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Innovations
in Visiting the Prophet’s Mosque and Tomb |
It
is recommended for Muslims to visit the Mosque of the honorable
Prophet, peace be upon him, and Al-Aqsa Mosque, as such visit earns
one great reward. People usually visit them either before or after
performing pilgrimage. During the visit, people perform
different matters of heresy some of which we’d like to clarify
for them to beware of:
1-
It is none of the Sunnah for people to confine their visit to the
Prophet’s tomb, excluding the Mosque.
2-
It is also a matter of heresy that some people rub the walls and
the steel plates of the Prophet’s tomb, with belief that doing so
will earn them blessings, whereas blessings are earned through the
adherence to what Allah and His Messenger have enjoined.
3-
It is completely rejected for people to direct their supplication
to Allah’s Messenger, peace be upon him, and seeking his grace,
because Du`a’ (supplication) is an act of worship and, thus, it
must not be directed to anyone but Allah.
4-
It is also a baseless act what some people, climbing the Mount of
Uhud and Cave Hera’a, tying pieces of cloth on objects inside the
cave and mountain and reiterating impermissible supplications.
People exert great effort in doing so despite that it is just a
heresy.
5-
Directing one’s face towards the Prophet’s tomb instead of
Qiblah during supplication is completely rejected.
6-
To neglect greeting the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him,
and his two Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, with the
salutation of Islam “As-Salaam Alaykum” is also a matter of
heresy.
7-
It is also impermissible to visit or take some dust from certain
places that are thought to have the Prophet’s footprints or to
take blessings therefrom, such as the place where the Prophet’s
camel knelt down during Hijrah ((Mabraq An-Naqa)), the Al-Khatam
(the Seal) Well and the Well of `Uthman.
8-
Praying for the dead on visiting the graveyard of Al-Baqi` and the
graveyard of Uhud’s martyrs and throwing money there to receive
blessings from the people buried there is really a grave mistake,
because worship is due to Allah Alone, and no act of worship, such
as prayers and offering immolation, should be dedicated to any but
Allah. He, Exalted be He, says: “And they are ordered naught else
than to serve Allah, keeping religion pure for Him”, (Al-Baiyynah,
5) and also says: “And the places of worship are only for Allah,
so pray not unto anyone along with Allah” (Al-Jinn, 18).
9-
Insisting on performing prayer in the Rawdah (the place between the
Prophet’s tomb and his pulpit despite the place being
jam-packed with people, and the great disturbance that causes to
other pilgrims.
10-
Prolonged standing in front of the Prophet’s tomb, especially
amidst the crowds, is also rejected.
11-
It is also an innovated matter to send written complaints and
requests with the pilgrims to the Prophet, peace be upon him.
12-
Taking a bath before entering the Sacred City of Madinah.
13-
Some people, on beholding the walls of Madinah, say: “O Allah!
This is the sanctuary of Your Messenger; make it a protection for
me from the Hell-Fire, from punishment and from torture in the
Hereafter. This is none of Sunnah.
14-
The same applies to saying: “In the Name of Allah, and in
adherence to His Messenger’s teachings, O Allah, give me an
entrance of truth and an exit of truth and give me from Yours a
helping power” on entering Madinah.
15-
Also part of the acts of heresy is visiting the Prophet’s tomb
before performing prayer in his mosque.
16-
It is none of Sunnah to take a special position while visiting the
tombs of the Prophet’s and his two Companions and reciting
certain prayers. Al-Ghazali said: “A person visiting the
Prophet’s tomb is to stand by the Prophet’s head, turning his
back to the Qiblah, standing about few meters away from the column
in the corner of the tomb’s wall. Then he is to say: ‘Peace be
upon you, Allah’s Prophet, Allah’s Messenger, Allah’s most
lovable person.” Then Al-Ghazali mentioned a very long
supplication to be recited. He maintained that after finishing it a
pilgrim is to return few meters back and greet Abu Bakr, and do the
same with `Umar, saying (to both of them): “Peace be with you,
the Prophet’s ministers and aides”. Then he is to return to his
previous position, turning his face to Qiblah and remember Allah,
thanking Him celebrating His Glory and reciting the Qur’anic
verse that goes, “And if, when they had wronged themselves, they
had but come unto thee and asked forgiveness of Allah and asked
forgiveness of the messenger, they would have found Allah
Forgiving, Merciful.” (An-Nisa’, 64) Then he concludes the
whole thing with Du`a’.
17-
Some people of the Madinah and others insist on performing prayer
in the old mosque, and to do so they cut the rows of people who are
standing to visit the tomb of `Omar and others.
18-
Visiting some mosques and sites in Madinah and surrounding places
except Qiba’ Mosque after finishing the visit to the Prophet’s
Mosque, thinking it an act of Hajj.
19-
Visiting Baqi` everyday and performing prayer in the Mosque of
Fatimah, may Allah be pleased with her.
20-
Visiting the graveyard of Uhud’s Martyrs every Thursday.
21-
Tying pieces of cloth to the windows overlooking the graveyard.
22-
Washing in the lakes beside the graveyard to take blessings.
23-
Raising one’s voice while concluding prayer saying: “Peace be
upon you, Allah’s Messenger.”
24-
Some people try to draw closer to Allah by eating a special kind of
dates in the place between the Prophet’s pulpit and his tomb.
25-
Some people also rub with hands two brazen palm trees built in the
Prophet’s Mosque to the left of the pulpit.
26-
Some people do not perform prayer except in the old mosque.
27-
Some of the people who visit Madinah insist on staying there for a
week to be able to perform forty prayers in the Prophet’s Mosque,
so that they would be rescued from Hell-Fire.
28-
The pilgrimage guide sometimes raises his voice with some
supplications and the pilgrims repeat after them in a louder voice.
29-
Rushing out of the Prophet’s Mosque.
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