do they intercede except for those with whom He is pleased.” The Most High also says:
“How many angels there are in the heavens whose intercession is of no avail whatsoever, except after Allah has given permission to whom He wills and is pleased with.”
The Most High also says:
“Voices will be humbled before the Most Merciful, and you will hear nothing but a whisper.”
“On that Day, intercession will be of no benefit except from one to whom the Most Merciful has given permission and whose words He approves.”
The Most High also says:
“No one can intercede except after His permission.”
The Most High also says:
“You have no protector or intercessor besides Him.”
There are many such passages in the Quran. Religion consists in following the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace: enjoining what he enjoined, forbidding what he forbade, loving the deeds and people whom Allah and His Messenger love, and hating the deeds and people whom Allah and His Messenger hate. Allah, glorified and exalted is He, sent His Messenger Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, with the Criterion, thereby distinguishing between these things. No one may therefore conflate what Allah has distinguished.
Thus, whoever travels to the Sacred Mosque, al-Aqsā Mosque, or the Mosque of the Messenger, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and prays in his mosque, prays in the Mosque of Qubā’, and visits graves in accordance with the established Sunnah of Allah’s Messenger, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, has indeed performed a righteous deed. Whoever rejects such travel is an unbeliever who must be called upon to repent. If he repents, well and good; otherwise, he is to be put to death.
As for someone who intends to travel solely to visit the grave, without intending to pray in his mosque, and travels to his city but neither prays in his mosque, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, nor sends greetings of peace upon him during prayer, but instead comes to the grave and then returns, such a person is an innovator