Visiting the Messenger of Allah

(May Allah bless him and grant him peace)

The Farewell Tawâf [Pilgrims’ last circumambulation of the Ka‘bah directly before leaving Mecca; it is also called Tawâf Al-Sadr] must be the last act you perform in Mecca, before departing to your country or to Al-Madinah Al-Munawarah [Medina, The Lightened City]. This Tawâf must not be left out except in exceptional circumstances, for it must be performed by everyone, except for the menstruating woman, as it is not asked from her to wait a week till she performs the Farewell Tawâf. But as for the Ifâdah Tawâf [Pilgrims’ circumambulation of the Ka‘bah upon their return from Muzdalifah] she must wait till she performs it, as it is one of the cornerstones of the Hajj.

The Farewell Tawâf raised controversies among Imams, whether it is an act of Sunnah [The way of life prescribed as normative in Islam, based on the teachings and practices of the Prophet Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and on exegesis of the Noble Qur’an] or not?

The Mâliki [founded by Imam Mâlik bin Anas 93-189 A.H.] and the Hanafi [founded by Imam Abu Hanifah Al-Nu‘mân 80-150 A.H.] Juristic Schools judged that it is a Sunnah, while Imam Ahmad and Ash-Shâfi’y, judged that it is an enjoined duty, but what is the difference between the enjoined duty and the obligation? The enjoined duty is proven by certain undoubted evidence, but as for the obligation it is proven by hypothetical evidence. Only the followers of Imam Abu Hanifah differentiate between the duty and the obligation, but for others duty is like obligation.

Why then do not we adopt the more reliable course? Why do not we fully and perfectly perform our rituals, in a way that leaves no doubt? For the one who does not perform the Farewell Tawâf must slaughter a sacrifice; he is obliged to offer a ransom, the ransom of Farewell Tawâf.

To have the Tawâf raised and accepted by Allah, it must be the last ritual you perform before leaving Mecca. Do not perform the Tawâf and then stay in Mecca to do some shopping, or sit in a hotel, or try to rearrange your plans and see the gifts you will bring to your relatives and friends. Rather perform the Tawâf and then get instantly into the car that will transport you outside Mecca, for there is nothing on the face of the universe higher than the House of Allah.

To all people the Hajj journey is never spiritually complete except by visiting the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) in the Lightened City (Medina). Those who arrive a while before the Hajj time, usually go to Medina first, assume the state of Ihrâm [The sacred state of practicing great self-denial into which a Muslim must enter before performing Hajj or ‘Umrah, during which certain actions are forbidden (like having conjugal relations, shaving, cutting one’s nails, and several other actions) nor commit sin, nor dispute unjustly. In this sacred state the dress of Muslim pilgrims consists of two lengths of white cotton, one wrapped around the loins, the other thrown over the left shoulder. Ihrâm clothes for women should fully cover the body except the face, hands and feet] and then set off to Mecca to perform the Hajj rituals. As for those who only arrive days before the Hajj time, they first perform the Hajj rituals and then go to visit the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) in Medina.

Some people say that the Hajj made without visiting the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) is judged as if it were not performed, which is an opinion that represents a psychological import and not a legalistic judgment. For the soul that dearly loves the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) does not accept going to Hajj without visiting the beloved Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) in Medina. It is a logical matter; the believers love the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) and Allah, all praise and glory be to Him, says (what means):

“Say (O Muhammad SAW to mankind): ‘If you (really) love Allâh then follow me (i.e. accept Islâmic Monotheism, follow the Qur’ân and the Sunnah), Allâh will love you and forgive you of your sins. And Allâh is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful’”  (Âl-‘Imrân, 3:31)

The visit is not a cornerstone, but…

The faith of a Muslim is not real true till the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) becomes dearer to the Muslim than his own soul between his two sides of body. This visit though not a cornerstone of the Hajj, constitutes a matter of heart and soul. Allah, Whose Majesty reigns supreme, willed that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) resides in Medina, and he used to tell its inhabitants, “I will live with you and will die with you,” a prophecy that he would live in Medina and would die there, which Almighty Allah had revealed to him, in order not to contradict the Qur’anic verse in which The Most Exalted says (what means):

“And no soul knows in what land it will die”(Luqmân, 31:34)

It happened at the time when the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) distributed the booty after the Battle of Hunain, that he gave the people but did not give the Ansâr (the Supporters). The Ansâr felt hurt that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) deprived them from their share in the booty. Thus, the youth among them said, ‘May Allah forgive the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, he gives the Quraish and leaves us, although our swords are dribbling with their blood.’ Upon hearing this, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) summoned them in his tent and told them, ‘Would it not please you that people go away with sheep and camels while you go with the Messenger of Allah?’ They answered, ‘Yes.’ Upon which the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, ‘If people pursued a valley and the Ansâr pursued a mountain pass, I would pursue the mountain pass of the Ansâr.’ Thus, the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) foretold the Ansâr that his death would be in Medina.

If someone wondered saying, ‘How could this happen when only Allah knows the Unseen.’ We answer by saying that it is true that none save Allah knows the Unseen, but Allah reveals it to whomever He wills. Furthermore, Allah ordered His Messenger in the Noble Qur’an to say (what means):

“Nor (that) I know the unseen; nor I tell you that I am an angel.” (Al-An‘âm, 6:50)

Thus, visiting the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) in Medina is not one of the Hajj rituals, but rather one of the properties of Islam.

Allah, all praise and glory be to Him, has chosen for His Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) to die in Medina as a sign of veneration and an exaltation of his rank, so that his visit would not be secondary to visiting the Sacred House of Allah, but would rather be an independent visit specially paid to him. People thus come to perform Hajj, and after finishing its rituals, they ride in their cars crossing a distance of 500 kilometers through mountains and deserts to visit the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) in Medina. They pay the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) a special visit, out of their deep love to him. A visit not made along with another but constitutes the sole purpose, crossing long miles for its sake.

Medina is a Sanctuary

Upon reaching the Lightened City, we also find that the Masjid of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), or the Sanctuary of Medina, has its restrictions same as the Meccan Sanctuary. In the Sanctuary of Medina no contraventions are committed, no hunting of birds, or driving games out of the boundaries of Medina to hunt them. It is also prohibited to cut trees, even if thorny. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Verily, Ibrâhîm (Abraham, peace be upon him) made Mecca a sanctuary, and I made Medina a sanctuary.”

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) does not speak of his own desire. He alone among all the Prophets was sanctioned to legislate for people. Allah, The Most Exalted, says (what means):

“And whatsoever the Messenger (Muhammad SAW) gives you, take it, and whatsoever he forbids you, abstain (from it).” (Al-Hashr, 59, 7)

Allah, all praise and glory be to Him, has entrusted His Messenger (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) with the duty of legislating for people.

The Sanctuary in Medina lies between two of its dark stony grounds (i.e., two mountains) that serve to define its boundaries. One of the two is located near the Mîqat [The place where pilgrims declare their intentions to perform Hajj or ‘Umrah and assume the state of Ihrâm] at Abar ‘Ali, and the next at the other side. Whoever is present between these two signs, is inside the Sanctuary of Medina, and must guard the same discipline observed in the Meccan Sanctuary.

The greeting you give when you enter the Sacred Masjid in Mecca is to perform Tawâf around the Ka’bah. In the Masjid of the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), the greeting is expressed in offering the two-rak’ah prayer of saluting a Masjid [A two-rak’ah prayer offered as a salutation upon entering a Masjid. A rak‘ah is a set of actions that begins with recitation and ends with prostration. It consists of one Bowing and two prostrations with a Sitting in between]. After the salutation one begins his visit to the Messenger (may Allah bless him and grant him peace); a visit full of respect and reverence, where you recall the greatness of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), and his highly esteemed place to his Lord. Then, you head towards the compartment, which is the place where the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) is buried. There you stand and salute him saying, ‘Peace be upon you, O Messenger of Allah,’ then you salute his two Companions Abu Bakr and ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with them), who are buried beside the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace).

We are commanded to salute all who died. On passing by the cemetery we should say, ‘Peace be upon you abodes of believing people. You preceded and we surely by the Will of Allah shall follow you.’

If the salutation that the dead receive does not excite an emotional reaction, it would be vain. If this were the case with normal human beings, then how would it be with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace)?

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) called upon those killed from amongst the disbelievers in the first battle of faith fought in Badr. He stood, peace be upon him, calling on the disbelievers by their names, asking whether they found true what Allah has promised them. Upon which the Companions asked, ‘O Messenger of Allah! Do you talk to them when they have rotted?’ He answered, ‘By Allah you are not better hearers (of the words I say) than them, but they do not speak.’

Some people think that hearing is only with ears, and seeing is only with eyes, which is true in case of the living. But as for the dead it is a different case; for every phase of life has its laws. The worldly life has its own laws, and the Barzakh [The grave as the barrier or the intermediate realm that separates between this world and the other world from the time of death till the time of Resurrection] life has its own laws too. Also the afterlife has its laws. Man lives by the two laws: that of wakefulness and sleeping. But the law of the sleeping is more transparent than that of wakefulness.

During sleep one can see the dead and talk to them, and see things strange to the world we are living in. How did you see while your eyes are closed? There must be other faculties that can see other than the eyes. If this happens in the law of sleep, then the law governing death is more transparent than the law of sleep, and Resurrection is the most transparent of all laws.

One should understand that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) is never pleased when you raise him to a status higher than his. So never exaggerate as the Christians did with the Prophet ‘Îesâ (Jesus, peace be upon him), son of Maryam (Mary, may Allah be pleased with her) [when they deified him]. Just say, ‘Peace, mercy and blessings be upon you, O Messenger of Allah. O seal (the last) of all Messengers and the Mercy of Allah to the world. We testify that you have delivered the Message, conveyed the Trust, and advised the nation.’ All this should be said in a low voice with no agitation or raising the tone. Allah, all praise and glory be to Him, says (what means):

“O you who believe! Raise not your voices above the voice of the Prophet (SAW), nor speak aloud to him in talk as you speak aloud to one another, lest your deeds may be rendered fruitless while you perceive not”(Al-Hujurât, 49:2)

In this place it is demanded that the voice be low, submissive, and mannerly, and there should be no crowding, pushing, fighting, or jostling. You have to recall that you are in the presence of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), the noblest among all the Creation of Allah, and the closest to Him. Greeting him is a great honor to you, and by testifying to him, you thus earn his intercession on the Day of Judgment, which is a testimony of truth that he has delivered the Message, conveyed the trust, and advised the nation.

Afterwards, you step towards our master Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), the first Caliph (successor) of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) and greet him. Then, you step towards our master ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), the second Caliph, and greet him. After that you can pray Allah while standing near the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) as you wish, or as Allah blesses you to say. If someone entrusted you to send his greeting to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) you must fulfill it by saying, ‘Peace be upon you, O my master, O Messenger of Allah sent on my behalf and on behalf of (and you name the person),’ and then you can pray for whatever you wish.

When standing before the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) and greeting him, you should not arrange what you should say, or deliver a speech as the preachers do. For this situation renders the most eloquent speechless, finding nothing to say, but why is that? Because in such a standing you feel that your word power is poorly limited, and you find yourself unable to express the amount of love you bear towards the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace). Whatever you say, it still will not be enough to pay him due obeisance. Just say, ‘Peace be upon you, O Messenger of Allah, upon your family and your companions, and upon the Prophets of Allah and His Messengers.’

You have crossed thousands miles to stand before the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) and greet him, so let the greeting you give be full of longing and rich with deep love. Always remember the Qur’anic verse in which Allah, praise and gory be to Him, says (what means):

“If they had only, when they had been unjust to themselves, come to you (Muhammad SAW) and begged Allâh’s Forgiveness, and the Messenger had begged forgiveness for them: indeed, they would have found Allâh All-Forgiving (One Who accepts repentance), Most Merciful” (An-Nisâ’, 4: 64)

When standing before the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) you should ask him to beg Allah’s forgiveness for you, for this is a gate of forgiveness, and ask him that Allah pardons you, for this is a gate of penitence. If you have wronged yourself, you are now standing before the shrine of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace).

In such imposing and awe-inspiring situations one does not help but feel submissive, and turn to Allah heart and soul begging Him to put on his tongue what pleases Him and His Messenger (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), and draws him closer to Them. He begs Allah to grant him continuous success by the grace of continuing to perform Hajj and ‘Umrah, and to teach him the display of good manners in the presence of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) and in his entire blessed City.

The following is the supplication of a worshipper, who said it before the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), which is considered an ideal example to the way supplication should be:

“My Lord, in the name of Muhammad’s honorable place and rank to You, Your Love to him, his love to You and the secret between You and him I beg that you bestow your Blessings and Peace upon Your Messenger and his family. O Allah! Make us love him the more, inform us of his right, guide us to follow him, adopt his manners and Sunnah and grant us the joy of enjoying his presence and the delight of talking to him. Remove all the barriers, mediators, and veils. Please our ears with hearing his pleasant kind words. Make us deserving to receive from him and follow him. Make our prayers for the bestowal of peace upon him a streaming light that blows out all darkness and injustice, all doubts and atheism, all falsehood and negligence. Make it the means to rise to the highest ranks of monotheism, leaving no trace within us of worshipping a god but You, for us to deserve standing in Your Presence and Your special Favor, while holding fast to the Prophet’s model behavior, blessings and peace be upon him, and to the strong Robe (of Allah, i.e. the Noble Qur’ân). And to obtain from You, O Lord, and from your Patronage the success in worldly and religious affairs.”

In Medina you must care to stay as much as you can in the Masjid of the Messenger (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), and to occupy yourself only with worshipping. When you finish praying, start glorifying Allah (by saying Subhân Allah i.e., glorified be Allah), then you can start supplicating blessings on the Messenger of Allah, then pray for yourself and whomever you like.

Beware not to occupy yourself with anything other than worship, and devote all your thoughts to Allah and His Messenger (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), and never enter into any worldly discussions, or else you would commit a grave sin.

Those who discuss worldly matters inside the Masjid of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) are to be afflicted with painful torment, and will lose their whole world. If you are bound for the Masjid of the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) it should be for offering prayers.

After ending your prayers start reciting the Noble Qur’an, recite as much as you can, for reciting the Noble Qur’an in the presence of the one to whom it was revealed inspires feelings of submission, reverence, and awe only experienced by those who sit reciting the Noble Qur’an in the Masjid of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace).

In the Holy Garden

Do not miss the chance of sitting in the Holy Rawdah (garden), for the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said about it, “Between my tomb and pulpit is a garden from the gardens of Paradise.”

You can easily know its place inside the Masjid of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), for it is distinctly marked. But you have to arrive early, because everyone is so keen to sit in the Holy Rawdah. If you succeeded to sit in the Rawdah, offer prayers, recite the Noble Qur’an and celebrate the Praises of Allah, for as long as you are in the presence of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) you must dedicate yourself to worship.

Always engage yourself with the hereafter, with the everlasting coming life. Before stepping inside the Masjid divest yourself of worldly life and concerns, exactly as you take off your shoes, and do not let any of them accompany you inside. For in this blessed place the worship is accepted and it is doubly rewarded, and supplications are answered, as the gates of heavens are always wide-open. Thus, do not waste your time with anything that may distract you away from Allah and His Messenger (may Allah bless him and grant him peace).

The more you sit in the Masjid of the Messenger (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), the more you fill your soul with the whiffs of faith, that you may not understand but rather sense.

The more time you spend there, the closer you step towards Allah and His Messenger (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), and indeed the further you move away from sins. After your sojourn comes to an end, and you want to bid farewell, as you performed the Farewell Tawâf [Pilgrims’ last circumambulation of the ka‘bah directly before leaving Mecca] in Mecca, go inside and greet the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), and make it the last thing you do in Medina.

Our Imam ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) taught us, from the proprieties of taking leave, what to say when bidding farewell to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace):

“Peace be upon you, O my master, O Messenger of Allah, sent on my behalf and on behalf of your daughter residing in your proximity, quick to join you. Peace be upon you both, a farewell bid neither by a non-loving nor a weary person. Sincerely, we leave not because of boredom and we depart not mistrusting the Promise Allah has made to his patient servants.”

Or utter any other supplication conveying the same meaning and ask to return time and again to pay a visit to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) as long as Allah keeps you alive.

Here the Noble Qur’an was revealed

In the Masjid of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) there are many blessed places. Among them are the place that witnessed the descent of the Divine Inspiration on the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), and the place that witnessed the faith gatherings between the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) and Angel Jibrîl (Gabriel, peace be upon him).

Visit this place, which is pinpointed, and offer a two-rak‘ah prayer there, then sit for a while, and contemplate the incidents that this place had witnessed, where the law of Heaven descended to earth. Think how difficult it was for a human to meet an angel, to the extent that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) used to hear clattering like the sound of bells, or like the buzzing of bees. He used to drip with sweat during the coldest days and say, ‘Wrap me up, wrap me up.’ When the Prophet’s noble leg touched that of any of the Companions during the descent of the Divine Inspiration, the man felt as if it were a mountain due to its heaviness. And when the Divine Inspiration came to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) while riding his camel, it became unable to walk, or even to stand on its legs, but only to kneel on the ground.

You will see yourself the place of the descent of the Divine Inspiration inside the Masjid of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), and you can sit in it contemplating the blessings that used to occur in this place, and the Book (the Noble Qur’an) that was sent down to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) guidance and mercy to the whole world.

There stretch out your hands and pray to Allah, for it is a place where supplications are answered, then you can sit down as long as you wish at the place of the descent and perform the five obligatory Prayers if you can.

Your visit to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) must not end here, but you have to sense the greatness of Islam by visiting the scene that witnessed the Battle of Badr, the battle by which Allah has freed truth from falsehood, and made truth triumph over the leaders of disbelief.

You will find the place as it is, and you can see where the soldiers of Islam used to stand, and the post of the disbelievers, also the graves of the Muslims who were martyred in the Battle of Badr.

This place will remind you of an important event in the history of Islam, which is the first victory of faith over disbelief, of freedom over slavery, and the Religion of Allah over idolatry. This land was honored by the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) and his Companions (may Allah be mercy to them), and was honored by the blood of the Muslim martyrs.

We then move from Badr to Uhud, the battle that took place at Uhud Mount, when the archers disobeyed the command of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), and did not listen to his instructions to stay in their positions above Uhud, but they abandoned their posts and descended to get their share from the spoils, upon which the Muslims were defeated. For Allah would not grant them victory when they disobeyed the command of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace). Recite the Qur’anic verse in which Allah, all praise and glory be to Him, says (what means):

“(And remember) when you ran away (dreadfully) without even casting a side glance at anyone, and the Messenger (Muhammad SAW) was in your rear calling you back. There did Allâh give you one distress after another by way of requital to teach you not to grieve for that which had escaped you, nor for that which had befallen you. And Allâh is Well­Aware of all that you do.”(Âl-‘Imrân, 3:152)

And there you will find the grave of Hamzah, the master of the martyrs (may Allah be pleased with him), where the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) stood and recited the following noble Qur’anic verse (saying what means):

“Among the believers are men who have been true to their covenant with Allâh [i.e. they have gone out for Jihâd (holy fighting), and showed not their backs to the disbelievers], of them some have fulfilled their obligations (i.e. have been martyred), and some of them are still waiting, but they have never changed [i.e. they never proved treacherous to their covenant which they concluded with Allâh] in the least.”(Al-­Ahzâb, 33:23)

This is the vivid history of Islam, alive in Medina; a history that stands a witness on every incident that occurred, still present with its scenes and the haven of its martyrs. Even the Masjid with the two Qiblahs [Direction faced in prayers], where the Muslims used to offer prayers with their faces directed towards Jerusalem, and then a Divine Order was sent to turn the Qiblah towards Mecca; all this is present in Medina, the alive history of Islam. Almighty Allah decreed to keep that history bearing witness for Islam, the last of all religions, before all generations. For Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) is the only Prophet whose place of burial is surely known, and Islam is the only religion whose incidents are precisely recorded, an open book to anyone who pursues truth.

We have to contemplate these places and scenes to draw moral lessons and wisdoms, for it is the best provision for this life and the hereafter.

We beg Allah, all praise and glory be to Him, to destine for us performing Hajj and ‘Umrah several times, and accept them from us. To forgive our sins, accept our repentance, and in our hearts dwells the love of the House of Allah and His Messenger (may Allah bless him and grant him peace). Indeed, Allah is the Best to answer prayers, and may the Blessings and Peace of the Almighty be ever bestowed upon our master Muhammad, his family and Companions.