And it is authentically reported that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

“Allah has forbidden the earth to consume the flesh of the prophets.”

Thus, had this been a prophet’s grave, the bone would not have been stripped of its flesh. Trustworthy local people have related to me, on the authority of their fathers, that they saw those large bones there and had previously seen the site being used for cultivation and weaving. Trustworthy people have also told me that they saw enormous skulls in nearby burial grounds, proportionate to those bones. This establishes that these and similar remains are the bones of the Amalekites who lived in ancient times, or of others like them.

Even if it were the grave of a prophet or a righteous man, building a mosque over it would not be prescribed, according to the consensus of the Muslims and the widely transmitted Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him. As recorded in the authentic hadith collections, he said:

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

He also said:

“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.”

By the consensus of the Muslims, prayer at the grave of a prophet or anyone else is not recommended, whether obligatory or voluntary. Rather, it is prohibited, and many scholars hold that it is invalid because of the scriptural texts concerning this matter. The places Allah loves, and in which He loves prayer and worship to be offered, are the mosques, concerning which He said:

“In houses which Allah has ordered to be raised and His name to be remembered therein, He is glorified morning and evening.”

He, the Exalted, also said:

“The mosques of Allah are maintained only by those who believe in Allah and the Last Day, establish prayer, and give