his grave, but he disliked that it be taken as a mosque.” (1) The two Ṣaḥīḥs transmit this report. (2)

Accordingly, the Companions buried him in the very spot where he passed away, inside ʿĀʾisha’s apartment. That apartment—and all the other quarters—stood outside the mosque on its southern and eastern sides. (3) Later, during the reign of al-Walīd b. ʿAbd al-Malik, this mosque and others were enlarged; his governor over Madinah, ʿUmar b. ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz, was instructed to purchase the apartments (5) and add them to the mosque, (6) so from that time the Prophet’s chamber was incorporated into the mosque. It was built slightly askew from the qiblah and given a gabled roof so that no one would face it in prayer. (4)

For the Prophet ﷺ said, “Do not sit on graves, and do not pray toward them,” as narrated by Muslim from Abū Marthad (7) al-Ghanawī. (8) Allah knows best. (9)

Visiting graves is of two kinds: a lawful visit and an innovative visit. The lawful visit is intended to offer salutations to the deceased and to supplicate for him, as