graves as places of worship. Beware! Do not take graves as places of worship, for I forbid you to do so.” Reported by Muslim.

He also said:

“If I were to take anyone on earth as an intimate friend, I would take Abū Bakr as an intimate friend.”

These hadiths are found in the authentic collections. What some people do—eating dates in the mosque or hanging hair in the lamps—is a blameworthy religious innovation.

It is permissible to take some Zamzam water away, as the early generations used to do. As for Sayhānī dates, they have no special merit. Other varieties, such as Barnī and ‘Ajwa, are better. The hadiths transmitted from the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, concern only such varieties, as in the authentic report:

“Whoever eats seven ‘Ajwa dates in the morning will not be harmed that day by poison or sorcery.”

Nothing has been transmitted from him concerning Sayhānī dates. Some people’s claim that they called out to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, stems from ignorance. Rather, they were named for their dryness, for dates are said to have undergone tasawwuh when they have dried out. This resembles the claim of some ignorant people that the spring of al-Zarqā came with him from Mecca. During the Prophet’s lifetime, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, there was no flowing spring in Medina—neither al-Zarqā, nor the springs of Hamza, nor any others. All of these were tapped after his time.

Raising one’s voice in mosques is forbidden. It is established that Umar ibn al-Khattāb