Sheikh M. S. Al-Munajjid, a prominent Saudi Muslim lecturer and author, states: “The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) is alive in his grave in the sense of the life of al-barzakh, so he enjoys the blessings that Allah has prepared for him as a reward for his great good actions that he did in this world. But the life in the grave is not like the life of this world, or the life in the Hereafter. Rather, it is the life of al-barzakh which comes in between his life in this world and his life in the Hereafter. Hence we know that he died as other Prophets and other people before him died. Allah says: “And We granted not to any human being immortality before you (O Muhammad); then if you die, would they live forever?” (al-Anbiya’: 34) “Verily, you (O Muhammad) will die, and verily, they (too) will die…” (az-Zumar: 30)
With regard to the soul of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), it is in the highest part of `Illiyyin, because he is the best of creation, and because Allah has given him al-Wasilah which is the highest position in Paradise.
The life of al-barzakh is a special life, the nature of which is known to Allah. It is not like the life of this world in which the soul remains with the body. The Prophets and the martyrs are alive in al-barzakh as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “The Prophets are alive and they pray in their graves.” (Narrated by al-Mundhiri and al-Bayhaqi who classed it as authentic) Allah says: “And say not of those who are killed in the way of Allah, ‘They are dead.’ Nay, they are living, but you perceive (it) not.” (al-Baqarah: 154)
The basic principle concerning the dead is that they do not hear the words of the living sons of Adam, because Allah says: “…but you cannot make hear those who are in graves.” (Fatir: 22)
Allah confirmed that those whom the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was calling to Islam could not hear, by likening them to the dead. There is nothing in the Qur’an or in the authentic Sunnah to indicate that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) can hear every du`a’ or call from human beings. However, it is proven that the only thing that reaches the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) is the blessings and salams of those who send blessings and salams upon him. This was narrated by Abu Dawud, 2041, with a hasan (good) <>isnad (chain of transmitters) from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) who said that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “There is no one who sends salaams upon me but Allah will restore to me my soul so that I may return his salams.”
This does not mean that he hears the words of the one who sends salams. Rather, it is possible that he comes to know of those salams when the angels convey that to him. If we assume that he hears the words of the one who sends salams, this is an exception from the general rule, as in the case of the dead hearing the footsteps of those who carry his bier, and as in the case of the slain kuffar (non-Muslims) in the well at Badr who heard the call of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) when he said to them: “Have you found your Lord’s promise to be true? For we have found our Lord’s promise to be true.”