Innovations of Visiting Madinat-ul-Munawwarah

This is included as undertaking journey to the Prophet's Mosque and Masjid ul-Aqsaa - may Allah return it to the Muslims soon - is from the Sunnah and because of the benefits and rewards for this, and people usually visit them before or after making Hajj - and many of them fall into numerous innovations well-known to the scholars, while doing that - so I saw it to be beneficial to include what I have come across from these as a notification and warning and they are: 

132) Journeying to visit the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) `s grave. [And the Sunnah is to go to visit the mosque as the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: Do not journey except to three mosques..., so when he reaches it and prays upon entering then he may go to the grave. And it should be known that travelling to visit his grave - peace and blessings be upon him - and other graves is one thing and visiting without travelling is something else - contrary to what has become widespread amongst the later people - among them holders of doctorates who have confused the two - and have further declared that Ibn Taymeeyah in particular and the salafis in general deny the authenticity of visiting the Prophet's (صلى الله عليه وسلم) grave - and this is a clear untruth. See the matter fully explained in our refutation of Dr. Bootee who produced a succession of such sayings in the magazine Islamic Civilization. Then I produced a particular treatise called In Defense of the Prophetic Hadeeth...]  

133) Sending requests with the pilgrims and those visiting the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) and asking them to convey their salaams to him.

134) Bathing in order to enter Madinat-ul-Munawwarah.

135) Saying upon seeing the walls of al-Madinah: "O Allah this is the Sacred Area of Your Messenger, so make it a protection against the Fire for me and a protection from punishment and any misfortunate accounting."

136) Saying upon entering al-Madinah: "In the name of Allah and upon the religion of.."

137) The retention of the Prophet's (صلى الله عليه وسلم) grave within his mosque.

138) Visiting the grave of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) before praying in his mosque.

139) Some peoples facing the grave with total humility placing his right hand upon the left as if in prayer - near to the grave or far from it - when entering or leaving the mosque.

140) Making du'aa facing the grave.

141) Going to the grave to make du'aa towards it hoping for an answer.

142) Seeking nearness to Allah (tawassul) by means of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) .

143) Seeking for intercession etc. from the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم).

144) Ibn al Haajj's saying in al Madkhal (1 59) that: "One should not mention with his tongue his needs or need forgiveness of sins when visiting the grave of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) "because he knows his needs already and what is of benefit to him!!

145) His saying also: "There is no difference between his - peace and blessings be upon him - death and his life - as regards his watching over his Ummah and their affairs and intentions, and their regrets and their thoughts!!"

146) Their placing their hands upon the grills around the room containing the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) `s grave to seek blessings. And some of them taking oath upon that.

147) Kissing the tomb or touching it or what surrounds it - pillars and so on.

148) Adopting a particular way for visiting the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) and his two companions - and a particular way of giving salaam and making du'aa, like the saying of Al-Ghazzaali: "He should stand next to the face of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) with his back to the Qiblah, and face the wall of the tomb.. and say..." mentioning a long salaam, then a long salaat and du'aa - reaching to about three pages.

149) Seeking to pray facing the tomb.

150) Sitting near to the grave in order to recite and make dhikr.

151) Going to the Prophet's grave after every prayer. [And this in addition to its being an innovation and exaggeration in religion and in contradiction to the Prophet's (صلى الله عليه وسلم) saying: Do not take my grave as a festival and send blessings upon me from wherever you are, for verily your blessings will reach me. And it is a reason for many Sunnahs being lost and many benefits - and that is the dhikr after the prayer recited after giving salaam - for they leave all of these and hurry to this innovation. So may Allah have mercy upon the one who said: No innovation is brought to life except that a Sunnah is killed off.]  

152)Visiting the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) 's grave by the people of Madinah every time they enter or leave the mosque.

153) Raising up the voice after prayer saying: "Peace be upon you O Messenger of Allah."

154) Seeking blessings from rainwater which falls down from the Green Dome above the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم)`s tomb.

155) Seeking nearness to Allah by eating dates of Saihaan in the `Rawdah' which is between the pulpit and the grave.

156) Cutting off bits of their hair and throwing them into the large chandelier near the Prophet's (صلى الله عليه وسلم) tomb.

157) Wiping the two brass palm trees that were placed in the mosque to the west of the pulpit. [And there is absolutely no benefit in these two as they were only put there for decoration and to charm the people - and they have lately been removed - Alhamdulillaah.]  

158) Making a point of praying in the original part of the mosque and avoiding praying in the front rows which are in the extension made by `Umar and others.

159) Making a point by visitors to Madinah to stay for a whole week in order to pray forty prayers in the Prophet's Mosque - so as to have written for them a security from hypocrisy and from the Fire. [And the hadeeth about that is da'eef - and cannot be an evidence for it is as I have explained in Ad-Da`eefah (no.364). So it is not permissible to act on it as it is Sharee'ah - especially as it may cause trouble to some pilgrims as I myself once found - thinking that the hadeeth about it was authentic - and he might miss some prayers and thus be a hardship - which Allah has delivered him from.]  

160) Seeking reward by going to any of the mosques or places in and around Madinah except for the Prophet's Mosque and Qubaa Mosque.

161) Guides instructing groups of pilgrims and leading them in certain du'aas near the Prophet's (صلى الله عليه وسلم) room or far from it - with raised voices - and the people's repeating in even louder voices.

162) Visiting the graveyard of Baqee' every day and prayer in the Mosque of Faatimah - may Allah be pleased with her.

163) Particularising Yaum ul-Khamees (known to the Christians as Thursday) for visiting the martyrs of Uhud.

164) Affixing pieces of paper to the iron railings on the ground of the martyrs.

165) Seeking blessings by bathing in the pool that used to be by the side of the graves.

166) Walking backwards out of the Prophet's Mosque when leaving for the last time.

Hajj And Umrah Guides, Pilgrimage Essentials, Mecca & Medina Topics Links:

Advice To Pilgrims | A Step by step Hajj and 'Umrah | Adhkar (Pertaining to the remembrance of Allah) | A Lasting Word For Hajj And 'Umrah | An Account of the Miqat | An Account of visiting the Prophet's Mosque | Ayaam at-Tashreeq | Binding on the pilgrim to refrain from sins | Command about the Menstruating and similar women | Conditional Ihram | Day by Day Rites of Hajj - Day One | Day by Day Rites of Hajj - Day Two | Day by Day Rites of Hajj - Day Three | Day by Day Rites of Hajj - Day Four | Day by Day Rites of Hajj - Day Five | Day by Day Rites of Hajj - Day Six | Day of Arafah | Day to Day Activities of Hajj | Dhabh | Duties of pilgrims at 'Arafah | Entering Mecca | Entering Al-Masjid-al-Haram (the Sacred Mosque) and Tawaf | Errors Often Committed by Pilgrims | Etiquette of Ihram | Etiquette of Visiting the Prophet's (P.B.U.H) Grave | Farewell Pilgrimage of the Messenger of Allah | Farewell Tawaf | Farewell Tawaf is binding on everyone except the menstruating and women with post childbirth bleeding | Fixed time for Hajj | Fixed time for Hajj | Four Khutbahs in Hajj | Hajj in Pre-Islamic Times | Hajj of a woman | Hajj, Umrah & Ziyarah At a Glance | Halq or Qass | Halq or Qasr: Shaving or Clipping | Ihram | Ihram for youngsters | Ihram: Introduction And Significance | Innovations of `Arafah | Innovations Before Ihraam | Innovations of Hajj, `Umra and Visiting Madinah | Innovations of Ihraam and Talbiyyah, etc. | Innovations of Muzdalifah | Innovations of Sacrifice and Shaving the Head | Innovations of Sa'y Between Safaa and Marwah | Innovations of Stoning | Innovations of Tawaaf | Innovations of Visiting Madinat-ul-Munawwarah | Innovations of Visiting Bait-ul-Maqdis | Innovations: Various Innovations | Istilaam | Kinds of Ihram | Leaving Arafah to spend night in Al Muzdalefah | Many `Umrahs after Hajj is not encouraged by the Shari`ah | Maqaam Ibraaheem | Meeqaat | Merits of Hajj | Merits of 'Umrah | Minaa | Neglecting and delaying the throwing of pebbles | No Specific Supplication for Tawaf and Sa'y | Not allowed to shave the beard | Not obligatory to visit the Prophet's Mosque | Objective of Hajj - To seek the Divine Pleasure | Obligations during Hajj and Umrah | Performing Hajj on behalf of others | Permitted and Forbidden things in the State of Ihram | Pilgrim with Sacrificial Animal in the month of Hajj should intend Qiran (accompanied Hajj) and the one | Pillars of Hajj | Prayers at Arafah | Preparations for Hajj, Umrah and travelling to the holy lands | Preparing for Hajj or 'Umrah | Prerequisites and Sunnahs of valid Tawaf | Ramy | Reaching Miqat at a Time other than the Hajj Season | Regulations Concerning Hady (Sacrificial animals) | Restrictions of Ihram | Rites, obligations and Sunnahs of Umrah | Sa'y | Sa'y between Safa and Marwah | Sa'y and its rituals | Sacrificial animals | Shaving or clipping hair | Sunnah and allowed throwing | Sunnahs of Tawaf | Supplication at the beginning of the journey | Supplication on entering the Mosque | Supplications at Arafah | Supplications: Some All-Inclusive Supplications | Supplications: Some Supplications which may Be Recited At 'Arafat, at the Sacred Sites, and at Other Places of Supplication | Talbeeyah | Tawaaf | Tawaaf al-Ifaadah | Throwing Al Jemar | Throwing pebbles on behalf of other people | Types of Hajj | Umrah | Veiling and giving up the display of beauty is compulsory for women | Verdict on spending the night at Mina | Visitation of the Prophet's Mosque | Visiting Al-Masjid Al-Nabawi | Visiting Quba Mosque and Al-Baqi' cemetery | What a Pilgrim should do when he reaches the Miqat | What Is Required of the Pilgrims | What is allowed to a Muhrim | Where to pick the pebbles from and the number and size of pebbles | Woman's Hajj with Mahram, expenses of Hajj, taking husband's permission | Woman may enter into the Ihram in any dress | Wuqoof 'Arafaat | Wuqoof Muzdalifah | Zamzam