Entering al-Madinah, Visiting the Holy Prophet and Prayer Near His Grave

“Abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that when you enter al-Madinah, take a shower before you enter or at that time. Thereafter go to the grave of the Holy Prophet, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, stand up and offer Salam to the Messenger of Allah. Then stand up near the pillar, the first one from the right side of the grave near the head of the grave and near the corner of the grave when you are facing al-Qiblah (the direction of Makkah). Keep your left shoulder toward the grave and your right shoulder toward the pulpit, which is the place of the head of the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause. Thereafter say, ‘I testify that no one except Allah, who is One and only and has no partners, deserves worship. I testify that Muhammad is His servant and His messenger. I testify that you are the Messenger of Allah. I testify that you are Muhammad ibn ’Abd Allah. I testify that you conveyed and preached the messages of your Lord, gave good advice to your followers, strove hard for the cause of Allah, and worshipped Allah sincerely, until the time of your death, with wisdom and good advice. You fulfilled your duty of conveying the truth. You treated believers with compassion and dealt with the unbelievers by means of strength. Allah thus took you to the excellent position of honor of the honorable ones. All praise and thanks belong to Allah who saved us through you from paganism and straying. O Allah, grant salawat (favors and compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause) and accept such prayers of angels, of prominent position before You, Your virtuous servant, messenger prophets, inhabitants of heavens and earths and all of those who glorify You. O Lord of the world, accept such prayers of those who lived in the past and those to come into being. Accept such prayers in favor of Muhammad, Your servant, Your messenger, Your prophet, Your trusted one, Your chosen one, Your beloved one, Your selected one, the one very special to You, the purified one, the one who is Your choice from among Your creatures. “O Allah, grant him high position, the means from paradise, raise him to the praiseworthy position which is coveted by those who lived in the past and those who came later on. O Allah, You have said, “If they do injustice to themselves and then come to you, then ask forgiveness from Allah for their sins and the messenger also asks forgiveness from Allah for them; they will find Allah forgiving and merciful. ”(4:64) I have come to Your prophet, begging for forgiveness, repenting for my sins and I through you (the Messenger of Allah) have turned to Allah, my Lord, and your Lord, so He forgives my sins.’ If you have any wishes then keep the grave of the Holy Prophet behind your shoulders, face the direction of Ka’bah, raise your hands and ask for your wishes; you deserve to find your wishes made to come true, if Allah so wills.”

O Allah, I have sought backing and support from You. I have turned my back for support toward the grave of Muhammad, Your servant and Your messenger, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause. I have set my back for support and faced the direction, which You chose for Muhammad (SAW). O Allah, I do not possess anything good for myself that I can hope for. I am not able to keep away from my soul any evil and wickedness of which I am afraid. All matters are in Your hands. There is no one poorer than I am. I am in dire need of goodness because of what has come upon me. O Allah, return me back with goodness; no one is able to keep away Your favors. O Allah, I seek protection with You against Your changing my name, my body and removal of Your bounties from me. O Allah, honor me with piety, beautify me with bounties, cover me with good health and grant me the opportunity to thank you for good health.’””

“I asked abu al-Hassan (a.s.), ’How is al-Salam offered to the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, near his grave?’ He (the Imam) replied, one should say, ’(I hereby declare, affirm and acknowledge that you are a ‘Alayhi al-Salam, and my) submission to (the commandments of) the Messenger of Allah. (I hereby declare, affirm and acknowledge that you are a ‘Alayhi al-Salam and my) submission to (your commandments) O the beloved one to Allah. (I hereby declare, affirm and acknowledge that you are a ‘Alayhi al-Salam and my) submission to (your commandments) O chosen person of Allah. (I hereby declare, affirm and acknowledge that you are a ‘Alayhi al-Salam and my) submission to (your commandments) O trusted person of Allah. I testify that you gave good advice to your followers, strove hard for the cause of Allah and worshipped Him to the time of your death. May Allah grant you the best of reward that He has granted to His prophets for their service to their followers. O Allah, grant salawat (favors and compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause), the best of favors and compensations that You have granted to Ibrahim (a.s.), and the family of Ibrahim; You are praiseworthy and glorious.”

“I saw abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), approaching the grave of the Holy Prophet, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause. He placed his hand on the grave and said, I appeal before Allah who chose you, selected you, guided you and guided through you to grant salawat (favors and compensation to you worthy of your services to Allah’s cause). He (the Imam) then said, ’Allah grants salawat and the angels ask for salawat in favor of the Holy Prophet. O believers, you should also ask salawat in favor the Holy Prophet and (declare, affirm and acknowledge that he is a ‘Alayhi al-Salam and your) submission to (commandments of) the Messenger of Allah.’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), said to them (Hammad and Ishaq), ‘You should pass by al- Madinah and offer al-Salam to the Messenger of Allah from nearby, although it reaches him from faraway places also.’”

“I once asked abu al-Hassan (a.s.), about passing behind the Masjid of the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, without offering al-Salam to the Holy Prophet. He (the Imam) replied, ’Abu al-Hassan (a.s.), would not do so.’ I then asked, ’Would he enter the Masjid and offer al-Salam without approaching the grave?’ He (the Imam) replied, ‘No, he, however, would offer al-Salam when entering and when leaving (the Masjid) from a distance.’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah, has said, ‘Offer al-Salawat, next to the grave of the Holy Prophet, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, although Salat of believers reach him wherever they may live. (The word al-Salat in this context may mean, ’Perform salat (prayer) as gift for the Holy Prophet,’ or say, ‘O Allah, grant salawat (favors and compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause).”’

“I was present when abu al-Hassan the 1st, Harun, the Caliph, ‘Isa ibn Ja’far and Ja’far ibn Yahya came to al-Madinah to visit the grave of the Holy Prophet, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause. Harun said to abu al-Hassan (a.s.), ‘You go first.’ He (the Imam) abstained. Harun then moved forward, offered al- Salam and then moved to one side. ‘Isa ibn Ja’far then said to abu al-Hassan (a.s.), ‘You go first.’ He (the Imam) abstained. ‘Isa then moved forward and offered al-Salam and then moved to one side alongside Harun. Ja’far then said to abu al-Hassan (a.s.), ‘You go first.’ He (the Imam) abstained. Ja’far then moved forward, offered al-Salam, and then moved to one side alongside Harun. Abu al-Hassan (a.s.), then moved forward and said, ‘(I hereby declare, affirm and acknowledge that you are a ‘Alayhi al-Salam and my) submission to (your commandments) O my father. I appeal before Allah, who chose you, selected you, guided you and guided through you to grant salawat (favors and compensation to you worthy of Your services to Allah’s cause).’ Harun said to ‘Isa, ‘Did you hear what he said?’ He replied, ‘Yes, I heard what he said.’ Harun then said, ‘I testify that he (the Messenger of Allah) is indeed his father.’”