Q 3: Was the Prophet (peace be upon him) able to make the dead hear?

(Part No. 1; Page No. 478)  A: Hearing sounds is a faculty of the living. When a person dies, he can neither hear nor grasp the speech of the living. Allah (Exalted be He) says (what means): ...but you cannot make hear those who are in graves. Thus, Allah emphasized to His Messenger (peace be upon him) through this Ayah that those whom he was calling to Islam were deaf to him, by likening them to the dead. In essence, “the thing-compared-to” is closer in resemblance to the aspect of comparison than “the thing-compared.” Accordingly, the dead are more likely not to hear or respond than the stubborn disbelievers who turned a deaf ear to the Messenger’s call (peace be upon him) and said, “Our hearts are sealed.” Allah (Exalted be He) states in this regard: Such is Allâh, your Lord; His is the kingdom. And those, whom you invoke or call upon instead of Him, own not even a Qitmîr (the thin membrane over the date-stone). If you invoke (or call upon) them, they hear not your call; and if (in case) they were to hear, they could not grant it (your request) to you. And on the Day of Resurrection, they will disown your worshipping them. And none can inform you (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) like Him Who is the All-Knower (of everything). As for the disbelievers buried in Al-Qalib (well) on the Day of Badr and their hearing of the Messenger’s call when he called upon them, saying, Have you found what your Lord promised to be true? We have found what our Lord promised us to be true. And the Prophet’s saying to his Sahabah (Companions) who wondered at his addressing dead bodies: You do not hear what I am saying any better than they do, this is a unique case that falls under the special attributes that Allah endowed the Prophet (peace be upon him) with and is an exception to the general basic rule, based on scriptural-evidence. The same applies to the deceased’s hearing of the sound of the footsteps of those who attend the funeral. (Part No. 1; Page No. 479) The same also applies to the Prophet’s saying: No one greets me with peace except that Allah restores to me my soul, so that I may return his greeting of peace. Which is also excluded from the basic rule.May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.