Are the Prophets Alive after their Death?

Bismillah Hir Rahman Nir Raheem

Al-Hamdu-Lillaahi Rabbil-'Aalameen was-Salaatu was-Salaamu 'alaa Ashrafil-Anbiyaa.e wal-Mursaleen, wa ba'd:

Are the Prophets Alive after their Death?

Al-jawab billahi at-taufeeq (the answer with Allah's guidance)

Firstly, it should be known that after the death of a person the life of Barzakh (interval between death and resurrection) takes place. In this regards, both the Muslim and the Kaafir are equal. This is the view of Ahlus sunnah wal Jamaa. This has been proven through many Ahaadith. To cite a few:

Hadeeth : When a person is placed in his grave and his companions depart from him, verily, he hears their footsteps, two angels come to him, they make him sit up, then they address him…’
(Mishkaat pg.24; Qadeemi)

Hadeeth :Once a Jewess came to Aaisha (Radhiallaahu Anha), she spoke about the punishment of the grave and then said,
‘May Allah protect you from the punishment of grave.’ Later, Hadhrat Aaisha (Radhiallaahu Anha) questioned Nabi (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) concerning the punishment of the grave. Nabi (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) replied, ‘Yes, the punishment of the grave is Haqq(truth)…’
(Mishkaat pg.25; Qadeemi)

These Ahaadith explicitly prove that after a person passes away, he enters into a different phase of living and this is the life of Barzakh. However, in regards to this life there are various levels. Allah Ta’ala says with regards to the Shuhadaa, “ And do not term those who have been killed in the path of Allah as dead. In fact, they are living but you perceive not.“ . From here, it is even more evident that a person dying in the world does not affect his status of being alive in the life of Barzakh.

As far as this worldly life is concern Every person who comes in this world has to depart from this world, be it a believer or a non believer. and within the believers be it a Pious person, a Shaheed(Martyr), A Siddiq, or a Prophet(Alayhis salaam).

In Quran Allah(awj) says regarding every Soul Tastes Death :

Surah Imran Verse:185, Al-Anbiya Verse 35, Al-'Ankabut Verse 57 :
“ Kullu nafsin zaiqatul maut “ - every soul has to taste death – death is inevitable.

Yet at another place Allah(awj) says in the Quran : In Surah 39 Al-Zumar Verse 30:
“ Verily, you (O Muhammad) will die, and verily, they (too) will die ”.

From the above two verses it is known that every person who comes into this world has to depart from this world, death is the medium which separates him from living people of this world. Every one who came on this earth faced death except one man, who came and did not taste Death and he is Isa Ibn Maryam(Alayhis salaam) who according to the Aqeedah of Muslims did not die but got lifted in the heavens and has to face Death of this world.
In Surah Al-Nisa Verse 157-158 Allah(awj) Says :
“ But Allaah raised him [‘Eesa (Jesus)] up (with his body and soul) unto Himself (and he is in the heavens). And Allaah is Ever All-Powerful, All-Wise.”
Isa Ibn Maryam(Alayhis salaam) will come before the Judgment Day and will teach the true religion of Allah .i.e Islam, and then he will die - will pass away from this world.

Are the Prophets(Alayhis salaam) Alive after their Death ?

Shaheed(Martyr's) Are Alive in the Sight Of Allah

In Quran Allah(awj) says regarding a Shaheed(Martyr):
• Surah Al Baqara Verse 154 : "And say not of those who are slain in God's cause, "They are dead": nay, they are alive, but you perceive it not ".

Yet at another place Allah(awj) says :

•Surah Al Imran Verse 169 : "But do not think of those that have been slain in God's cause as dead. Nay, they are alive! With their Sustainer have they their sustenance".

We See that those who are Shaheed(Martyr) they died from this world and their Salatul Janaza is also performed, they are buried in their graves and their wealth is distributed to their family, their wifes can get married to another person if they want, But before Allaah they are Alive. and have their sustenance with Allah(awj),

For if the martyrs are Alive with Allaah, then the Prophets(Alayhis salaam) are undoubtedly higher in status before Allaah. See Fath al-Baari, by Hafiz Ibn Hajr Asqalani(ra) 6/444.

Saheeh Hadeeth which proves Prophets(Alayhis salaam) are Alive after their death:
Hadeeth : It was narrated in a saheeh Hadeeth that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The Prophets are alive in their graves and they pray.”
(Narrated by al-Bazzaar; classed as saheeh by Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami’, 2790; 2/414 , Narrated by Jamaah from Anas(ra)).
This prayer is something that they are blessed with just as the people of Paradise are blessed with tasbeeh (glorifying Allaah).

Hadeeth : The lives of the Anbiyaa (Alayhis salaam) are also proven through the Ahaadith of Mi’raaj narrated by Imam Bukhari and Imam Muslim in their Saheeh's where it is mentioned that Nabi(Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) led the Ambiyaa(Alayhis salaam) in Salaat and also the meeting with Adam(Alayhis salaam) in the First Heaven, Yahya(Alayhis salaam) and Isa(Alayhis salaam) in the Second Heaven, Yusuf(Alayhis salaam) in the Third Heaven, Idrees(Alayhis salaam) in the Fourth Heaven, Haroon(Alayhis salaam) in the Fifth Heaven, Musa(Alayhis salaam) in the Sixth Heaven, and Ibrahim(Alayhis salaam) in the Seventh Heaven.

Hadeeth :Muslim narrated from Abu Hurayrah(ra) in the story of Israa that the Prophet(sas) said :
"I saw Myself among a group of the Prophets, and Musa(AS) was standing praying... and Isa ibn Maryam was standing praying, and Ibrahim was standing praying".
(Fath al Baari, 6/487).

Hadeeth :In a Hadith of Sahih Muslim 1641,: It is narrated, that the Prophet, peace and blessings upon him, said: "I passed by Musa(Alayhis salaam) on the night I was transported (Isra and Miraaj), at Al-Katheeb al-Ahmar and he was standing praying in his grave."
(15/133 Sharah an Nawawi ala al Muslim)

Another famous incident of Prophet Muhammad's(Sallallaahu Álayhi Wasallam) meeting with Musa(Alayhis salaam) in a Saheeh Hadeeth where Musa(Alayhis salaam) advising prophet Muhammad(Sallallaahu Álayhi Wasallam) to get the Salah reduced from 50 to 5 in the End.

Hadeeth :From another Hadeeth: Ibn Mas’ood (Radhiallaahu Anhu) narrates that Nabi (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) said, ‘Verily, Allah has angels travelling through the earth, they bring to me the salaams of my Ummah.’
(Targheeb wat Tarheeb vol.2 pg.498)

Hadeeth : Nabi (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) said, ‘Whoever recites Salawaat upon me (in my presence, I hear it and whoever sends Salawaat to me and he is not by me, his Salawaat is brought to me.’
(Nasaaie)

Based on the evidence from the Quran and Saheeh Hadeeth It is the unanimous Belief of Ahlus Sunnah Wal Jamaah that the Prophets(AS) are Alive and they Pray in their Graves.

Lastly a very Important point is although the Prophets(AS) are Alive in their graves but no one is allowed to ask for his needs to the Prophets(Alayhis salaam) and if anybody feels that the Prophet(Alayhis salaam) on his own can fulfill his needs - this takes him into the fold of SHIRK.

In the End we say Allah Ta'ala Knows Best.

Source : AskImam.com of Mufti Ibrahim Desai and from Islamic Books on Aqeedah.