her companions in al-Baqīʿ, rather than there. She did this out of humility, not wishing to be accorded special distinction on account of him, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. Thus, only the Successors, such as Saʿīd ibn al-Musayyib and others like him, discussed whether what al-Walīd had done was permissible or disliked.

Saʿīd was then among the most eminent Successors. Ahmad ibn Hanbal was asked, “Which of the Successors was the most virtuous?”

He replied, “Saʿīd ibn al-Musayyib.”

He was then asked, “What about ʿAlqamah and al-Aswad?”

He replied, “Saʿīd ibn al-Musayyib.”

ʿAlqamah and al-Aswad had both died some time before that. It was from that time onward that the chamber became part of the mosque. Yet the mosque already possessed virtue before the chambers were incorporated into it. Its virtue lay in the Prophet’s having built it for himself and the believers, as a place of prayer for him and for the believers until the Day of Resurrection. Thus, it was distinguished by his having built it.

I say: Mālik said, “It has reached me that Gabriel was the one who established its qiblah for the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace.”

Its virtue also lay in his deliberately attending it for Friday and congregational prayers until his death. He never performed Friday prayer anywhere else, whether travelling or residing at home. As for congregational prayer, he would perform it wherever he happened to be when its time arrived.

We are commanded to follow him, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, by believing everything he conveyed and obeying him in everything he made obligatory and commanded. Faith in him is not complete without both. This includes following his example in those actions in which we are prescribed to emulate him. Whatever he did as obligatory, recommended, or permissible, we likewise do as obligatory, recommended, or permissible. This is the position of the vast majority of scholars