Ahmad and others, because Ibn ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with them both, did so. As for rubbing one’s hands over the grave of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family and grant him peace, and kissing it, they all disapproved of this and forbade it. They understood the Prophet’s intention to eradicate the roots of associating partners with Allah, uphold His oneness, and devote worship sincerely to Allah, Lord of the worlds.

This makes clear the distinction between asking the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family and grant him peace, or a righteous man for something during his lifetime, and asking him after his death or in his absence. During his lifetime, no one worships him in his presence. For when the prophets—may Allah Most High be pleased with them all—and the righteous are alive, they do not allow anyone to associate them with Allah in their presence. Rather, they forbid people to do so and punish them for it. Thus the Messiah, peace be upon him, said:

“I told them only what You commanded me: ‘Worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord.’ I was a witness over them as long as I remained among them. But when You took me away, You alone watched over them, and You are a Witness over all things.”

A man said to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family and grant him peace, “Whatever Allah and you will.” He replied, “Have you made me an equal to Allah? Whatever Allah alone wills.”

He also said:

“Do not say, ‘Whatever Allah and Muhammad will,’ but say, ‘Whatever Allah wills, then whatever Muhammad wills.’”

When a young girl said:

“Among us is Allah’s Messenger, who knows what tomorrow holds,”

he said, “Leave that; say what you were saying before.”

He also said, “Do not praise me excessively as the Christians excessively praised the son of Mary. I am only a servant, so say, ‘Allah’s servant and His Messenger.’”

When they stood in rows behind him, he said, “Do not exalt me as non-Arabs exalt one another.” And it was said by