April 23, 2007...4:06 am

Seeing The Souls Of The Prophets & The Awliya’

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salamu `alaykum

It is narrated in the Sahih of Imam Muslim that the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) met numerous other Prophets such as Musa, `Isa, Ibrahim, and so forth (Allah bless them all) during his lifetime. Rather, it is established that the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) witnessed them performing prayers and even led them himself. Abu Hurayra narrates that the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said:

فحانت الصلاة فأممتهم

“When the time of prayer came I led them.”

(Sahih Muslim, Kitab al Iman: Bab dhikr al masih ibn maryam wal masih al dajjal)

Similarly, it is narrated that the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said:

‏حين ‏ ‏أسري ‏ ‏بي ‏ ‏لقيت ‏ ‏موسى

“When I was taken for the night journey I met Musa (Allah bless him).”

(Ibid, Bab al Isra’ bi rasul Allah)

Maulana Ashraf `Ali Thanawi (May Allah sanctify his secret) states in regards to this:

“Together, these two narrations establish that despite the fact that Musa (Allah bless him) was present in his grave (s: in body) he was able to, along with the other prophets, meet the Messenger of Allah. There is no doubt that all these prophets were truly outside their graves (s: in spirit) and this shows the possibility of seeing the souls of the righteous gathered. However, remember that this is not a ever-continuous occurrence nor within one’s capacity.”

(al Takashaf, Pg: 397)

Mufti Lajpuri states in his Fatawa al Rahimiyya, in regards to the souls visiting the living, that:

“The soul can and does come. Events and observations bear witness to this fact. In the Kitab al Ruh of Ibn Qayyim it states, ‘It is the statement of this speaker that, no doubt, the souls of the believers residing in the barzakh go wherever they like. This has been reported by Salman al Farisi (May Allah be well pleased with him).”

(Vol 2, Pg: 252-253)

This is also confirmed by Ibn Hajar Haytami and Imam Suyuti - among many others. The former states in his Fatawa Hadithiyya (Pg: 393):

“Imam Yafi`i said: ‘… And they [s: the awliya] saw the Prophets (Allah bless them all) … which was like the vision of our Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) towards the congregation of Prophets in the heavens - and he heard and spoke to them. Verily, whatever is permitted for the Prophets as a miracle is permitted for the Saints as a miracle also.’

Ibn Mulaqin said: ‘There have been numerous visions of the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) , both in a state of wakefulness and sleep.’

The narrations in connection to this regarding [the vision of] the Friends of Allah are extremely plentiful and none denies them except one who is stubborn and dead.”

Ibn Hajar goes on to discuss the modality of such a vision, the permission of the souls of the Prophets to leave their graves, the fact that the vision of numerous people of a given prophet at a given moment is possible (he contrasts it to the sun), and how this does not make one a companion.

This is the position of those spiritually realized… They have removed the veils from their eyes within this world such that their “vision is piercing” (Quran) and therefore witness and see what many of us cannot.

And Allah Knows Best

Wasalam

Salman

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