Ghulâm-i-’Alî Abdullah Dahlawî ‘rahmatullâhi ta’âlâ ’alaih’ (1158 [1745], Punjab, India - 1240 [1824], Delhi), a great Walî and an expert in Tasawwuf.

A hadîth sharîf says, “After my death, I will hear as I do when I am alive.” Another hadîth sharîf says, “Prophets are alive in their graves. They perform salât.” These hadîths show that our Prophet (sall-Allâhu ta’âlâ ’alaihi wa sallam) is alive in his shrine with a life we do not know. It is written in very reliable books that Sayyid Ahmad ar-Rifâ’î , one of the prominent awliyâ’, and many other awliyâ’ (rahimahum-Allâhu ta’âlâ) heard the reply when they greeted Rasûlullâh (sall-Allâhu ta’âlâ ’alaihi wa sallam) and that Ahmad ar-Rifâ’î attained the honour of kissing Rasûlullâh’s blessed hand. Saying that these are lies is like throwing mud at the sun. The great Islamic scholar Jalâl ad-dîn ’Abd ar-Rahmân as-Suyûtî (rahimah-Allâhu ta’âlâ), who passed away in Egypt in 911/1595, refuted them in his well-documented book Sharaf al-Muhkam and proved that Rasûlullâh (sall-Allâhu ta’âlâ ’alaihi wa sallam) was alive in his grave and heard those who greeted him. One of the hadîths he quoted in his book is: “I saw the Prophet Mûsâ (Moses) performing salât in his grave on the Mi’râj Night.” Abu Nu’aim (rahimah-Allâhu ta’âlâ), the author of Hilya, too, quoted this hadîth sharîf. 

A hadîth sharîf, quoted in Abu Ya’lâ’s (rahimah-Allâhu ta’âlâ) Musnad, says, “Prophets live and pray in their graves.”

Rasûlullâh (sall-Allâhu ta’âlâ ’alaihi wa sallam), during his last illness, said, “I have always felt the bitter taste of the food I ate at Khaibar. The poison I ate that day tears my aorta now.” This hadîth sharîf indicates that Rasûlullâh died as a martyr. Allâhu ta’âlâ declared in the 169th âyat karîma of Sûrat âl ’Imrân, “Never regard those who have been martyred on the way of Allah as dead! They are alive!” So, it is obvious that our master Rasûlullâh is alive in his grave like all martyrs.