THE HOLY PROPHET HAZRAT MUHAMMAD MUSTAFA (Sallalaho Alaihe Wa Sallam) has said that one who desires that he should die in Madina must always endeavor that his last breath comes in Madina, I shall supplicate for him (on the Day of Judgement). He has also said that any one who gives trouble to the people of Madina, Almighty Allah will put him in trouble, and Allah the Almighty, angels and all the people will curse him, and all his prayers and deeds will go in waste. The Holy Prophet (Allah’s grace and peace be upon him) has also said that the man who deceives the people of Madina, he will be reduced and dissolved (by way of emaciation) as salt is dissolved in water. His personality shall lose all integrity, worth etc. He has also said that the angels keep vigilance on all the pathways to Madina and the Dajjal and the plague (the must accursed disease) shall ever enter the Holy city of Madina. The Holy Prophet (Allah’s grace and peace be upon him) has prayed to Allah the Almighty that the blessing and prosperity of Madina may increase more than two fold to those of Makkah.

Respectful Presence and Homage in the Most Sacred

Darbar of the Holy Prophet
(Allah’s Peace and Grace be upon him.)

The Blessings of the visit and the loss of beneficence for negligent by pass of Madina. It is said in the Holy Quran,

(TRANSLATION:- When people wrong themselves and (O Prophet) they come to you to seek forgiveness from Allah and you also pray for their forgiveness, they will Allah as the Acceptor of repentance and the Most Merciful.)

The Holy Prophet (Allah’s peace and grace be upon him) has also said,”Any one who visit (for homage and salutation) My Grace, his supplication become, wajib (essential) on me”. He has also said that any one who performs Haj and pays homage to my grave (i.e. after my death), it is as if he paid visit to me in my life-time. He has also said that the man who performs Haj and does not pay homage (Ziarat) to me, he oppressed me.

PROBLEM:- The visit and the homage to sacred grave of the Holy Prophet (Allah’s grace and peace be upon him) has the blessings of a wajib.

PROBLEM:- Some people of perverted mentality try to disarrayed simple hearted persons from paying visit to sacred Mazar of the Holy Prophet (Allah’s grace and peace be upon him) by false frights on the way to Madina. Such threats and warnings should be discarded and spurned in the due measure. The fact is that there is no place under the sky which is more blessed and spiritually prosperous than the Madina Sharif.

ETIQUETTES OF ZIARAT.

(1) After entering the limits of Madina Sharif he must make an exclusive and most devoted Niyat of getting into the presence of Holy Shrine. The Niyat must be most submissive and attentive to only one object and that is to present oneself as a down cast slave before his most revered and honored master discarding every thing else from the mind and the heart.

(2) If it is the Farz Haj for which he has proceeded to the Holy Land, then he should first perform the Haj and thereafter go Madina Tayyeba. If however, Madina Tayyeba comes on his way to Makkah then it would be an act of distinct misfortune and exhibition of extreme hard heatedness to by pass Madina. On the other hand, he must avail of this opportunity of offering Durood-o-Salaam in the presence of the Holy Prophet (Allah’s peace and grace be upon him) and make this visit as a source of success and acceptance of Haj. If it is a Haj-e-Nafil than it permissible that he should perform the Haj and having thus achieved the blessings of the Haj, he may visit Madina Tayyeba. The other way is also is not without blessing if he first pays homage and respectful Ziarat to the Holy Prophet (Allah’s grace and peace be upon him) and then perform the Haj with greater serenity and purity of heart and mind as a reward of paying humbled attendant at Madina Munawwara before proceeding to Haj. He may do as the thinks best according his Niyat as it is the which determines the quality and sincerity of any deed. It is also said that one gets whatever is his Niyat.

(3) Throughout the way he must be more and more engrossed in reciting Durood-o-Salaam increasing the speed and repetitive offering of the Durood and verses of eulogy in the praise and excellence of the Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad Mustafa (Sallallaho Aliahe Wa Sallam).

(4) As the Haram-e-Madina comes nearer humility and selflessness demands that puts off the foot wear and walks bare footed to the Holy Shrine. When the Holy Qabba comes in sight the volume and intensity of Durood-o-Salaam must be at it highest and sincerest.

(5) While entering the skirt of the Most sacred city on earth Madina Munawwarah one should be inextricably engrossed in the contemplation and reflection of the Most August Personality of the Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad Mustafa `Sallallaho Alaihe wa Sallam. Entering the city gate, put the right foot first and recite these verses,

(TRANSLATION:- I begin in the name of Allah, whatever Almighty desired, there is no Power ety) with the entrance of Truth and make me exit with the Exit of Truth. O Allah! open for me upon him and peace) what You granted Your Friends and deliver me from the Fire (of He’ll), Forgive me and have Mercy on me O the One to Whom begins for Well being are addressed.

(6) Before entering the Holy Masjid (Nabvi), one must make himself relieved of all small necessities which are likely to detract the attention and devotion a later stage of engrossment. Wazu and miswak (still better is to have a bath) must be gone through, put on clean (preferable white dress (new one is all the more suitable for the occasion with added application of perfume corryleum.

(7) After thus having prompted oneself (with nothing external reminding itself as wanting), he must the enter the Musjid-e-Nabvi with utmost humility and devotion attention to the One who is the Mercy of the world and the Benefactor of all mankind the Most Beloved Friend of Allah Hazrat Muhammad Mustafa (Sallallaho Alaihe wa Sallam). With eyes down cast and heart filled with reflection on one’s deeds, it is most likely that tears with roll by and if one’s hard heartedness checks the flow of tears, sorrowful endeavors must be inwardly to melt the stony heart, as the tears remorse true obeisance and utmost humility and utter selflessness move the Throne of Almighty Allah and with the affection and endearment of the greatest sympathizer and benefactor of the down trodden humanity under the canopy of the sky.

(8) He must visit all the doors with Durood o Salam on the lips and in the heart while entering every door, with Bismallah as if seeking permission to enter with the eight foot as the first step.

(9) At that most auspicious moment every Musalman knows (should know) what deep reverence and respect is needed with the heart, eyes, ears, tongue, hand and foot all working in perfect unison and free from all external instructions. One should not divert his attention towards the arts and designs on the structural plane of observation.

(10) If some comes in front with whom there is other ward intimacy of conversation, but here the occasion if quite different. Except for formal salutation precious time should not he lost in talks etc.

(11) Never never should a word in harsh or loud voice be uttered within the limits of the Masjid-e-Nabvi.

(12) It must be borne in mind with the deepest of Faith and Belief that the Huzur Nabi Karim Sallallaho Alaihe wa Sallam is still alive with the same true, real, wordly and physical qualities which he possessed when he loved in this universe. His death in this world, as indeed the deaths of all apostles of Allah was nothing but momentary disappearance from the sight of the world, and that too to testify the Divine Truth that every living being has to taste of death and when that appointed moment arrives and passes they resume their life in the different sphere and in the different world which invisible from our human faculties, but they retain all their qualities, in a grander and more prefined refined form. Imam Muhammad Ibne Haaj say in his book” Mudkhal”, Imam Ahmad Qistalami in his “Mawa’hib Ladunniyah” and other in their books are of the same view viz,

(TRANSLATION:- There is no difference in the death and life of Hazrat Sallallaho Aliahe wa Sallam, in respect of his observation of his Ummah, he is aware with their condition their intentions, their determinations and their hearts (contents). All these are so manifest before that no covering can hide them.)

Speaking about the visitors paying homage (with durood-o-salam) Imam Mohaqqiq Ibnul Munsik in his “Mutawassit” and Ali Qari Maki in his interpretation thereof have said,

(TRANSLATION:- Surely the Holy Prophet (Allah’s grace and peace be upon him) is fully aware of your presence, your standing and your salam, rather he is aware of all your activities and conditions, and moving from one place to another and staying (at a certain place).

(13) After entering the Holy Masjid-e-Nabvi if it is the time of congregation of the Farz Salat is taking or has already taken place, they join the Jama’at, this will be, in itself inclusive of the Nafil Salat of Tahiyat-ul-Masjid. If the time permit and it is not makrooh time for offering Nafil prayers then two rakats of Thanks giving for the blessing of being admitted in the presence of the august and most honored personality of the Holy Prophet (Allah’s peace and grace be upon him) may be offered. The place for offering Thanksgiving (Shukrana) prayers should be as close the Mehrab of the Holy Masjid as possible.

(14) Now after this, one should proceed with respectful steps and eyes lowered in reverence and utmost humility to the eternal resting place (Mazar-e-Mubarak) of Holy Prophet (Allah’s peace and grace be upon him) from the eastern side so that you may reflecting visible that his Merciful Benevolent glance is towards you. This is the most opportune and blessed moment of your life which words and gestures in our deficient sensibility can not comprehend.

(15) If you are fortunate to have the Divine Blessing, in those auspicious moments you may place yourself at a distance of about a yard with the back to Qibla and face to the Mazar-e-Mubarak and hand locked as in namaz (Salat). Spent some moments in this position, inwardly repeating and rehearsing the Durood-o-Salam, with the lips and tongue motionless and soundless.

(16) In these auspicious moments when emotions and sentiments are almost our flowing are should not be tempted, though reverentrally, to kiss or touch the golden *** of the Mazar Aqdas. If should be kept in mind at every moment of one’s being fortunate enough to have been blessed with the Divine Favour of presenting himself at such most honored and dignified places in the Holy Lands of Makkah and Madina in a broad perspective and most especially at the most sacred and auspicious place in the proximity of the Holy Shrine at Madina Munawwarah.

(17) Keeping the eyes humbly lowered in front of the Holy and Mazar-e-Aqdas one should offer Durood-o-Salam in a modest tone by reciting,

(TRANSLATION:- Peace be on you, O Holy Prophet! and the Mercy and Blessing of Allah. Peace be on You O The Messenger of Allah. Peace be on You O the Best of The Creatures of Allah. Peace be on You O The *** of the sinners, Peace be on You and on Your Kin and on Your companions and the Ummah all together.)

(18) As long as tongue, heart, mind can endure continue reciting Durood-o-Salam, praying for forgiveness and prosperity of all concerned in the world and the Hereafter, with particular beggings for the **** by the Holy Prophet (Allah’s peace and grace be on him) beseeching,

(19) Then convey the salam on behalf of the persons who have specially requested you, this is an obligatory permitted and commanded by the Shariat.

(20) Then moving a little backward on your right hand or the west side keeping your face at the visage of Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddique (may Allah be pleased with him) offer the salutations in these words,

(TRANSLATION:- Peace be on You O the vice regent of the Apostle of Allah; Peace be on You O the Minister of the Apostle of Allah; Peace be on You O the companion of the Apostle of Allah in the Cave and the Mercy and the Blessings of Allah).

(21) Then moving back in the same way, and keeping your face towards the Caliph Hazrat Umar (may Allah be please with him) offer your salutations thus,

(TRANSLATION:- Peace be on You, O the Commander of the faithful; Peace be on you O, is The Accomplishes of the Number of *Forty. Peace be on you the Honor of Islam and all the Muslims and the Mercy and Blessing of Allah.)

(22) Then return a little to the west in between the Holy Graves of Hazrat Abu Bak’r and Hazrat Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) and offer the salutation;

(TRANSLATION:- Peace be on you both the vice regents of the Apostle of Allah, Peace be on you both O the Ministers of the Apostle of Allah; Peace be on you both O who are having (eternal) rest at the sides of the Apostle of Allah and the Mercy and Blessing of Allah. I beseech you to **** for us before the Apostle of Allah, Allah’s peace and grace on him and you and the Blessing and Peace).

(23) All these places of salutations are the venues for the acceptance of prayers (dua) in the presence of Almighty Allah and it should be the endeavour of every fortunate pilgrims to these places to offer commulative and all embracing prayers for the well being and prosperity of all concerned. The best offering’s are the presentation of Durood-o-Salam. In addition he may recite,

(TRANSLATION:- O Allah! I make you witness and Your Apostle and Abu Bakr and Umar and Your Angels who descend on this Shrine and who stay here. I make them all witness and give evidence that there is no god but You, You are Alone and there no companion to You and Muhammad Sallallaho Alaihe Wa Sallam Your Abd and Your Apostle. O Allah! I confess sins and acts of evil, Forgive me and have Favour on me as You did to Your Friends. Indeed You are does of Beneficence and the merciful Forgiven of sins. O our Lord! Grant us well being in the world and (comforts) in the Hereafter and save us from the Fire (of the He’ll).

(24) Then he offer prayers near the Holy Pulpit.

(25) Her Thereafter he should offer two rakat’s of Nafil in the “Plant bed of the** Paradise” (Jannat Ki Kiyari).

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*: Hazrat Umar was the fortieth person to accept Islam.

**:The space between the Holy Pulpit (Mimbar Sharif) and Holy Apartment of the Holy Prophet (Allah’s peace and grace be on him) or Hujrah Sharif was declared as “Jannat Ki Kiyari” by him.

(26) Even otherwise he should offer prayer at every pillar of the Holy Masjid (Masid-e-Nabvi). All these places have their own blessing.

(27) So long as one stays in Madina Munawwarah, he should not allow any single breath go waste. Every available opportunity must be used for Durood-o-Salam and prayers for all.

(28) While entering the Masjid-e-Nabvi a Niyat of Eitekaf for a stay in the Holy place should he made that he will not come out of the masjid unless some permissible excuse occurs. In faith this Niyat of Eitekaf should be made while going into any masjid, reminding that unless the who process of prayer, worship is completed he will not neither come out nor indulge in any un necessary talk/work with any one so long he stays in the masjid.

(29) It will be quite a good fortune if one gets the opportunity of staying in Madina Tayyeba in the Holy month of Ramzan, especially during the summer, the Holy Prophet (Allah’s peace and grace be him) has promised **** for a keeping fast in a hot season in the holy city of Madina and staying there for this purpose.

(30) Here every good deed is rewarded upto fifty thousand times more then at any place. Therefore the endeavour should be to spend as much time in worship, recitation of the Holy Quran, Durood Sharif etc, as is possible. Besides sadaqah and charity should also be given more in Madina Munawwarah especially among the needy and deserving.

(31) At least one full recital of the Holy Quran (all 30 Parts) should be completed during the stay in the Masjid-e-Nabvi as well as in the Hateem-e-Kaaba.

(32) To have a look (with a spirit of dignified inspiration and reverence) is in itself an act of virtue and piety, so is the case with the Holy Quran. Therefore it should be repeated as often as in possible, reciting Durood-o-Salam on each occasion.

(33) After all the Five Salat (Namaz) or at at least twice daily in the morning and every present yourself at the specified spots to offer salam in the presence of (Huzur) of the Holy Prophet, (Allah’s grace and peace be upon him).

(34) In the city or outside wherever the Tomb of the Mazar-e-Muqaddas comes to sight stay for a while facing the site and offer Durood-o-salam. To pass by the site without praying homage is an act of grave impropriety and disrespect.

(35) To abstain from the Jannat of any Farz Name is by itself undesirable and a sign of indifference to this part of worship (which promotes feeling of solidarity among fellow attendants and other besides), but to do so in the Masjide Nabvi, intentionally and frequently shows the weakness of Eiman and disregard for the holy Traditions (Ahadees) in this respect. The reward for the observance of this level (Namaz with Jamat in the Masjid-e-Nabvi) is known to Allah alone. But the Holy Prophet (Allah’s peace and grace be upon him) has said “For every one who does not a single Namaz with Jama’at in My Masjid will be granted deliverance from the Fire of He’ll (in the Hereafter) and acts of duplicity and hypocrisy (in this world).

(36) One must endeavour to offer every prayer (Namaz) within the area of the Masjid-e-Awwal which a space of about 100 by 100 in length and breadth in the life of the Holy Prophet (Allah’s grace and peace be upon him. This has now been extended many times due to the expansion of Masjid-e-Nabvi from time to time thereafter. The whole Masjid constitutes a single unit and every spot is equally holy and sacred, but still the said spot has its spiritual and reverential significance.

(37) Never keep your back at the Mazar-e-Sharif, even while offering prayers (Salat) care should be taken to avoid the back being at the site of the Mazar-e-Aqdas.

(38) It is not desirable to have a customary Tawaf of the Roza-e-Anwar, nor prostrating nor bending one’s back equal to that of rukn. The real faith and reverence lies not in the external display of respect but in faithful obedience and humble devotion to the Holy Prophet Sallallaho Alaihe Wa Sallam.

(39) The ZIARAT OF JANNAT UL BAQEE is sunnat. After the Ziarat of the Shrine of the Holy Prophet (Allah’s peace and grace be upon him), a visit to the Jannatul Baqee (graveyard) is also essential a especially on Fridays, as a mark of respect to the departed revered souls. In this famous and sacred Grave Yard are buried nearly ten thousand companions of the’ Holy Prophet (Allah’s grace and peace be upon him), besides those pious personages known as Tabe-een (those who followed or came after the Holy Prophet (Allah’s grace and peace be upon him) Taba Tabe-een (who followed the T’abe-een), holy saints, scholars and virtuous persons who are all countless in numbers. When a person enters this grave yard, be should a Niyat to pray for all departed person age buried there, saluting them thus,

(Peace be on you (all) dwelling the homes of the community of Believers.)

(You are our predecessors and if Allah The Excelled wills we shall meet you. O Allah! Forgive all the Dwellers of Baqee. O Allah! Forgive us and them.) He may recite some more rites and `dua’ if he likes,

(TRANSLATION:- O Allah! Forgive us and our parents and our teachers and our brothers and our sisters and our children and companions and our friends and him who ha right on us and him who made will for us and all the Momin men and women and all the Muslim men and women.(Amin)

He then should visit the graves of the well known personages. Among all the Dwellers of the Baqee the most dignified is Amirul Momineen Hazrat Usman (may Allah be pleased with him.) He should visit his grave and offer salutation

(TRANSLATION:- Peace be on you O Amirul Momineen, commander of the Faithful. Peace be on you, O The Third of the Righteous Caliphs, Peace be on you O the honored with two Migrations, Peace be on you O the provider of help with the wealth and the commodities, Peace be on you and May Allah reward you on behalf of his Apostle and on behalf of all Musalmans, May Allah be pleased with you and with the companions all together.

In this Graveyard are the mazars of Hazrat Ibrahim the son of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) and the Mazars of Ummul Momineen Hazrat Khadija and other consorts of the Holy Prophet (May the peace and grace of Allah be on him), other grand personages Hazrat Hamza, Hazrat Abbas, Hazrat Abdullah Bin Mas’ood, Hazrat Imam Hasan and Hazrat Imam Hussain, Hazrat Imam Malik and others of the companions, their followers and other Imam’s of the Deen. He should visit Mazars of all these righteous revered personages offer salutations to them and recite Fateha.

(40) He should visit Quba and offer two rakats in the Masjid-e-*Quba.

(41) He should offer homage to the Martyrs of the Battle of O’had. It is reported in the Hadees that in the beginning of every year, the Holy Prophet (may Allah’s peace and grace be on him) used to visit the mazars of the Martyrs of O’had and prayed for them; peace be on you with the reward of (your) patience and the well being in Hereafter; He should visit the Mountain of O’had. The Holy Prophet (may Allah’s peace and grace be on him) held O’had very dear and used to say we love O’had also loves us.

The Holy Prophet (may Allah’s peace and grace be on him) has said that “When you go to ohad, eat something of its trees, even if it be the thorns of `babool’. It is better that one should go to O’had on Thursday in the morning and the first thing he should do is to visit the Mazar of Sayed-ush-Shuhada (The Leader of all the Martyrs) and offer salutations. According to other reports the mazars of Hazrat Abdullah Bin Jahas and Mus’ab Bin Umair are also here. He should pay homage to them; proceeding further be would reach Quba safiyah (who was the maternal aunt of the Holy Prophet [may Allah’s peace and grace be on him]). This is the last spot of visit on the Mountain of O’had.

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*: It is said in Tirmizi that a Salat in the Masjid of Quba is equal to the Two Umrahs. He used to visit Quba every week and spoke highly by it.