Ibn ‘Umar would search for the places where Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam would perform salah

إن ابن عمر كان يتحرى الأماكن التي كان يصلي فيها النبي

Certainly, Ibn ‘Umar would search for the places where Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam would perform salah

Answer

Sayyidina Ibn ‘Umar radiya Llahu ‘anhu was not searching for blessings by this action of his. Rather, he only wished to emulate Rasulullah’s salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam every action and practice. He was so passionate about this that it is said that he would put water into his ‘uyun (eyes) during wudu’, he would perform salah at every place Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam performed salah, and he would not touch those places he knew Nabi salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam stopped or sat at (out of reverence for Nabi salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam).

Proof of this is that Sayyidina Ibn ‘Umar radiya Llahu ‘anhu would prohibit touching the grave of Nabi salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam as narrated by al Dhahabi.[1]

Their understanding that Sayyidina Ibn ‘Umar’s radiya Llahu ‘anhu practice is part of the ritual of tabarruk necessitates that the Sahabah radiya Llahu ‘anhum would seek blessings from places Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam would perform salah at and from earthly spots upon which Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam sat. However, no established proof can be furnished for this from the statements of the Sahabah radiya Llahu ‘anhum or their actions. On the contrary, this is rejected by what has been established from Sayyidina ‘Umar radiya Llahu ‘anhu that the passed nations were destroyed on account of them searching for the relics of their Ambiya’.

The observance of Sayyidina Ibn ‘Umar radiya Llahu ‘anhu was not practiced by the majority of Sahabah and the rightly guided Khulafa’. And they are correct in acting in his opposition. In fact, even his father Sayyidina ‘Umar radiya Llahu ‘anhu did not approve of his action. Once, Sayyidina ‘Umar radiya Llahu ‘anhu saw some people taking turns to perform salah at a certain spot so he questioned them concerning it. They said that Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam prayed at that spot. Hearing this, Sayyidina ‘Umar radiya Llahu ‘anhu cautioned them:

أتريدون أن تتخذوا آثار أنبيائكم مساجد إنما هلك من كان قبلكم بهذا من أدركته فيه الصلاة فليصل و إلا فليمض

Do you wish to convert the relics of your Ambiya’ into places of worship? The nations before you were destroyed on account of this. If salah time finds you at a certain place, then perform salah. Otherwise, continue.

Similarly, when he was informed that people were visiting the tree beneath which Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam was given bay’ah, he commanded that it be chopped down.[2]

Sayyidina ‘Umar’s radiya Llahu ‘anhu practice which was endorsed by the Sahabah radiya Llahu ‘anhum is accurate. Moreover, he was the rightly guided khalifah who Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam instructed us to follow:

عليكم بسنتي و سنة الخلفاء الراشدين المهديين من بعدي

Adhere to my sunnah and the sunnah of the rightly guided Khulafa’ after me.

You should ask this contender: Since when is the practice of one Sahabi proof according to you when he practices something to the exclusion of the rest of the Sahabah? Majority of the Sahabah radiya Llahu ‘anhum supported the practice of Sayyidina ‘Umar radiya Llahu ‘anhu. When the statement of one Sahabi is contradicted by another’s, it does not remain proof. So what about when it is contradicted by majority of the Sahabah as well as the khalifah of the time who happens to be his father? Had this practice been favoured, they would have beat us to it.

These people verbally express their honour for Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam but practically act in defiance of his command and oppose the path of the noble Sahabah radiya Llahu ‘anhum. When they furnish da’if evidences to defend their innovations and deviations, they have acted in contradiction to the methodology of Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam and his Sahabah radiya Llahu ‘anhum.

Next⇒ Ahmed authenticated the hadith of ‘Ali being the partner of Hell

[1] Siyar A’lam al Nubala’ vol. 12 pg. 373. Shu’ayb Arna’ut comments, “His narrators are reliable.”

[2] Hafiz remarks in Fath al Bari vol. 7 pg. 448, “Its isnad is sahih.”

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