Another element of the reverence and esteem for Beloved Prophet Muhammad Peace and Blessings of Allah be Upon Him is found in all things and places connected to him in Makkah al-Mukarrama, Madinah al-Munawwarah and elsewhere.
Hadrat Saffiyah bint Najda Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anha tells us that Abu Madhura Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anho had a long lock of hair on his forehead that touched the ground when he sat down. When he was asked why he did not cut it he replied,
لم أكن بالذي أحلفها ، و قد مسها رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم بيده
“I will not cut off something that the hand of the Messenger of Allah Peace and Blessings of Allah be Upon Him touched.” [Ash-Shifa, Vol. 2, Page 62]
The Sword of Islam, Hadrat Sayyiduna Khalid Ibn Waleed Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anho had some strands of the Prophet’s of hair that he placed inside his cap. During one of the battles the cap fell off whereupon he fought zealously to retrieve it. He told his companions that,
لم أفعلها بسبب القلنسوة ، بل لما تضمنه من شعره صلى الله عليه و سلم لئلا أسلب بركتها و تقع في أيدي المشركين
I didn’t fight for the sake of the cap, rather I fought to retrieve the strands of the Prophet’s hair that were tucked within it so that I would not be deprived of their blessing, and also to avoid them falling into the hands of the unbelievers. [Majma’ az-Zawaid, Vol. 9, Page 349 – Mustadrik, Vol. 3, Page 239]
Ibn al-Sakan narrated through Safwan ibn Hubayra from the latter’s father: Thabit al-Bunani said: Anas ibn Malik said to me (on his death-bed):
هذه شعرة من شعر رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فضعها تحت لساني فوضعتها تحت لسانه فدفن وهي تحت لسانه
“This is one of the hairs of Allah’s Messenger, Allah’s blessings and peace upon him. I want you to place it under my tongue.” Thabit continued: I placed it under his tongue, and he was buried with it under his tongue.” [al-Isaba fi tamyiz al-Sahaba (Calcutta – 1853), Vol. 1, Page 72]
Imam al-Bayhaqi records in his Dalail al-Nabuwwah and Imam Qadi Iyad al-Maliki states in his Ash-Shifa:
رئي ابن عمر واضعاً يده على مقعد النبي صلى الله عليه و سلم من المنبر ، ثم وضعها على وجهه
Hadrat Sayyiduna Ibn Umar Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anho was seen placing his hand on the seat of the Beloved Prophet’s pulpit and then wipe it over his face. [Dalail an-Nabuwwah lil Bayhaqi, Vol. 6, Page 249]
Abu Abd ar-RaHman Salma Alaihir raHma narrated from Ahmad Ibn Fadlwiya Zahid Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anho that he was a famous archer in Battles. He says:
ما مسست القوس بيدي إلا على طهارة منذ بلغني أن النبي صلى الله عليه و سلم أخذ القوس بيده
I never touched my bow without Ablution from the time Beloved Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be Upon Him) took it in his Blessed Hands. [Ash-Shifa, Vol. 2, Page 63]
It was on account of the esteem Imam Malik Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anho had for the Prophet Peace and Blessings of Allah be Upon Him that we would not ride a mount in Madinah al-Munawwarah. He would say,
أستحي من الله أن أطأ تربة فيها رسول الله بحافر دابة
“I am too shy before Allah SubHanuhu wa Ta’ala to trample with the hoof of an animal upon the earth in which the Messenger of Allah Peace and Blessings of Allah be Upon Him is buried.” [Ash-Shifa, Vol. 2, Page 63]
Someone in Madinah al-Munawwarah said, “The soil of Madinah al-Munawwarah is bad.” (May Allah Forbid) This outrageous statement caused Imam Malik to pronounce the judgement against him that he should be beaten and jailed. The man had connections to the hierarchy of Madinah al-Munawwarah but Imam Malik did not retract his judgement and said,
تربة دفن فيها النبي صلى الله عليه و سلم يزعم أنها غير طيبة
“He claims the soil in which the Prophet Peace and Blessings of Allah be Upon Him is buried is not good!” [Ash-Shifa, Vol. 2, Page 63]
Of Madinah al-Munawwarah, the Beloved Prophet Peace and Blessings of Allah be Upon Him said,
من أحدث فيها حدثاً أو آوى محدثاً فعليه لعنة الله و الملائكة و الناس أجمعين ، لا يقبل الله منه صرفاً و لا عدلاً
“The curse of Allah, the angels and all mankind falls upon whosoever innovates something (against the spirit of Islam) in it or shelters an innovator (of something against the spirit of Islam) therein.” [Ash-Shifa, Vol. 2, Page 63]
Imam Qadi Iyad al-Maliki Alaihir raHmah records in Ash-Shifa bi Ta’rifi Huqooqil Mustafa:
أن جهجاها الغفاري أخذ قضيب النبي صلى الله عليه و سلم من يد عثمان رضي الله عنه ، و تناول ليكسره على ركبته ، فصاح به الناس ، فأخذته الأكله في ركبته فقطعها ، و مات قبل الحول
Jihjah al-Ghifari snatched hold of the Beloved Prophet’s staff from Sayyiduna Uthman’s hand and proceeded to try and break it across his knee. Upon seeing this, the people shouted at him. Thereafter he was stricken by an itching disease in his knee and despite its amputation he died within the year. [Ash-Shifa, Vol. 2, Page 63]
The Prophet Peace and Blessings of Allah be Upon Him said,
من حلف على منبري كاذباً فليتبوأ مقعده من النار
“Whosoever swears to a lie on my pulpit will have a seat in the Fire.” [Ash-Shifa, Vol 2, Page 63]
Abu Fadl al-Jowhari Alaihir raHma was blessed to visit the City of Madinah al-Munawwarah and as he approached he recited:
رفع الحجاب لنا فلاح لناظر ـــ قمر تقطع دونه الأوهام
و إذا المطي بنا بلغن محمداً ـــ فظهورهن على الرجال حرام
قربننا من يخر من وطيء الثرى ـــ و لها علينا حرمة و ذمام
“The veil has been lifted from us and a moon shines; out to those who look on, banishing all illusions.
As our mounts reach Muhammad; it is forbidden for us to be found in our saddles.
We are drawing near to the best man to have ever walked upon the earth; so it is with respect and honor that we hold this ground.” [Ash-Shifa, Vol 2, Page 64]
When a pious Shaykh went on pilgrimage, he went on foot. When asked why he had done so, he replied,
العبد الآبق لا يأتي إلى بيت مولاه راكباً ! لو قدرت أن أمشي على رأسي ما مشيت على قدمي
“What, an offending worshiper going to the home of his master riding! Had I been able to walk upon my head, I would not have walked upon my feet!” [Ash-Shifa, Vol 2, Page 64]
Reverence and respect for the places in which the Revelation were received and which the angels Jibra’il and Mika’il visited, as well as places where the angels descended, also places that heard the sounds of worship and exaltation, and the blessed soil that surrounds the body of the Master of all mankind Peace and Blessings of Allah be Upon Him and places from which the religion of Allah SubHanuhu wa Ta’ala and the prophetic quotations of the Messenger of Allah Peace and Blessings of Allah be Upon Him were spread are necessities.
One must also revere and respect the places where verses of the Holy Qur’an were studied, the mosques in which the prayer was offered, places where virtues and good deeds were witnessed, places that saw proofs and miracles, places associated with the rites of the religion and the stations of the pilgrimage and the way marks of the Master of all the messengers of Allah, praise and peace be upon them. The places where the Seal of the Prophets Peace and Blessings of Allah be Upon Him lived and from which the prophecy gushed and where its waves overflowed. The places that witnessed the message, and the first earth that the skin of the Prophet Peace and Blessings of Allah be Upon Him touched after his death – its fragrance should be inhaled, its residence and walls kissed.
عندي لأجلك لوعة و صبابة ـــ و تشوق متوقد الجمرات
و علي عهد إن ملأت محاجري ـــ من تكلم الجدران و العرصات
لاعفرن مصون شيبي بينها ـــ من كثرة التقبيل و الرشفات
لولا العوادي ، و الأعادي زرتها ـــ أبدا و لو سحباً على الوزجنات
لكن سأهدي من حفيل تحيتي ـــ لقطين تلك الدار و الحجرات
أزكى من المسك المفتق نفحةً ـــ تغشاه بالآصال و البكرات
و تخصه بزواكي الصلوات ـــ و نوامي التلسيم و البركات“O abode of the best of all Messengers; the one by whom people are guided
and he who was chosen to receive the verses. For you I have intense, passionate love,
and a yearning which kindles the embers of my heart. I have a vow – if I fill my eyes with those walls
and the places where you walked, then my turbaned Gray head will be covered with dust from so much kissing.
Had it not been for obstacles and enemies, I would always visit them, even if I were to be dragged upon my feet.
But I will be guided in my eagerness to greet the inhabitants of those houses and rooms.
By a scent purer than the most splendid musk which covers him each morning and evening.
Pure and ever increasing blessings are bestowed upon him through the prayers for Peace and Blessings upon Him.”