Hadith on the Life of the Prophets

Indeed the starting point of this issue is Allah's statement "And say not of those who are slain in the way of Allah: 'They are dead.' Nay, they are living, though ye perceive [it] not" (2:154). Since the life of the martyrs is established, the life of the Prophets (peace be upon them) is established by indication of this text, because the rank of the Prophets is higher than the rank of the martyrs without doubt. Al-Shawkani said in Nayl al-Awtar (Adab al-Jumu'ah 3:211): "A textual proof in Allah's Book is revealed with regards to martyrs, that they are living and sustained, and that the life in them pertains to the body, so what of the Prophets and Messengers?"In this topic, a hadith with unequivocal import has been reported which Abu Ya'la transmitted in his Musnad (6:147, no. 3425) from Anas ibn Malik (Allah be pleased with him) that he said: "Allah's Messenger (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: 'The Prophets are alive in their graves, praying'". Al-Haythami mentioned it in Majma' al-Zawa'id (8:211) and said: "Abu Ya'la and al-Bazzar narrated it and the narrators of Abu Ya'la are trustworthy". Al-Dhahabi weakened it in al-Mizan because of al-Hajjaj ibn al-Aswad but al-Hafiz ibn Hajar contested with him in al-Lisan and said: "He is al-Hajjaj ibn Abi Ziyad al-Aswad, known as Ziqq al-'Asal and he was Basran ... Ahmad said: 'trustworthy and a pious man'; ibn Ma'in said: 'trustworthy'; Abu Hatim said: 'passable in narration'; and ibn Hibban mentioned him in al-Thuqat." The hadith was also transmitted by al-Bayhaqi in his volume on the life of the Prophets (p. 3) and he authenticated it. Likewise, al-Munawi authenticated it in Fayd al-Qadir.

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