Hazrat Dawood  alyhis salam – laid the foundation of Bait Al-Maqdis at the same place where Hazrat Moosa – peace be upon Him – had had his camp in Shaam but the time of his death came close before the construction could be completed, and thus he made his son Hazrat Sulaiman – peace be upon Him – responsible for its completion.

Hence, Hazrat Sulaiman – alyhis salam – recruited a group of Jinns to accomplish the task and they then began to build the Masjid, but the construction had not yet come to an end and the time of his death came close while the construction was still in pending.  He made Du’a to Allah Almighty not to disclose his death on the Jinns, so that they continue to build and the belief about them to have the knowledge of unseen may also be falsified.  After making this Du’a he entered the arch and as he usually would do, he stood up with the aid of his staff and engaged in Ibaadah.  He died in this state but the Jinn labourers continued to do the work thinking that he is busy in Ibaadah.  He remained in this state for a long period of time which did not send any suspicion to the group of Jinns because usually he would continue to worship for a month or two without moving from his spot.  He remained standing for 1 year after his demise with the aid of his staff until the insects began to eat his stick and then his body was lowered. Then only did all the Jinns as well as the humans came to know that he has passed away.  The Holy Quran has mentioned this incident in the following words:

قَالَ الَّذِیۡنَ اسْتَکْبَرُوۡا لِلَّذِیۡنَ اسْتُضْعِفُوۡۤا اَنَحْنُ صَدَدْنٰکُمْ عَنِ الْہُدٰی بَعْدَ اِذْ جَآءَکُمۡ بَلْ کُنۡتُمۡ مُّجْرِمِیۡنَ ﴿۳۲﴾

Those who were swelled with pride will say to those who were pressed, ‘Had we prevented you from the guidance after it came to you, say, nay, you were culprits yourselves.’

(Saba 34, Verse 32)

 

Lesson:

  • We are guided through this Quranic incident that the blessed bodies of the Ambiya do not rot after death, for you have just read that Hazrat Sulaiman – peace be upon Him – remained upright for one whole year after his dead with the aid of his staff and there was no noticeable change which appeared in his body, and same is the case of the rest of the Ambiya in their graves, for the sand does not eat their bodies.

Hence, it is mentioned in the Hadeeth Shareef narrated by Ibn Majah:

اِنَّ اللّٰہَ حَرَّمَ عَلَیْ الْاَرْضِ اَنْ تَاْکُلَ اَجْسَادَ الْاَنْبنِیَآءِ فَنَبِیُّ اللّٰہِ حَیٌّ یُرْزَقُ

Indeed Allah Almighty has forbidden for the earth to eat the bodies of the Prophets, for the Prophet of Allah is alive and sustained.

(Sunan Ibn Majah Vol. 3, p. 291)

And it is written in the footnotes of Mishkaat that it is the case of every Nabi, that they are alive in their graves and Allah Almighty provides them their sustenance.  And this Hadeeth is Saheeh.  Imam Baihaqi states that the Prophets – peace be upon Them – travel to multiple places at different occasions which is valid and true.

(Mirqaat Al-Mafaateeh Vol. 3, p. 460)

Therefore it’s the belief of Ahlus Sunnah Wal Jama’ah that the Prophets – peace be upon Them – are alive in their graves with all the characteristics of a living person.  The Wahabiya believe that they died and turned into dust which is why this insolent cult insults the holy graves of the Ambiya by calling them sand-collection and attempts to demolish them.

They surpassed all the limits that despite all the criticism from over the Muslim world the Saudi goverment still plans and plots the demolition of the Green Dome but how great the grace of Allah Almighty is, that they have not yet practically succeeded in this attempt of theirs and inshaAllah in future too, this evil plan of theirs will not be realized, because:

جس کا حامی ہو خدا اس کو گھٹا سکتا پے کون

جس کا حافظ ہو خدا اس کو مٹا سکتا ہے کون

Who can degrade the one whose supporter is Allah Almighty Himself?

Who can destroy the one whose protector is Allah Almighty Himself?

 

  • Hazrat Sulaiman’s,alyhis salam – age was 53 years. He gained the kingdom at the age of 13 and he ruled for 4o years.  His grave is inside Baitul Maqdis. The place where he died is located at the rear end of Masjid Aqsa. The very place is presently functioning as a girl’s school.

And Allah Almighty Knows Best!

(Ajaibul Quran p. 192-194)