by the Christians over Syria, they broke an opening through the building over the grave of Abraham, Allah’s intimate friend, peace be upon him, and turned the place into a church. Then, when the Muslims conquered the town, it remained open. During the time of the Companions, however, Abraham’s grave was like the grave of our Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. None of the Companions would travel to Medina for the sake of the Prophet’s grave. Rather, they would come and pray in his mosque, offering greetings of peace to him during prayer; those who offered such greetings when entering or leaving the mosque would do so then. He, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was buried in ‘Ā’ishah’s chamber, may Allah be pleased with her, so they would neither enter the chamber nor stand outside it in the mosque beside its wall.

During the caliphates of Abū Bakr al-Siddīq and ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb, reinforcements would arrive from Yemen—the men who conquered Syria and Iraq, concerning whom Allah said:

“Allah will bring forth a people He will love and who will love Him.”

They would pray in his mosque as we have mentioned. No one would go to the grave, enter the chamber, or stand outside it in the mosque. Rather, greetings of peace to him are offered from outside the chamber. Mālik and others rely primarily on the practice of Ibn ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with them both, in this regard.

In any event, even if half the Muslims held this view, it would have the same standing as comparable opinions on disputed matters. But to treat it as the true religion and consider it lawful to punish anyone who disagrees with it, or to declare him an unbeliever, is contrary to the consensus of the Muslims and to what the Quran and Sunnah have brought. For if one who opposes the Messenger