has succeeded in attaining the bliss of both worlds, and it will suffice him from his worries and stress, as it is mentioned in the hadeeth from him.

[Taken from Ad-Durar as-Saniyyah fee al-Ajwibah an-Najdiyyah [wrongly mistranslated as “The Wahaabies Misconceptions Removed by ‘Abdullaah ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Abdul Wahhaab]

After reading this passage, there is a great wonder why the Wahhabi argument that “the Prophet sal allahu alayhi wasallam is dead and cannot hear” even exists, and just demonstrates the ignorance of Wahhabis for they do not even know the creed of some of their their own leaders. However, as the argument still exists let us now look at the evidences.

Do not say they are dead

Allah most High says in the Qur’an:

“..And do not say that those who are killed in the way of Allah that they are dead..” [Surat ul-Baqarah 154]

also He says:

“…those who have been slain in the way of Allah never think of them as dead; but they are alive with their Lord, get their subsistence” [Surah Al-Imran verse 169]

The tafaseer for these two ayah’s show us that the souls of the martyrs are placed within birds that are in the Jannah, and they can fly through it freely [see Ibn Katheer, Jalalayn, Tabari] This is the status of the martyrs. However, it is known that the status of the Prophets alayhim as-salaam is much higher in rank than that of the martyrs, plus given the fact that every Prophet dies with the reward of the martyr for their mission. We know the Prophets indeed have a rank more superior than the martyrs and this is also the belief of the great Mujaddid Imaam Ibn Hajar al-Asqalaani rahimahullah who writes in his monumental commentary of Saheeh al-Bukhari i.e. Fath al-Bari:

“When the living of the martyrs is proven from the text of the Qur’an, then this is also proven from a analogical point of view. And the Prophets are superior then the martyrs”

[Fath al-Bari, Volume 006: Page No. 379]

What is there not to say that the Prophet’s souls can fly wherever they want in the Jannah and this world and even appear manifest in the flesh? Indeed this has happened and has been recorded in the Ahaadeeth and the Tareekh of Islam with authentic narrators. Indeed the Sahaabah and the Salaf and the great majority of the scholars of the Ahl us-Sunnah wal-Jamaa’ah from the  and those that came after them believe in such, and such shall be proven a little further in this discourse when we discuss the Prophets having the ability to manifest in the flesh. [of course by the will and permission of Allah].

Not only is it important to belief that the Prophets are alive and have a higher rank than the martyrs but It is important to understand that the life of the next world is superior to the life of this world. Imaam Shawkawni confirms the rank of the Prophets being higher than that of the martyrs in his following statement:

It is mentioned in the Qur’an that martyrs are alive and they are provided with food; The Prophets and Righteous people are a lot higher in status than them so what will be their place? It has been proven through Ahadeeth that Prophets are alive in their graves.  Both Imaam Tirmidhi and Imaam al-Bayhaqi have said that this is an authentic Ahadeeth.

[Nayl al-Awtar  vol 3 page 82 by Qadi Shawkani]

Allah Himself informs mankind that the life of the hereafter is more superior in the following ayaat

The Prophets Bodies Do Not Decompose

Another great evidence that exists is the fact that the Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wasallam said that the bodies of the Prophets do not decompose, and that their organs such as listening still function.

Taqi ud-Deen Ibn Taymiyyah’s – main student ibn al Qayyim al-Jawziyyah documents a hadeeth in which the Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wasallam says:

“Send salutations on me, but send more salutations on Friday. When you recite the salutation, your voice will reach me wherever you are. Some companions asked, “ even after your death?”  The Prophet, (May Allah bless him and grant him peace) replied, “Allah has made it unlawful for the earth to decompose my body”.-  Ibn-al-Qayyim, Jala-ul-Afhaan page 145

We can clearly see from the Prophet’s sal Allahu alayhi wasallam that he is hinting that he is still going to be alive in body form. by mentioning that it is forbidden for the earth to touch his body, he is saying by comparison, I will not be dead, I will not decompose. Ibn al-Qayyum al-Jawziyyah also documented a similar hadeeth which confirms the Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wasallam will hear from his physical body the greetings that people send upon him. The Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wasallam said:

“On Fridays send as much Blessings as you can on me.  If when-one sends Blessings to me, where-ever he may be his voice will reach me.  The Companions said even after your death, our ‘Prophet, (May Allah bless him and grant him peace), replied affirmative.  This is because Allah most High, has made the bodies of the Prophets haram (forbidden) for the earth to eat”. – Jala ul Afham page 63 –  Ibn Qayyim

In the commentary Fath ul-Majeed to Muhammad Ibn Abdul-Wahhab’s Kitaab ut-Tahweed, his grandson   Abdur Rahmaan b. Hasan Alaa Shaykh writes:

“In the era of Umar b. al-Khattab [radiyAllahu ‘anhu], the Muslims who bought the light of Islam to the city of Tustar found inside the treasury of al-Hurmuzan a bed on which their was a dead man [perfectly preserved]: besides his head was a book. This book was translated into Arabic and it reveled many wisdom. The dead man happened to be Prophet Daniel [alayhi as-Salaam]. The Muslims dug thirteen graves during the day, and in the darkness of the night they buried him in one of those graves to prevent the people knowing his exact resting place so that they would not dig him up again. When there was droughts and famines, the people used to visit his bedside and seek his aid, and thereupon rain would fall from the sky and they would be relieved! It is reported that Prophet Daniel passed away three hundred years previous to the era of ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab, and amazingly his body was perfectly preserved and nothing had changed except a few hairs on his back. This is due to the fact that the earth is forbidden to eat the flesh of the Prophets [peace be upon them all]” Found in the chapter of Exaggeration of Raising the Graves of the Pious. Chapter 21.

 

We clearly notice from this account, that even though Prophet Daniel’s body was not buried, it was perfectly preserved, and the miracle of rain was granted to the people who prayed for rain using the tawassul of Prophet Daniel. the only reason they buried him as this was the Prophet’s right to be given a proper burial and not be left out on the open for display. This evidence demonstrates that Daniels body was alive and still nourished for an unnourished body would rapidly deteriorate.

Imaam ash-Shawkawni writes:

“The Ulemaa hold consensus that our Prophet, sal Allahu alayhi wasallam, is alive in his grave and the earth does not eat the bodies of the Prophets.” Nayl al-Awtar chapter Hajj by Imaam ash Shawkani

The Prophets soul is returned to his body

Another amazing evidence that adds to the fact of the Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wasallam being alive in his body is the fact that his soul is returned to him whenever sombody sends their peace and salutations upon him.

The Holy Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wasallam said:

“No-one greets me except that Allah has returned my soul to me so that I may greet him back” Riyaadas Saleeheen; al-Adhkaar; Fath ul-Baari, Musnad of Imaam Ahmad, hadeeth is narrated from Abu Hurayrah; al-Haythami, Majmu’a az-Zawaa’id

The Prophets are alive in their graves praying

Furthermore the Holy Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wasallam said:

“al-Anbiyaa ahyaa’un fi quburihim yussalun, i.e. the Prophets are alive in their graves and they are praying” Musnad of Imaam Ahmad; Saheeh Muslim; Sunan an-Nisaa’i; Musnad of Abu Yala 6:147; al-Haythami, Majmu’a az-Zawaa’id 8:211; al-Bayhaqi, Hayat ul-Anbiyaa; Fath ul-Baari: 6:487 Saheeh hadeeth no. 2790 [musnad]

The Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wasallam also said:

On the night of Mi’raj when I passed Prophet Musa’s alayhi as-salaam grave.  He was standing in his grave and offering Salaah. [Muslim chapter Fadhail Musa]

Without a doubt, all the above evidences show that the Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wasallam in alive in body form in his grave returning the continuous peace and salutations that his community send upon him twenty four hours a day without stop. there is not a moment on this earth, day of night, when there is not a worshipper of Allah sending his peace and salutations upon the holy Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wasallam. People that follow the Wahhabi cult blindly need to reflect on these above evidences and reflect deeply and desist from their kufr in saying that the Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wasallam is dead and worth nothing.

We shall commence with part two very shortly

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Bismillah ar-Rahmaan ar-Raheem 

As-salamu Alaykum Dear Readers.

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