❖ Visiting the Grave of the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ — Supplication and Belief in Light of the Qurʾān
Source: Aḥkām wa Masāʾil, Bayān ʿAqāʾid, Vol. 1, p. 47
The Qurʾān states:
“And if, when they wronged themselves, they had come to you and asked forgiveness of Allāh, and the Messenger had asked forgiveness for them, they would have found Allāh accepting of repentance and Merciful.”
From this verse, some conclude that even though Allāh is All-Powerful, He has commanded that for repentance to be accepted, one must present themselves before the Prophet ﷺ.
The questions are:
① Was this ruling specific to the Prophet’s ﷺ lifetime, or is it general for all Muslims until the Day of Judgment? If general, is it permissible for someone to come to the blessed grave and address the Prophet ﷺ seeking forgiveness, believing that the Prophet ﷺ is making duʿāʾ for them? Would this belief be shirk or acting upon the Qurʾānic command?
② If a person cannot come due to necessity, how should they seek forgiveness?
③ Is the Prophet ﷺ alive in his grave as in worldly life, offering ṣalāh and consuming provision?
④ Is visiting the blessed grave of the Prophet ﷺ solely for the sake of visitation (without another intention) shirk or a source of blessing? What virtue does such a visitor attain?
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu wa-s-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh. Ammā baʿd:
The Companions (رضي الله عنهم) would, during the lifetime of the Prophet ﷺ, request him to make duʿāʾ for themselves and for others.
However, there is no evidence to my knowledge that any Companion asked the Prophet ﷺ for duʿāʾ after his passing.
For detailed explanation of this verse, see Mawlānā Muḥammad Bashīr Sahsawānī’s book Ṣiyānat al-Insān.
The Qurʾān clearly states:
﴿إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَغۡفِرُ ٱلذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعًاۚ﴾ (az-Zumar: 53)
“Indeed, Allāh forgives all sins.”
﴿وَمَن يَغۡفِرُ ٱلذُّنُوبَ إِلَّا ٱللَّهُ﴾ (Āl ʿImrān: 135)
“And who forgives sins except Allāh?”
﴿وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِي يَقۡبَلُ ٱلتَّوۡبَةَ عَنۡ عِبَادِهِۦ وَيَعۡفُواْ عَنِ ٱلسَّئَِّاتِ وَيَعۡلَمُ مَا تَفۡعَلُونَ﴾ (ash-Shūrā: 25)
“And He is the One who accepts repentance from His servants and pardons misdeeds, and He knows what you do.”
Thus, a believer should ask forgiveness directly from Allāh and repent to Him:
﴿فَسَبِّحۡ بِحَمۡدِ رَبِّكَ وَٱسۡتَغۡفِرۡهُۚ إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ تَوَّابَۢا﴾ (an-Naṣr: 3)
“So glorify the praises of your Lord and seek His forgiveness. Indeed, He is ever Accepting of repentance.”
Allāh says:
﴿إِنَّكَ مَيِّتٞ وَإِنَّهُم مَّيِّتُونَ﴾ (az-Zumar: 30)
“Indeed, you will die, and indeed, they will die.”
Therefore, the life of the Prophet ﷺ in the grave is not like worldly life.
Texts such as the incident of Mūsā (عليه السلام) offering ṣalāh in his grave, or the verse:
﴿بَلۡ أَحۡيَآءٌ عِندَ رَبِّهِمۡ يُرۡزَقُونَ﴾ (Āl ʿImrān: 169)
“Rather, they are alive with their Lord, receiving provision,”
— refer to the Barzakh life, not worldly existence.
Residents of Madīnah may visit the blessed grave of the Prophet ﷺ and Jannat al-Baqīʿ, as the Prophet ﷺ himself encouraged visiting graves because it reminds one of the Hereafter.
However, the Prophet ﷺ forbade setting out on a journey specifically for visiting any place except for three mosques:
① al-Masjid al-Ḥarām (Makkah)
② al-Masjid an-Nabawī (Madinah)
③ al-Masjid al-Aqṣā (Bayt al-Maqdis)
Thus, traveling to Madīnah to pray in al-Masjid an-Nabawī — and in that visit also visiting the blessed grave — is a source of blessing, not shirk.
Conclusion:
Source: Aḥkām wa Masāʾil, Bayān ʿAqāʾid, Vol. 1, p. 47
Summary of the Question:
The Qurʾān states:
“And if, when they wronged themselves, they had come to you and asked forgiveness of Allāh, and the Messenger had asked forgiveness for them, they would have found Allāh accepting of repentance and Merciful.”
From this verse, some conclude that even though Allāh is All-Powerful, He has commanded that for repentance to be accepted, one must present themselves before the Prophet ﷺ.
The questions are:
① Was this ruling specific to the Prophet’s ﷺ lifetime, or is it general for all Muslims until the Day of Judgment? If general, is it permissible for someone to come to the blessed grave and address the Prophet ﷺ seeking forgiveness, believing that the Prophet ﷺ is making duʿāʾ for them? Would this belief be shirk or acting upon the Qurʾānic command?
② If a person cannot come due to necessity, how should they seek forgiveness?
③ Is the Prophet ﷺ alive in his grave as in worldly life, offering ṣalāh and consuming provision?
④ Is visiting the blessed grave of the Prophet ﷺ solely for the sake of visitation (without another intention) shirk or a source of blessing? What virtue does such a visitor attain?
Answer:
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu wa-s-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh. Ammā baʿd:
(1) Qurʾānic Verse and the Meaning of Seeking Forgiveness
The Companions (رضي الله عنهم) would, during the lifetime of the Prophet ﷺ, request him to make duʿāʾ for themselves and for others.
However, there is no evidence to my knowledge that any Companion asked the Prophet ﷺ for duʿāʾ after his passing.
For detailed explanation of this verse, see Mawlānā Muḥammad Bashīr Sahsawānī’s book Ṣiyānat al-Insān.
The Qurʾān clearly states:
﴿إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَغۡفِرُ ٱلذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعًاۚ﴾ (az-Zumar: 53)
“Indeed, Allāh forgives all sins.”
﴿وَمَن يَغۡفِرُ ٱلذُّنُوبَ إِلَّا ٱللَّهُ﴾ (Āl ʿImrān: 135)
“And who forgives sins except Allāh?”
﴿وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِي يَقۡبَلُ ٱلتَّوۡبَةَ عَنۡ عِبَادِهِۦ وَيَعۡفُواْ عَنِ ٱلسَّئَِّاتِ وَيَعۡلَمُ مَا تَفۡعَلُونَ﴾ (ash-Shūrā: 25)
“And He is the One who accepts repentance from His servants and pardons misdeeds, and He knows what you do.”
Thus, a believer should ask forgiveness directly from Allāh and repent to Him:
﴿فَسَبِّحۡ بِحَمۡدِ رَبِّكَ وَٱسۡتَغۡفِرۡهُۚ إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ تَوَّابَۢا﴾ (an-Naṣr: 3)
“So glorify the praises of your Lord and seek His forgiveness. Indeed, He is ever Accepting of repentance.”
(2) Life in the Grave — Worldly or Barzakh?
Allāh says:
﴿إِنَّكَ مَيِّتٞ وَإِنَّهُم مَّيِّتُونَ﴾ (az-Zumar: 30)
“Indeed, you will die, and indeed, they will die.”
Therefore, the life of the Prophet ﷺ in the grave is not like worldly life.
Texts such as the incident of Mūsā (عليه السلام) offering ṣalāh in his grave, or the verse:
﴿بَلۡ أَحۡيَآءٌ عِندَ رَبِّهِمۡ يُرۡزَقُونَ﴾ (Āl ʿImrān: 169)
“Rather, they are alive with their Lord, receiving provision,”
— refer to the Barzakh life, not worldly existence.
(3) Visiting the Blessed Grave — Shirk or Blessing?
Residents of Madīnah may visit the blessed grave of the Prophet ﷺ and Jannat al-Baqīʿ, as the Prophet ﷺ himself encouraged visiting graves because it reminds one of the Hereafter.
However, the Prophet ﷺ forbade setting out on a journey specifically for visiting any place except for three mosques:
① al-Masjid al-Ḥarām (Makkah)
② al-Masjid an-Nabawī (Madinah)
③ al-Masjid al-Aqṣā (Bayt al-Maqdis)
Thus, traveling to Madīnah to pray in al-Masjid an-Nabawī — and in that visit also visiting the blessed grave — is a source of blessing, not shirk.
Conclusion:
- Seeking forgiveness should be done directly from Allāh.
- The Prophet ﷺ’s life in the grave is Barzakh life, not worldly life.
- Visiting the blessed grave as part of visiting the Prophet’s ﷺ mosque is permissible and brings blessing, not shirk.
