Facing the Qiblah or the Prophet (s.a.w.) in Madina

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

In the incident involving Imam Abu ‘Abdullah Malik ibn Anas (r.a.), once, the Abbasid caliph, Abu Ja’far ‘Abdullah ibn Muhammad al-Manswur, visited Madina, and he asked Imam Malik (r.a.), “While supplicating, should I turn my face to the qiblah, or should I turn my face to the Prophet (s.a.w.),” since they were in opposite directions. 

Imam Malik (r.a.) replied, “Why do you turn your face away from the Prophet (s.a.w.), when he is the source of mediation for you and for your ancestor, Adam (a.s.), on the Day of Judgement?  Rather you should turn towards the Prophet (s.a.w.) and seek his intercession so that he intercedes for you before Allah on the Day of Judgement.  Allah (s.w.t.) has Declared: 

سُوۡرَةُ النِّسَاء

وَمَآ أَرۡسَلۡنَا مِن رَّسُولٍ إِلَّا لِيُطَاعَ بِإِذۡنِ ٱللَّهِ‌ۚ وَلَوۡ أَنَّهُمۡ إِذ ظَّلَمُوٓاْ أَنفُسَهُمۡ جَآءُوكَ فَٱسۡتَغۡفَرُواْ ٱللَّهَ وَٱسۡتَغۡفَرَ لَهُمُ ٱلرَّسُولُ لَوَجَدُواْ ٱللَّهَ تَوَّابً۬ا رَّحِيمً۬ا (٦٤) 

We Sent not a Messenger but to be obeyed, in accordance with the Will of Allah.  If they had only, when they were unjust to themselves, come unto you and asked Allah’s Forgiveness, and the Messenger had asked Forgiveness for them, they would have found Allah indeed Oft-Returning, Most Merciful. (Surah an-Nisa’:64)” 

Qadhi Abu al-Fadhl ‘Iyadh ibn ‘Amr (r.a.) narrated this, in his ash-Shifa’ bi Ta’rif Huqquq Muswthafa’, with a sound chain of transmission.  It has also been related by Imam Taqi’ ad-Din Abu al-Hasan ‘Ali ibn ‘Abd al-Kafi’ as-Subki (r.a.), in Shifa’ as-Siqam fi Ziyarat Khayr al-Anam; Imam Nur ad-Din Abu al-Hasan ‘Ali ibn ‘Abdullah as-Samhudi (r.a.), in Khulaswat al-Wafa’ bi Akhbar al-Muswthafa’; Imam Shihab ad-Din Abu al-‘Abbas Ahmad ibn Muhammad al-Qasthalani (r.a.), in al-Mawahib al-Laduniyyah; Imam ‘Abd al-‘Aziz ibn Muhammad ibn Jama’ah (r.a.), in Hidayat as-Salik ila al-Madzahib al-Arba’ah fi al-Manasik; and Imam Shibab ad-Din Abu al-‘Abbas Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Hajr al-Haytsami (r.a.), in al-Jawhar al-Munazhzham fi Ziyarat al-Qabr ash-Sharif an-Nabawi al-Mukarram. 

In his manaqib of awliya’, Swifat as-Swafwah, Imam Abu al-Faraj ‘Abd ar-Rahman ibn ‘Ali ibn al-Jawzy (r.a.) wrote about Shaykh Ibrahim ibn Ishaq al-Harabi (q.s.): “And his grave is open to everyone.  People receive Blessing from it.”  He has also described Adam’s (a.s.) intermediation through the Prophet (s.a.w.) in the first chapter of his al-Wafa bi Ahwal al-Muswthafa’.