except someone profoundly ignorant, or an unbeliever who denies what he brought and deserves to be put to death. The Companions used to supplicate in his mosque just as they had during his lifetime. No new religious law had arisen for them beyond the law he had taught them while alive. He had not instructed them, whenever one of them had a need, to go to the grave of a prophet or righteous person and pray there and call upon him, or supplicate without praying, or ask for his needs to be fulfilled, or ask him to petition his Lord. The Companions—may Allah be pleased with them—had thus learned that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, had not commanded them to do any of these things. Nor had he instructed them to single out his grave or chamber for prayer or supplication, whether for him or for themselves. Rather, he had forbidden them to make his house a place of recurring celebration.

He did not tell them, as some ignorant shaykhs tell their followers:

“If you have a need, come to my grave.”

Rather, his prohibition went further: he forbade them to turn his grave or anyone else’s grave into a mosque in which they would pray to Allah, Mighty and Majestic, thereby blocking the means leading to associating partners with Allah. May Allah bestow blessings and abundant peace upon him and his family, and grant him the finest reward He has ever granted a prophet on behalf of his community. He conveyed the message, discharged the trust, sincerely counselled the community, strove for Allah as He deserves, and worshipped Allah until death came to him from his Lord. Allah’s favour in sending him was the greatest blessing He bestowed upon His servants.

He, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, directed them to the best acts of worship and the most excellent places, as related in the two Sahīh collections from Ibn Mas‘ūd, may Allah be pleased with him, who said:

“I said: