Muslim

Hadith Commentary: Benefits and Issues: (1)
The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said regarding Abyssinia:
When a righteous man among them died, (بَنَوْ عَلٰى قَبْرِهِ مَسْجِداً)
"they would build a mosque over his grave," and (صَوَّرُوْا فِيهِ تِلْكَ الصُّورَة)
"they would make images of those people in it."
And it is evident that by making images of these righteous people, their intention was that people, upon seeing these images, would become familiar with those righteous individuals and remember their good and admirable states, so that they too would perform good deeds with eagerness, desire, and effort. But in the end, those very images began to be worshipped and venerated—meaning, the very act that was done with a good and righteous intention became a cause of misguidance and polytheism (shirk). And these people, according to the statement of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, (شَرَارُ الْخَلْق)
became the worst and most evil of all creation. Aisha radi Allahu anha narrated that the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said during his final illness:
"May Allah curse the Jews and Christians; they took the graves of their prophets as places of worship (masjid)." That is, just as a person prays in a mosque, engages in remembrance and supplication, keeps it clean and fragrant, and arranges for its illumination, all these acts they began to perform at the graves of their prophets alayhim assalam. The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam also felt this fear and apprehension regarding himself, so he explicitly forbade this act and deed.
He said:
(إِنِّي أَنْهَاكُمْ عَنْ ذٰلِكَ)
"I forbid you from this act." And according to Aisha radi Allahu anha, due to this very fear, the grave of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam was not made in an open place. Since this act had already become a gateway to polytheism (shirk) in previous nations, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam closed this door forever. Now, despite the explicit prohibition of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, to derive permissibility from the statements of some scholars for building a mosque in the vicinity of the grave of a righteous and pious person is to open the door to shirk,
which the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam has commanded to be closed. When it is established that prostrating to graves as an act of worship is shirk, and prostrating out of veneration is forbidden, and circumambulating (tawaf) the grave is forbidden, and bowing before it is forbidden, then why not prohibit the very act that leads to and paves the way for these things? And these acts can be openly and secretly observed at the graves of righteous people. During the era of the Companions and Followers, when it became necessary to expand the Prophet's Mosque (Masjid Nabawi), the chamber of Aisha radi Allahu anha (in which are the graves of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, Abu Bakr, and Umar radi Allahu anhuma)
was incorporated into the mosque in such a manner that people could not access them, nor could they see them, nor could they pray near them or facing them. And this situation remains to this day. If praying near the graves of righteous people was a source of goodness and blessing, then why did the Companions radi Allahu anhum ajma'in and the Followers conceal the chamber of Aisha radi Allahu anha and hide its graves?
The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, five days before his passing, said that the people before you used to take the graves of their prophets and righteous people as places of prostration.
(فَلَا تَتَّخِذُوا الْقُبُورَ مَسَاجِدَ)
"Beware! Do not make graves into places of prostration as those people did." Despite the explicit command of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, why is there insistence on opening this path for people? And what is the purpose of saying that there is no mosque greater in the world than the Ka'bah? And that in its vicinity are the graves of Isma'il alayhis salam and Hajar alayha salam?
(Sharh Sahih Muslim: 2/8)
Is there any sign of these graves remaining, or are people even aware of them?
(2)
It is necessary to believe in all the prophets; therefore, although Jesus alayhis salam was sent directly to the Christians, they also acknowledged the previous prophets alayhim assalam. That is why the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam used the word "prophets" for both the Jews and the Christians, or he referred to both collectively.
(3)
If "Khalil" is taken from (خُلَّة) (with a dammah on the kha),
it means such deep and true friendship that penetrates the heart, and this can only be with one person; there remains no room for another. And if it is taken from (خَلَّة) (with a fatha on the kha),
it means poverty and neediness—that is, I do not place trust or reliance on anyone except Allah, and I am not in need of anyone except Allah. If I could have such friendship and love with any of the creation that would take over my heart, or if I could trust and rely on anyone and be in need of them, then Abu Bakr radi Allahu anhu would have been the most deserving and worthy of it.