Since taking graves as places of worship and building mosques over them are forbidden, none of this existed in the time of the Companions and those who followed them in righteousness. No mosque built over a grave was ever known. Abraham—peace be upon him—lay in the cave in which he had been buried; it was sealed, and no one entered it. The Companions did not undertake journeys to his grave or to any other burial ground, for the two authentic hadith collections contain the report of Abū Hurayrah and Abū Sa‘īd—may Allah be pleased with them both—that the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—said:
“Journeys should not be undertaken except to three mosques: the Sacred Mosque, al-Aqsā Mosque, and this mosque of mine.”
Those Companions who travelled to al-Aqsā Mosque would pray there and then return, without visiting Abraham’s cave or any other such place. Abraham’s cave remained sealed until the Christians took control of Syria in the late fourth century AH. They opened its entrance and made the place a church. Then, when the Muslims conquered the land, some people made it a mosque, which the scholars condemn.
The account some of them relate concerning the Night Journey—that the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—was told, “This is Taybah. Dismount and pray,” whereupon he dismounted and prayed, and, “This is the place of your father. Dismount and pray”—is a fabricated lie. That night, the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—prayed nowhere except al-Aqsā Mosque, as established in the authentic hadith collection, and he dismounted nowhere else.
Thus, when Companions whose number only Allah knows came to Syria,