the later generations of this community be set right except by what set its earliest generations right.”

Rather, they would come to his mosque and pray behind Abū Bakr al-Siddīq, ‘Umar, ‘Uthmān and ‘Alī, may Allah be pleased with them all. These four led the prayers in his mosque, and the Muslims prayed behind them just as they had prayed behind him. During the prayer, they would say:

“Peace be upon you, O Prophet, and Allah’s mercy and blessings.”

They said this just as they had during his lifetime. Then, when they had finished the prayer, they would remain seated or leave. They did not come to the grave to offer greetings of peace, knowing that invoking blessings and peace upon him during the prayer was more complete and better, and was the prescribed practice.

As for entering the area of his grave to invoke blessings and peace upon him there, or to pray and supplicate, he did not prescribe this for them. Rather, he forbade them, saying:

“Do not make my grave an ‘īd. Invoke blessings upon me wherever you may be, for your invocations of blessings reach me.”

He thus explained that invocations of blessings reach him from afar, as do greetings of peace. Whoever invokes blessings upon him once, Allah bestows blessings upon that person ten times in return. Whoever sends greetings of peace upon him once, Allah sends peace upon that person ten times, as related in some hadiths.

Singling out the chamber for invoking blessings and peace makes it an ‘īd, which he had forbidden them to do. He also forbade them to take his grave, or anyone else’s grave, as a place of prayer. He cursed those who did so, that they might beware of incurring a curse like the one that had befallen others.

His Companions were the best generation, the most knowledgeable of this community concerning his Sunnah, and the most obedient to his commands. When they entered his mosque, none of them would go to his grave