Likewise, if a blind man who sought nearness through him, but for whom the Messenger did not supplicate, were in the same position as that blind man, the blind Companions, or some of them, would have done as he did. Their turning from one practice to the other is evidence that what is prescribed is the course they followed, not the one they abandoned. They were, after all, the earliest and foremost believers—the Emigrants, the Helpers, and those who followed them in righteousness—and they knew better than we do about Allah and His Messenger, the rights of Allah and His Messenger, which forms of supplication are prescribed and beneficial, which are neither prescribed nor beneficial, and which are more beneficial than others. Moreover, they were suffering distress, famine, and drought, seeking relief from hardships, ease in difficulties, and rainfall by every possible means.

For this reason, in their discussions of prayers for rain, the jurists mentioned what they did, not what they refrained from doing. Seeking nearness through him during his lifetime meant requesting his supplication and intercession. It was a form of asking him to supplicate for them, and this is prescribed. Throughout his lifetime, Muslims would ask the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, to supplicate for them.

After his death, however, the Companions did not ask him to supplicate, whether at his grave or elsewhere, as many people do at the graves of the righteous: one asks the deceased to fulfil his need, or adjures Allah by him, and so forth—even though accounts to this effect have been related from some later figures.

Rather, it is prescribed for any believer to ask another believer to supplicate for him. Indeed, when ‘Umar asked his permission to perform ‘umrah, the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said to him:

“Do not forget us in your supplications, my brother.”

—if authentic