and to al-Aqsā Mosque. This is established in the two Sahīh collections through the hadiths of Abū Hurayrah and Abū Sa‘īd, and is also transmitted through other chains. His mosque was smaller than it is today, as was the Sacred Mosque, but the Rightly Guided Caliphs and those who came after them expanded both. The extensions have the same status as the original buildings in all rulings.

One should then greet the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and his two companions, for he said:

“No man greets me without Allah restoring my soul to me so that I may return his greeting.”

This was narrated by Abū Dāwūd and others. When ‘Abd Allāh ibn ‘Umar entered the mosque, he would say: “Peace be upon you, O Messenger of Allah. Peace be upon you, O Abū Bakr. Peace be upon you, O my father.” Then he would leave. This was how the Companions would greet him. According to most scholars, including Mālik, al-Shāfi‘ī, and Ahmad, one greets him while facing the chamber, with one’s back to the qiblah.

Abū Hanīfah said that one should face the qiblah. Some of his followers said that one should turn one’s back to the chamber, while others said that one should keep it to one’s left. They agreed that one should neither touch nor kiss the chamber, circumambulate it, nor pray facing it.

If one says in greeting him: “Peace be upon you, O Messenger of Allah, O Prophet of Allah, O Allah’s chosen one among His creation, O most honored of creation in the sight of his Lord, O leader of the God-fearing,” all these are among his attributes—may my father and mother be his ransom, and may Allah bless him and grant him peace. Likewise, invoking blessings upon him along with greeting him with peace is something Allah has commanded.