In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.
According to accepted history and tradition, the Prophet (saws) died on Monday morning and was buried on Tuesday evening. Due to the constraints of space in the small Prophet’s Masjid in Medina, not one, but several funeral prayers for the Prophet (saws) were prayed by the believers in congregation! The truth is that all the companions who were in Medina at the time of the Prophet’s (saws) death, attended his ‘janaaza’ (funeral prayers)….and the estimate of the companions who attended the funeral prayers of the Noble Prophet (saws) number in the thousands, if not tens of thousands!!!
The Noble Messenger of Allah (saws) was subsequently buried in Umm-al-Mumineen Hadrat Aisha’s (r.a.) apartment, adjacent to the Prophet’s Masjid in Madinah.
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 2 Surah Baqarah verse 255:
255 Allah! There is no god but He (Alone), The Ever-Living, The Self-Subsisting Eternal.
One of the Noble and Exclusive Attributes of Allah Subhanah is that He Alone is The Ever-Living. It is the inherent nature of all creation, and I repeat, all creation without exception, that they shall all perish one day!
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 28 Surah Qasas verse 88:
88 And call not besides Allah on another god. There is no god but He. Everything (that exists) will perish, except His Own Face. To Him belongs the Command and to Him will ye (all) be brought back.
Regardless of whether one in creation is a Prophet of Allah or anyone else, if one believes that there is someone in creation who is ever-living, one would have dared to share an Exclusive Attribute that belongs to Allah Subhanah Alone with one in creation; and that would be a manifest form of the abomination of ‘shirk’!
Allah is our witness, the Prophets of Allah were all human beings and Allah’s slave-servants who were sent with a Mission and a Message from their Lord; and once their mission was accomplished, like all human beings, they too met with their appointment of death as Decreed and Determined by Allah Subhanah. Like all human beings who have tasted death, they too will only be raised up again on the Day of Resurrection.
Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 39 Surah Zumar verse 30-31:
(O Prophet Mohamed (saws)) YOU SHALL DIE, and they too shall die! Then on the Day of Resurrection, you all will present your disputes before your Lord.
Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 3 Surah Ale Imraan verse 144:
Mohamed is no more than a Messenger. Other Messengers have already died before him. If then, he (saws) also dies or is slain, will you turn about on your heels? Remember, he who turns about on his heels, will do no harm at all to Allah. Of course, Allah will duly reward those who live as His grateful servants.
It is reported from Hadrat Aisha (r.a.) that Allah’s Messenger (saws) died while Hadrat Abu Bakr (r.a.) was at a place called As-Sunah (Al-‘Aliya). Hadrat Umar (r.a.) stood up and said, “By Allah! Allah’s Messenger (saws) is not dead!” Hadrat Umar (r.a.) (later on) said, “By Allah! Nothing occurred to my mind except that.” He said, “Verily! Allah will resurrect him (saws) and he will cut the hands and legs of some men.” Then Hadrat Abu Bakr (r.a.) came and uncovered the face of Allah’s Messenger (saws), kissed him and said, “Let my mother and father be sacrificed for you, (O Allah’s Messenger (saws)), you are good in life and in death. By Allah in Whose Hands my life is, Allah will never make you taste death twice.” Then he went out and said, “O oath-taker! Don’t be hasty.” When Hadrat Abu Bakr (r.a.) spoke, Hadrat Umar (r.a.) sat down. Abu Bakr (r.a.) praised and glorified Allah and said, “No doubt! Whoever worshipped Muhammad(saws), then Muhammad(saws) is dead, but whoever worshipped Allah, then Allah is alive and shall never die.” Then he recited Allah’s Statement.: “(O Muhammad) Verily you will die, and they also will die.” (39.30) He also recited: “Mohamed is no more than a Messenger. Other Messengers have already died before him. If then, he (saws) also dies or is slain, will you turn about on your heels? Remember, he who turns about on his heels, will do no harm at all to Allah. Of course, Allah will duly reward those who live as His grateful servants.” (3.144)
In light of the above aayahs from the Quran and the authentic and established narrations, it is proven beyond any doubt that the Last Messenger of Allah and the Mercy and Rahmah of Allah unto mankind, Mohamed ar Rasool Allah (saws) tasted the element of death as Decreed for all in creation by Allah Subhanah.
Allah Says in the Glorious Quran Chapter 3 Surah Ale Imraan verse 185:
Every soul shall have a taste of death: and only on the Day of Judgment shall you be paid your full recompense.
The Messenger of Allah (saws) died a natural death and was buried in Hadrat Aisha’s house adjacent to the Prophet’s (original) mosque in Medina. Thousands of companions witnessed his death, and prayed the ‘janaaza’ over his dead body! All the scholars of Islam, of all schools and sects, are absolutely unanimous in their opinion that the Messenger of Allah (saws) is dead, and the Quranic aayahs and the above narrations prove this truth beyond any doubt whatsoever.
Any who insists that the Messenger of Allah (saws) is not dead must be asked to present their evidence from the Quran and the Sunnah for their theory or belief. If the person is unable to present their evidence or proof from the Quran and the Sunnah, and Allah is our witness there is absolutely nothing in the Quran or Sunnah which even remotely substantiates such a belief, then one should know with conviction that the theory or belief that the Prophet (saws) is alive in his grave is absolutely unsubstantiated, baseless and absolutely against the guidance of the Quran and Sunnah.
If one trusts, obeys, and follows the guidance and commands of Allah and His Messenger (saws), one can be assured of never ever being misled; but if one believes, obeys and follows any other guidance, other than that of Allah and His Messenger (saws), one can be assured of being led astray.
Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.