The Prophet’s Life in the Grave and the Address “O Prophet” in the Tashahhud

Question:
Honorable Shaykh, may Allah grant you success. Some of the Sufis mention that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is alive in his grave; because the hadith says, “O Prophet,” and they say that the particles of address are only used for the living.

Answer:
Yes, the Messenger is alive in his grave (peace and blessings be upon him), there is no doubt. All the prophets and the martyrs are alive, but their life is a barzakh (the interval between death and resurrection) life; it is not like their life in this world. We do not address them, nor do we ask them, nor do we request anything from them as they were in this world and on the face of the earth. This was cut off by their death; this was cut off by their death.
So they are not addressed as the living are, and things are not requested from them. This is a batil (invalid) matter. The fact that they are alive in their graves does not imply that we address them, request things from them, or call upon them for aid. This is something the entire ummah (the Muslim community) did not do. The ummah did not do this, including the Companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and their followers. Therefore, it is not permissible to say that the prophets are called upon because they are alive in their graves. Yes, they are alive in their graves, but they are not called upon, and nothing is requested from them, just as they were in the life of this world. Nothing is ever requested from them. Yes.