مشكوة المصابيح
Mishkat al-Masabih
كتاب الفضائل والشمائل
The Book of Virtues and Characteristics
(الأَنْبِيَاءُ الكِرَامُ يَبْقَوْنَ رَحْمَةً لِأُمَمِهِمْ بَعْدَ وَفَاتِهِمْ)
(The noble prophets remain a mercy for their nations even after their passing)
Hadith 5977
وَعَنْ أَبِي مُوسَى عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَنَّهُ قَالَ: «إِنَّ اللَّهَ إِذَا أَرَادَ رَحْمَةَ أُمَّةٍ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ قَبَضَ نَبِيَّهَا قَبْلَهَا فَجَعَلَهُ لَهَا فَرَطًا وَسَلَفًا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهَا وَإِذَا أَرَادَ هَلَكَةَ أُمَّةٍ عَذَّبَهَا وَنَبِيُّهَا حَيٌّ فَأَهْلَكَهَا وَهُوَ يَنْظُرُ فَأَقَرَّ عَيْنَيْهِ بِهَلَكَتِهَا حِينَ كذَّبُوه وعصَوْا أمره» . رَوَاهُ مُسلم
Abu Musa reported the Prophet as saying, "When God purposes mercy to a people among His servants He takes their prophet and makes him a forerunner who goes before them; but when He purposes to destroy a people, He punishes them while their prophet is alive, destroys them while he is there to see, and comforts him by their destruction when they disbelieved him and disobeyed his command." Muslim transmitted it.
