Q: What are the best greetings to be given when standing in front of the Prophet's grave? I mean, is it better to say: "Peace and blessings be upon you, O Messenger of Allah," or to say in the form of a request: "O Allah! Send peace and blessings upon Muhammad and upon the family of Muhammad"? Does the Prophet (peace be upon him) look at those who are greeting him by his grave? Did the Prophet's hand come out of his grave to return the greeting of one of the great Sahabah (Companions) or Awliya' (pious people)?

A: (a) As far as we know, no specific wording has been authentically reported from the Prophet (peace be upon him) to be used when greeting him by his grave. It is, therefore, permissible to say: (Part No. 3; Page No. 232) "Peace and blessings be upon you, O Messenger of Allah," as this is in the form of a request and it is established. It is also permissible to greet him using Al-Salah Al-Ibrahimiyyah (the second part of Tashahhud), and say: "O Allah! Send peace and blessings upon Muhammad..." However, it is better to greet him using the same form of greeting as is used when visiting other graves. This is because Ibn `Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) used to say, when visiting the grave of the Prophet (peace be upon him): "Peace be upon you, O Messenger of Allah; peace be upon you, O Abu Bakr, and peace be upon you father," then he would leave. (b) It is not confirmed in a book or a Sahih (authentic) Sunnah (whatever was reported from the Prophet) that he (peace be upon him) sees those who visit his grave. The basic ruling is that he (peace be upon him) does not see them, until it is authentically proven otherwise by evidence from the Qur'an or the Sunnah. (c) The basic ruling is that the dead, whether they are prophets or anyone else, do not move in their graves by stretching out their hands or doing anything else. Accordingly, saying that the Prophet's hand came out to return the greeting of some of his visitors is not true and a groundless fantasy.May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.