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

كَانَ أَبِي عَلِيُّ بْنُ الْحُسَيْنِ ع يَقِفُ عَلَى قَبْرِ النَّبِيِّ ص فَيُسَلِّمُ عَلَيْهِ وَ يَشْهَدُ لَهُ بِالْبَلَاغِ وَ يَدْعُو بِمَا حَضَرَهُ ثُمَّ يُسْنِدُ ظَهْرَهُ إِلَى الْمَرْوَةِ الْخَضْرَاءِ الدَّقِيقَةِ الْعَرْضِ‌[3] مِمَّا يَلِي الْقَبْرَ وَ يَلْتَزِقُ بِالْقَبْرِ وَ يُسْنِدُ ظَهْرَهُ إِلَى الْقَبْرِ وَ يَسْتَقْبِلُ الْقِبْلَةَ فَيَقُولُ- اللَّهُمَّ إِلَيْكَ أَلْجَأْتُ ظَهْرِي‌[4] وَ إِلَى قَبْرِ مُحَم

‘My father, Ali ibn al-Husayn (a.s.), would stand near the grave of the Holy Prophet and offer his Salam, testify to his preaching the messages of Allah and ask Allah for his wishes, as he wanted. He then liked to keep his back against the brightly green stone, which is next to the grave, stay attached to the grave wit

قُلْتُ لِأَبِي الْحَسَنِ ع كَيْفَ السَّلَامُ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص عِنْدَ قَبْرِهِ فَقَالَ قُلِ السَّلَامُ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا حَبِيبَ اللَّهِ السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا صَفْوَةَ اللَّهِ السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا أَمِينَ اللَّهِ أَشْهَدُ أَنَّكَ قَدْ نَصَحْتَ لِأُمَّتِكَ وَ جَاهَدْتَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَ عَبَدْتَهُ حَتَّى أَتَاكَ الْيَقِينُ فَجَزَاكَ اللَّهُ أَفْضَلَ مَا جَزَى نَبِيّاً عَنْ أ

“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) su

رَأَيْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع انْتَهَى إِلَى قَبْرِ النَّبِيِّ ص فَوَضَعَ يَدَهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ قَالَ- أَسْأَلُ اللَّهَ الَّذِي اجْتَبَاكَ وَ اخْتَارَكَ وَ هَدَاكَ وَ هَدَى بِكَ أَنْ يُصَلِّيَ عَلَيْكَ ثُمَّ قَالَ‌ إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَ مَلائِكَتَهُ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ يا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا صَلُّوا عَلَيْهِ وَ سَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيماً.

“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

لَهُمْ‌ مُرُّوا بِالْمَدِينَةِ فَسَلِّمُوا عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص مِنْ قَرِيبٍ وَ إِنْ كَانَتِ الصَّلَاةُ تَبْلُغُهُ مِنْ بَعِيدٍ[1].

“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.’”

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا الْحَسَنِ ع‌[2] عَنِ الْمَمَرِّ فِي مُؤَخَّرِ مَسْجِدِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص وَ لَا أُسَلِّمُ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ ص فَقَالَ لَمْ يَكُنْ أَبُو الْحَسَنِ ع يَصْنَعُ ذَلِكَ قُلْتُ فَيَدْخُلُ الْمَسْجِدَ فَيُسَلِّمُ مِنْ بَعِيدٍ لَا يَدْنُو مِنَ الْقَبْرِ فَقَالَ لَا قَالَ سَلِّمْ عَلَيْهِ حِينَ تَدْخُلُ وَ حِينَ تَخْرُجُ وَ مِنْ بَعِيدٍ.

“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, ’Woul

قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع‌ صَلُّوا إِلَى جَانِبِ قَبْرِ النَّبِيِّ ص وَ إِنْ كَانَتْ صَلَاةُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ تَبْلُغُهُ أَيْنَمَا كَانُوا[1].

“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 f

حَضَرْتُ أَبَا الْحَسَنِ الْأَوَّلَ ع وَ هَارُونَ الْخَلِيفَةَ وَ عِيسَى بْنَ جَعْفَرٍ وَ جَعْفَرَ بْنَ يَحْيَى بِالْمَدِينَةِ قَدْ جَاءُوا إِلَى قَبْرِ النَّبِيِّ ص فَقَالَ هَارُونُ لِأَبِي الْحَسَنِ ع تَقَدَّمْ فَأَبَى فَتَقَدَّمَ هَارُونُ فَسَلَّمَ وَ قَامَ نَاحِيَةً وَ قَالَ عِيسَى بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ لِأَبِي الْحَسَنِ ع تَقَدَّمْ فَأَبَى فَتَقَدَّمَ عِيسَى فَسَلَّمَ وَ وَقَفَ مَعَ هَارُونَ فَقَالَ جَعْفَرٌ لِأَبِي الْ

“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) a

قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع‌ إِذَا فَرَغْتَ مِنَ الدُّعَاءِ عِنْدَ قَبْرِ النَّبِيِّ ص فَائْتِ الْمِنْبَرَ فَامْسَحْهُ بِيَدِكَ وَ خُذْ بِرُمَّانَتَيْهِ وَ هُمَا السُّفْلَاوَانِ وَ امْسَحْ عَيْنَيْكَ وَ وَجْهَكَ بِهِ فَإِنَّهُ يُقَالُ إِنَّهُ شِفَاءُ الْعَيْنِ وَ قُمْ عِنْدَهُ فَاحْمَدِ اللَّهَ وَ أَثْنِ عَلَيْهِ وَ سَلْ حَاجَتَكَ فَإِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ص قَالَ مَا بَيْنَ مِنْبَرِي وَ بَيْتِي رَوْضَةٌ مِنْ رِيَاضِ

1. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father and Muhammad ibn Isma‘il from af-Fadf ibn Shadhan from ibn abu ‘Umayr and Safwan ibn Yahya from Mu‘awiyah ibn ‘Ammar who has said the following: “Abu ‘ Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, once said to me, ‘When you complete your prayer near the grave of the Holy Prophet, O Allah