Visiting RasulAllah

 

 

A visit to the tomb of Rasul Muhammad (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) is one of the best ibadaats of man. Indeed it approaches the acts which are graded as those ‘required’ by the shariat.

If you have proceeded to visit the tomb of Rasul (Sallallahu alayhi Wasallam) you must send abundant blessings on him. On seeing the walls of Madinah you will send blessings on the Rasul (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) by saying the formule:

“Allaah Bless Muhammad and the family of Muhammade, as you blessed Ibrahim and the family of Ibrahim. Surely You are All-laudable, Glorious”.

 Allaahumma salli alaa Muhammadin wa alaa aali Muhammadin:Kama Sallayta ala Ibrahima, wa alaa aali Ibrahima . Innaka hamidun Majidun).

Then you will Supplicate:

Allaah, here is the sanctuary of Your Rasul (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) and the peace of the descent of your revelation. So bestow favour on me by enabling me to enter into this city; make it a means of my safeguard from Jahannum and my security from punishment in the Aakhirat (Hereafter); and make me one of those who will be successful through the intercession of the chosen one [i.e the Rasul (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam)] on the Day of the final return.”

(Allaahumma, haazaa haramu nabiyyika, wa mahbatu wahyika. Fa-,nun alayya bi-d-dukhuli fihi, waa j’ahlu wiqaayatan li mina n-nari, wa amanan mina l-adhibi, waa j’alni mina l-faa’izina bi’shafa’ati yawma i-m abi).

You will enter Madinah with humility calmness and dignity, while being constantly aware of the majesty of the place, and offer the following the dua:

“In the name of Allaah and by the Deen of the Rasul (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam). Rabb make my entry a beneficent event, and grant me from Yourself an authority and a helper”.
“Allaah bless our Guide, Muhammad and the family of Muhammed, as You blessed Ibrahim and the family of Ibrahim. Surely You are All-laudable, Glorious. Allaah forgive me and my sins and open for me the doors of Your mercy and Your Bounty”.

(bi-smil Allaahi, wa ‘alaa millati Rasul (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) iAllaahi salli allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallama.  Rabbi adkhilini mudkhala sidiqin wa akhrijni mukhraja sidqin, wa j’al le min ladunka sultanan nasiran.
Allaahumma salee ‘alaa sayyidinaa Muhammadin, waa ‘alaa aali Muhammadin, kama sallayta ‘alaa ibrahima, waa ‘alaa aali Ibrahima. Innaka hamidun majidun.  Waghfir dhunubi, wa ftif li abwaaba rahmatika wa fadlika).

Then you will enter the Masjid-un-Nabi (the Masjid of Rasul (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam ) and perform two rak’aats of ritual prayer for greeting the masjid near the Mimber (pulpit), standing in such a way that the pillars of the pulpit are opposite to your right shoulder, because this was the standing place of Rasul (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam).

Between his pulpit and his grave, there exists a Rawdah (meadow) from the meadows of jannat, as Rasul (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) described it.  A side from the two rak’aats for greeting the Masjid, you will also perform two more rak’aats for gratitude to Allaah for His help in making you reach the Masjid of Rasul (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam).  Then you will supplicate to Allaah for whatever you desire.

The you will go to the tomb and stand at a distance of four cubits (about four arms lengths) of the Rasul (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) from the Maqsura (closet) in extreme humility, keeping the direction of Makkah at your back, being opposite to the head of the Rasul (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) and to his face, and assuming that he is looking at you, listening to you, returning your salutation to him, and saying Aameen at the end of your prayer to Allaah.  In this state you will read this greeting:

May peace be upon you O my Guide, O Rasul (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) of Allaah! May peace be upon you, O Rasul (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) of Allaah! May peace be upon you, O beloved to Allaah! May peace be upon you, O Rasul (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) of mercy! May peace be upon you, O intercessor for the Muslim community! May peace be upon you, O the chief of all Rasul (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) of Allaah! May peace be upon you, O the last of the Rasul (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam)! May peace be upon you, O the one enwrapped in the mantle! May peace be upon you, O the one enwrapped in a cloak! May peace be upon you, upon your forefathers, and upon the purified members of your family from whom Allaah removed all uncleanliness and whom He purified completely.  May Allaah grant you a reward on our behalf as is greater than that which He is to grant to any  Rasul (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam)  on behalf of his people, or to any Rasul (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam)  on behalf of his community.

I bear witness that truly you are a Rasul (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam)  of Allah and that you conveyed the message, fulfilled your trust, admonished the community, clearly expressed the proof, fought for the sake of Allah as was you duty, and worked to establish Islam until your demise. May Allah bless and greet you as well as the noblest place which has become noble by the entering of your noble body into it! May blessing and greeting be showed upon you and upon the noble place perpetually from the Rabb of all the worlds at the number equal to that of all beings existed in the past, all beings that are in existence at present, and all beings that will exist in future are now in Allah’s knowledge – blesswings (and greetings) which are unlimited and unending.

Rasul (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) of Allah, we have come to visit you and to visit your sacred place, and we are honoured by appearing in front of you. We have come to you from remote land and distant places, traversing smooth and rough toads, with the intention of visiting you in order that we may be successful in obtaining your intercession, in looking at the things and places connected to your life, in fulfilling some of our duties towards you, and in asking for your intercession to our Rabb – for sins have broken our backs and crimes have overburdened our shoulders – and you are the intercessor granted the right of intercession and the one promised with the greatest intercession, the most laudable station and the means to obtain salvation. Allah (exalted is He!) declared “If, when they (i.e. the believers) had done wrong to their souls, the had come to you (i.e. Rasul (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) and asked forgiveness of Allah and Rasul (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) had asked forgiveness fro them, they would have surely found Allah oftreturning with compassion, Ever Merciful. And we have come to you having done wrong to our souls and seeking forgiveness for our sin. So intercede for us to your Rabb and pray to Him that He may cause us to die in the state of observing our Sunnah, that He may include me in your company on the Day of Qitammat, that He may allow me to come to your well in Jannat and to drink from its water with your cup, without being humiliated and askhamed. Your intercession I pray for, your intercession, O Rasul (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) of Allah!

Rabb forgive us and our brethren who preceeded us in the faith, and do not permit and feeling of rancour to arise in our mind against those who have believed. Rabb, surely You are Compassionate, Every Merciful.

You will also convery to Rasufl (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) the saluations of those who requested you to do so. So you will say:

May peace be upon you, O Rasufl (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) of Allah, from so-and-so! He asks for your intercession to your Rabb. So intercede for him and for all other Muslims.

(As-salamu ‘alayka ya Rasul (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) Allaahi, min fulanin ibni fulanin yatashaffa,u bika ila rabbika. Fa-shfa’ lahu wa lil-muslimina).

Then you will invoke blessings on Rasul (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) and pray to Allah for whatever you like, standing near his contenance in such a way that the direction of Makkah remains behind you.

After this you will move the measure of one cubit so that you will be opposite the head of Abu Bakr Siddiq (RA) who is buried by the side of the Rasul (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam). Standing here you will the following saluation:

May peace be upon you. O successor of the Rasul (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) of Allah (May Allah bless and greet him). May peace be upon you. O companion of Allah’s Rasul (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam), hus companion in the cave, his companion in tracels, and one who is trusted with this confidence. May Allah grant you such a reward-on our behalf as is better than the reward to be granted to any leader on behalf of his Rasul (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam)’s community.

Indeed you succeeded the Rasul (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) as the best successor, walked on his way and his path in the best manner, fought against the apostates and heretics, arranged the affairs of Islam, and strengthened its pillars. Thus you become a good leader. You did good to your people. Untile death you never departed from the way the just, and from helping the religion and its followers.

Pray to Allah for us so that we may perpetually love you, may be included in your company on the Day of Resurrection, and that our visit to you may be accepted to Him.

May peace be upon you and also Allah’s mercy and His blessings.

Then you will move the measure of one cubit so hat you will be opposite the head of Umer ibn al-Khattab (RA) who is buried by the side of Abu Bakr (RA). Standing here you will read the salution:

May peace be upon you, O the Commander of the Faithful! May peace be upon you, O upholder of Islam! May peace be upon you, O the one who broke the idosl! May Allah grant you the best reward on behalf of us.

Indeed you tremendously helped Islaam and the Muslims, conquered most of the territories after the Chief of Rasul (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam), cared for the orphans, did good to your people, and strengthened Islaam. For the Muslims you were a leader with whom all were pleased, and a guide who was himself guided aright. You reunited them, assisted the needy among them and consoled the broken-hearted”.

May peace be upon you and also Allaah’s Mercy and His Blessings

Then you will return by the measure of a half a cubit and will read the following salutation:

“May peace be upon you both, O the two most intimate men to the Rasul (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) of Allaah (may Allaah bless him and greet him), his two special companions, his two viziers, his two councillors, his two assistants in the establishment of the religion, and the two calips who, after him, completely devoted themselves to the welfare of the Muslims. May Allaah grant both of you the best recompense. We have come to both of you to use you to approach the Rasul (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) of Allaah (may Allaah bless him and greet him) so that he may intercede to Allah for us and ask Allaah, our Rabb, to accept our efforts, to enable us to live in keeping with his Deen and to die with belief in it [when death comes], and to include us in His company on the Day of Resurrection”.

After this, you will pray to Allaah for the good of yourself, for your parents, for those who requested you to pray for them, and for all other Muslims.

Then you will stand near the head of Rasul (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) of Allaah in the manner in which you stood first, and will pray:

“Allaa, You said – and Your saying is true -, “If, when they [i.e. believers] had done wrong to their souls, they had come to you [i.e. Rasul (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam)] and asked forgiveness of Allaah and Rasul (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) also had asked forgiveness for them, they would have surely found Allaah Oftreturning with compassion, Ever Mericful”. So We have come to You, hearing Your saying, obeying Your command, and asking You for the intercession of You Rasul (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam).
‘Allaah, our Rabb, forgive us, our fathers, our mothers and our brethren who preceded us in the faith, and do not permit any feeling of rancour to arise in our minds against those who have belief, Rabb, You are Compassionate, Ever Merciful’.

‘Rabb, grant us the good in this world as well as the good in the Aakhiraat-(Hereafter), and safeguard us against the punishment of Jahannam’.

‘Blessed is your Rabb, the Rabb of honour far above that which they [i.e. the polytheists] describe of Him. May peace be upon Rasuls (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam). Praise be to Allaah, the Rabb of all the worlds.”

Then add to this prayer whatever you like, pray for that which may come to your mind at that moment and for the prayer of which Allaah may grant you assistance through His bounty.

Then you will come to Ustuwana abi Lubaaba (the column of Abu Lubaaba). This is the column to which he tied himself until Allaah turned to him in compassion. It is between the tomb and the pulpit. At the root of this pillar, you will perform ‘nafl’ ritual prayer of whatever number of Rak’aats you please, and turn to Him in repentance, and recite whatever prayer formula you like.

Then you will come to the Rawdah (garden) where you will perform the ‘nafl’ ritual prayer of whatever number of Rak’aats you like, and pray for whatever things you want. Here greatly glorify Allaah, affirm the oneness of Allaah, praise Allaah and ask for forgiveness of Allaah by repeadelty uttering the following formulae of prayer of its like with full concentration:

Glory be to Allaah

(Subhaana Allaahi)

 

There is no illah but Allaah.

(Laa ilaaha illaAllahu)

 

Praise be to Allaah

(Al-hamdu li Allaahi)

 

I pray to Allaah, my Rabb, for forgivenss of every sin, and I turn to Him in repentance.

 

(Astaaghfiru Allaaha rabbi min kulli dhanbin wa atubu ilayhi)

Then you will come to the Mimbar (pulpit) and put the hand on;

[a] the Rummaana (the knob of metal) which was there for the obtaining of blessings from the relic of the Rasul (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) of Allah, and

[b] on the place where he used to put his hand when addressing so that you may gain the blessins of the Rasul (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam). You will invoke blessins upon him and pray to Allaah for whatever you want.

After this you come to the Ustuwaana Hannaana (the Yearning Column), the column in which some of the restlessness which yearned towards the Rasul (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) remained  when he abandoned it and began addressing the Jamaat from the pulpit, so much so that he descended from the pulpit and embraced it to calm it down.

You should try to gain blessings from the remaining relics of the Rasul (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) and from the Blessed places of Madinah. During your stay there, you should try hard to keep vigil for ‘nafl’ acts of devotion, and avail yourself of the opportunity of contemplating upon Rasul (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam)’s presence and of visiting his tomb.

It is ‘praiseworthy’ to go to al-Baqi, the graveyard of Madinah, in order to visit the graves there. Then visit the place of martyrdom and visit the graves of the martyrs, especially the grave of the chief martyr Hamza (RA). Then proceed to the end of al-Baqi where the graves of the Rasul (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam)’s uncle Abbaas(ra), and the Rasul (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam)’s grandson, Hasan ibn Ali(RA). You should also visit the graves of Amir al Mu-minin Uthmaan ibn Affan(RA), the Rasul (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam)’s son Ibraahim(RA), the wives(RA) of the Rasul (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam), his Aunt Safiyyah(RA), his companionas(RA) and their followers(RA).

Also visit the graves of the martyrs of Uhud. It is better to visit these on a Thursday, if possible. Standing beside them are facing Makkah with full reverence and humility, says:

‘May peace be upon you because you are steadfast [in battle]. How excellent is the reward of the Aakhiratt-(Salamun ‘alakum bi-maa Sabartum, fa-ni’-ma ‘uqbaddaari).

Here you will also recite the Verse of the Throne, and the Surah of Ikhlaas-eleven times, and also the Surah Ya Seen, if possible. The reward of the recitation of thses could be presented as gifts to all martyrs buried there and to all other believers buried in their neighbourhood.

It is praiseworthyto go to Masjid –e- Quba on a Saturday or any other day and to perform ritual prayer in it. At the end of whatever supplication you may have read there, you should say:

“O responder of those who cry for succour, O the Helper of those who implore for help. O the Remover of the anxiety of those who are in anxiety, O the Responder to the call of those who are in affliction, bless Muhammad (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam)  and his family, and remove any anxiety and grief as You removed the grief and anxiety of Your Rasul (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) at this place. {Accept my prayer], O Compassionate, O Generous!, O Doer of immense good and beneficence. O Bestower of perpetual favour, O the Most Merciful of those who show mercy. May Allaah bless and greet our Guide Muhammad (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam), his family and his companions perpetually and eternally. [Accept our prayer], O the Rabb of all the worlds, Aameen.”