The Sanctuary of Solace: On the Etiquette of Visiting Our Master Muhammad ﷺ

Visiting the blessed resting place of the Master of Creation ﷺ is a virtuous and rewarding action, which none will deny except a deviant and stubborn ignoramus. Rasūl-Allāh ﷺ said:

Whosoever visited my grave, my intercession for him has become necessary (wājib).1

While journeying to the blessed city of Rasūl-Allāh ﷺ, purify your intentions by eradicating the thoughts of all worldly affairs and engross yourself in reciting durūd sharīf upon the Best of Creation ﷺ. Upon entering the Ḥaram of al-Madīnah al-Munawwarah, it is desirable to dismount the vehicle and walk with the head bowed while crying, and if possible, it is better to walk barefooted.

Before presenting yourself, perform wuḍū’ (it is better to bathe), perform miswāk, wear clean white clothing and apply surmah and perfume. Walk to the Masjid with sincerity and respect, while focusing and reflecting on Rasūl-Allāh ﷺ. Do not allow any other thought to cross your mind. Upon reaching the door of al-Masjid al-Nabawī, recite Ṣalāt and Salām and pause for a moment as though you are seeking permission from Rasūl-Allāh ﷺ to enter. Then, enter with utmost respect by placing your right foot into the Masjid first. The heart of every Muslim is aware of the respect and reverence that is mandatory at this moment. Restrain your heart from thinking about anything else, including the beauty and attractiveness of the blessed Masjid – one’s sole focus and attention should be towards Rasūl-Allāh ﷺ.

Do not utter a single word in the Masjid by raising your voice. Know that Rasūl-Allāh ﷺ is alive in his blessed, illuminated grave just as he was alive in the world. His death was for a split moment and his departure simply veiled him from the eyes of people.

If the overbearing passion of the heart permits, then pray two rakʿat as taḥīyyat al-masjid and to thank Allāh for blessing you with the opportunity of visiting. Thereafter, fall into prostration of thanks and seek: O Allāh! Grant me the reverence of your beloved.

Now the time has come to stand before the resting place of Allāh’s most beloved. Bow your head and lower your gaze. Out of fear and while trembling due to the contrition of sin and while overcome with shame, take steps towards the Sacred Chamber. Do not neglect sincerity, serenity, humility or humbleness for even a split second. Besides the thought of prostrating for worship, adopt the state that is most suitable and perfect for respect.

Enter from the eastern side where the blessed feet of Rasūl-Allāh ﷺ are. He is present in the illuminated grave facing the Qiblah. When you enter from this direction, the sight of Rasūl-Allāh ﷺ will be upon you and this is enough for you in both the realms.

Then, face the Sacred Chamber and stand with your back towards the Qiblah. Stand similarly to how one stands in Ṣalāh and refrain from kissing or touching the blessed gate (Jālī) as it is contrary to respect. Now, with utmost solemnity and dignity and with a sorrowful tone and a shameful heart, in a moderate tone; neither too soft or quiet nor extremely loud or deep, say:

اَلسَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ أيها النبي ورحمة الله وبركاته، اَلسَّلَامُ عليك يا رسول الله، اَلسَّلَامُ عليك يا خير خلق الله، السلام عليك يا شفيع المذنبين، اَلسَّلَامُ عليك وعلى الك واصحابك اجمعين

Assalāmu ʿalayka ayyuhan-nabiyyu wa raḥmatullāhi wa barakātuh, assalāmu ʿalayka yā Rasūl-Allāh, assalāmu ʿalayka yā khayra khalqillah, assalāmu ʿalayka yā shafīʿal-mudhnibīn, assalāmu ʿalayka wa ʿalā ālika wa aṣḥābika ajmaʿīn

Recite Ṣalāt and Salām as much as possible and ask for the intercession of Rasūl-Allāh ﷺ for yourself and for your parents, teachers and friends, and for all of the Muslims. Repeat:

أسئلك الشفاعة يا رسول الله

As’alukash-shafāʿata yā Rasūl-Allāh

If a person has requested you to convey their Salām then do so. Say:

اَلسَّلَامُ عليك يا رسول الله من عبدك وابن عبدك (احمد رضا بن نقى على)* يسئلك الشفاعة فاشفع له وللمسلين

Assalāmu ʿalayka yā Rasūl-Allāh min ʿabdika wa ibn ʿabdika [Aḥmad Riḍā ibn Naqī ʿAlī]* yas’alukash-shafāʿata fashfiʿ lahu wa lil muslimīn *(here, add the name and the father’s name of the person who has asked you to convey Salām. If it is a female, then replace ‘bin’ with ‘bint’).

Thereafter, move slightly right (towards the East) to stand before Sayyidunā Abū Bakr al-Ṣiddīq and say:

اَلسَّلَامُ عليك يا خليفة رسول الله ـ اَلسَّلَامُ عليك يا وزير رسول الله ـ اَلسَّلَامُ عليك يا صاحب رسول الله في الغار ورحمة الله وبركاته ـ

Assalāmu ʿalayka yā khalīfata Rasūlillāh, assalāmu ʿalayka yā wazīra Rasūlillāh, assalāmu ʿalayka yā ṣaḥiba Rasūlillāhi fil ghāri wa raḥmatullāhi wa barakātuhu

Then, move again slightly right to face Sayyidunā ʿUmar al-Fārūq and say:

اَلسَّلَامُ عليك يا امير المؤمنين ـ اَلسَّلَامُ عليك يا متمم الأربعين ـ اَلسَّلَامُ عليك يا عز الإسلام والمسلمين ورحمة الله وبركاته ـ

Assalāmu ʿalayka yā amīr al-mu’minīn, assalāmu ʿalayka yā mutammimal arabaʿīn, assalāmu ʿalayka yā ʿizzal islāma wal muslimīna wa raḥmatullāhi wa barakātuhu

Then, move back to stand in between the two and say:

اَلسَّلَامُ عليكما يا صاحبى رسول الله ـ اَلسَّلَامُ عليكما يا خليفتى رسول الله ـ اَلسَّلَامُ عليكما يا وزيرى رسول الله ورحمة الله وبركاته ـ

Assalāmu ʿalayka yā ṣāḥibay Rasūlillāh, assalāmu ʿalayka yā khalīfatay Rasūlillāh, assalāmu ʿalayka yā wazīray Rasūlillāhi wa raḥmatullāhi wa barakātuhu

In all instances, make duʿā as it is a place of acceptance. Thereafter, proceed towards the pristine pulpit (minbar) and make duʿā. Then, pray two rakʿat supererogatory Ṣalāh and make duʿā in Riyāḍ al-Jannah (also referred to as the illuminated Rawḍah), which is the place between the blessed pulpit and the Sacred Chamber, as this place has been described in the Ḥadīth as the orchard/garden of Jannah.

Excerpted and summarised from al-Nayyirah al-Waḍiyyah Sharḥ al-Jawharah al-Maḍiyyah and its marginalia al-Ṭurrat al-Raḍiyyah ʿalā al-Nayyirah al-Waḍiyyah by Alāḥazrat Imām Aḥmad Riḍā

By Muhammad Kalim (Preston, UK)

[1] Narrated from ibn ʿUmar by ibn Khuzaymah in his Ṣaḥīḥ; ibn Abī al-Dunyā; al-Tabarānī; al-Bazzār; al-ʿUqaylī; ibn ʿAdī; al-Dāraquṭnī; al-Bayhaqī; Abū al-Shaykh; ibn ʿAsākir; ʿAbd al-Haq in Ahkāmayn; al-Dhahbī; ibn al-Jawzī. ʿAbd al-Haq classed it as ṣaḥīḥ and al-Dhahbī classed it as ḥasan.