You are in a city next only to Makkah in sacredness. Give the city therefore, its due regard, respect its sacredness and observe of good manners while you are here. Know that Allah has threatened whoever causes innovations and sins in this city with the most severe punishment. The Messenger of Allah said, “Al-Madina is a sanctuary between the mountains of Ayr and Thawr. Whoever causes an innovation there or harbours an innovator, the curse of Allah as well as that of His Angels and all people will be on him and Allah will not accept from him any good deed.” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim). Whoever commits a sin, harbors a sinner or protects him has exposed himself to a disgraceful torment and Allah's wrath. Among the greatest acts of sins in Madina is to disrupt its peace by spreading innovations and superstitions and polluting it with Bid‘ah (innovation in the religion of Islam) and Shirk (associating partner with Allah in worship) speeches and publications and all that negates Islam. Visiting the Prophet's mosque is a supererogatory act. It has nothing to do with Haj and all the Hadith that are narrated about its links with Haj are false and unauthentic. Whoever travels to Madina to visit the Prophet's Mosque and prays there, his purpose is lawful and his effort will be appreciated by Allah. But whoever intends to visit the graves only and to seek the aid or intercession of the dead, his purpose is unlawful and his deed is blameworthy. The Messenger of Allah said, “No journey should be undertaken except to three mosques: the Sacred Mosque (at Makkah), this Mosque of mine and Al-Aqsa Mosque.” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim). Recommended It is recommended for the visitor to the Prophet's mosque to perform two Rak‘ahs or more in the Rawdah because of the established reward regarding that. The Messenger of Allah said, “That which lies between my house and my pulpit is one of the gardens of Paradise and the pulpit is above my cistern.” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim) Desire to pray in the Rawdah, does not however justify justling and pushing others, showing them or stepping over their necks. It is also recommended to visit the Quba Mosque and pray there following the example of the Prophet and in order to achieve the reward of ‘Umrah. The Messenger of Allah said, “Whoever comes out of his house to this mosque – the Quba Mosque – and prays there, he will have the reward of a ‘Umrah.” (Ahmad). It is also reported in Al-Bukhari and Muslim that the Messenger of Allah would visit the Quba mosque every Saturday riding or walking and would perform there two rak‘ahs. There is no special virtue in visiting any other mosque in Al-Madina besides these two mosques i.e. the Prophet's Mosque and Quba Mosque. One should not single out and visit any place for the purpose of supplication or any other acts of worship while Islam has not recommended that. One should also not seek after places and mosques where the Messenger of Allah or his companions have prayed in order to pray or supplicate there when the Prophet has not recommended or encouraged visiting that. Visiting graves is recommended for two reasons: 1. For the purpose of reflection, deriving lessons and as a reminder of the Hereafter. 2. In order to supplicate for its dwellers and to seek Allah's forgiveness for them. It is not allowed to seek blessings from graves by rubbing hands on them or kissing them or seeking healing from its soil or the like. Visitors to graveyards are also not allowed to bury anything of their hair, or handkerchief in the graveyard or to put their photographs there. They should also not throw things like seeds or food there. Whoever does any of these, should repent and never repeat that again. Invoking the dead in any form or for any purpose is a major act of associating partners with Allaah and that leads one out of the fold of Islaam and makes one an idol worshipper. Allah says: “Such is Allah your Lord; His is the Kingdom. And those whom you invoke or call upon instead of Him own not even a thin membrane over the date-stone. If you call them, they hear not your call; and if in case they were to hear, they could not grant your request to you. And on the Day of Resurrecting, they will disown your worshipping them. And none can inform you like Him Who is All-Knowing (of everything)” (Qur'an, 35:13-14) The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “The worst among people are those upon whom the Hour will come while they are still alive and those who take graves as mosques.” (Ahmad) He also said, “Do not sit on the graves nor pray towards them.” (Muslim) Abu Ya‘laa and Al-Maqdisee reported that ‘Ali Bin Al-Husayn saw a man frequenting the grave of the Messenger of Allah. He forbade him to do that and said, “Let me tell you of a saying of the Prophet which I heard from my father who heard it from my grandfather that goes thus, ‘Do not make my grave a place for celebration nor make your homes graves and ask blessings for me. Your greetings will reach me wherever you are.'” Asking those visiting Madina to convey greetings on one's behalf is an act of Bid'ah. One can do so from anywere. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “Send blessings to me for your greeting will reach me from wherever you are.” He also said, “There are some of Allah's angels who tour the earth and convey the greetings of my followers to me.” __
