Which one of the Prophets are still alive?
Allamah Tabatabai (RA) interpreting the verse 65 of Surah al-Kahf “Then they found one from among Our servants whom We had granted mercy from Us and whom We had taught knowledge from Ourselves“1 appertained to Prophet Moses (AS) and Prophet Khidr (AS) quotes narrations from a number of Sunni and Shia sources about some prophets being alive.
Among the narrations he has quoted is a tradition from Jalaluddin in his Al-Durr al-Manthur which is narrated from Shahin from Khasif that says:
أربعة من الأنبیاء أحیاء
اثنان فی السماء: عیسى و إدریس؛ و اثنان فی الأرض الخضر و إلیاس
فأما الخضر فإنه فی البحر و أما صاحبه فإنه فی البر2
Four of the prophets are alive two of whom are in the heavens: Jesus and Edris, and two of them are in the land: Khidr and Elias, Ilyas (Elias). As for Khidr, he is in the sea but his companion is in the land.”3
It should be noted that this narration is also available in Shia sources but it has been narrated from Sunni sources.4
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[1] «فَوَجَدا عَبْداً مِنْ عِبادِنا آتَیناهُ رَحْمَةً مِنْ عِنْدِنا وَ عَلَّمْناهُ مِنْ لَدُنَّا عِلْماً»
[2] Suyuti, Jalaluddin, al-Durr al-Manthur fi Tafsir al-Ma’thur, vol.4, p. 239, Ayatollah Mar’ashi Najafi Library, Qom, 1404 A.H.
[3] Tabatabai, Sayyid Muhammad Hussein, Al-Mizan fi Tafsir al-Qur’an, vol.13, p. 353, Islamic Publications Office, Qom, fifth edition, 1417.
[4] Majlisi, Muhammad Baqir, Behar al-Anwar, vol13, p. 402, Dar Ihya al-Turath al-Arabi, Beirut, second dition, 1403 A.H; Ibn Tavus, Ali bin Musa, Sa’ad al-Saud Lil-Nofus Mandhud, p. 163 – 164, Dar al-Dhakhaer, Qom, first edition (date missing).
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Source: IslamQuest
