The intercession of the Prophet in his lifetime is explicitly and frequently

established:

- 3:159: "Pardon them and ask forgiveness for them and consult with them upon the
conduct of affairs."

- 4:64: "And if, when they had wronged themselves, they had but come unto thee
and asked forgiveness of Allah, and the Messenger had asked forgiveness for them,
they would have found Allah forgiving, merciful."

- 4:106-107: "And ask forgiveness of Allah (for others). Allah is ever forgiving,
merciful. And plead not on behalf of those who deceive themselves."

- 8:33: "But Allah would not punish them while thou wast with them, nor will He
punish them while they seek forgiveness."

- 9:80, 84: "Ask forgiveness for them (the hypocrites) or ask not forgiveness for
them; though thou ask forgiveness for them seventy times Allah will not forgive
them... And never pray for one of them who dieth, nor stand by his grave."

- 9:103: "Pray for them. Lo! thy prayer is an assuagement for them."

- 9:113: "It is not for the Prophet, and those who believe, to pray for the forgiveness
of idolaters even though they may be near of kin (to them) after it hath become
clear that they are people of hell-fire."

- 24:62: "If they ask thy leave for some affair of theirs, give leave to whom thou wilt
of them, and ask for them forgiveness of Allah."

- 47:19: "Know that there is no god save Allah, and ask forgiveness for thy sin and
for believing men and believing women."

- 60:12: "Accept their [believing women's] allegiance and ask Allah to forgive them."

- 63:5-6: "And when it is said unto them: Come! The Messenger of Allah will ask
forgiveness for you! they [the hypocrites] avert their faces and thou seest them
turning away, disdainful. Whether thou ask forgiveness for them or ask not
forgiveness for them, Allah will not forgive them."

Imam Malik was asked the following question by the Caliph Abu Ja`far al-Mansur:
"Shall I face the Qibla with my back towards the grave of the Messenger of Allah
when making du`a (after salams)?" He replied:
How could you turn your face away from him when he is the means (wasila) of your
and your father Adam's forgiveness to Allah on the Day of Resurrection? Nay, face
him and ask for his intercession (istashfi` bihi) so that Allah will grant it to you as He
said: "If they had only, when they were wronging themselves, come unto thee and
asked Allah's forgiveness, and the Messenger had asked forgiveness for them, they
would have found Allah indeed Oft-returning, Most Merciful (4:64)."

It is cited by al-Qadi `Iyad in al-Shifa (2:92-93) with a sound (sahih) chain, and also
cited by Samhudi in Khulasat al-Wafa, Subki in Shifa' al-siqam, Qastallani in al-
Mawahib al-laduniyya, Ibn Jama`a in Hidayat al-salik, and Haytami in al-Jawhar al-
munazzam and Tuhfat al-zuwwar. See also Ibn `Abd al-Hadi in al-Sarim al-munki p.
244. Ibn Jama`a says in Hidayat al-salik (3:1381): "It is related by the two hafiz Ibn
Bashkuwal and al-Qadi `Iyad in al-Shifa' after him, and no attention is paid to the
words of those who claim that it is forged purely on the basis of his idle desires."

The words "he is the means (wasila) of your and your father Adam's forgiveness to
Allah" are confirmed by the verses whereby the Prophet is witness over all
communities and people including their Prophets (2:143, 3:81, 4:41, 33:7), as well
as the sound hadith of his intercession over all Prophets on behalf of all believers in
Sahih al-Bukhari (Kitab al-tawhid). Furthermore, it is also established from the verse
"And Adam received words from his Lord and He relented towards him" (2:37) that
Adam has been forgiven.

Imam Ahmad made tawassul through the Prophet a part of every du`a according to
the following report: `Ala' al-Din al-Mardawi said in his book al-Insaf fi ma`rifat al-
rajih min al-khilaf `ala madhhab al-Imam al-mubajjal Ahmad ibn Hanbal (3:456):

The correct position of the [Hanbali] madhhab is that it is permissible in one's

supplication (du`a) to use as one's means a pious person, and it is said that it is
desirable (mustahabb). Imam Ahmad said to Abu Bakr al-Marwazi: yatawassalu bi
al-nabi fi du`a'ih -- "Let him use the Prophet as a means in his supplication to Allah."

The same report is found in Imam Ahmad's Manasik as narrated by his student Abu
Bakr al-Marwazi.

Similarly the lengthy wording of the tawassul according to the Hanbali madhhab as
established by the hafiz Ibn `Aqil in his Tadhkira was cited fully by Imam Kawthari in
his appendix to Shaykh al-Islam Taqi al-Din al-Subki's al-Sayf al-saqil included in
Kawthari's edition of the latter.
THE HOLY PROPHET MUHAMMAD (SALLAL LAAHU ALAIHI WASALLAM) IS ALIVE

Some people do not accept the Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) to be
alive. They say that he is dead and mixed with the soil. Allah forbid! The Ahle
Sunnah Wal Jama'at believes that the Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) is
"Hayaatun Nabi", that is, he is alive both physically and spiritually.

Regarding the Martyrs (Shuhada), those who are slain in the path of Allah, Allah
Ta'ala says in the Holy Quran: "And say not those who have been slain in the path of
Allah to be dead for they are alive and you do not know." (Part 2, Ruku 3) Since it is
evident from the Holy Quran that the Martyrs are alive, then it follows that the
Ambiya (alaihimus salaam), whose status are much greater than that of the Martyrs,
are also alive. (Fathul Baari Sharah Bukhari)

Allah Ta'ala states in the Holy Quran: "And say not of those who are slain in the Way
of Allah 'They are dead'. Nay, they are living, though you perceive it not". (al-
Baqarah: 154) "Think not of those who are slain in Allah's Way as dead. Nay, they
are alive, finding their sustenance in the Presence of their Lord". (al-Ale' Imraan:
169) The above two Ayahs were revealed after the Battle of Badr. The Ashaabs (radi
Allahu anhum) used to feel sorry for those who lost their lives in the battle, and
used to say: "Alas, so and so has lost his life and has missed the pleasures of this
world!" Allah Ta'ala revealed these Ayahs clarifying that the Shuhada (Martyrs) are
not "dead" but are transferred from one place to another where they live and are
fed by the Bounteous Lord who is not deficient of anything. If the Shuhada are not
"dead", how can we say that the greatest Apostle, Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (sallal
laahu alaihi wasallam), is no more amongst us?

Referring to the Messengers, Allah Ta?ala says in the Holy Quran: "And ask those of
our Mesengers, whom we sent before you, 'Did We appoint any other god except
the All-Affectionate, to be worshipped'?" (Part 25, Ruku 10) This verse proves that
the Ambiya (alaihimus salaam) are alive because Allah Ta?ala commands us to ask
the Messengers about all matters. If they had passed away and mixed with the soil,
surely, we would not have been commanded to ask them about anything. (Tafseer
Dur Manthur; Tafseer Roohul Muaani)

Another proof supporting that the Ambiya are alive is that on the night of Me'raj, the
Holy Prophet Muhammad (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) passed by Sayyiduna Moosa
(alaihis salaam). He saw him in his grave standing and reading his Salaah.

The Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) said, "Recite Durood upon me in
abundance on a Friday since it is a respected day. On that day the Angels are
present and whosoever sends Durood upon me on that day, then his Durood is
placed before me till the time when they have completed sending Durood and
Salaam". (Sayyiduna Abu Dardah radi Allahu anhu says), "I asked, 'Huzoor! Will you
even hear (the Salaam) after your demise?'" The Prophet (sallal laahu alaii
wasallam) said, "Verily Almighty Allah has made it Haraam upon the earth to devour
the bodies of the Ambiya (alaihimus salaam). Thus, all the Nabis of Allah are alive
and they are given sustenance." (Ibn Majah; Jame Sahgeer; Mishkaat Shareef) We
learn from this Hadith Shareef that the Ambiya (alaihimus salaam) are alive and
they have only been hidden from us. We cannot understand their position, like those
of the Angels that they are alive and present but we cannot obtain (see) them. Yes!
Those whom Allah has blessed, they can even see them. This has been confirmed
that the Ambiya (alaihimus salaam) are alive. (Umdatul Qaari Shara Bukhari)

Sayyiduna Sheikh Abdul Haq Muhadith Delhwi (alaihir rahmah) wrote: "There is no
death for the Ambiya (alaihimus salaam). They are alive and existing. For them is
that one death that has come only once. After this, their souls are put back into
their bodies and the life that they had on earth is given back to them." (Takmeelul
Imaan)

The greatest proof concerning the Ambiya (alaihimus salaam) being alive is that
they make Ibaadah in their graves. They perform their Salaah and they are well
provided with food and drink. Like the Angels who are alive, but do not eat and
drink. (Mirkaat Shar Mishkaat)

Allah Ta'ala states in the Holy Quran: "And how would you deny faith while unto you
are rehearsed the Signs of Allah and among you lives the Prophet". (Sura al-
ale'Imraan: 101) This is a typical Ayah proving Hayat-un-Nabi - "among you lives the
Prophet". The word "lives" has cleared all doubts. "Among you" has been
generalised, meaning with every individual, wherever he or she may be regardless
of time. Man's vision and power of hearing is restricted, but it is not so in the case of
Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam). His powers are far beyond
imagination. If somebody says, "Where is the Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam)?
I cannot see him! Why must I stand and read Salaam?" Surely, this statement is
absurd because none of us has seen Allah Ta'ala and the Angels. Kiraaman Katibeen
are two Angels constantly present with every individual. Can we deny their
existence merely because we did not see them?