The Hadith: 'Anyone who visits my grave deserves my intercession'

Q: I would like to know from Your Eminence about the authenticity of the following Hadith because plots are being hatched against our Ummah (nation based on one creed) to drag it into Shirk (associating others with Allah in His Divinity or worship), may Allah save us from that. It is ascribed to the Prophet (peace be upon him) that he said: "Anyone who visits my grave deserves my intercession." And: In the space between my grave and my pulpit lies a garden from the gardens of Paradise. Are these statements reported from the Prophet (peace be upon him)? Are they narrated in authentic books of Hadith?

A: The Hadith reported from the Prophet (peace be upon him) with the wording: "Anyone who visits my grave deserves my intercession" is reported by Al-Daraqutny on the authority of Musa ibn Hilal Al-`Abdy. Abu Hatim said: "The uprightness of Musa as a narrator is not verified." Al-`Aqily said: "The Hadiths narrated by Musa are not authentic and cannot be supported by other Hadiths and nothing in this regard is authentic."Some of the learned scholars of Hadith, among them the Shaykh of Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, were of the view that this Hadith is fabricated.As for the Hadith: In the space between my grave and my pulpit lies a garden from the gardens of Paradise. The Shaykh of Islam Ibn Taymiyyah said in his book Majmu` Al-Fatawa (vol.1, p.236): "It is authentically reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: In the space between my house and my pulpit lies a garden (Part No. 3; Page No. 282) from the gardens of Paradise. This is the authentic wording of the Hadith. But some narrators reported it according to the meaning, not literally, and so they said: "my grave." This is refuted by the fact that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said this Hadith before his death or burial (i.e. There was not a prepared grave). Also, when the Sahabah (Companions of the Prophet) disagreed on the place where they should bury the Prophet (peace be upon him), none of them used this Hadith as evidence. Had they heard this wording of the Hadith, it would have constituted the textual evidence that would have solved the dispute.May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.