Praise be to Allah.
The Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) is the best and most perfect of creation, and the most beloved to Allah and the most honoured by Him. But this does not mean that his human characteristics are to be denied , or that any of the duties of worship which are due only to Allah should be directed to him.
The Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was a human being who suffered from sickness and real death the same as any other human being. Allah said (interpretation of the meaning):
“Verily, you (O Muhammad) will die, and verily, they (too) will die.” [Az-Zumar 39:30]
“And We granted not to any human being immortality before you (O Muhammad); then if you die, would they live forever?” [Al-Anbiya’ 21:34]
The Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) died and was buried in his grave , hence Abu Bakr Al-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “Whoever used to worship Muhammad, Muhammad has died, but whoever used to worship Allah, Allah is alive and will never die.”
The fact that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was a witness , a bringer of glad tidings and a warner, and that he will be a witness on the Day of Resurrection, does not mean that he is present among all nations, or that he (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) will remain alive until the Day of Resurrection, or that he sees and witnesses while he is in his grave. Witnessing does not only mean seeing. Rather he will testify against the nations by means of what Allah tells him, for he does not know the unseen. Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“… and If I had the knowledge of the Ghaib (Unseen), I should have secured for myself an abundance of wealth…” [Al-A`raf 7:188]
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) does not have the ability to be present in numerous places; he is in only one place, which is his grave, and this is according to the consensus of the Muslims.
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