70 AH. The mosque was expanded sometime in the 80s AH. The Companions would neither enter the area containing the grave nor stand beside it outside, even though they entered his mosque night and day. He, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

“One prayer in this mosque of mine is better than a thousand prayers in any other mosque, except the Sacred Mosque.”

He, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, also said:

“Journeys should not be undertaken except to three mosques: the Sacred Mosque, this mosque of mine, and al-Aqsā Mosque.”

They would return from their travels to meet the Rightly Guided Caliphs and for other purposes. They would pray in his mosque and send greetings of peace upon him during prayer and when entering and leaving the mosque. They would not come to the grave, since they regarded this as something he had neither commanded them to do nor instituted for them. Rather, he had commanded and instituted for them the sending of blessings and greetings of peace upon him during prayer, when entering mosques, and on other occasions. Ibn ‘Umar, however, would come to his grave and greet him and his two companions upon returning from a journey. Others besides Ibn ‘Umar may also have done this. Accordingly, some scholars considered this permissible, following the example of the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them.

Ibn ‘Umar would offer his greetings and then leave, without lingering. He would say: “Peace be upon you, O Messenger of Allah. Peace be upon you, O Abū Bakr. Peace be upon you, O my father.” Then he would leave. Most of the Companions did not do as Ibn ‘Umar did. Rather, the caliphs and others would travel for Hajj and other purposes, then return without doing that, since this was not