Seeking Intercession and Forgiveness through the Prophet (Surah 4:64) At His Grave

 

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

الصلاة والسلام عليك يا سيدي يا رسول الله

وعلى آلك واصحابك يا سيدي يا نور الله

فداك ابي وامي يا رسول الله

In the Name of Allah, the Rahman, the Merciful

Allah سبحانه وتعالى says:

ؕ وَلَوۡ اَنَّہُمۡ اِذۡ ظَّلَمُوۡۤا اَنۡفُسَہُمۡ جَآءُوۡکَ فَاسۡتَغۡفَرُوا اللّٰہَ وَاسۡتَغۡفَرَ لَہُمُ الرَّسُوۡلُ لَوَجَدُوا اللّٰہَ تَوَّابًا رَّحِیۡمًا

And if they had come to you [O My Prophet] when they had wronged their souls and asked forgiveness of Allah and the Messenger asked forgiveness of them they would have found Allah Oft-Returning, Merciful

(Surah 4 Ayah 64)

This Quranic formula for seeking forgiveness and absolution of sin remains in effect till today. The Holy Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم is alive in his grave in Medina, although he is veiled from us and we are unable to perceive it. Believers may therefore approach him at his grave and ask him to intercede on their behalf, particularly in the matter of forgiveness for sin. According to a Hadith, admittedly weak:

مَنْ حَجَّ فَزَارَ قَبْرِي بَعْدَ وَفَاتِي ‌فَكَأَنَّمَا ‌زَارَنِي ‌فِي ‌حَيَاتِي

Whoever performed Hajj then visited my grave after my death it is as though he visited me in my lifetime (Sunan ad-Daraqutuni, v.3, p.333, #2693)

مَنْ زَارَنِي بَعْدَ مَوْتِي ‌فَكَأَنَّمَا ‌زَارَنِي ‌فِي ‌حَيَاتِي

Whoever visited me after my death it is as though he visited me in my lifetime (ibid, p.334, #2694)

مَنْ زَارَ قَبْرِي وَجَبَتْ لَهُ شَفَاعَتِي

Whoever visited my grave, my intercession is obligated for him (ibid, #2695)

Ibn Qudamah mentions a report about a Bedouin acting upon the Ayah (Surah 4:64) and the narrations I cited from ad-Daraqutuni:

ويُرْوَى عن العُتْبِىِّ قال كنتُ جَالِسًا عندَ قَبْرِ النَّبِىِّ -صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فجَاءَ أعْرَابِىٌّ فقال السلامُ عليكَ يا رسولَ اللهِ سمعتُ اللهَ يقولُ {وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ إِذْ ظَلَمُوا أَنْفُسَهُمْ جَاءُوكَ فَاسْتَغْفَرُوا اللَّهَ وَاسْتَغْفَرَ لَهُمُ الرَّسُولُ لَوَجَدُوا اللَّهَ تَوَّابًا رَحِيمًا} وقد جِئْتُكَ مُسْتَغْفِرًا لِذَنْبِى ‌مُسْتَشْفِعًا بِكَ إلى رَبِّى ثم أنْشَأ يقولُ

يا خَيْرَ مَن دُفِنَتْ بِالْقَاعِ أعْظُمُهُ فطابَ مِنْ طِيبِهِنَّ القَاعُ والأَكَمُ نَفْسِى الفِدَاءُ لِقَبْرٍ أَنْتَ سَاكِنُه فيه العَفافُ وفيه الجُودُ والكَرَمُ ثم انْصَرَفَ الأعْرَابِىُّ فحَمَلَتْنِى عَيْنِى فنِمْتُ فرَأيْتُ النَّبِىَّ -صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فى النَّوْمِ فقال يا عُتْبِىُّ الْحَقِ الأَعْرَابِىَّ فبَشِّرْهُ أنَّ اللهَ قَدْ غفَرَ لَهُ

It is narrated on the authority of Al-Utbiyy who said: I was sitting at the grave of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, when a Bedouin came and said: Peace be upon you, O Messenger of Allah. I heard Allah say: {And if they had come to you, when they wronged themselves, and asked forgiveness of Allah and the Messenger had asked forgiveness for them, they would have found Allah Oft-Returning, Merciful} I have come to you asking forgiveness for my sin and seeking your intercession with my Lord. Then he began to say: O best of those buried in the valley, its bones were fragrant with their fragrance, the valley and the hill. My soul is a ransom for a grave in which you reside, in which there is chastity, generosity and kindness. Then the Bedouin turned away, and my eyes carried me, so I slept and saw the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, in my sleep. He said, “O Utbiyy, go after the Bedouin and give him the glad tidings that Allah has forgiven him.” (al-Mughni, v.5, p.466)

Ibn Qudamah then mentions it is mustahhab for the one who visits the grave of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم to say:

وقَوْلُكَ الحَقُّ {وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ إِذْ ظَلَمُوا أَنْفُسَهُمْ جَاءُوكَ فَاسْتَغْفَرُوا اللَّهَ وَاسْتَغْفَرَ لَهُمُ الرَّسُولُ لَوَجَدُوا اللَّهَ تَوَّابًا رَحِيمًا} وقد أتَيْتُكَ مُسْتَغْفِرًا من ذُنُوبِى مُسْتَشْفِعًا بِكَ إلى رَبِّى

And your saying is the truth: {And if they had come to you, when they wronged themselves, and asked forgiveness of Allah and the Messenger had asked forgiveness for them, they would have found Allah Forgiving and Merciful.} I have come to you [O Prophet] seeking forgiveness for my sins, seeking your intercession with my Lord (ibid, p.467)