Narration No. 1
Abu Harb Hilali narrates that a Bedouin performed the pilgrimage and then came to the door of the Prophet’s Mosque. He tied his camel and entered the mosque until he reached the Prophet's (PBUH) grave. Standing by the side of the blessed feet, he said, "Peace be upon you, O Messenger of Allah!" Then he greeted Abu Bakr and Umar (may Allah be pleased with them). The Bedouin then approached the Prophet's grave and said, "O Messenger of Allah! My parents be sacrificed for you, I am a sinner, and I have come to seek your intercession with Allah, as Allah has said in His Book:‘If they had only, when they were unjust to themselves, come to you and asked Allah's forgiveness, and the Messenger had asked forgiveness for them, they would have found Allah accepting of repentance and Merciful.’"
(An-Nisa 4:64).
Shuba al-Iman by Al-Bayhaqi: 495/3, Hadith 4178.
Commentary:
This narration is extremely weak for the following reasons:
- The circumstances of the narrator Muhammad ibn Ruh ibn Yazid Misri are unknown.
- The identity of Abu Harb Hilali is unclear.
- There are no details or authentication for Amr ibn Muhammad ibn Amr ibn al-Husayn.
Narration No. 2
Abu al-Jawza’ Aws bin Abdullah narrated:Once, the people of Madinah suffered from a severe drought, and they complained to Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her). She advised, "Look towards the Prophet's grave and make a window towards the sky so that there is no barrier between it and the sky." They did so, and it rained so heavily that greenery sprouted, and the camels became fat due to the abundance of grass. That year was named "The Year of Expansion."
Musnad Al-Darimi: 58/1, Hadith 93.
Commentary:
The chain of this narration is weak. The hadiths narrated by Amr ibn Malik Nukkari from Abu al-Jawza are not preserved well. This narration falls into the same category. Hafiz Ibn Hajar stated that Imam Ibn Adi said, "Amr ibn Malik narrated about ten non-preserved hadiths from Abu al-Jawza." This statement indicates that the narration is not reliable. Furthermore, Sheikh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah mentioned that the report regarding opening the window towards the sky is not authentic and does not have a valid chain of narration. Additionally, he pointed out that during Aisha's lifetime, the house had no window.
Narration No. 3
Qadi Iyad ibn Musa narrated:Muhammad ibn Hamid narrated that in the Prophet's Mosque, Abu Ja'far (the Caliph) debated with Imam Malik. Imam Malik said, "O Commander of the Faithful! Do not raise your voice in this mosque, as Allah has taught the people the etiquette towards the Prophet (PBUH) by saying:
‘Do not raise your voices above the voice of the Prophet.’
Allah praised those who lower their voices in the presence of the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) and condemned those who call him from behind the chambers." The sanctity of the Prophet (PBUH) after his death is the same as it was during his life. Abu Ja'far asked, "Shall I face the Qibla and make dua, or shall I face the Messenger of Allah (PBUH)?" Imam Malik replied, "Why would you turn your face away from him when he is your means and the means of your father, Adam, on the Day of Resurrection? Face him and seek intercession through him."
Al-Shifa by Qadi Iyad: 41/2.
Commentary:
This narration involves unknown and obscure narrators such as Abu al-Hasan Ali ibn Fihr, Abu Bakr Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn al-Farj, and Abu al-Hasan Abdullah ibn al-Muntab. Their reliability has not been established. The claim by Al-Samhoodi and others that the chain is "good" is unfounded. Sheikh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah asserted that the narration is a fabrication and should not be relied upon, especially when no practice of seeking intercession through the dead is established among the early Muslims.
Narration No. 4
It is narrated that a Bedouin came to the Prophet's grave three days after the Prophet's burial, threw himself on the grave, and said, "O Messenger of Allah! You spoke, and we listened. You received from Allah, and we received from you. Allah revealed upon you:‘If they had only, when they were unjust to themselves, come to you...’"
He then asked the Prophet (PBUH) to seek forgiveness for him, and a voice came from the grave, saying, "You are forgiven."
Kanz al-Ummal: 4322.
Commentary:
This story is fabricated. Hafiz Ibn Abdul Hadi stated, "This narration is a fabricated and concocted story, unsuitable as a basis for any religious ruling. Its chain is full of darkness."
Narration No. 5
Muhammad ibn Harb Hilali narrated:I entered Madinah and visited the Prophet's (PBUH) grave. A Bedouin came, visited the grave, and said, "O best of messengers! Allah revealed a true book upon you, in which He said:
‘If they had only, when they were unjust to themselves...’"
The Bedouin then sought intercession through the Prophet (PBUH).
Wafa al-Wafa by Al-Samhudi: 1361/4.
Commentary:
This story is also fabricated. Hafiz Ibn Abdul Hadi criticized this narration as having a dark and weak chain, with varying versions, and is not permissible to rely upon.
Narration No. 6: The Utbi Story
Commentary:The story narrated by Utbi has been mentioned without an authentic chain by several scholars, including Hafiz Nawawi and Qurtubi. The chain provided in some sources like Ma'jam al-Shuyukh by Ibn Asakir is fabricated. The narrators like Ibn Fudayl al-Nahwi and Abdulkarim ibn Ali are not verified, and Muhammad ibn Muhammad ibn Nu'man is either unknown or unreliable. Sheikh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah emphasized that this narration could not establish a religious ruling, especially since the early Muslims did not practice such acts.
Conclusion:
The analysis shows that none of the narrations regarding seeking intercession from the Prophet’s (PBUH) grave hold a sound and reliable chain of narration. The scholarly consensus is that such practices were not endorsed by the early Muslims, including the Companions and the pious predecessors. The principle remains that Islamic rulings must be based on authentic evidence.