Is it permissible to face the grave of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) from any direction in the mosque?
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The questioner : May Allah reward you with good, and he says this:The questioner : We see some people in this mosque standing, standing, standing facing?
The Shaykh : Pay attention.
The questioner : Facing the grave of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) from any place in the mosque, is this manner prescribed?
The Shaykh : But why does he stand facing the grave, meaning for supplication?
The questioner : He greets the Messenger.
The Shaykh : Yes, if he intends by that to greet the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), we say: approach the grave, for visiting the grave requires approaching it. And if you intend to make supplication, it falls into two categories. The first: that you direct the supplication to the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). What is this? It is major shirk (associating partners with Allah) that takes you out of the religion of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). Or, you supplicate to Allah while facing the grave. This is bid'ah (religious innovation) and a means to shirk. And, oh, glory to Allah! Is it conceivable that you turn away from the House of Allah (Mighty and Majestic) to the grave of the Messenger? Answer: Which is better, the House of Allah to which every Muslim must face in his prayer, or the grave of the Messenger? There is no doubt that the House of Allah is the best spot on the face of the earth; it is the House of Allah (Mighty and Majestic), the Ka'bah. How is it fitting for you, while you claim to worship Allah, to direct your supplication to the grave of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) without directing it to the House of Allah? This is foolishness, and this is the misguidance of Satan for the children of Adam and his seduction of them. Otherwise, merely by thinking about it, regardless of the scriptural evidence, one knows that this is misguidance and foolishness. So, we say: what do we tell the one who stands in this manner intending to greet the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him)? We say: move forward, stand at the grave. As for the one who stands in this manner supplicating to Allah (Mighty and Majestic) while facing the grave, we say: this is bid'ah (religious innovation) and a means to shirk, and it is an error and misguidance. Misguidance in religion and foolishness in intellect, because directing yourself to the House of Allah is more appropriate than directing yourself to the grave of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). Thirdly, if he directs himself in this manner to supplicate to the Messenger, he is a mushrik (one who associates partners with Allah) committing major shirk that takes him out of the religion of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). Yes, so the categories: how many categories are there, brothers? Please.
The student: Three.
The Shaykh : Three.
The student: The first is if he intends to supplicate to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), it is shirk.
The Shaykh : If he intends to supplicate to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), it is major shirk that takes him out of the religion. Yes.
The student: If he intends to supplicate to Allah (Mighty and Majestic), it is bid'ah because directing oneself to the House of Allah is more appropriate.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The student: And if he intends to greet the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family), we told him to approach the grave.
The Shaykh : You have done well, may Allah bless you. Yes.
The Shaykh : Pay attention.
The questioner : Facing the grave of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) from any place in the mosque, is this manner prescribed?
The Shaykh : But why does he stand facing the grave, meaning for supplication?
The questioner : He greets the Messenger.
The Shaykh : Yes, if he intends by that to greet the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), we say: approach the grave, for visiting the grave requires approaching it. And if you intend to make supplication, it falls into two categories. The first: that you direct the supplication to the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). What is this? It is major shirk (associating partners with Allah) that takes you out of the religion of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). Or, you supplicate to Allah while facing the grave. This is bid'ah (religious innovation) and a means to shirk. And, oh, glory to Allah! Is it conceivable that you turn away from the House of Allah (Mighty and Majestic) to the grave of the Messenger? Answer: Which is better, the House of Allah to which every Muslim must face in his prayer, or the grave of the Messenger? There is no doubt that the House of Allah is the best spot on the face of the earth; it is the House of Allah (Mighty and Majestic), the Ka'bah. How is it fitting for you, while you claim to worship Allah, to direct your supplication to the grave of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) without directing it to the House of Allah? This is foolishness, and this is the misguidance of Satan for the children of Adam and his seduction of them. Otherwise, merely by thinking about it, regardless of the scriptural evidence, one knows that this is misguidance and foolishness. So, we say: what do we tell the one who stands in this manner intending to greet the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him)? We say: move forward, stand at the grave. As for the one who stands in this manner supplicating to Allah (Mighty and Majestic) while facing the grave, we say: this is bid'ah (religious innovation) and a means to shirk, and it is an error and misguidance. Misguidance in religion and foolishness in intellect, because directing yourself to the House of Allah is more appropriate than directing yourself to the grave of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). Thirdly, if he directs himself in this manner to supplicate to the Messenger, he is a mushrik (one who associates partners with Allah) committing major shirk that takes him out of the religion of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). Yes, so the categories: how many categories are there, brothers? Please.
The student: Three.
The Shaykh : Three.
The student: The first is if he intends to supplicate to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), it is shirk.
The Shaykh : If he intends to supplicate to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), it is major shirk that takes him out of the religion. Yes.
The student: If he intends to supplicate to Allah (Mighty and Majestic), it is bid'ah because directing oneself to the House of Allah is more appropriate.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The student: And if he intends to greet the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family), we told him to approach the grave.
The Shaykh : You have done well, may Allah bless you. Yes.