In the era of Prophet Sulayman عَـلَيْـهِ الـصَّلٰوة ُ وَالـسَّلَام, many believed that jinns had knowledge of the unseen.
To disprove this, Prophet Sulayman عَـلَيْـهِ الـصَّلٰوة ُ وَالـسَّلَام prayed to Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ to hide his death from them. He then entered the Mihrab of the Masjid, supported by his staff, and continued his prayers. He passed away in that position, and the jinns, oblivious to his demise, continued their tasks for a whole year, thinking he was still alive. It wasn’t until a termite, directed by Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ, gnawed through his staff that his body fell, revealing his death. This showed the jinns that they had been deceived; if they had truly known the unseen, they wouldn’t have been engaged in menial labor.
This event is highlighted in the Holy Quran:
فَلَمَّا قَضَیْنَا عَلَیْهِ الْمَوْتَ مَا دَلَّهُمْ عَلٰى مَوْتِهٖۤ اِلَّا دَآبَّةُ الْاَرْضِ تَاْكُلُ مِنْسَاَتَهٗۚ-فَلَمَّا خَرَّ تَبَیَّنَتِ الْجِنُّ اَنْ لَّوْ كَانُوْا یَعْلَمُوْنَ الْغَیْبَ مَا لَبِثُوْا فِی الْعَذَابِ الْمُهِیْنِؕ
(Surah Saba, Ayah 14)
Translation (Kanz-ul-Iman): So when We sent the command of death towards him, the jinns were not informed of his death except by the termite of the earth that was eating his staff; and when he fell down, the truth about the jinns was exposed – if they had known the unseen, they would not have remained in disgraceful punishment (labor).
From this Quranic parable, we understand that the blessed bodies of the prophets عَـلَـيْهِمُ السَّلَام remain intact after their passing. Sayyiduna Sulayman عَـلَيْـهِ الـصَّلٰوة ُ وَالـسَّلَام stood supported by his staff for a year after his death without any change to his blessed body. This principle applies to all prophets; the earth is prohibited from consuming their bodies, as affirmed in a hadith where the Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم stated: ‘اِنَّ اللہَ حَرَّمَ عَلَی الْاَرْضِ اَنْ تَاْکُلَ اَجْسَادَ الْاَنْبِیَاء فَنَبِیُّ اللہِ حَیٌّ یُرْزَقُ’ (Indeed, Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ has made it forbidden for the earth to consume the bodies of the prophets. The Prophet of Allah is alive and is provided for).
The Blessed Ambiya are Alive
It is stated in a blessed hadith: ‘اَلْاَنْبِیَاءُ اَحْیَاءٌ فِی قُبُوْرِھِمْ یُصَلُّوْنَ’ (The blessed prophets are alive in their graves and offer prayers). (Musnad Abi Ya’la)
As noted in the Malfuzaat A’la Hadrat, the death of all blessed prophets عَـلَـيْهِمُ السَّلَام is only momentary; they experience death for a brief moment. This belief is fundamental to the faith of the Ahl-e-Sunnat. Only a heretic would deny this truth.
Consensus on This Matter
Imam Muhammad Bin ‘Abdur Rahman Sakhawi and Imam Ahmad Bin Muhammad Bin Hajar Makki رَحِمَهُمَا الـلّٰـهُ تَعَالٰی have asserted their faith in the belief that the Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم is alive in his grave, is provided for, and that the earth does not consume his blessed body; there is consensus among the scholars on this belief.
Shaykh-e-Muhaqqiq ‘Allamah ‘Abdul Haq Muhaddis Dihlvi رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه has stated that, despite various groups in Islam and differing opinions among scholars, there is no disagreement on the belief that the Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم is alive in a real sense. There is no metaphorical interpretation in this, and he is aware of the condition of his Ummah, bestowing favor on seekers of truth and providing guidance.
Sadr-ush-Shari’ah, Mufti Amjad ‘Ali A’zami رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه has declared anyone who claims the blessed prophets عَـلَـيْهِمُ السَّلَام are dead and have turned to dust as a heretic and an evildoer.
Their Bodies Remain Intact
The earth cannot consume the bodies of the blessed Awliya or those who spend their time in the remembrance of the Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, nor those who have never disobeyed Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ. Additionally, this applies to the Muazzin who calls out the Azan, practicing scholars, martyrs, and those who recite and act upon the teachings of the Holy Quran.
An example is the graves of the two martyrs from the Battle of Uhud, Sayyiduna ‘Amr Bin Jamooh Ansari and Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah Bin ‘Amr Ansari رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُمَا. After a flood, their graves were disturbed, revealing their bodies in a state as if they had just passed away. One of them had placed his hand over a wound, and when the hand was removed, it returned to the wound, even after 46 years had passed since the Battle of Uhud.
