According
to the Holy Quran every thing has to die as Allah almighty says:
"Every soul
is to taste the death" (Sura Al-Imran)Like this prophets of Allah almighty
were also passed through the process of death. They were given death but
it was for a very short time. And at the same time they were brought to
life as same as before.
Now all of
the prophets (Alaihis salam) of Allah almighty are alived. Allama Baihaqi
(Rahmatullah Alaih) has collected a number of narrations in the proof of
the lifeof the prophets (Alaihis salam) after death.
Such as Allama
Jalaluddieen Sayuti (Rahmatullah Alaih) also written a book on this topic
and there are so many scholars of ummah who have written very muchabout
this topic. Now I prove it from the Quran and Hadith. Allah Almighty says:
"And say not
those who are killed in the path of Allah as dead, but they are alive yes,
you are unaware." (Sura Al Baqara, Verse 154)
According to
the Holy Quran pious people are of four categories. The Prophets (Alaihis
Salam) are of the highest grade and then comes the number of truthful andthen
martyrs and righteous people stands fourth in grade. And all four kinds
are blessed according to their grades. As the Holy Quran says: "Those who
have beenblessed by Allah viz., the Prophets, and the truthful, and martyrs
and righteous." (Sura Al Nisa, Verse 69)
According to
the general practice of the people we see that an officer of grade "B"
is provided all facilities which is provided to the officer of grade "C".
But theofficer of B grade is given more than the officer of C grade. Like
this is the case of the officer of grade "A". He is not only provided all
the facilities of the officer of grade B but also more than that of "B"
grade. Now we believe that a martyr gets the life after death by practicing
the teachings of his Prophet (Alaihis Salam) although he comes in third
grade of the pious peoples, so what is about the position of the Prophet
(Alaihis Salam) who is highest of all in his grade. Surely He is the most
deserve able of all others to be alived after death. It is a logical proof.
Secondly the
Prophet of Allah almighty is a martyr because he died due to the eating
of piousness food. As Imam Bukhari and Baihaqi (Rahmatullah Alaih) narratedby
Aiysha (Allah almighty is well pleased with her) that the Holy Prophet
(Allah's Grace & Peace be upon Him) said in his mortal disease, " I
always felt the pain offood which I ate in Khaibar, now that poison is
killing me." (Al Havi Lilfatawa. Printed from Bairut. Vol. 2, P 149)
So the Holy
Prophet (Allah's Grace & Peace be upon Him) is also alived according
to the Quranic verse.
Proof of the
life of Prophets (Alaihis Salam) after death by narrations of the Holy
Prophet (Allah's Grace and Peace be upon Him)
1) Qazi Shaukani
writes that the Holy Prophet (Allah's Grace & Peace be Upon Him) in
saheeh hadith that the Prophets (Alaihis Salam) of Allah almighty are alivedin
their shrines. And Baihaqi (Rahmatullah Alaih) has rectified it and wrote
a book on this topic. (Nail-ul-Qwatar. Vol.5, Page 108)
Abu Darda (Radi
Allaho Unho) narrates that the prophet of Allah said, "Send salutation
(Durood) upon me again an again on Friday. Because these salutation(Durood)
are observed by angles. No one sends salutation but it is presented to
me before his getting free from salutations". I asked him, "What is about
afterdeath?" He (Allah's Grace & Peace be Upon Him) said "Allah almighty
has made unlawful upon earth to spoil prophet's bodies and the Prophet
of Allah is alivedand he is given food." (Sunnan-e- Ibne Maja, Printed
Noor Muhammad, P 118)
There are so
many narrations which are found in proof of the life of Prophets (alaihis
salam) after death, those can't be written this is why I stop my pen at
thisbecause it is enough for a reasonable man.
What does the
Holy Quran say ?
Before we quote
the Holy Quran let us define and understand the terminology of this subject
matter. The terms used for the omnipresence are "Haazir" and "Naazir"and
these terms need to be clarified and understood from the outset.
The meaning
of Haazir and Naazir is explained below:
HAAZIR-To
be present (physically or spiritually, i.e. in being)
NAAZIR-To
see or behold with ones own eyes (from near or afar)
Note very
carefully, that to be truly present and seeing one must be 'Aware' and
'Understand' what one sees.
To illustrate,
a person named Zaid is in his home watching the live Jum'a broadcast from
Macca. Then it follows that Zaid is Haazir (physically), at his home, andZaid
is Naazir(seeing events) in his home and in Macca. Now Zaid saw with his
own eyes the Imaam lead the Jum'a prayer in Macca, although Zaid was sitting
in
London.
Added to the
fact that, while sitting in London Zaid observed the events in Macca, Zaid
needs two more abilities to become a WITNESS to this event, i.e. Zaidmust
be AWARE of what he sees & hears, as well as UNDERSTAND the event fully.
Therefore, when Zaid satisfies the conditions of being present and seeing,together
with the ability to comprehend the event in front of him, Zaid may be called
upon as a WITNESS to that event.
Now, it would
follow that, if Zaid were blind or deaf, Zaid could not be called upon
as a reliable witness, since Zaid does not fulfil all the requirements
of being areliable witness. Therefore, a WITNESS is someone who is HAAZIR
& NAAZIR at an event and fully understands the event. Be it that the
witness was at the event physically or was able to observe the event
LIVE from afar spiritually or in the case of Zaid electronically!
It must also
be apparent that one cannot be NAAZIR without being HAAZIR, the two abilities
go hand in hand.
This is a
very important point to understand. Now, bearing in mind the definition
of HAAZIR & NAAZIR together with the definition of being a WITNESS
to an event, pay full attention to what the Holy Quran says about
the Holy Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam).
- " 'O' Nabi
(communicator of the unseen) we have sent you as a witness." (S33 V45)
- "Then how
shall it be, when We bring up a witness from each nation (of each Prophet)
and 'O' beloved Messenger
We will bring you as a witness and guardian against all those." (S4 V41)
Observe that
the Holy Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) is being called a WITNESS
to all the nations that Allah has put upon this Earth. Therefore, the HolyProphet(Sallal
Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) must have been present before his Earthly appearance
and is still present after this Earthly demise, otherwise he cannot becalled
upon as a witness in the true sense of the word. There are many other verses
of the Holy Quran that call upon the Holy Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam)to
be a witness. And a witness can only be someone who is Haazir & Naazir.
A Technical
Point
The following
Quranic verses are often quoted to show that the Holy Prophet(Sallal Laahu
Alaihi Wasallam) was not present and seeing before his Earthly appearance
:
"And you('O'
Prophet) were not with them(present) when they cast their pens(to decide)
which of them should be
Mary's guardian."
(S3 v44)
"The Prophet
was not present when Musa was called upon Tur" (S28 V46) Yes, the Holy
Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) was not present (physically speaking)
at these events, but this is not to say that he was not seeing (Naazir)
these events. On the contrary, he must have been seeing these events, otherwise
how can he be a witness to all the events as mentioned in the previous
Quranic Verses. And since he was seeing (NAAZIR) he must have been present(HAAZIR),
be it spiritually and from afar.
Read the following
verses of the Holy Quran :
- " ('O' Prophet)
Have you not seen how your Lord dealt with the owners of the Elephant.
" (S105 V1)
This event
took place many days before the birth of the Holy Prophet (Sallal Laahu
Alaihi Wasallam).
- " ('O' Prophet)
Have you not seen how your Lord dealt with (the people) of Aad. " (S89
V9)
Now the people
of Aad lived many centuries before the advent of the Holy Prophet(Sallal
Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) on this Earth.
So, how could
the Holy Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) 'SEE' these events? Allah
only knows how, but, since it is clear from the verses of the Holy Quran,that
the Holy Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) did SEE these events, then
you must admit that the Holy Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) was
presentand seeing (HAAZIR & NAAZIR) at these events. Furthermore, the
Holy Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) witnessed these events before
his Earthly advent.
Note that Allah
did not say, "have you not HEARD..." or "have you not been TOLD..". No,
Allah says to the Holy Prophet (Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) "did you
not SEE"!
Please apply
a little common sense. Is there not a difference between seeing an event
and being told about an event.
Mu'adh(RA)reports
that the Holy Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) said, "I saw Allah.
He put His hand between my shoulders. I felt the coolness of His handin
my breast which enlightened me about everything. And I recognised Him."
(Tirmidhi Sharif)
Even a lifetime
would not be enough to contemplate on this Hadith, if only Allah would
open our minds to contemplation and understanding.
Sayyidina Umar(RA),
states "In one Friday sermon, the Holy Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam)
informed us about everything which has happened or will happen from the
very beginning of time until the Hereafter when some will inhabit Paradise
while the others Hell." (Bukhari Sharif)
Is it not clear,
that the Holy Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) is a witness to all
that has happened and will happen!
Ibn Abbas(RA)
reports that the Holy Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) said, "I know
everything which is in the Heavens and the Earth, from the East to theWest."(Tirmidhi
Sharif)
How can the
Holy Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) know everything in the Heavens
and the Earth and their constant changing conditions, without beholding
the conditions of the Heavens and the Earth continuously !
The Holy Prophet(Sallal
Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) had elevated some of his companions to such a state
of being, that even those selected companions were ever seeing the Heavens
and the Earth.
Imaam Al Azam,
Imaam Abu Hanifa writes that Haaris Ibn La'man and Haarisa bin Na'man have
stated, "Once I went to the Holy Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam).
The Holy Prophet (Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) asked me a question, 'O
Haaris in what state did you pass the day?' I replied 'as a true Muslim'.
Then the Holy Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) asked me the state
of my faith.
I replied 'I
see the Throne of Allah and the people of Paradise helping each other and
the people of Hell lamenting in Hell. I see in front of me Eight Heavens
andSeven Hells as clear as idol worshippers see their Idols. I can recognise
each individual just like a miller can recognise Wheat from Barley, even
who is to go toParadise and who is to be found in Hell. In front of me
people are like fish and ants. Shall I stay silent or continue to speak?'
The Holy Prophet(Sallal
Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) told him to stop and say no more. (Fiqah-Al-Akbar)
All it takes
is a little common sense, if a companion of the Holy Prophet(Sallal Laahu
Alaihi Wasallam) can behold Allah's creation in such detail, then what
remainsto be said about what the Holy Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam)
beholds of Allah's creation.
Allama Ahmed
Qustulani(RA) commentator of Bukhari Shareef, writes in his book Mawahib-ladunya
and Imam Muhammad Ibni Hajar Makki(RA) writes in his book Madkhal: "There
is no difference between the states of life and death of the Holy Prophet(Sallal
Laahu Alaihi Wasallam), in his seeing his entire ummah and his recognising
of their states, their intentions and their minds, and all this is clear
to him; there is no secret thereof to him." (Mawahib p.32, Madkhal p.21).
Qadi Ayyaz(RA)
the well-known author of Shifa, writes "Whenever there is nobody present
in the home and you enter the home recite "Assalamo Alaika Ayyohannabi
Warahmatullah Wa Barakatahoo" Meaning "Peace be upon you 'O' Holy Prophet(Sallal
Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) of Allah and Allah's mercy and blessings be upon
you." (Shifa Sharif)
The point to
note is that we are saluting the Holy Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam)
in the present tense i.e. accepting him as Haazir & Naazir.
Mulla Ali Qari(RA):
Substantiating on the above, the great Islamic scholar, Mulla Ali Qari(RA)
in his Shareh Shifa writes, "The reason( for saluting the HolyProphet(Sallal
Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) in the present tense) is that the Holy Prophet(Sallal
Laahu Alaihi Wasallam's) soul is HAAZIR (present) in every Muslimhome".
(Shareh Shifa)
There are a
billion Muslim homes throughout the world, and according to the Islamic
scholars, the Holy Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) is present in
everyMuslim home, does this not prove that the Holy Prophet(Sallal Laahu
Alaihi Wasallam) is Haazir in many places at the same time and Naazir as
well.
Imaam Ghazali(RA)
the seal of Islam, a great scholar and a Sufi Master writes, "When you
go into a mosque then say salaam to the Holy Prophet(Sallal Laahu AlaihiWasallam)
because the Holy Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) is present (Haazir)
in mosques." (Mirqat - Shareh Miskat)
There must
be millions of Mosques situated around the world and in all mosques the
Holy Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) is present spiritually. When
the Holy Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) is Haazir then he must be
seeing and therefore he must be Naazir as well.
It has been
reported in the famous book 'Tafseer-e-Roohul Bayan' that Imaam Ghazali(RA)
stated, "the Holy Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) and his companions'
souls have been given the right to travel the world and many Awliya Allah
have seen the Holy Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam)."(Tafseer-e-Roohul
Bayaan - Surah Malak )
Again Imaam
Ghazali(RA), referring to the position of sitting (Tashahhud) during Salat
and reciting 'At-Tahiyyatu..', says that on reciting the words 'Ayyohannabi'('O'Prophet)
the reciter must behold the Holy Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam)
as Haazir. Imaam Ghazali(RA) says, ''And believe in your hearts that the
HolyProphet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) is present(Haazir) and then say
Assalamo Alaika Ayyohannabi'' (Ihya ' ul - Uloom Vol. 1 Section 3)
How strange,
when we put the above argument forward to a Deobandi(Wahhabi) mullah in
South London, the Deobandi mullah said, "we only recite 'Ayyohannabi' because
it is stated in the Hadith, otherwise reciting 'Ayyohannabi' has no special
significance". Who should we believe, the seal of Islam Imaam Ghazali(RA)
or a 'square head' Deobandi mullah. Perhaps our Deobandi mullah needs more
proof. Let us give him and other 'square heads' more proof.
Hazrat
Sheikh Abdul Haqq Muhaddith Dehlvi(RA), the 30th in line of the Golden
Naqshbandi Sufi Order, and someone whom Deobandis' are very fond of quoting,
says, ''In Attahiyat, the reason for reciting 'Ayyohannabi' is that Haqqiqat-e-Muhammadi
(Reality (light) of the Holy Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam)) is
present in every little thing. Therefore, it is present in the people praying
Salat, and those performing the Salat should be fully aware of this fact
and should not pay attention to anything except for the Holy Prophet(Sallal
Laahu Alaihi Wasallam's) presence (Haazri)''. (Madarijun Nabuwat Vol. 1
part 4 - Zikreh Fazaalileh Nabi )
Imaam Jallauddin
Suyuti(RA) says, "To keep watch of his own followers' work and to pray
for their forgiveness; to pray for their abstention from bad deeds; to
come and go in all parts of the world to give auspiciousness; if one pious
person dies from his followers then to come and attend his janazah (funeral),
all this is done by the Holy Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam)" (Intibahul
Azkiyya)
Imaam Suyuti(RA)
further states, ''If someone believes, that, while performing Milad Sharif,
or at the end of Ramadan or while reciting Qasida(Naat) Sharif, that theHoly
Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam's) soul is present on these occasions,
then to believe this is perfectly acceptable" (Shareh Sudoor)
By now any
reasonable minded Muslim must, at least, accept that the Holy Prophet(Sallal
Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) has been granted the ability of being in severalplaces
at the same time, be it spiritually. However, some Muslim believe that
the Holy Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) can even present himself
physically.
Sheikh Abdul
Haqq Muhaddis Dehlvi(RA) states, ''Allah Ta'ala has given the Holy Prophet(Sallal
Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) the strength and power to go anywhere helikes, he
can go with his own body or only in soul. On the earth, in the sky, in
the grave and the Holy Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam's) connection
stays withhis own shrine.'' (Madarigun Naboowat Vol.2 Part4 Wasleh Hayaateh
Ambiya)
Abdul Karim
Ibn Ibrahim Al Jili(RA) is a descendant of the great Sheikh Abdul Qadir
Jilani(RA). Sheikh Jili(RA) gives us a mind-blowing insight into the reality
ofthe Holy Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) in his book "The Perfect
Man". However, we shall stay with the subject matter and quote Sheikh Jili(RA)
on thissubject alone. He writes "His original name is Muhammad(Sallal Laahu
Alaihi Wasallam), his name of honour is Abu'l Qasim, his description Abdullah,
and his titleShamsuddin. In every age he bears a name suitable to his guise
in that age. I once met him in the form of my Sheikh". He further writes,
"The truth of the matter isthat the Holy Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam)
has the power of assuming every form (In every age)." (Al Insanul Kamil)
Sheikh Jili(RA)
relates how the Holy Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) took the bodily
form of Sheikh Shibli(RA). He writes, "Thus, when he appeared in theform
of Shibli, Shibli said to his murid, 'Bear witness that I am the Messenger
of Allah'; and the murid, being of insight, recognised the Holy Prophet(Sallal
LaahuAlaihi Wasallam)and said, 'I bear witness that thou art the Messenger
Allah.' " (Al Insanul Kamil)
Finally, take
heed of what the saint of saints has said on this subject.
Sheikh Abdul
Qadir Jilani(RA) writing about the Holy Prophet (Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam)
says, "He is called the Total Intellect, because he saw and understoodeverything."
(Sirr al-asrar)
Sheikh Abdul
Qadir Jilani(RA) further writes, "The soul of the Holy Prophet(Sallal Laahu
Alaihi Wasallam), is watching you. He is pained, at seeing your state."
(Sirral-asrar)
What more proof
does anyone require. If our feeble minds are unable to understand the omnipresence
the Holy Prophet (Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) then that isour own weakness.
However, to deny something when irrefutable proofs are presented is pure
foolishness.
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