below them in standing who took these accounts from the People of the Book. Had there been any basis for this, it would have been known to the leading Companions who came to Syria, such as Bilāl ibn Rabāh, Muʿādh ibn Jabal, and ʿUbādah ibn al-Sāmit—indeed, such as Abū ʿUbaydah ibn al-Jarrāh, the trustworthy one of this community, and others like them. The eminent Companions who entered Syria were, in fact, superior to those who entered the other regions, apart from the Hijaz. Yet none of them is reported to have sought out any sites associated with the prophets, whether their graves or the places where they had stayed. They neither made them places of worship nor deliberately sought to pray there or offer supplications at them.

Indeed, it is established that ʿUmar ibn al-Khattāb—may Allah be pleased with him—was once travelling when he saw people repeatedly visiting a place to pray there. He asked, “What is this?”

They replied, “This is a place where the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—prayed.”

He said, “And what if it is a place where the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—prayed? Do you wish to turn the sites associated with your prophets into places of worship? This is precisely what destroyed those before you. Whoever happens to be there when prayer becomes due should pray; otherwise, he should continue on his way.”

When he entered Jerusalem and wished to build a place of prayer for the Muslims, he asked Kaʿb, “Where should I build it?”

He replied, “Build it behind the Rock.”

ʿUmar said, “Judaism has influenced you, son of a Jewish woman! Rather, I shall build it in front of it.” For this reason, whenever ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿUmar entered the sanctuary in Jerusalem, he prayed in its front part and did not go to the Rock.

They also rejected as false Kaʿb’s report that Allah had said to it, “You are My lower Throne.” They would say, “He whose Footstool encompasses the heavens and the earth—how could