This is a refutational article for a Moulavi who claims that the Prophet ﷺ does not hear Salām.
I understand that Maulavi Sahib agrees that Istighātha is not considered Shirk as long as it is done in the presence of the pious. However, doubts remain about whether those being called upon can hear from any corner of the world, and if they can respond even if they hear. These questions can be discussed later.
From Maulavi's note, it became clear that he holds some misconceptions. He wrote that when we send Salām upon the Prophet ﷺ, the Prophet does not hear it, and Allah facilitates the return of the soul (Rūh) to respond to the Salām.
In reality, Muslims believe that the Prophets and righteous individuals are alive in their graves, Even Ibn Taymiyyah clarified this in his Majmoo' al-Fataawa. Therefore, it is natural for one to have doubts about the meaning and purpose of the concept of 'returning the soul.
Imam Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani ﵀ responds to this doubt:
وَعِنْدَ أَبِي دَاوُدَ وَالنَّسَائِيِّ وَصَحَّحَهُ بن خُزَيْمَةَ وَغَيْرُهُ عَنْ أَوْسِ بْنِ أَوْسٍ رَفَعَهُ فِي فَضْلِ يَوْمِ الْجُمُعَةِ فَأَكْثِرُوا عَلَيَّ مِنَ الصَّلَاةِ فِيهِ فَإِنَّ صَلَاتَكُمْ مَعْرُوضَةٌ عَلَيَّ قَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ وَكَيْفَ تُعْرَضُ صَلَاتُنَا عَلَيْكَ وَقَدْ أَرَّمْتَ قَالَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ حَرَّمَ عَلَى الْأَرْضِ أَنْ تَأْكُلَ أَجْسَادَ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ وَمِمَّا يُشْكِلُ عَلَى مَا تَقَدَّمَ مَا أَخْرَجَهُ أَبُو دَاوُدَ مِنْ وَجْهٍ آخَرَ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَفَعَهُ مَا مِنْ أَحَدٍ يُسَلِّمُ عَلَيَّ إِلَّا رَدَّ اللَّهُ عَلَيَّ رُوحِي حَتَّى أَرُدَّ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامَ وَرُوَاتُهُ ثِقَاتٌ وَوَجْهُ الْإِشْكَالِ فِيهِ أَنَّ ظَاهِرَهُ أَنَّ عَوْدَ الرُّوحِ إِلَى الْجَسَدِ يَقْتَضِي انْفِصَالَهَا عَنْهُ وَهُوَ الْمَوْتُ وَقَدْ أَجَابَ الْعُلَمَاءُ عَنْ ذَلِكَ بِأَجْوِبَةٍ أَحَدِهَا أَنَّ الْمُرَادَ بِقَوْلِهِ رَدَّ اللَّهُ عَلَيَّ رُوحِي أَنَّ رَدَّ رُوحِهِ كَانَتْ سَابِقَةً عَقِبَ دَفْنِهِ لَا أَنَّهَا تُعَادُ ثُمَّ تُنْزَعُ ثُمَّ تُعَادُ فتح الباري ٦/٤٨٨
The Prophet ﷺ said: "Increase your Salawat upon me on Fridays, for your Salawat will be shown to me."
The companions asked: "How will our Salawat be shown to you? Have you not turned to dust?!"
The Prophet ﷺ replied: "Allah has forbidden the earth from consuming the bodies of the Prophets."A hadith reported by Abu Dawood from Abu Hurairah may raise a doubt:
"No one sends Salām upon me except that Allah returns my soul to me so that I may respond to their Salām."
At first glance, the phrase "returning the soul" might imply that the soul was absent from the body, which would mean death. However, scholars have provided various explanations for this.The meaning of "returning the soul" here is that the soul was returned to the Prophet's body shortly after his burial, not that it is repeatedly returned and taken away every time someone sends Salām.
