person who greets me but that Allah returns my soul to me so that I may answer his greeting.”
There is no harm in adding to the greeting the words: “Peace be upon you, O Prophet of Allah; peace be upon you, O best of Allah’s creation; peace be upon you, O master of the messengers and leader of the God-fearing. I bear witness that you conveyed the message, fulfilled the trust, gave sincere counsel to the community, and strove for Allah’s sake as true striving. May Allah reward you, on behalf of your nation, with the finest reward.”
After that, he invokes blessings upon the Prophet ﷺ, saying: “O Allah, send blessings upon Muhammad and upon the family of Muhammad as You sent blessings upon Abraham and upon the family of Abraham. You are indeed Praiseworthy, Glorious. And bless Muhammad and the family of Muhammad as You blessed Abraham and the family of Abraham. You are indeed Praiseworthy, Glorious.”
The visitor then moves a little to his right and offers salutations to Abū Bakr al-Ṣiddīq, may Allah be pleased with him. He moves again to his right and greets ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb, may Allah be pleased with him. He then turns toward the qiblah and supplicates to Allah with whatever he wishes, though it is preferable to use the transmitted lawful supplications, beginning with prayers for the victory of Allah’s religion and the exaltation of His word. He should pray for himself, his parents, his teachers, his relatives, and the Muslims at large, and ask Allah to grant him the intercession of Muhammad ﷺ—for himself, his parents, his offspring, his relatives, and every Muslim who has a right over him.
When he intends to leave Madinah, he repeats the same actions and words already described. It is recommended for men to visit al-Baqīʿ cemetery, praying there for the dead with the established supplication. It is also recommended to visit the Qubāʾ Mosque, for the Prophet ﷺ used to visit it, and to go to Uḥud to view the battlefield, pray for the martyrs, and ask Allah’s pleasure for them, among whom is Ḥamzah ibn ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib, may Allah be pleased with him.
Practices the visitor must avoid
Since the visitor has come to Madinah for a religious purpose—namely, worship—he must adhere to what Allah and His Messenger have legislated by avoiding what they have forbidden. Among these prohibitions are:
-
Refraining from voicing requests that are directed to the Messenger ﷺ—requests that only Allah can fulfill—such as relieving anxieties, curing illnesses, or increasing provision. Intercession is sought by supplicating Allah to allow His chosen Prophet ﷺ to intercede. Asking anyone other than Allah for what only He can do is polytheism and misguidance.
-
When making supplication, one should face the qiblah, not the noble grave, for that is more conducive to having the prayer answered.