Question: Are Auliya Allah alive or not in their respective grave?
Answer: Undoubtly Auliya Allah (Saints) are alive in their respective graves. Death is a state of shift from one residence to the other residence, Mazz Allah it does not meant to be a statue or stone.
As it is mentioned in Sharah Asudoor-
قال العلماء الموت لیس بعدم محض ولا فناء صرف وانماھو انقطاع تعلق الروح بالبدن و مفارقۃ وحیلولۃ بینھماوتبدل حال و انتقال من دار الی دار
Scholars states death does not mean that a man get destroyed or ruined instead it is state of depart of spirit and a body or it is a one form of change in state or it’s a name of state of shift from one residence to the other residence. (Ba hawala Haliyah,Baab Fadalul Mout.
Imam Abu Yusuf in his Musnad quotes the hadees narrated by Hazrat Anus bin Maliq: الانبیاء احیاء فی قبورھم یصلون Prophets (Ambiyah may peace be upon them)are alive in their respective graves and offer Salah . (Al Khasais Ul Kubra 2:281).
Prophet Mohammad peace be upon him while describing Journey of Mairajj states: مررت علی موسی و ھو یصلی فی قبرہ I passed from Musa ( peace be upon him), he was offering salaah in his grave (Muslim, 2:268).
In the book Mirkat Shareef sharaf Mishkaat it is mentioned that- لا فرق لھم فی الحالین ولذا قیل اولیاء اللہ لا یموتون و لکن ینتقلون من دار الی دار There is no actual difference in both the status live or dead of Aoliya Allah. Thats why it is said that they are not dead ,but get shift from one residence to the other residence . (Kitabul Salat,Baab Al Jumuah Amdadeyah Lahore).
Therefore in the above asked question, the concerned person is aberrance (gumrah) and to offer Salah behind him is not permissible . روی محمدعن ابی حنیفۃوابی یوسف رحمھم اللہ ان الصلوۃخلف اھل الھواء لاتجوز۔
In the book Kabeeri, Imam Mohammad narrates from Imam e azam and Imam Yusuf that Salah behind ahle hawa (gumrah) is not permissible (Kabeeri, Safah 48).
By Mufti Haider Ali Qadri Sahab