Visiting the masjid of the Holy Prophet
Friday, December 7, 2007
AMONG the greatest acts of piety and righteousness in Islam is the visitation of Prophet Muhammad, upon him blessings and peace, in Madinah before or after fulfilling the rituals of pilgrimage.
As he approached Madinah al-Munawwarah, the vizier Ibn Abi al-Qasim declaimed:
When we saw the first glimpses of the quarters of our Beloved in Yathrib assuring us peace and safety, nearing them, we put kohl on our eyes and were healed, and so we fear no harm or pain anymore.
Entering the Prophet's masjid, a visitor is asked first of all to begin with two rak'ahs of greeting the masjid. In one's duas, one must glorify and thank Allah as well as send abundant blessings and peace upon the Best of Prophets and Messengers and upon his Family and Companions, reflecting on the great favour of being there.
The visitor will then pass along the qibla wall of the old masjid as expanded by the Rightly-Guided Caliph and Commander of the Believers 'Uthman bin 'Affn. There, one can read the 130 names of the Prophet from Imam al-Jazuli's Dala'il al-Khayrat, highlighted in beautiful Arabic calligraphy and preserved since Ottoman times, beginning with Tayyib or "Pure One" and ending with 'Izz al-'Arab or "Might and Glory of the Arabs".
Finally one arrives at the Prophet's grave to give him salaam, the place of the Sublime Meeting (al-muwajahah al-sharifah) which is the best and most preferable spot on the face of the earth by consensus of the Imams of Islam.
In his textbook on pilgrimage entitled al-Idah fi Manasik al-Hajj, Imam al-Nawawi said: "If someone asked you to convey salaams to the Messenger of God, say, 'al-Salamu 'alayka ya Rasul Allah min Fulan bin Fulan". Then step an arm's length to the right and give salaam to Abu Bakr, then 'Umar, then return to your original position directly in front of the Messenger and use him as your means for yourself, seeking his intercession before your Exalted and Mighty Lord."
As Allah Most High chose Mekah for our liege-lord Ibrahim, so did He choose Madinah for our liege-lord Muhammad, upon both of them blessings and peace. The Prophet said: "There is no place on earth which I would prefer my grave to be rather than here!" (in Madinah) and he repeated it three times.
One then emerges from the Bab Gibril gate of the Mosque and can proceed to visit the cemetary of al-Baqi' which is the resting ground of about 10,000 Companions, may Allah be well-pleased with all of them.
Among them are As'ad bin Zararah al-Ansari and 'Uthman bin Maz'un, respectively the first of the Ansar and Muhajirin buried there; the Prophet's son Ibrahim; 'Abd al-Rahman bin 'Awf, Sa'd bin Abi Waqqas and Fatimah bint Asad, 'Ali's mother, whom the Prophet called his second mother; our Mothers the Prophet's Wives; and the Prophet's Daughters among other noble relatives.
One should also visit the liege-lord of the Shuhada and uncle of the Prophet, Hamzah bin 'Abd al-Muttalib at Uhud where the Prophet, upon him peace, used to visit at the end of every year together with Abu Bakr, 'Umar and 'Uthman to give salaam and supplicate. There, as in Baqi', of course, nothing remains but a vacant lot. Certain hands have erased all trace of the tomb structures that served both as monuments to Muslim history and as mnemonic markers for visitation.
Above all, one must remember at all times to glorify and praise Allah Most High. Truly, we are unable to glorify Him as He deserves to be glorified and as He has glorified Himself. He has brought us from afar, from the darkness of ignorance to the light of belief, then to the beauty of His House and the honour of His Prophet's presence although we did nothing to deserve it. May Allah give thanks on our behalf to our Liege-lord Muhammad and his Family as only He can, and also to all those that helped us fulfill this obligation of the Religion. "Glorified be Your Lord, the Lord of Majesty, from that which they attribute unto Him; and peace be unto those sent with His Message; and praise be to God, Lord of the Worlds!".The Brunei Times
As he approached Madinah al-Munawwarah, the vizier Ibn Abi al-Qasim declaimed:
When we saw the first glimpses of the quarters of our Beloved in Yathrib assuring us peace and safety, nearing them, we put kohl on our eyes and were healed, and so we fear no harm or pain anymore.
Entering the Prophet's masjid, a visitor is asked first of all to begin with two rak'ahs of greeting the masjid. In one's duas, one must glorify and thank Allah as well as send abundant blessings and peace upon the Best of Prophets and Messengers and upon his Family and Companions, reflecting on the great favour of being there.
The visitor will then pass along the qibla wall of the old masjid as expanded by the Rightly-Guided Caliph and Commander of the Believers 'Uthman bin 'Affn. There, one can read the 130 names of the Prophet from Imam al-Jazuli's Dala'il al-Khayrat, highlighted in beautiful Arabic calligraphy and preserved since Ottoman times, beginning with Tayyib or "Pure One" and ending with 'Izz al-'Arab or "Might and Glory of the Arabs".
Finally one arrives at the Prophet's grave to give him salaam, the place of the Sublime Meeting (al-muwajahah al-sharifah) which is the best and most preferable spot on the face of the earth by consensus of the Imams of Islam.
In his textbook on pilgrimage entitled al-Idah fi Manasik al-Hajj, Imam al-Nawawi said: "If someone asked you to convey salaams to the Messenger of God, say, 'al-Salamu 'alayka ya Rasul Allah min Fulan bin Fulan". Then step an arm's length to the right and give salaam to Abu Bakr, then 'Umar, then return to your original position directly in front of the Messenger and use him as your means for yourself, seeking his intercession before your Exalted and Mighty Lord."
As Allah Most High chose Mekah for our liege-lord Ibrahim, so did He choose Madinah for our liege-lord Muhammad, upon both of them blessings and peace. The Prophet said: "There is no place on earth which I would prefer my grave to be rather than here!" (in Madinah) and he repeated it three times.
One then emerges from the Bab Gibril gate of the Mosque and can proceed to visit the cemetary of al-Baqi' which is the resting ground of about 10,000 Companions, may Allah be well-pleased with all of them.
Among them are As'ad bin Zararah al-Ansari and 'Uthman bin Maz'un, respectively the first of the Ansar and Muhajirin buried there; the Prophet's son Ibrahim; 'Abd al-Rahman bin 'Awf, Sa'd bin Abi Waqqas and Fatimah bint Asad, 'Ali's mother, whom the Prophet called his second mother; our Mothers the Prophet's Wives; and the Prophet's Daughters among other noble relatives.
One should also visit the liege-lord of the Shuhada and uncle of the Prophet, Hamzah bin 'Abd al-Muttalib at Uhud where the Prophet, upon him peace, used to visit at the end of every year together with Abu Bakr, 'Umar and 'Uthman to give salaam and supplicate. There, as in Baqi', of course, nothing remains but a vacant lot. Certain hands have erased all trace of the tomb structures that served both as monuments to Muslim history and as mnemonic markers for visitation.
Above all, one must remember at all times to glorify and praise Allah Most High. Truly, we are unable to glorify Him as He deserves to be glorified and as He has glorified Himself. He has brought us from afar, from the darkness of ignorance to the light of belief, then to the beauty of His House and the honour of His Prophet's presence although we did nothing to deserve it. May Allah give thanks on our behalf to our Liege-lord Muhammad and his Family as only He can, and also to all those that helped us fulfill this obligation of the Religion. "Glorified be Your Lord, the Lord of Majesty, from that which they attribute unto Him; and peace be unto those sent with His Message; and praise be to God, Lord of the Worlds!".The Brunei Times
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