about him. He used to lead his clan, the Banū Sālim, in prayer, and between him—that is, between his house and theirs—ran a valley, a small ravine through which the floodwater coursed. Whenever the water rose, crossing became difficult for him.

On top of that, his eyesight had grown weak, so the hardship was doubled: the strain of walking and the strain of seeing. He therefore went to the Prophet ﷺ, explained the situation, and asked him to come to his house and pray in a particular spot so that ʿItbān could designate it as a muṣallā (prayer-place), even though it would not be a mosque in the formal sense.

The Prophet ﷺ replied, “I shall do so,” and he set out with Abū Bakr—may Allah be pleased with him—once the day was bright. Abū Bakr was his constant companion, whether at home or on journey; he hardly ever left his side, and the Messenger ﷺ would often say, “I came accompanied by Abū Bakr and ʿUmar; I departed accompanied by Abū Bakr and ʿUmar; I returned accompanied by Abū Bakr and ʿUmar.”

Thus these two were his companions and his ministers—may Allah be pleased with them both: his companions in this world, his companions in the barzakh (the intermediate realm), and his close associates on the Day of Resurrection. The three of them will rise before Allah, Lord of all worlds, from the very same place: the house in which the Messenger—peace and blessings be upon him—was buried, a house that now lies at the heart of the Prophet’s Mosque.

Consider the wisdom in this: Allah chose that the dwelling in which the Messenger was buried be encompassed within the mosque, so that these three would rise on the Day of Resurrection from the center of the Prophet’s Mosque.

Accordingly, do not dislike anything Allah has chosen. Allah may choose something that carries immense benefit, even if you do not perceive it. People objected that the Prophet’s burial chamber had ended up in the middle of the mosque, saying, “This provides a pretext for the grave-worshippers who build mosques over graves.”