Allah Almighty says:
{وَمَا جَعَلْنَا لِبَشَرٍ مِّنْ قَبْلَکِ الْخُلْدَ اَفَاْئِنْ مِّتَّ فَھُمُ الْخَالِدُوْنَ٭ کُلُّ نَفْسٍ ذَآئِقَۃُ الْمَوْتِ وَنَبْلُوکُمْ مبِالشَّرِّ وَالْخَیْرِ فِتْنَۃً وَّاِلَیْنَا تُرْجَعُونَ٭}
Translation: “We never gave anyone before you eternal life. If you die, will they live forever? Every soul shall taste death, and We test you with good and evil as a trial, and to Us you will be returned.”
The Holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and Death
Ibn Jarir al-Tabari, may Allah have mercy on him, says in the exegesis of this verse that Allah Almighty addresses His Prophet ﷺ saying: “We never gave anyone before you eternal life in this world, and you will not remain forever in this world either. Death will come to you just as it came to the messengers before you.”
Mention of Death in the Quran
Elsewhere Allah Almighty says:
{اِنَّکَ مَیِّتٌ وَّاِنَّھُمْ مَّیِّتُونَ٭}
Translation: “Indeed, you [O Muhammad] will die, and indeed, they will die.”
The Passing of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)
Hafiz Ibn Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him) states: This verse is among those which Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) presented as evidence at the time of the Prophet Muhammad’s (peace be upon him) passing, so that people would be certain of the Prophet’s death. Along with this, he also recited this verse:
{وَمَا مُحَمَّدٌ اِلَّا رَسُولٌ قَدْ خَلَتْ مِنْ قَبْلِہِ الرُّسُلُ اَفَاْئِنْ مَّاتَ اَوْ قُتِلَ انْقَلَبْتُمْ عَلٰٓی اَعْقَابِکُمْ…}
Translation: “Muhammad is no more than a messenger; many messengers have passed away before him. If he dies or is killed, will you then turn back on your heels?”
The meaning of this verse is that no one will remain in this world forever, and everyone must gather before Allah for accountability in the Hereafter.
Life in the Grave and the Hereafter
These verses make it clear that the afterlife begins after death, and the person who departs from this world has no connection with the people of this world. The afterlife is a completely different realm that begins from the grave.
Theories of Excess and Neglect
Some people fall into excess or neglect regarding the afterlife. Some deny it, and some consider it like worldly life. However, the reality is that the life in the grave is the beginning of the afterlife, and there are different levels in it.
The Reality of the Grave
Hani Mawla Usman, may Allah have mercy on him, says that when Sayyiduna Usman, may Allah be pleased with him, stood by the grave, he would weep and his beard would become wet. When he was asked why he did not weep when mentioning Paradise and Hell, but would start crying as soon as the grave was mentioned, he replied that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: “The grave is the first stage of the Hereafter. If a person succeeds in this stage, then the subsequent stages will be easy, and if he fails, then the subsequent stages will be difficult.”
Beginning of the Hereafter Life
Sayyida Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, narrates that the miswak slipped from the hand of the Prophet, peace be upon him, and it was the moment of his departure from this world. She says that the last day of his worldly life and the first day of his Hereafter life coincided.
From this hadith, it is understood that the Hereafter life begins immediately after death.
Belief in the Life of the Prophet
Some people have adopted a specific worldly life concept for the Prophets, which is actually against religious evidence. They have adopted this belief under the name “Hayat al-Nabi” (Life of the Prophet), whereas the reality is that the life in the grave is an afterlife, not a worldly life.
Advocates of Hayat al-Nabi present the argument of the Prophets praying in their graves. However, similarly, an ordinary believer also prays in the grave, as mentioned in the hadith that a believer converses with the angels in the grave and intends to pray the Asr prayer.
Therefore, those who chant the slogan of Hayat al-Nabi must either acknowledge such a life for ordinary believers as well or reconsider their belief.
The Belief of “Hayat al-Nabi” and the Position of the Scholars
The scholars have clearly stated that the Barzakh (life in the grave) is a permanent and unique type of life, which is by no means worldly or like worldly life. Let us review some excerpts from the scholars:
Hafiz Ibn Abdul Hadi, may Allah have mercy on him (d. 744 AH)
Hafiz Ibn Abdul Hadi, may Allah have mercy on him, states: “It should be understood that the return of the soul to the body after death is neither a requirement for the continuation of life nor does it indicate a life before the Resurrection similar to worldly life. The return of the soul to the body in the Barzakh is a matter of the intermediate life, and despite this, the deceased is still considered dead.”
He referred to the famous hadith of Bara bin Azib, may Allah be pleased with him, which is about the torment and blessings of the grave. From this hadith, it is established that the soul of the deceased is returned to his body, but this is not permanent nor does it prove a life like worldly life. Rather, it is a special type of Barzakh life, and the concept of death remains with it.
Furthermore, he also pointed towards the supplication of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which he would recite upon waking from sleep:
“All praise is due to the One who gave us life after death, and to Him is the return.”
Types of Barzakh Life
Hafiz Ibn Abdul Hadi, may Allah have mercy on him, explained the different types of Barzakh life:
➊ The soul’s connection in worldly life: This indicates the usual state in life and the connection during sleep.
➋ The soul’s connection in Barzakh life: In Barzakh life, the ranks of the Prophets, martyrs, and believers differ. The life of the Prophets is the most excellent, and the life of the martyrs is better than that of ordinary believers.
➌ The soul’s connection with the body on the Day of Resurrection: On the Day of Judgment, the soul returns to the body, which is not like worldly life.
Difference Between Barzakh Life and Worldly Life
Hafiz Ibn Abdul Hadi, may Allah have mercy on him, emphasized that proving the intermediate (Barzakh) life to be like worldly life is incorrect. He said that whoever equates this type of life with worldly life is mistaken and goes against Shariah, rational, and sensory evidence.
Summary
From the clarification of the scholars, it becomes clear that the intermediate life is a separate and distinct life, which is not like worldly life. It is not like the worldly life for the Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, and other prophets and martyrs either; rather, it has its own specific standard and condition.
Different States of the Soul’s Connection with the Body
According to the scholars’ explanation, the soul’s connection with the body consists of various stages and types:
The Soul’s Connection in the World:
In the states of wakefulness and sleep, the soul is connected to the body. These are the affairs of worldly life, which include a person’s daily activities.
The Soul’s Connection in the Intermediate State:
In the life of Barzakh, the soul is connected to the body of the deceased, but this connection varies according to the state of the individuals.
◄ The Barzakh life of Prophets and Messengers: The life of the Prophets is more perfect than that of the martyrs, which is why their blessed bodies do not decay.
◄ The life of the martyrs: The life of the martyrs is more perfect than that of ordinary believers because they attain the honor of martyrdom.
The soul’s connection to the body on the Day of Resurrection:
On the Day of Resurrection, when the soul is returned to the body, it will not be in the manner of worldly life. Those who claim worldly life from the soul’s return to the body in Barzakh violate sense, Shariah, and reason.
The stance of Muhaddith al-Asr Allama Nasiruddin al-Albani, may Allah have mercy on him
Allama Nasiruddin al-Albani, may Allah have mercy on him, states:
◄ The life after the death of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is different from the life before death because the Barzakh life is an unseen matter, the reality of which is known only to Allah Almighty.
◄ This Barzakh life is not like worldly life, nor is it subject to its laws. In this world, a person eats and drinks, breathes, marries, and faces illness, but after death, these matters do not occur to anyone, not even to the Prophets.
He further states:
The life in the Barzakh (intermediate realm) is not like worldly life; rather, it has its own unique system. A believer should have faith in it and instead of trying to understand its nature, should simply believe in it.
Some innovators claim that the life of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ in the grave is like worldly life, and they say that the Prophet ﷺ eats, drinks, and maintains relations with his wives in the grave. This is a wrong belief because only Allah Almighty knows the reality of the Barzakh life.
The Life of Martyrs: A Unique Status
The important question is that if all humans receive the life of the grave and it has no connection with worldly life, then why is the life of martyrs described with special emphasis in Islamic teachings? The answer is that this distinction is to show the high status of the life of martyrs, not because they receive a separate or worldly life. It should be clear that the life of martyrs is not worldly life or its likeness, but rather a special type of intermediate (Barzakh) life.
Importance of the Life of Martyrs
The life of martyrs is described specifically to show the excellence of their status, not to say that the intermediate life of martyrs is different from others or similar to worldly life. Furthermore, the martyrs of the Ummah of Muhammad who do not hold the status of the Companions cannot have an intermediate life better or superior to that of the Companions.
Difference of the Intermediate Life
We have already stated that the life in the Barzakh (intermediate state) is the same for both the righteous and the wicked. There is no exception for anyone, but the conditions of different individuals vary. The life of the righteous is good, and the life of the wicked is bad. Among the righteous, the Barzakh life of the Prophets is the most excellent. This is why the sacred bodies of the Prophets are not harmed by the soil and remain intact in their original state.
Preservation of the Bodies of the Prophets
Hazrat Aws bin Aws (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: “Among your days, Friday is the most virtuous. On this day, our master Adam (peace be upon him) was created, on this day the trumpet will be blown, and on this day there will be a loud sound. Send more blessings upon me on this day, for your blessings are presented to me.”
A person asked: O Messenger of Allah! After your passing, how will our blessings reach you? Will not your blessed body have turned to dust?
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) replied: “Allah has forbidden the earth from consuming the bodies of the Prophets.”
Preservation of the Bodies of the Prophets
Hazrat Anas bin Malik رضي الله عنه narrates that when the companions conquered the city of Tus, they found the body of a prophet in a coffin whose nose was large. The people there used to pray for rain through this coffin. Hazrat Abu Musa Ash’ari رضي الله عنه informed Hazrat Umar رضي الله عنه about this incident. Hazrat Umar رضي الله عنه said that this is a Prophet of Allah, and the bodies of the Prophets can neither be consumed by fire nor by the earth.
Similarly, the Tabi’i Abu Alia رحمه الله states: “The bodies of the Prophets are neither decomposed by the earth nor eaten by beasts.”
Summary of the Life of Martyrs and Prophets
These hadiths and narrations clearly state that the bodies of the Prophets are not harmed by the soil. However, these hadiths do not prove that the noble Prophets have worldly life or a life similar to it in their graves. This is an intermediate (barzakh) life, which is different and unique from worldly life, and believing in it is necessary.
Warning: The Reality of Martyrs and the Intermediate Life
Hazrat Abu Musa Ash’ari (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) went to a villager who hosted him with great hospitality. The Prophet (peace be upon him) called him close and asked about his needs, to which he requested a she-camel and goats. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Can you not be like the old woman of Bani Israel?” Then he narrated the incident of Hazrat Musa (Moses) (peace be upon him) that when Bani Israel left Egypt, they lost their way, and then an old woman showed the grave of Hazrat Yusuf (Joseph) (peace be upon him), and after taking his body, the path became clear as daylight.
The Barzakh Life of the Martyrs and the Ummah of Muhammad
The chain of this hadith has been declared authentic by Imam Ibn Hibban and Imam Hakim. Here, it apparently seems that the blessed body of Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him) was harmed by the soil, but in reality, this was not the case. The mention of “bones” (عظام) in the hadith is metaphorically used for the entire body, as is commonly done in the Arabic language.
It is narrated from Hazrat Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) that when describing the body of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), Tamim Dari (may Allah be pleased with him) used the word “bones” (عظام), which meant the whole body.
Explanation of the Barzakh Life
The scholar of the era, Allama Albani (may Allah have mercy on him), states that the word “bones” is metaphorically used for the entire body, and it is well known in the Arabic language that a part is used to refer to the whole.
Belief of Ahl al-Sunnah wal Jama’ah
It is the unanimous belief of Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jama’ah that every person receives an intermediate (barzakh) life after death, and this life is not exclusive to the Prophets and martyrs. However, the life of the Prophets and martyrs is pure and exalted. The believers are granted blessings in the grave, while disbelievers and sinners suffer punishment in the grave.
The Need to Avoid Excess and Neglect
Some people deny the intermediate life, while others liken the Prophet Muhammad’s (peace be upon him) intermediate life to worldly life. Both of these views are results of excess and neglect and are not proven by the Quran and Hadith. None of the pious predecessors adopted these views.
The Moderate Viewpoint
In the light of the Quran and Sunnah, the moderate viewpoint is that every person receives an intermediate life, but this life is of an otherworldly nature, not worldly. Equating the intermediate life of the Prophets and martyrs with worldly life is contrary to the Quran and Sunnah.
May Allah grant us the ability to keep our beliefs in accordance with the Quran and Sunnah. Ameen!
