As I mentioned in my previous post, muslims are being encourage to visit prophet Mohammad’s (SAWS) grave during Hajj. Al-Qadi `Iyad writes: Visiting his grave is part of the Sunna and is both excellent and desirable. Ibn `Umar refares to words of prophet: “My intercession is assured for all who visit me.”
In the same time it must be said, that there’s specific etiquette in Islam regarding this issue, that doesn’t permit seeking blessing by touching the grave. Prophet (SAWS) himself said:
“O Allah, do not make my grave an idol to be worshiped after me. Allah was angry with people who took the graves of their Prophets as mosques.”
Good elaboration to following matter grave Sheikh `Abdel Khaliq Hassan Ash-Shareef, an Egypt-based renowned scholar and da`iyah, who said:
We all love the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and we are required to send peace and blessings on him, follow his footsteps, and protect his Sunnah.
However, it is not prescribed in the Islamic Shari`ah to worship Almighty Allah by visiting the Prophet’s (peace and blessings be upon him) grave. Although, it is prescribed and recommended in the Islamic Shari`ah to visit the Prophet’s (peace and blessings be upon him) Mosque. While visiting the Prophet’s Mosque, we can stand by his grave and send peace on him and his two Companions, Abu Bakr and `Umar (may Allah be pleased with them), with politeness and without touching the grave or doing any other unlawful acts.
In regard to the mentioned etiquette, professor of Islamic Philosophy Dr. Muhammad Ahmad Al-Musayyar, at the Al-Azhar University in Cairo stated:
It is most appropriate for a Muslim visiting the Prophet’s Mosque to begin with praying two rak`ahs, preferably in Ar-Rawdah Ash-Sharifah, to greet the mosque. Then the visitor may walk to the blessed grave from the direction of the qiblah in a polite, calm, and humble manner, face the grave, and then say, “O Allah’s Prophet, may the peace, mercy, and blessings of Allah be upon you.”
The visitor may also praise the Prophet’s character by mentioning some of his attributes upon greeting him. Then, the visitor may move rightwards by an arm’s length to face Abu Bakr’s grave and greet him and then proceed by the same distance to stand before `Umar’s grave and greet him, too.
Then, if any visitor wants to pray for themselves, then they are required to face the qiblah, not the grave, while doing so.
It was reported in some narrations that when the mosque was free of worshippers, the Companions of the Prophet would sit by the rummanah of the pulpit (a spherical shape in the Prophet’s pulpit where he would rest his hand while delivering speeches) with the grave to their right and then face the qiblah to supplicate Almighty Allah. `Abdullah ibn `Umar (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) would visit the Prophet’s grave and say, “Peace be upon the Prophet, peace be upon Abu Bakr, and peace be upon my father.” Then he would leave.
Some scholars made a distinction between the dwellers of Madinah and its visitors with regard to the desirability of standing at the Prophet’s grave. Imam Malik said, “It is not highly desirable for a resident of Madinah to stand at the [Prophet’s] grave when entering the Prophet’s Mosque. This is, however, highly desirable for the visitors of Madinah.”
Imam Malik was also reported as saying, “It is, however, permissible for a resident of Madinah who has just turned back from a journey outside Madinah or who is setting out for a journey outside it to stand at the grave of the Prophet and invoke Allah’s peace and blessings upon him, Abu Bakr, and `Umar.”
This distinction between the inhabitants of Madinah and its visitors as to standing at the Prophet’s grave is followed by another distinction pertaining to the desirability of performing supererogatory prayer at the Prophet’s mosque.
Generally speaking, the jurists of Islam, based on an authentic hadith of the Prophet, agree that a Muslim’s supererogatory prayer is best performed at home. The prescribed prayers are, however, best performed in congregation at the mosque for men. But Imam Malik said, “In my viewpoint, for the visitors of Madinah, offering supererogatory prayers is more recommended at the Prophet’s Mosque than at home.”
In Islam it is merely recommended for people to visit each other graves. Prophet once said:
“Allah curses women who visit graves” [Ahmad, Tirmidhi, Ibn Hibban].
Based on that statment, many rules and practises have been formulated. Best example- Jannat al- Baqi in Media ( graveyard for Mohammad’s family members and companions), where women are not allowed to enter at all. Permission for men to visit this place has been legitimized from another statment of Prophet (SAWS):
“I forbade you to visit graves, but now you can visit them” [Muslim]
Prophet Muhammed’s Grave. Razed to the ground by the Wahabis.
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