An account of visiting the Prophet's Mosque

It is part of the Sunnah to visit the Prophet's Mosque before or after Hajj. On the authority of Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه It is recorded in the Hadith collection of Bukhari and Muslim that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

صلاة في مسجدي هذا خير من ألف صلاة فيما سواه إلا المسجد الحرام

Praying once in this mosque of mine is one thousand times better than prayer in other mosques except the Sacred Mosque.
It is also narrated by `Abdullah bin `Umar رضي الله عنهما that the Prophetصلى الله عليه وسلم said:

صلاة في مسجدي هذا أفضل من ألف صلاة فيما سواه إلا المسجد الحرام

Offering a prayer in this mosque of mine is one thousand times better than praying in other mosques, except the Sacred Mosque.
(Muslim).

According to `Abdullah bin Zubair رضي الله عنهما the Prophetصلى الله عليه وسلم said:

صلاة في مسجدي هذا أفضل من ألف صلاة فيما سواه إلا المسجد الحرام وصلاة في المسجد الحرام أفضل من مائة صلاة في مسجدي هذا

Praying in this mosque of mine is one thousand times better than praying in other mosques, except the Sacred Mosque. And praying in the Sacred Mosque is one hundred times better than praying in my mosque.
It is narrated by Jabir رضي الله عنه that the Prophetصلى الله عليه وسلم said:

صلاة في مسجدي هذا أفضل من ألف صلاة فيما سواه إلا المسجد الحرام وصلاة في المسجد الحرام أفضل من مائة ألف صلاة فيما سواه

Praying in this mosque of mine is one thousand times better than praying in other mosque except the Sacred Mosque and praying in the Sacred Mosque is one hundred thousand times better than praying in other mosques. (Ahmad and Ibn Majah)

  There are several Ahadith to this effect. One visiting the Prophet's Mosque, should put his right foot first in the mosque and recite the following supplication:

(بسم الله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله أعوذ بالله العظيم وبوجهه الكريم وسلطانه القديم من الشيطان الرجيم اللهم افتح لي أبواب رحمتك)
Bismilla'hi wassalaatu wassalaamu ala Rasoohllahi, a'udhu billahil Azeemi wa biwajhi hil kareemi, wa Sultaanihil qadeemi, minash-shaitanir rajeemi, Allahummaftah li abwaaba rahmatika.
By the Name of Allah and peace and blessings be upon Allah's Messenger. I seek refuge with Allah, the All-Great and with His Noble Face and His most ancient rule and authority, against the accursed Satan. O Allah! open for me the gates of Your Mercy.

It should be recited in the manner as one does when entering other mosques. There is no specific supplication for entering the Prophet's Mosque. One should offer two Rak'ahs of prayer inside the mosque and implore Allah for blessing one with the best things in this world and the Hereafter. If these two Rak'ahs of prayer are offered within Rawdhat-ul Jannah (Garden of Paradise) it would be much better because the Prophetصلى الله عليه وسلم said:

ما بين بيتي ومنبري روضة من رياض الجنة

One of the gardens of Jannah lies between my house and my pulpit.

 After prayers one should greet (Salam) the Prophetصلى الله عليه وسلم and his two Companions Abu Bakr and `Umar رضي الله عنهما One should stand respectfully in front of the Prophet's grave and greet him in a low voice:
(السلام عليك يا رسول الله ورحمته وبركاته)
"As-salam-u-alaika O Messenger of Allah. May Allah's Mercy and Blessings be upon you."
It is recorded in the Hadith collection of Abu Dawud on the authority of Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه that the Prophetصلى الله عليه وسلم said:

وما من أحد يسلم علي إلا رد الله علي روحي حتى أرد عليه السلام

When someone offers to me Salam, Allah restores my soul to my body until I answer his Salam.

  There is no blame if one recites the following in his Salam:
(السلام عليك يا نبي الله السلام عليك يا خيرة من خلقه السلام عليك يا سيد المرسلين وإمام المتقين أشهد أنك قد بلغت الرسالة وأديت الأمانة ونصحت الأمة وجاهدت في الله حق جهاده)
Assalaamu alaika ya Nabiyallah, assalaamu alaika ya kheeratallahi min khalqihi, assalaamu alaika ya sayyidal mursaleen wa imaamal muttaqeen, ashadu annaka qad ballaghtar- risaalata, wa adaaital amaanata, wa nasahtal Ummata, wa jahadta fillahi haqqa jihaadihi.
"Peace be upon you, O Prophet of Allah! Peace be upon you O, the best of Allah's creation. Peace be upon you O, the leader of the Messengers and of the pious. I testify that you conveyed the Message and discharged the assignment, guided the Ummah and strove in the way of Allah with all due struggle."
All these attributes were there in the Prophet's conduct. It is perfectly endorsed by the Shari'ah that one should send blessings on him and pray for him. Allah says:

يا أيها الذين آمنوا صلوا عليه وسلموا تسليما

O you who believe! Send your Salat on (ask Allah to bless) him (Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم ), and (you should) greet (salute) him with the Islamic way of greeting (salutation i.e., As-Salam-u-"Alaikum). (33:56)
One should, then salute Abu Bakr and `Umar رضي الله عنهماand then go. Visiting the Prophet's grave is, however, permitted by the Shari'ah only for males. It is not allowed for women to visit graves. The Prophetصلى الله عليه وسلم has cursed such women who visit graves, and those who erect mosques on graves and light lamps there. If one intends to visit Al-Madinah for praying inside the Prophet's Mosque and making supplication there; as doing such deeds are endorsed by the Shari'ah, it is perfectly all right. We have noted the same point in the above quoted Ahadith. The visitor should offer the five daily prayers in the Prophet's Mosque and remember Allah, make supplications and offer Nafl prayers there as much as possible. One should utilize best his time there in order to earn as much reward as possible. Likewise, it is desirable to offer as many Nafl prayers as possible. We have already taken note of this saying of the Prophet:

ما بين بيتي ومنبري روضة من رياض الجنة

One of the gardens of Jannah lies between my house and my pulpit.
For performing the five compulsory prayers one should move forward as far as possible and stand in the front row, even if in the extension of the front row. Authentic Hadith recommend that one should join the front row. For example, there is this saying of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم:

لو يعلم الناس ما في النداء والصف الأول ثم لم يجدوا إلا أن يستهموا عليه لاستهموا

If people were to know what reward is there in calling the Adhan and being in the front row, and they could not get a place there, unless they cast lots, then they would certainly cast lots.
Similar is this remark of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم

تقدموا فأتموا بي وليأتم بكم من بعدكم ولا يزال الرجل يتأخر عن الصلاة حتى يؤخره الله

Move forward and follow me. And those who are behind you should follow you. A man will continue being late for prayer until Allah will leave him behind. (Muslim).
I n the collection of Abu Dawud, it is recorded on the authority of `Aishahرضي الله عنها that the Prophetصلى الله عليه وسلم said:

لا يزال الرجل يتأخر عن الصف المقدم حتى يؤخره الله في النار

One continues being behind the front row until Allah sends him back to Hell.

There is an authentic report attributed to the Prophetصلى الله عليه وسلم that he told his Companions:

ألا تصفون كما تصف الملائكة عند ربها قالوا يا رسول الله! وكيف تصف الملائكة عند ربها؟ قال يتمون الصفوف الأول ويتراصون في الصف

"Why do you not form a row as angels do before their Lord." When people asked him to clarify what kind of row is formed by the angels, he replied: "They fill first the front rows and draw close to one another in the rows." (Muslim).
There are several Ahadith regarding the visit to the Prophet's Mosque and mosques in general. The Prophetصلى الله عليه وسلم used to tell everyone to stand on the right side of the row and it is common knowledge that the right of the row in the earlier Mosque of the Prophet lay outside Rawdhat-ul-Jannah. One therefore learns that to pray in the front row and on the right side of the row is better than offering prayer inside Rawdhat- ul-Jannah. Anyone who reflects on the relevant Hadith would discern this point. It is not permitted for anyone to touch or kiss the grill of the Prophet's grave or to perform Tawaf around it. For this practice is not reported from the pious predecessors. Rather, it is the worst heresy. And it is not lawful for anyone to invoke the Prophetصلى الله عليه وسلم for fulfilling one's needs or removing one's trouble or curing the sick but one should ask Allah Alone for all these. One seeking help from the dead amounts to ascribing partners to Allah and worshipping someone other than Allah. Islam is based on these two cardinal principles:

1. Allah is One Who is without a partner and He Alone is to be worshipped.

2. Worship should be done in accordance with the Prophet's way. And this is the very meaning of the creedal statement of Islam: (لا إله إلا الله محمد رسول الله) "There is no true god other than Allah, and Muhammadصلى الله عليه وسلم is His Messenger." Similarly, it is not permissible for anyone to seek the Prophet's intercession directly from him. For, this right belongs to Allah, the Glorious Alone. One should seek it only from Him.

Allah says:

قل لله الشفاعة جميعا

Say: `To Allah belongs all intercession. ' (39:44)

One may, however, add:
(اللهم شفع في نبيك اللهم شفع في ملائكتك وعبادك المؤمنين اللهم شفع في أفراطي)
Allahumma shaffi' fiyya Nabiyyaka, Allahumma shaffi' fiyya malaa'ikata, wa `ibaadakal mu'mineen. Allahu -mma shaffi' fiyya afraati
"O Allah! make Your Messenger my intercessor. O Allah! make Your angels and Your believing slaves my intercessors and make my deceased children my intercessors."

One must not, however, ask anything of the dead, be it an intercession or anything else, irrespective of the fact that they are Messengers or others. This is something not approved by the Shari'ah. As to a dead person, his deeds have come to an end except such deeds which have been granted an exception by the one who legislated the Shari'ah. In Sahih Muslim, Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه narrates: "The Prophetصلى الله عليه وسلم said:

إذا مات ابن آدم انقطع عمله إلا من ثلاث: صدقة جارية أو علم ينتفع به أو ولد صالح يدعوا له

When a child of Adam dies, his deeds come to an end, except in the following three modes: continuous charity or such knowledge on which others may draw benefit or pious children who may pray for him.

In the Prophet's lifetime it was all right to seek his intercession. And this would be perfectly all right on the Last Day. For, he would be empowered to do so. It would be possible for him to appeal to Allah regarding the ones who seek intercession. However, he does not have this power after his death in this world. This is not something particular to him. Rather, it is a universal point applicable to everyone including you. It is lawful for a Muslim to tell his alive brother to pray to his Lord for intercession, i.e., to pray for him. And this is also permissible for one to do on one's behalf in praying to Allah. If what one wishes is desirable, one may pray the same for his brother. However, on the Last Day no one can intercede without Allah's leave, Allah makes this point very clear:

من ذا الذي يشفع عنده إلا بإذنه

Who may intercede with Him without His leave?

 As for Prophet's state of death, it is a special condition not similar to the condition of one who is alive. Nor is it similar to the one which will be on the Last Day. For, a dead person cannot perform any deed. He is bound by what he did in his lifetime excepting such deeds which have been granted an exception by the legislator of the Shari'ah. However, seeking intercession from the dead is not one of the exceptions granted by the legislator of the Shari'ah, hence it cannot be treated as something belonging to this category. There is no doubt about the fact that the Prophetصلى الله عليه وسلم is alive within his Barzakh life, which is more comprehensive than the life of the martyrs. However; this life is different from the one before death, and different from the life in the Hereafter. As to the life in grave, no one other than Allah knows its nature and quality. Accordingly, the Prophetصلى الله عليه وسلم said:

ما من أحد يسلم علي إلا رد الله علي روحي حتى أرد عليه السلام

When someone offers to me salam, Allah restores my soul to my body until I answer his Salam.

  It is clear from the above Hadith that the Prophetصلى الله عليه وسلم is dead and that his soul is separated from his body which is restored to him only at the time of Salam. The arguments for his death, as found in the Qur'an and Sunnah are well known. Among the `Ulama it is an incontestable point. However, death is no obstacle to his Barzakh life. The same holds true for the martyrs. This point is made clear in the Qur'an.

ولا تحسبن الذين قتلوا في سبيل الله أمواتا بل أحياء عند ربهم يرزقون

Think not of those who are killed in the way of Allah as dead. Nay, they are alive, with their Lord, and they have provision. (3:169).

Since this is an important issue which has been much confused by those who invite others to Shirk (polytheism) and worshipping the dead beside Allah, we have discussed it at length. May Allah save us against all that is contrary to the Shari'ah. As for those who raise their voices near the Prophet's grave and stay there for long periods of time, their practice is against the Shari'ah. For Allah asked people not to raise their voice above that of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم . He asked them also not to talk to him aloud as they do among themselves. Rather, people were asked to speak to him in a low voice. Allah says:

يا أيها الذين آمنوا لا ترفعوا أصواتكم فوق صوت النبي ولا تجهروا له بالقول كجهر بعضكم لبعض أن تحبط أعمالكم وأنتم لا تشعرون إن الذين يغضون أصواتهم عند رسول الله أولئك الذين امتحن الله قلوبهم للتقوى لهم مغفرة وأجر عظيم

O you who believe! Raise not your voices above the voice of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم ), nor speak aloud to him in talk as you speak aloud to one another, lest your deeds may be rendered fruitless while you perceive not. Verily! Those who lower their voices in the presence of Allah's Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم ), they are the ones whose hearts Allah has tested for piety. For them is forgiveness and a great reward. (49:2-3)

Moreover, one's prolonged standing near his grave would lead to overcrowding and noise near his grave and these things run contrary to the directive of the above Qur'anic verses. The Prophetصلى الله عليه وسلم is an esteemed figure for a Muslim and to do such an act there (at his grave), which is against the Shari'ah, is deplorable. Likewise, as for those who, while standing near his grave or facing it, make invocations with raised hands; it is again contrary to the practice of the Prophet's Companions, their followers and the righteous people of the past, rather it is a heresy because the Prophetصلى الله عليه وسلم said:

عليكم بسنتي وسنة الخلفاء الراشدين المهديين من بعدي تمسكوا بها وعضوا عليها بالنواجذ وإياكم ومحدثات الأمور فإن كل محدثة بدعة وكل بدعة ضلالة