The Dead Hear The Living

Do the dead hear the living?

Ibn Taymiyah said:
وأما سؤال السائل هل يتكلم الميت في قبره فجوابه أنه يتكلم وقد يسمع أيضا من كلمه ; كما ثبت في الصحيح
“As for the question about whether the dead can talk in their graves, the answer is: yes, they talk and they can also hear, as it is established in authentic narrations.”
[“Majmu al-Fatawa”, 4/273].

This is the opinion of the majority of scholars.

Aisha, R.A., believed that the dead do not hear the living.

Ibn Hajar said, the majority opposed her in this:
وقد خالفها الجمهور في ذلك وقبلوا حديث ابن عمر لموافقة من رواه غيره عليه
“The majority opposed her in this, and they accepted the narration of Ibn Umar, because it is in line with what others have also narrated.”
[‘Fath al-Bari’, 8/34].

Qataadah, and the majority of Hanafis followed Aishah’s opinion.

The majority of scholars maintained that the dead do hear the living and that the dead are aware of who is visiting them.

There are also indications that Aishah changed her view later in life and agreed that the dead hear the living.

Allaahu A’alam