should follow those who have died, for the living are not safe from being put to trial. Those were the Companions of Muhammad: the most righteous in heart of this nation, the deepest in knowledge, and the least given to affectation. They were people whom Allah chose to accompany His Prophet and establish His religion. So recognize their due and hold fast to their guidance, for they followed the straight path.” A detailed discussion of this belongs elsewhere.

The point here is that the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, refrained from religious innovations associated with graves, whether his honoured grave or anyone else’s, because he, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, had forbidden them to do such things, and so that they would not resemble the People of the Book, who made the graves of the prophets into idols. Some of them would, however, come from outside and greet him upon returning from a journey, as Ibn ʿUmar used to do. Indeed, during his lifetime they would greet him and then leave the mosque; they did not come to him at every prayer. Whenever one of them came to greet him, the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, would return his greeting.

Likewise, when someone greets him at his grave, he returns the greeting. They used to enter ʿĀʾishah’s quarters and greet him as they had greeted him during his lifetime. One of them would say: “Peace be upon the Prophet, and Allah’s mercy and blessings.” This has also been reported generally concerning all the graves of believers: whenever a man passes the grave of someone he knew in this world and greets him, Allah restores the deceased’s soul to him so that he may return the greeting. If returning greetings applies to believers generally, it applies all the more to the best of creation. When a Muslim greets him during prayer, even if he does not return the greeting, Allah sends peace upon that Muslim ten times, as stated in the hadith: “Whoever greets me with peace once, Allah sends peace upon him