The most excellent of deeds on completion of the Hajj or Umrah is to go to Madinah in order to visit the grave of the Master of Prophets, the Mercy unto Mankind, Muhammad ﷺ. Although visiting the Prophet ﷺ is classified as a sunnah, some scholars have gone to the extent of making it close to wajib, such is its significance and excellence. Muslims have consistently, from the time of the early righteous Muslim generations, visited him and expended much effort to travel to him because it is from amongst the most important and beneficial acts accepted by Allah. It is an excellent way of attaining spiritual elevation and increasing your love for the Prophet ﷺ.
Virtues of Visiting the Prophet ﷺ
The Prophet ﷺ himself implored his Ummah to visit him, such was his love for his community. He labels the person who has the ability and means to visit but refrains as being disrespectful and deprived. Those who get to visit him ﷺ are indeed amongst the most fortunate. There are numerous sayings of the Prophet ﷺ that highlight the importance of visiting him:
Abdullah ibn Umar I narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
Whoever visits my grave, my intercession becomes obligatory for him.1
Abdullah ibn Umar I again narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
Whoever visits me and has no other motive, has a right over me that I intercede on his behalf.2
Hatib I reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
Whoever visits me after my death is like he who had visited me during my life. And whoever passes away in either of the two Harams, will be resurrected from among the ones given safety on the Day of Resurrection.3
Abdullah ibn Umar I reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
The person who performs Hajj then visits my grave after my death, is like he who visited me during my lifetime.4
It is related by a person from the family of Khattab that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
Whoever undertakes a journey specially to visit me, will be my neighbour on the Day of Judgement. 5
Ibn Abbas I reported the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
Whoever performs his Hajj in Makkah, then he comes to Madinah with the sole aim of visiting me in my Masjid, for him shall be written (the rewards of) two accepted Hajj.6
Allah says in the Quran:
وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ إِذ ظَّلَمُوا أَنفُسَهُمْ جَاءُوكَ فَاسْتَغْفَرُوا اللهَ وَاسْتَغْفَرَ لَهُمُ الرَّسُولُ لَوَجَدُوا اللهَ تَوَّابًا رَّحِيمًا ❁
And if, when they wronged themselves, they had come to you, [O Muhammad], and asked forgiveness of Allah and the Messenger had asked forgiveness for them, they would have found Allah Accepting of repentance and Merciful.
The meaning of this verse is not confined to solely his earthly life but also refers to his other-worldly life. The Prophet ﷺ informed us that:
My life is good for you, you do things and things are done for you. When I die, my death shall be good for you, for your works shall be shown to me so that when what I see is good, I shall thank Allah, but when what I see is evil I shall ask forgiveness for you.7
The Presence of the Prophet ﷺ
It is clear from the aforementioned transmissions that the Prophet ﷺ is very much alive, aware of the actions of his Ummah and receiving whatever blessings Allah wishes him to receive. It is a matter beyond dispute that the Prophet ﷺ responds to those who call him, saying “O Muhammad ﷺ”. In a Hadith narrated by Abu Hurayra I, the Prophet ﷺ says of Isa S:
When he shall stand before my grave and say, ‘O Muhammad!’ I shall certainly answer him.8
The Prophet ﷺ also said:
None shall ever greet me without Allah returning my spirit to me, so that I may answer his greeting.9
In another Hadith, the Prophet ﷺ says:
Allah has appointed to my grave an angel to whom He has given the hearing of all the people, so that none shall ever invoke blessings upon me up until Resurrection Day without him informing me of his name and that of his father. ‘This is so and so, son of so and so, he has invoked blessings upon you.’10
A companion of the Prophet ﷺ, Abu Darda I stated that the Prophet ﷺ said:
Invoke blessings upon me in abundance on Fridays, for it shall be witnessed, the angels witness it. None shall invoke blessings upon me without it being shown to me until he is done. ‘Even after you die?’ asked Abu Darda, to which the Prophet ﷺ replied, Even after death, for Allah has forbidden the earth to eat the bodies of the Prophets, so that a Prophet of Allah is alive, receiving his provision.11
He ﷺ also said:
For he who invokes blessings upon me before my grave, Allah appoints an angel who conveys them to me, and he is granted all his needs in this world and the next, and I shall be for him an intercessor or a witness.12
Many scholars have mentioned, as quoted for instance by Qadi Iyad in al-Shifa, that you should not say, “I visited the tomb,” but rather, “I visited the Prophet ﷺ.” Imam Malik I declared: “I do not approve of the visitor saying, ‘I have visited the tomb of the Prophet ﷺ.’”
This is because the guest is visiting that person who hears and sees him, who is aware of his presence, recognises him and answers him. Therefore his visitation is not that of a person presenting himself at his tomb, rather it is that of a visitor being welcomed in the house of the Prophet ﷺ.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
Between my house and my pulpit is a meadow of paradise.
The blessed house of the Prophet ﷺ remains his house, even after his death.
The Intention of Visiting the Prophet ﷺ
It is highly recommended that your intention for this blessed trip should be to visit the Holy Prophet ﷺ. You should also have the intention of drawing closer to Allah through this virtuous action and you should also make the intention of visiting Masjid Nabawi and performing salah therein.
After you have made your intention, increase your Salawat upon the Prophet ﷺ. You should do as much Salawat en route to Madinah and recite it with full concentration.
As a member of the Prophet’s ﷺ Ummah, you should develop a yearning and desire within yourself to visit him and express your love for him.
There are many instances of the Sahaba (the companions) and Tabi’een (the successors of the companions) of travelling to Madinah with the sole intention of visiting the resting place of the Prophet ﷺ.
One such instance was that of Bilal ibn Rabah I, who travelled from Syria with the intention of visiting the Prophet ﷺ after seeing him in a dream:
It is mentioned in several narrations that Umar ibn Abdul Aziz I used to send a person on camelback from Syria with the express purpose of conveying salam to the Holy Prophet ﷺ at his blessed grave.13
Abdullah ibn Dinar I said:
I saw Ibn Umar when he returned from a journey come to the Masjid and say, ‘al-salam ʿalāika ya RasulAllah, al-salam ʿalā Abi Bakr, al-Salam ʿalā Abi’ (may the salam be upon you O Prophet of Allah, may the salam be on Abu Bakr, and may the salam be on my father), and then he would pray two units.14.
When Umar ibn al-Khattab I went to Bayt al-Maqdis (Jerusalem), Ka’b Aahbar I, a senior Jewish scholar, embraced Islam. Umar I was greatly pleased by this and requested him to accompany him to Madinah in order to present himself at the blessed grave of Prophet ﷺ. He accepted this invitation and carried out the request of Umar I.
After going to Madinah, Ka’b al-Ahbar I sought permission to go to Damascus to which Umar I replied:
Do not leave Madinah for it is the place of the Prophet’s migration and the city of his burial.15
En Route to Madinah
As you begin your journey towards the blessed city of Madinah al-Munawwarah, you should make a special effort to recite Salawat/Durood Sharif (salutations upon the Prophet ﷺ) abundantly, with complete sincerity and presence of heart. The most virtuous act on this blessed journey is the constant recitation of Salawat.
Travel with great excitement and increase your love and yearning for the Messenger of Allah ﷺ as you approach Madinah. To increase your yearning, you can:
- Recite poems in praise of the Prophet ﷺ .
- Read and study the prophetic biography (seerah) of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
- Discuss the life of the Prophet ﷺ with your fellow travellers.
As you enter the blessed city limits of Madinah al-Munawwarah, you should be completely engrossed in the remembrance of the Prophet ﷺ. Your yearning for the Prophet ﷺ should reach its climax at this point.
When entering Madinah, recite Salawat along with the following du’a:
اَللَّهُمَّ هَذَا حَرَمُ نَبِيِّكَ فَاجْعَلْهُ وِقَايَةً لِي مِنَ النَّارِ وَآمِنَّا مِنْ الْعَذَابِ وَسُوْءِ الْحِسَابِ ❁
Allāhumma hādhā ḥaramu nabiyyika fajʿalhu wiqāyatan lī mina n-nāri wa amānan mina l-ʿadhābi wa sū’i l-ḥisāb.
O Allah, this is the Sacred Precinct of Your Prophet, so make it a protection for me from the Fire and a security from punishment and a bad reckoning.
You should keep the sanctity of Madinah in mind and maintain proper adab (etiquette) since Madinah, along with Makkah, is the most auspicious place on the face of the earth. Maintain this sense of reverence from the beginning of your arrival until you depart, with your heart full of awe, and profusely invoke blessings and salutations upon the Prophet ﷺ. Be conscious of the grand status and position of the Prophet ﷺ at all times.
If you haven’t done so already, you should bathe immediately after reaching Madinah, wear clean clothes and apply perfume.
The Adab of Visiting the Prophet ﷺ
Adab (Arabic: أدب) is commonly translated as “good manners” or “decorum” and refers to the proper etiquette that should be observed by a Muslim. It can be defined as an expression of love from the heart for someone or something. The more love you have for something, the more adab you have for it. Developing adab for the Prophet ﷺ is thus achieved by increasing your love for him.
If visiting the blessed Prophet ﷺ after his death is akin to visiting him during his life, then it would be beneficial to learn about the adab of the Sahaba whose characters were chiselled to excellence by the company of the blessed Prophet ﷺ, which imbued them with humanity, selflessness, compassion, humility, integrity and love for Allah.
The Adab of the Sahaba
As a result of their immense love for the blessed Prophet ﷺ, the adab of the Sahaba was unparalleled. There are numerous examples of their level of adab:
- According to Anas ibn Malik I, “None of the Sahaba raised their eyes to look at him except Abu Bakr and Umar. They would look at him and he at them. They would smile at him and he at them.”16.
- Anas I reported that “The Sahaba knocked at the door of the Prophet of Allah ﷺ with their fingernails (so as to avoid disturbing him).”17
- According to Hind bint Abi Hala J, “When he spoke, those sitting around him bowed their heads as if birds were perched on top of them.”18
- Another Hadith states, “They would run to take his ablution water as if fighting with each other to get it. If he spit out spit, they would take it in their hands and rub it over their bodies.”19
In fact, the Sahaba received much of their training and guidance on how to behave in the company of the Prophet ﷺ directly from Allah:
- In Surah Hujurat, they are told not to raise their voices and not to call the Prophet ﷺ by his name.
- In Surah Nur, they are told to call out to him softly and with humility. They are also instructed not to leave the gatherings of the Prophet ﷺ without his permission.
The Love of Imam Malik
When Imam Malik I, who is known as Imam Dar al-Hijrah (the Imam of Madinah), would hear of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, his face would turn pale, and he would hunch over until his followers and students could no longer bear to see him in that state. Mus’ab ibn Abdullah V said:
When the Prophet was mentioned, Malik would grow pale so that it distressed those with him. One day he was asked about this. He said, ‘If you had seen what I have seen, you would not be surprised at what you see me do.’20
Imam Malik I spent his entire life in Madinah but never rode on any conveyance during his time in the blessed city. He used to walk barefoot and say: “I feel ashamed to trample this ground with a beast, while Rasulullah ﷺ used to walk on it.”
Your Adab
To increase your love, yearning and adab for the Prophet ﷺ, ask yourself the following questions:
- Do I know him?
- Do I know his rank and station?
- Am I aware of what he did for me in the past?
- Am I aware of what he will do for me on the Day of Judgement?
- Am I aware of his importance?
- Am I aware of how much Allah honoured him?
- Am I aware of his favours upon me?
If you’re struggling to answer these questions, it is vital that you increase your knowledge of the Prophet ﷺ before your visit. This will enable you to forge a relationship with him and develop a greater attachment to him ﷺ.
Prior to your visit, you should also fulfil the adab of the outward (i.e. your appearance). To do so, perform ghusl, wear the best clothes you have, apply perfume, wear white if it’s a Friday, cover your head, let your beard grow and ensure you’re looking your best. This should be done every time you intend to present yourself in front of him ﷺ.
It is sunnah to perform ghusl before entering Madinah al-Munawwarah. If you’re unable to do so, ensure you do ghusl before your visit.
En Route to Masjid Nabawi
Before you make your way to Masjid Nabawi, make sure you’re not distracted by anything that will divide your attention. If you have a pressing matter to attend to, complete it quickly. Don’t indulge yourself in anything else other than the remembrance of the Prophet ﷺ.
With great humility, adab and full concentration, proceed to Masjid Nabawi, keeping in mind the sanctity of the blessed city and the reason for your visit at all times. On your way, recite Salawat and give some charity to the poor.
Take into account that nobody visits the Prophet ﷺ without permission from Allah, who has chosen and selected you from among all of His servants to receive this tremendous honour. Know that you are amongst the most fortunate that Allah has invited you to visit His Beloved, so he ﷺ may honour you.
When your eyes fall on the green dome, increase your Salawat and know that the best of all creation and the leader of all the Prophets lies beneath this blessed dome.
It is preferable for women to visit at night.
Entering Masjid Nabawi
It is preferable to enter Masjid Nabawi from Bab Jibril (the door through which the archangel Jibril S would come into the presence of the Prophet ﷺ) because it was a habit of the Prophet ﷺ to enter through this door. However, you may enter through any of the other doors.
Note: Access to Bab Jibril is likely to be blocked. Therefore, it would be advisable to enter one of the many alternative entrances of Masjid Nabawi.
When you arrive at the door of the masjid, offer your greetings and wait for a moment before entering – as if you’re asking the permission of the master ﷺ to enter his house.
Enter with your right foot and recite the well-known du’a for entering the masjid:
.بِسْمِ اللهِ ❁ اَللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ ❁ اللّٰهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي وَافْتَحْ لِي أَبْوَابَ رَحْمَتِكَ ❁Bismi Llāh. Allāhumma ṣalli alā Muhammad. Allāhumma-ghfir lī wa-ftaḥ lī abwāba raḥmatik.
In the name of Allah, send blessings upon Muhammad ﷺ. O Allah, open for me the doors of Your Bounty.
Inside Masjid Nabawi
After entering the blessed mosque, be extremely mindful. Try not to turn your attention to the beautiful architecture of the mosque. Walk with absolute respect and reverence, with your eyes lowered. Don’t behave with disregard, and refrain from raising your voice in the mosque. Try not to converse with others.
Rawdah
Note: Obtaining a permit through the Nusuk application is now a requirement to access and pray within the Rawdah. Without this permit, access to the Rawdah will not be possible. If your intention is solely to present salam to the Prophet ﷺ, you may proceed to any other part of the mosque.
The area of the masjid, which is situated between the Prophet ﷺ and the mimbar (pulpit), is known as the Rawdah. About this blessed area, the Prophet ﷺ said:
The area between my house and my mimbar is one of the meadows of Paradise, and my mimbar is on my pond (al-Hawd).21
He ﷺ also said:
My pulpit is on one of the hills of paradise.22
There are different opinions about the meanings of these sayings. The majority opinion, according to Imam Malik I and many others, is that the Rawdah area is literally from Paradise.
Tahiyyat al-Masjid
In the mosque, perform two rak’ahs of Tahiyyat al-Masjid (Prayer of Greeting the Mosque), provided it isn’t one of the makruh times for prayer. It is preferable to recite Surah al-Kafirun in the first rak’ah and Surah al-Ikhlas in the second rak’ah.
Note: If a congregational prayer is about to begin, partake in it. This will suffice for your Tahiyyat al-Masjid prayer.
After the prayer, praise and glorify Allah for the tremendous favour He has bestowed upon you by bringing you to the sacred city as a guest of the Prophet ﷺ.
You may also perform two rak’ahs nafl of Salat al-Shukr (Prayer of Gratitude) to thank Allah for permitting you to complete your pilgrimage and to be in close proximity to the Prophet ﷺ.
Make any du’a that you have, as this is a place where supplications are accepted.
Note: women are only allowed entry to the Rawdah at certain times of the day. The Nusuk application must be used to book a visit to the Rawdah.
Towards the Prophet ﷺ
After finishing your prayer and du’a, if you’re not inside the Rawdah already, make your way out of the Masjid towards Bab al-Salam (the Door of Peace). You will be passing before the blessed Prophet ﷺ in just a few minutes to present yourself in front of him.
Note: Direct access to this door may be blocked. You will find a pathway leading to this door in the courtyard.
Imam Malik I disliked anyone who said, “I am going to visit the grave of the blessed Prophet ﷺ” because it implies that the blessed Prophet ﷺ is dead and unhearing, and if a visitor came to the blessed Prophet ﷺ with that state of mind, he would naturally be indifferent to feeling that he was in the presence of the blessed Prophet ﷺ. He didn’t want us to think we were visiting the grave of the blessed Prophet ﷺ but, rather, that we were coming in his presence. Subsequently, we would be inspired with awe and reverence for our Beloved Prophet ﷺ.
As you enter Bab al-Salam, be conscious of the fact that you are walking on the ground that has been blessed by the Prophet ﷺ, those pure members of his household, his righteous companions (Sahaba), their followers (Tabi’een), those that followed them (Taba Tabi’een) and the saintly men of Allah over the centuries. This very ground was blessed by their noble foreheads in prostration day after day.
After you enter from Bab al-Salam, look to your right, and you will see the names of the blessed Prophet ﷺ shining with light on the Qibla wall all the way to the Baqi Door.
Some of the names of the Prophet ﷺ are inscribed in gold on a purple background: Muhammad, Ahmad, Mahmud, Hamid, Wahid, Ahid.
Continue sending prayers and salutations on the Prophet ﷺ until you reach him. Maintain adab and lower your gaze in humility. Show heartfelt shame for all the sins you have committed but remain confident in gaining pardon in the court of the Messenger ﷺ.
The Sacred Chamber of the Prophet ﷺ
As you reach the Prophet ﷺ, you will see three gold wire-mesh enclosures with round holes in each one. Many people are under the impression the Prophet ﷺ is resting inside the first enclosure, with Abu Bakr al-Siddiq I in the second and Umar ibn al-Khattab I in the third. This is incorrect – they are all in the middle enclosure.
There are three round holes in the middle enclosure and two holes in each of the two enclosures on either side of the middle one. The first hole, the largest and the most prominent, situated on the left-hand side of the wire-mesh enclosure, directly faces the blessed countenance of the Prophet ﷺ. Moving slightly to the right, the second hole marks the direction of the face of Abu Bakr I and the third hole, the face of Umar I.
In Front of the Prophet ﷺ
Stand a few yards away from the enclosure facing the sacred chamber, with your back towards the Qibla, and turn slightly to the left so that your face is directly in front of the blessed face of the Prophet ﷺ.
Keep your heart free of all worldly thoughts, and take into consideration that the Prophet’s ﷺ blessed eyes are upon you; he hears you and is aware of your presence.
Imam Ibn al-Hajj V in his book Kitab al-Madkhal says:
One must adopt maximum humility and respect at this time. This is because Rasulullah’s ﷺ intercession is guaranteed of acceptance. The person who intended to present himself in his court has fulfilled his objective. The person who presents himself at his threshold is never refused. The person who makes du’a through his wasilah (intercession) is certain to have it accepted, and he receives whatever he asks for. Experiences of people and incidents are all testimony to this. The person should therefore show as much respect as possible.
Mulla Ali Qari V stated:
It is undoubtedly better to invoke blessings close to the blessed grave than invoking him from a distance because the humility and presence of mind and heart when invoking nearby are not found when invoking from a distance.23
Sending Salam to the Prophet ﷺ
You will now offer your salam to the blessed Prophet ﷺ in the best possible manner. There are numerous ways to offer salams. Some scholars have recommended salams containing different themes and words, while others have recommended salams that are short and concise.
The minimum you should say is:
اَلسَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ ❁
As-salāmu ʿalayka yā rasūla Llāh.
Peace be upon you, O Messenger of Allah.
When reciting your salam, you must be mindful of the greatness of Rasulullah ﷺ and utter the salam in an average tone. You should not raise your voice loudly, as this is extremely disrespectful and demonstrates a lack of adab. If you can, picture the Prophet ﷺ standing in front of you in your mind’s eye when greeting him.
It isn’t compulsory to learn and recite long a salam. If you understand the words and meanings of the salam and feel that your yearning and desire will increase if you were to recite a lengthy salam, then do so. If this is not the case, then instead of repeating a prolonged salam, recite a short salam with absolute yearning, desire, tranquillity and decorum. Ensure the salam you’re sending resonates with your heart and soul.
Below are a few examples of other greetings you may recite:
اَلصَّلوةُ وَ السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ ❁
As-ṣalātu wa s-salāmu ʿalayka yā rasūla Llāh.
May the peace and blessings be upon you O Messenger of Allah.
صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْكَ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ ❁
Ṣalla Llāhu ʿalayka yā rasūla Llāh.
Blessings be upon you, O Messenger of Allah.
اَلسَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ وَرَحْمَةُ اللهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ ❁
As-salāmu ʿalayka ayyuha n-nabiyyu wa raḥmatu Llāhi wa barakātuh.
Peace be upon you, O Prophet, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.
اَلصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا سَيِّدِي يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ ❁
اَلصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا سَيِّدِي يَا حَبِيبَ اللهِ ❁
اَلصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا سَيِّدِي يَا رَحْمَةً لِّلْعَالَمِينَ ❁
وَعَلَى آلِكَ وَأَصْحَابِكَ يَا سَيِّدِي يَا نُورَ اللهِ ❁
Aṣ-ṣalātu wa s-salāmu ʿalayka yā sayyidī yā rasūla Llāh.
Aṣ-ṣalātu wa s-salāmu ʿalayka yā sayyidī yā ḥabība Llāh.
Aṣ-ṣalātu wa s-salāmu ʿalayka yā sayyidī yā raḥmatan li l-ʿālamīn.
Wa ʿalā ālika wa aṣḥābika yā sayyidī yā nūra Llāh.
Peace and blessings be upon you O my Master, O Messenger of Allah.
Peace and blessings be upon you O my Master, O Beloved of Allah.
Peace and blessings be upon you O my Master, O Mercy to the Universe.
And upon your family and companions O my Master, the Light of Allah.
اَلسَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ ❁
السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا خَيْرَةَ اللهِ مِنْ خَلْقِهِ ❁
اَلسَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا حَبِيبَ اللهِ ❁
اَلسَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا سَيِّدَ الْمُرْسَلِينَ وَخَاتَمَ النَّبِيِّينَ ❁
السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ وَعَلَى آلِكَ وَأَصْحَابِكَ وَأَهْلِ بَيْتِكَ وَعَلَى النَّبِيِّينَ وَسَائِرَ الصَّالِحِينَ ❁
أَشْهَدُ أَنَّكَ بَلَّغْتَ الرِّسَالَةَ وَأَدَّيْتَ الْأَمَانَةَ وَنَصَحْتَ الْأُمَّةَ ❁
جَزَاكَ اللهُ عَنَّا أَفْضَلَ مَا جَزَى رَسُولًا عَنْ أُمَّتِهِ ❁
As-salāmu ʿalayka yā rasūla Llāh.
As-salāmu ʿalayka yā khyarata Llāhi man khalqih.
As-salāmu ʿalayka yā ḥabiba Llāh.
As-salāmu ʿalayka yā sayyida l-mursalina wa khātama n-nabiyyīn.
As-salāmu ʿalayka wa ʿalā ālika wa aṣḥabika wa ahli baytika wa ʿalā an-nabīyyina wa sā’ira ṣ-ṣaliḥin.
Ashhadu annaka balaghta r-risāla wa addayta l-amāna wa naṣaḥta l-ummah.
Jazāka Llāhu ʿanna ʿafḍala ma jaza rasūlan ʿan ummatih.
Peace be upon you, O Messenger of Allah.
Peace be upon you, O Choicest Creation of Allah.
Peace be upon you, O Beloved of Allah.
Peace be upon you, O Leader of all Messengers, Seal of the Prophets.
Peace be upon you, upon your family, upon your companions, upon your wives, upon all the Prophets and all pious people.
I bear witness that you have conveyed the message, fulfilled the trust and advised the people with the best of advice.
May Allah reward you on our behalf, the best reward he would grant a messenger.
After saying salam, you may:
- Recite Salat al-Ibrahimiyyah/Durood Ibrahim, the salutation that is recited during salah in the sitting position.
- Testify to the oneness of Allah and the finality of His messenger ﷺ by repeating the Shahada.
- Thank the Prophet ﷺ.
- Most importantly, ask the Prophet ﷺ for his intercession.
Seeking the Prophet’s ﷺ Intercession
One of the great favours that Allah has granted his beloved Prophet ﷺ is that he will be a means (wasilah) of intercession (shafa’a) for his community on the Day of Judgement. The Prophet ﷺ is also a means of gaining proximity to Allah in this world. It is vital that you make du’a and plead for the Prophet’s ﷺ intercession when presenting yourself to him. You may recite the du’a below or supplicate in your native language.
يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ ❁ أَسْأَلُكَ الشَّفَاعَةَ وَأَتَوَسَّلُ بِكَ إِلَى اللهِ أَنْ أَمُوتَ مُسْلِمًا عَلَى مِلَّتِكَ وَسُنَّتِكَ ❁
Yā rasūla Llāh, as’aluka ash-shafā’ata wa atawassalu bika ila Llāhi ʿan amūta musliman ʿalā millatika wa sunnatik.
O Messenger of Allah! I request your intercession, and I ask Allah, through you, to enable me to die on your religion and your sunnah.
Examples of other du’as you can make in your native tongue:
- Intercede for me and assist me in this world and in the Hereafter, Ya Rasulallah!
- Resurrect me with you and allow me to be with you on the Day of Judgement, Ya Rasulallah!
- Allow me to drink the water of al-Kawthar from your beautiful hands on that day, Ya Rasulallah!
- Please don’t let me be embarrassed or ashamed on the day, Ya Rasulallah!
- Ya Rasulallah! I have come to you in a state of sin. Please intercede for me so that I may be forgiven. Forgive me and be pleased with me.
- Please permit me to follow you into Jannah Ya Rasulallah – that Jannah where I may be close to you!
- Allow me to see you in a dream, Ya Rasulallah! For you said: ‘Whoever sees me in a dream has truly seen me.’ I yearn to see your beautiful face!
- Ya Rasulallah, please allow me to see you in a state of wakefulness!
- Ya Rasulallah, your enemies were privileged to see your blessed face. I am not your enemy but your servant. Please allow me to see the one I love!
- Increase my love for you, Ya Rasulallah!
- Increase my proximity to you, Ya Rasulallah! Be my means of obtaining closeness to Allah.
- Allow me to send more Salawat upon you, Ya Rasulallah!
- Please allow me to adopt more of your sunnahs, Ya Rasulallah!
- Ya Rasulallah, let me serve you and serve your community.
- Ya Rasulallah, please guide me through all my affairs!
- Ya Rasulallah, please help me with my ailments, whether they are physical, mental or spiritual. Indeed, you are the Bringer of Relief, the Merciful, the Kind!
- Ya Rasullallah, please raise my rank. Indeed, you are the Raiser of Ranks!
Remember to also seek his intercession for your parents, family, teachers, friends and the Muslim community.
Be careful if you choose to open your hands in du’a when facing the Prophet ﷺ. Although this is acceptable according to Islamic law, you may be reprimanded by the authorities for doing so.
Salam on behalf of others
After making du’a, if anybody has asked you to convey their salam to the Prophet ﷺ, you can do so in the following manner:
السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ مِنْ فُلَانِ بْنِ فُلَانٍ ❁
As-salāmu ʿalayka yā rasūla Llāh min fulān ibni (binti) fulān.
Peace be upon you, O Messenger of Allah from ……, son (daughter) of …….
Replace fulān ibni (binti) fulān in the above sentence with the name of the person followed by the name of the individual’s father, e.g. As-salāmu ʿalayka yā rasūla Llāh min Zayd ibni Ahmad (male) or As-salāmu ʿalayka yā rasūla Llāh min Zaynab binti Ahmad (female).
If you have been asked to covey the greetings of a number of people and you can’t remember each and every individual, you may say the following:
السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ مِنْ جَمِيعِ مَنْ أَوْصَانِيِ بِالسَّلَامِ ❁
As-salāmu ʿalayka yā rasūla Llāh min jamīʿi man awṣanī bi s-salām.
Peace be upon you, O Messenger of Allah. May peace be on you for all those who requested me to convey salam.
If you’re struggling with the Arabic, it’s acceptable to convey their greetings in your native language.
Greeting Abu Bakr al-Siddiq
After greeting the Prophet ﷺ and making du’a, take a step to the right so that you’re in line with the blessed face of Abu Bakr al-Siddiq I. You may recite one of the greetings below:
السَّلَامُ عَليْكَ يَا أَبَا بَكْرٍ ❁
As-salāmu ʿalayka yā Abā Bakr.
Peace be upon you, O Abu Bakr.
اَلسَّلَامُ عَليْكَ يَا خَلِيفَةَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ أَبَا بَكْرِ الصِّدِّيقَ ❁
Assalāmu ʿalayka yā khalīfata l-muslimīna Abā Bakri aṣ-Ṣiddīq.
Peace be upon you O Caliph of the Muslims, Abu Bakr al-Siddiq.
السَّلَامُ عَليْكَ يَا أَبَا بَكْرٍ صَفِيَّ رَسُولِ اللهِ وَثَانِيهِ فِي الْغَارِ ❁
جَزَاكَ اللهُ عَنْ أُمَّةِ مُحَمَّدٍ خَيْرًا ❁
As-salāmu ʿalayka yā Abā Bakrin ṣafiyya rasūli Llāhi wa thānīhi fi l-ghār.
Jazāka Llāhu ʿan ummati Muḥammadin khayra.
Peace be upon you, O Abu Bakr, close friend of the Prophet, second of two in the cave.
May Allah reward you well on behalf of the Ummah of Muhammad.
السَّلَامُ عَليْكَ يَا خَلِيفَةَ رَسُولِ اللهِ ❁
اَلسَّلَامُ عَليْكَ يَا صَاحِبَ رَسُولِ اللهِ فِي الْغَارِ أَبَا بَكْرٍ الصِّدِّيقَ وَرَحْمَةُ اللهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ ❁
جَزَاكَ اللهُ عَنْ أُمَّةِ مُحَمَّدٍ خَيْرًا ❁
As-salāmu ʿalayka yā khalīfata rasūli Llāh.
As-salāmu ʿalayka yā ṣaḥiba rasūli Llāhi fi l-ghāri Abā Bakrin aṣ-Ṣiddīqa wa raḥmatu Llāhi wa barakātuh.
Jazāka Llāhu ʿan ummati Muḥammadin khayra.
Peace be upon you, O Caliph of Rasulullah.
Peace be upon you, O companion of Rasulullah in the cave, Abu Bakr Siddiq.
May Allah reward you well on behalf of the Ummah of Muhammad.
You may praise Abu Bakr I, thank him, and make du’a, using him as a Wasilah as you did with the Prophet ﷺ.
Greeting Umar ibn al-Khattab
After greeting Abu Bakr I, take another step to the right so that you’re in line with the blessed face of Umar ibn al-Khattab I. You may convey your salam to him using one of the greetings below:
السَّلَامُ عَليْكَ يَا عُمَرُ ❁
As-salāmu ʿalayka yā ʿUmar.
Peace be upon you, O Umar.
السَّلَامُ عَليْكَ يَا أَمِيْرَ الْمُؤْمِنِيْنَ عُمَرَ بْنِ الْخَطَّابِ ❁
As-salāmu ʿalayka yā amīra l-mu’minīna ʿUmara bni l-Khaṭṭāb.
Peace be upon you O Commander of the Faithful, Umar ibn al-Khattab.
السَّلَامُ عَليْكَ يَا عُمَرُ ❁
أَعَزَّ اللهُ بِكَ الْإِسْلَامَ ❁
جَزَاكَ اللهُ عَنْ أُمَّةِ مُحَمَّدٍ خَيْرًا ❁
As-salāmu ʿalayka yā ʿUmar.
Aʿazza Llāhu bika l-Islām.
Jazāka Llāhu ʿan ummati Muḥammadin khayra.
Peace be upon you, O Umar.
Allah gave honour to Islam through you.
May Allah reward you well on behalf of the Ummah of Muhammad.
السَّلَامُ عَليْكَ يَا أَمِيْرَ الْمُؤْمِنِيْنَ ❁
السَّلَامُ عَليْكَ يَا عِزَّ الْإِسْلَامِ وَالْمُسْلِمِينَ عُمَرَ بْنِ الخَطَّابِ الْفَارُوْقَ وَرَحْمَةُ اللهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ ❁
جَزَاكَ اللهُ عَنْ أُمَّةِ مُحَمَّدٍ خَيْرًا ❁
As-salāmu ʿalayka yā amīra l-mu’minīn.
As-salāmu ʿalayka yā ʿizza l-Islāmi wa l-Muslimīna ʿUmara bni l-Khaṭṭābi l-Farūqa wa raḥmatu Llāhi wa barakātuh.
Jazāka Llāhu ʿan ummati Muḥammadin khayra.
Peace be upon you, O Leader of the Faithful.
Peace be upon you, O pride of Islam and Muslims,
Umar ibn al-Khattab al-Faruq.
And the mercy of Allah and His blessings.
May Allah reward you well on behalf of the Ummah of Muhammad.
You may praise Umar I, thank him, and make du’a, using him as a Wasilah as you did with the Prophet ﷺ.
Greeting the Shaykhayn
After conveying your salam to Umar I, you may greet both Abu Bakr and Umar L collectively by taking half a step to your left, so that you’re standing between the two graves, and reciting the following:
اَلسَّلَامُ علَيْكُمَا يَا ضَجِيعَيْ رَسُولِ اللهِ وَرَفِيقَيْهِ وَوَزِيرَيْهِ ❁
وَجَزَاكُمَا اللهُ أَحْسَنَ الْجَزَاءِ ❁
As-salāmu ʿalāykumā yā ḍajīʿay rasūli Llāhi wa rafīqayhi wa wazīrayhi.
Wa jazākuma Llāhu aḥsana l-jazā.
Peace be upon you o resters next to Rasulullah, his two companions and ministers.
And May Allah reward the two of you an excellent reward.
You should praise them, show your gratitude to them and use them as a Wasilah for your du’as. Remember to send them the salam of others if you were asked.
You may then take another step to the left so that you’re once again facing the Prophet ﷺ where you can make more du’a.
The Legitimacy of Tawassul
It is the belief of traditional Sunni Islam that you can supplicate to Allah through various means or intermediaries. In Arabic, an intermediary is known as a ‘Wasilah’, and the act of using an intermediary is known as ‘Tawassul’. The practice of using the righteous servants of Allah as a means of gaining proximity to Him or asking for His help is documented in Hadith literature as well as by Muslims through the ages. The foremost intermediary for Muslims is the Prophet ﷺ. Unfortunately, this hugely beneficial and widely practised act of worship is today sometimes erroneously regarded as associating partners with Allah. Following are some proofs for the legitimacy of this practice.
This authentic tradition is narrated in the books of both al-Nasa’i and Tirmidhi. Uthman ibn Hunaif I narrated that a blind person came to the Prophet ﷺ and requested that he make du’a for his eyesight to be restored. The Prophet ﷺ said, ‘If you wish, I will make du’a for you, or you could exercise patience, an option that is better for you.’ The person replied and said, ‘Please make du’a for me.’ The Prophet ﷺ instructed him to perform wudhu perfectly and make the following du’a:
اَللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْئَلُكَ وَأَتَوَجَّهُ إِلَيْكَ بِنَبِيِّكَ مُحَمَّدٍ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ نَبِيِّ الرَّحْمَةِ ❁
يَا مُحَمَّدُ إِنِّي أَتَوَجَّهُ بِكَ إِلَى رَبِّي فِي حَاجَتِي لِيَقْضِي لِي ❁
اَللَّهُمَّ شَفِّعْهُ فِيَّ ❁
Allāhumma innī as’aluka wa atawajjahu ilayka bi nabīyyika Muḥammadin ṣallā Llāhu ʿalāyhi wa sallama nabiyya r-raḥma.
Yā Muḥammad(u) innī atawajjahu bika ila rabbī fī ḥājatī liyaqḍī lī.
Allāhumma shaffiʿhu fī.
O Allah! I ask You and I turn to You using Your Prophet, the Prophet of mercy, as an intermediary.
O Muhammad! I turn to my Lord by means of you for my need, that He fulfils it.
O Allah! Accept his intercession in my favour.24
Through the virtue of the Prophet’s ﷺ supplication, the blind man’s vision was restored. It is recommended to read this du’a after greeting the Prophet ﷺ.
This next account is reported by Atabi V who narrates: “I was sitting in the Rawdah, when a Bedouin came and said:
السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ سَمِعْتُ اللهَ يَقُوْلُ “وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ إِذْ ظَلَمُوا أَنْفُسَهُمْ جَاءُوكَ فَاسْتَغْفَرُوا اللهَ وَاسْتَغْفَرَ لَهُمُ الرَّسُولُ لَوَجَدُوا اللهَ تَوَّابًا رَحِيمًا” وَقَدْ جِئْتُكَ مُسْتَغْفِرًا مِنْ ذَنْبِي مُسْتَشْفِعًا بِكَ إِلى رَبِّي ❁
As-salāmu ʿalayka yā rasūl Llāh, samiʿtu Llāha yaqūlu “wa law annahum idh ẓalamu anfusahum jā’uka fa s-taghfaru Llāha wa s-taghfara lahumu r-rasūlu lawajadu Llāha tawwāban raḥīma” wa qad ji’tuka mustaghfiran min dhanbī mustashfiʿan bika ila rabbī.
Peace be upon you, O Messenger of Allah! I heard Allah saying (in His Book):
“And if, when they wronged themselves, they had come to you, (O Muhammad), and asked forgiveness of Allah and the Messenger had asked forgiveness for them, they would have found Allah accepting of repentance and Merciful.”
And I have come to You repenting from my sins and seeking your intercession to my Lord.
He then recited the following poem:
يَا خَيْرَ مَنْ دُفِنَتَ بِالقَاعِ أَعْظُمُهُ ❁
فَطَابَ مِنْ طِيبِهِنَّ الْقَاعُ وَالْأَكَمُ ❁, generosity and nobility.
نَفْسِي الْفِدَاءُ لِقَبْرٍ أَنْتَ سَاكِنُهُ ❁
فِيهِ الْعَفَافُ وَفِيهِ الْجُودُ وَالْكَرَمُ ❁
Yā khayra man dufinata bi l-qāʿi aʿẓumuh.
Faṭaba min ṭībihinna l-qāʿu wa l-akam.
Nafsī l-fidā’u liqabrin anta sākinuh.
Fīhi l-ʿafāfu wa fīhi l-jūdu wa l-karam.
O one buried in the most noble of ground.
Its (that is, the grave’s) fragrance has scented all the land and mountains.
May my life be sacrificed for the grave of which you are the occupant.
In it, there is purity, generosity and nobility.
The Bedouin then left, and I fell asleep. In my dream, I saw the Prophet ﷺ who said to me, ‘O ‘Atabi! Convey to that bedouin the glad tidings that Allah, the Exalted One, has forgiven his sins.”25
Farewell Visit
Upon leaving Madinah, humbly present yourself at the blessed tomb of the Prophet ﷺ one final time. Make the following du’a before leaving:
O Allah! Let me die in a state of Iman following the sunnah in the city of Madinah and allow me to be buried in Jannatul Baqi.
Tips and Advice
- Do not waste any time during your stay in Madinah, and spend as much time as you can in Masjid Nabawi. Some choose to spend their entire stay in Madinah in close proximity to the Prophet ﷺ.
- Spend your time in the mosque performing salah, reciting Quran and sending Salawat upon the Prophet ﷺ.
- Whenever you pass the tomb of the Prophet ﷺ, whether from inside or outside Masjid Nabawi, stop and offer salam before continuing.
- When your gaze falls on to the Green Dome, whether you’re close to the mosque or far away, look at it with love and yearning and send salutations upon the Prophet ﷺ.
- Try to offer salam at the blessed grave of the Prophet ﷺ as much as you can. Imam Abu Hanifa, Imam Shafi’i and Imam Ahmad X all recommended visiting the blessed grave as much as possible. Imam Malik V didn’t recommend visiting it excessively due to the risk of becoming disinterested and taking it for granted.
- Don’t turn your back towards the blessed grave, regardless of whether or not you’re performing salah, unless you have no other option.
- Don’t circumambulate around the blessed tomb or prostrate towards it.
References
| ↑1 | Allamah An-Nawawi says, it has been reported by Al- Bazzar and Dar Qutni. Hafiz Ibn Al-Hajar says in Sharh-al-Manasik, it has been reported by Ibn Khuzaymah in his Sahlh. A group of muhaddithin including the likes of Shaykh Abd-al-Haq Al-Ishbili in his Al-Ahkam and Shaykh Taqi-ad-Din As-Subki have classified it as authentic. Mulla Ali Qari has also mentioned in his Sharh-ash-Shifa that a group from the a’immah Hadith have classified it as authentic. |
|---|---|
| ↑2 | Allamah Iraqi says in his Sharh-al-Ihya, ‘At-Tabrani has narrated this and Ibn-as-Sakan has authenticated it. The author of Ithaf says, ‘Shaykh Abd-al-Haq has done the same together with Shaykh Taqi-ad-Din As-Subki according to overall chain of narrations.’ |
| ↑3 | Reported by Dar Qutni and Allamah Adh-Dhahabi in Al-Wafa Al-Wafa has taken its chain to be good. |
| ↑4 | Reported by Dar Qutni, At-Tabrani and Al-Bayhaqi. |
| ↑5 | Reported by Al-Bayhaqi and it is a mursal Hadith. However, Shaykh Taqi-ad-Din As-Subki after elaborating on its different chains of narration has classified it as a good mursal. |
| ↑6 | Reported by Ad-Daylami as mentioned in Ithaf. |
| ↑7 | This Hadith was transmitted by Bazzar with a sound chain of transmission. Asqalani approved it in his commentary on the compilation of Bukhari, and so did Suyuti in his work on the attributes of the Prophet ﷺ. |
| ↑8 | Abu Ya’la, Musnad, 6449; ibn Hajar al-‘Asqalani, al-Matalib al-‘Aliya, Bab ‘Alamat al-sa‘a, 4628; al-Hakim, Mustadrak, Kitab Tawarikh al-mutaqqadimin min al-anbiya’ wa’l-mursalin, dhikr nabiy Allah wa ruhuh ‘Isa ibn Maryam Salawat Allah wa salamuh ʿalāyh, 4162 |
| ↑9 | Abu Dawud, Sunan, Kitab al-Hajj, Bab Ziyarat al-qubur, 1745 |
| ↑10 | Bazzar, Musnad, Musnad Ammar ibn Yasir, 1274 |
| ↑11 | Ibn Maja, Kitab Md ja fi’l-janaiz, Bab dhikr wafatih wdafnih salla’llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, 1627. |
| ↑12 | Bayhaqi, Shu’ab al-Iman,1544, 3997 |
| ↑13 | Shifā’ āl-Asqām |
| ↑14 | Fadl al-Salat ‘ala al-Nabi |
| ↑15 | al-Musannaf, ‘Abd al-Razzaq, vol. XI, p. 251 |
| ↑16 | Tirmidhi Hadith 3668 |
| ↑17 | Al Mustadrak Hadith 1080 |
| ↑18, ↑20 | Al-Shifa’ |
| ↑19 | Bukhari |
| ↑21 | Sahih al-Bukhāri, Hadith: 1195, 1196. Sahīh Muslim vol. 9 pp.161-162 (with commentary of Imām al-Nawawī), Hadith: 1390,1391 |
| ↑22 | Ahmad |
| ↑23 | Virtues of Invoking Blessings and Virtue on the Noble Prophet ﷺ. |
| ↑24 | Tirmidhi, vol. 5 p.388, Hadith: 3578. Ibn Majah, vol. 1 p. 441, Hadith: 1385. |
| ↑25 | Tafsir Ibn Kathir, vol. 1. p 519 (commentary of chapter 4, verse 64) al-Adhkar al-Nawawi: p. 336. |