And al-Qādī ʿIyād did not mention this account in the chapter of his book on visiting the Prophet’s grave. Rather, he mentioned there what is well known from Mālik and his followers. He cited the account only in the context of explaining that respecting, honouring and venerating the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, remains obligatory after his death, just as during his lifetime. The same applies when he, his hadith or his sunnah is mentioned, and when his name is heard.

It is reported that Mālik was asked about Ayyūb al-Sakhtiyānī and said:

“There is no one from whom I have narrated to you whom Ayyūb did not surpass in excellence.”

He also said:

“He performed Hajj twice, and I would watch him without hearing anything from him. But whenever the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was mentioned, he would weep until I felt compassion for him. When I witnessed this and saw his reverence for the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, I began recording hadith from him.”

Musʿab ibn ʿAbd Allāh said:

“Whenever the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was mentioned, Mālik’s colour would change and he would bend forward, so much that those sitting with him found it distressing.”

One day he was asked about this, and he replied:

“If you had seen what I have seen, you would not disapprove of what you see in me. I used to see Muhammad ibn al-Munkadir—who was the foremost of the reciters—and we could scarcely ever ask him about a hadith without his weeping until we felt compassion for him. I also used to see Jaʿfar ibn Muhammad, who often joked and smiled. Yet whenever the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was mentioned in his presence, his face would turn pale. I never saw him narrate from the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, except in a state of ritual purity.

“I visited him regularly for a time, and whenever I saw him, he was doing one of three things: praying, remaining silent or reciting the Quran. He would not speak about matters that did not concern him, and he was among the scholars and devout worshippers who fear Allah.