such as the prophets and the righteous, for by visiting their graves people often mean this innovated form of visitation involving shirk. This is why Mālik disliked such wording in cases like this, even if he did not dislike it in another context where this harmful consequence was absent.

No one can transmit anything concerning visiting the Prophet’s grave through an established chain of transmission from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) or his Companions. Rather, what is authentically reported from him in the two Sahīh collections contradicts the corrupt meaning that ignorant people convey through this wording. Among his sayings (peace and blessings be upon him) are:

“Do not make my grave a place of celebration. Send blessings upon me, for your blessings reach me wherever you may be.”

And:

“May Allah curse the Jews and Christians; they took the graves of their prophets as places of worship.”

He was warning against what they had done. ʿĀ’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: “Were it not for that, his grave would have been left exposed, but it was disliked that it should be made a place of worship.”

He also said (peace and blessings be upon him):

“Those before you used to take graves as places of worship. So do not take graves as places of worship, for I forbid you to do so.”

And he said (peace and blessings be upon him):

“O Allah, do not make my grave an idol that is worshipped.”

There are other similar hadiths in the authentic collections, the Sunan collections, and other authoritative books. How, then, can anyone possessing knowledge and faith turn away from what these texts require—texts whose authenticity the hadith scholars agree upon—and turn instead to reports that contradict their meaning, not one of which any scholar has established as authentic?

Allah, Glorified is He, knows best. May Allah bless Muhammad.