The Messenger (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is the best and most perfect of
creation, and the most beloved to Allaah 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 Allaah should
be directed to him. The Messenger
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was a human being who suffered
from sickness and real death the same as any other human being. Allaah
said (interpretation of the meaning):
“Verily, you (O Muhammad) will die,
and verily, they (too) will die” [al-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-Anbiyaa’ 21:34]
The Messenger
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) died and was buried in his
grave, hence al-Siddeeq Abu Bakr (may Allaah be pleased with him) said:
“Whoever used to worship Muhammad, Muhammad has died, but whoever used
to worship Allaah, Allaah is alive and will never die.”
The fact that the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah 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 Allaah be upon him) will remain alive until the Day of Resurrection,
or that he sees and witnesses whilst he is in his grave. Witnessing
does not only mean seeing. Rather he will testify against the nations
by means of what Allaah tells him, for he does not know the unseen.
Allaah 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’raaf 7:188]
The Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah 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.