VISITING THE GRAVE OF RASUL (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) (PART 5)

Then add to this prayer whatever you like, pray for that which may come to your mind at that moment and for the prayer of which Allaah may grant you assistance through His bounty.
Then you will come to Ustuwana Abi Lubaaba (the column of Abu Lubaaba). This is the column to which he tied himself until Allaah turned to him in compassion. It is between the tomb and the pulpit. At the root of this pillar, you will perform ‘nafil’ ritual prayer of whatever number of Rak’aats you please, and turn to Him in repentance, and recite whatever prayer formula you like.

Then you will come to the Rawdah (garden) where you will perform the ‘nafil’ ritual prayer of whatever number of Rak’aats you like, and pray for whatever things you want. Here greatly glorify Allaah, affirm the oneness of Allaah, praise Allaah and ask for forgiveness of Allaah by repeatedly uttering the following formulae of prayer or its like with full concentration:
Glory be to Allaah.
(Subhaana Allaahi)
There is no illah but Allaah.
(Laa ilaaha illaAllaahu)
Praise be to Allaah
(Al-hamdu li Allaahi)
I pray to Allaah, my Rabb, for forgiveness of every sin, and I turn to Him in repentance.
(Astaaghfiru Allaaha rabbi min kulli dhanbin wa atubu ilayhi) Then you will come to the Mimbar (pulpit) and put the hand on [a] the Rummaana (the knob of metal) which was there for the obtaining of blessings from the relic of the Rasul (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) of Allaah, and [b] on the place where he used to put his hand when addressing so that you may gain the blessing of the Rasul (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam). You will invoke blessings upon him and pray to Allaah for whatever you want.
After this you will come to the Ustuwaana Hannaana (the Yearning Column), the column in which some of the restlessness which yearned towards the Rasul (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) remained when he abandoned it and began addressing from the pulpit, so much so that he descended and embraced it to calm it down.
You should try to gain blessings from the remaining relics of the Rasul (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) and from the Blessed places of Madinah. During your stay there, you should try hard to keep vigil for ‘nafil’ acts of devotion, and avail yourself of the opportunity of contemplating the Rasul (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam)’s presence and of visiting his tomb.
It is ‘praiseworthy’ to go to al-Baqi, the graveyard of Madinah, in order to visit the graves there. Then visit the place of martyrdom and visit the graves of the martyrs, especially the grave of the chief martyr Hamza(RA). Then proceed to the end of al-Baqi where the graves of the Rasul (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam)’s uncle, Abbaas(RA), and the Rasul (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam)’s grandson, Hasan ibn Ali(RA). You should also visit the graves of Amir al Mu-minin Uthmaan ibn Affan(RA), the Rasul (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam)’s son Ibraahim(RA), the wives(RA) of the Rasul (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam), his Aunt Safiyyah(RA), his companions(RA) and their followers(RA). Also visit the graves of the martyrs of Uhud. It is better to visit these on a Thursday, if possible. Standing beside them with full reverence and humility, say:
‘May peace be upon you because you were steadfast [in battle]. How excellent is the reward of the Aakhiraat- (Salamun ‘alakum bi-maa Sabartum, fa-ni'-ma ‘uqbaddaari).
Here you will also recite the Verse of the Throne, and the Surah of Ikhlaas-eleven times, and also the Surah Ya Seen, if possible. The reward of the recitation of these could be presented as gifts to all martyrs buried there and to all other believers buried in their neighbourhood.
It is praiseworthy to go to Masjid -e- Quba on a Saturday or any other day and to perform ritual prayer in it. At the end of whatever supplication you may have read there, you should say:
O Responder of those who cry for succour, O the Helper of those who implore for help. O the Remover of the anxiety of those who are in anxiety, O the Responder to the call of those who are in affliction, bless Muhammad(Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) and his family, and remove any anxiety and grief as You removed the grief and anxiety of Your Rasul (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) at this place. [Accept my prayer], O Compassionate , O Generous!, O Doer of immense good and beneficence. O Bestower of perpetual favour, O the Most Merciful of those who show mercy. May Allaah bless and greet our Guide Muhammad(Sallallahu alayhi wasallam), his family and his companions perpetually and eternally. [Accept our prayer], O the Rabb of all the worlds, Aameen.