How do we respond to those who cite the hadith, "The prophets are alive in their graves and they pray," to justify seeking aid at the grave of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)?

Question:
Honorable Shaykh, may Allah grant you success, how do we respond to those who cite the hadith, "The prophets are alive in their graves and they pray," to justify seeking aid at the grave of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), claiming that he is alive in his grave, hears them, and answers them?

Answer:
There is no evidence from the Book or the Sunnah regarding the life of the prophets, but if the martyrs are alive by the text of the Qur'an, then the prophets are more deserving of that than they are. This is the method of reasoning regarding the life of the prophets: if the martyrs are alive by the text of the Qur'an, then the prophets are more deserving of that. So they are alive, but this life is a barzakh (the interval between death and resurrection) life, which is among the matters of the Hereafter. It is not like their life in this world, where needs are requested of them while they are alive. Rather, they have an afterlife that differs from their life in this world, so they have no connection to that, and praise be to Allah.
And regarding the questioner's statement that they pray in their graves, what is the evidence for this? Who said that the prophets and messengers pray in their graves? There is a narration that Musa (peace be upon him) saw the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) on the night of the Isra' praying in his grave at the red mound. But this narration is not established, as Imam Ibn Kathir pointed out in his tafsir (exegesis) and others, and Ibn al-Qayyim stated that this narration is not established. Yes. And even if it were established, it would be an act of the Hereafter. If their prayer were established, it would be from the matters of the Hereafter, not like their prayer in this world. Yes.