27/01/2026
Behind this silent wall, where voices are hushed and hearts soften, lies the blessed Prophetic Chamber; the place that embraced the noble body of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), and beside him his two companions: Al-Siddiq (Abu Bakr) and Al-Faruq (Umar), may Allah be pleased with them.
It is a chamber not left exposed to eyes, nor opened to sight; rather, it was veiled out of reverence and preservation, becoming a secret among the secrets of Medina, attainable only through truthful historical accounts.
Perhaps the last person permitted to see the site of the noble graves with his own eyes was the eminent historian Al-Samhudi—may Allah have mercy on him—in the year 878 AH. He entered with humility and awe, not to satisfy curiosity, but to fulfill a historical trust and to bear witness to what he saw, rather than what was conjectured or imagined.
Al-Samhudi describes the moment of entry like no other; he states that as soon as he reached the rear of the Chamber, a fragrance overflowed upon him, the likes of which he had never smelt in his life. He then stood greeting, with dignity and modesty, the most honorable of creation, Muhammad (peace be upon him), and then his two companions Abu Bakr Al-Siddiq and Umar bin Al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with them).
When he allowed himself to look, he saw no building and no headstones, but rather level ground of soil containing dampness and pebbles (reddish sand). There was no trace of a visible grave, nor any indicating sign, except for a very slight elevation in the center of the Chamber, which Al-Samhudi determined was not the Prophetic grave, but likely the location of the grave of Umar (may Allah be pleased with him).
From here, the facts become clear, distinguishing truth from circulated images and common claims:
First: What people enter today is the Honorable Compartment (the Maqsurah), not the Chamber itself. As for the Chamber, it is screened by a solid wall with no door or window—this is the wall covered by the green cloth.
Second: All images attributed to the "Grave of the Prophet (PBUH)" have no basis; for there was no structure built upon the grave, and no one has seen it since Al-Samhudi, who testified that the ground was level without markers.
Third: The wall surrounding the Chamber was constructed during the time of Umar bin Abdul Aziz (may Allah have mercy on him) when he was the Governor of Medina. Since its er****on, direct viewing of the noble graves ceased, barring reports regarding some who attended to the wall for maintenance, and Allah knows best.
Fourth: During the life of the Mother of the Believers, Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her), some people would enter the Chamber to give greetings. When she passed away, the door was closed completely. Later, in the time of Al-Walid bin Abd al-Malik, the chambers were incorporated into the expansion of the Mosque.
Fifth: Anyone attributed with entering the "Chamber" in this era refers only to the honor of entering the Maqsurah (the enclosure), whether they are servants or dignitaries. As for the Chamber itself, it has not been opened, and will not be opened.
Thus, the Prophetic Chamber remains a place of veneration, not viewing, screened from sight to remain present in hearts; its station is visited with peace (Salam), not with eyesight, and its status is honored by following (the Sunnah), not by photography.
O Allah, send peace, blessings, and mercy upon Your servant and Messenger Muhammad, and upon his family and companions. Convey our greetings to him on this blessed day, and make our prayers upon him an accepted act of nearness to You, by which needs are fulfilled, hearts are opened, distress is relieved, and the oppressed are granted victory. Indeed, You are All-Hearing, All-Answering.
Dr. Muhammad Salah
