Tradition 1: Imam As-Sadiq (‘a) said:

Before proceeding to Medina or prior to entering it, perform Ghusl. Then proceed to the grave of Allah's Messenger (S) and salute him. Go to the pillar located on the right by the head of the grave. Stand there with your left shoulder towards the grave, your right shoulder towards the pulpit of the Prophet and face the Qibla, this being the closest location to the head of the Prophet. Then recite:

أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ وَ أَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّداً عَبْدُهُ وَ رَسُولُهُ وَ أَشْهَدُ أَنَّكَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ وَ أَنَّكَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ وَ أَشْهَدُ أَنَّكَ قَدْ بَلَّغْتَ رِسَالاتِ رَبِّكَ وَ نَصَحْتَ لِأُمَّتِكَ وَ جَاهَدْتَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَ عَبَدْتَ اللَّهَ حَتَّى أَتَاكَ الْيَقِينُ بِالْحِكْمَةِ وَ الْمَوْعِظَةِ الْحَسَنَةِ وَ أَدَّيْتَ الَّذِي عَلَيْكَ مِنَ الْحَقِّ وَ أَنَّكَ قَدْ رَؤُفْتَ بِالْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَ غَلُظْتَ عَلَى الْكَافِرِينَ فَبَلَغَ اللَّهُ بِكَ أَفْضَلَ شَرَفِ مَحَلِّ الْمُكَرَّمِينَ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي اسْتَنْقَذَنَا بِكَ مِنَ الشِّرْكِ وَ الضَّلَالَةِ- اللَّهُمَّ اجْعَلْ صَلَوَاتِكَ وَ صَلَوَاتِ مَلَائِكَتِكَ الْمُقَرَّبِينَ وَ عِبَادِكَ الصَّالِحِينَ وَ أَنْبِيَائِكَ الْمُرْسَلِينَ وَ أَهْلِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَ الْأَرَضِينَ وَ مَنْ سَبَّحَ لِرَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ مِنَ الْأَوَّلِينَ وَ الْآخِرِينَ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ عَبْدِكَ وَ رَسُولِكَ وَ نَبِيِّكَ وَ أَمِينِكَ وَ نَجِيِّكَ [نَجِيبِكَ] وَ حَبِيبِكَ وَ صَفِيِّكَ وَ صَفْوَتِكَ وَ خَاصَّتِكَ وَ خِيَرَتِكَ مِنْ خَلْقِكَ اللَّهُمَّ وَ أَعْطِهِ الدَّرَجَةَ وَ الْوَسِيلَةَ مِنَ الْجَنَّةِ وَ ابْعَثْهُ مَقَاماً مَحْمُوداً يَغْبِطُهُ بِهِ الْأَوَّلُونَ وَ الْآخِرُونَ اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّكَ قُلْتَ وَ لَوْ أَنَّهُمْ إِذْ ظَلَمُوا أَنْفُسَهُمْ جاؤُكَ فَاسْتَغْفَرُوا اللّهَ- وَ اسْتَغْفَرَ لَهُمُ الرَّسُولُ لَوَجَدُوا اللّهَ تَوّاباً رَحِيماً وَ إِنِّي أَتَيْتُ نَبِيَّكَ مُسْتَغْفِراً تَائِباً مِنْ ذُنُوبِي- وَ إِنِّي أَتَوَجَّهُ إِلَيْكَ بِنَبِيِّكَ نَبِيِّ الرَّحْمَةِ مُحَمَّدٍ (ص) يَا مُحَمَّدُ إِنِّي أَتَوَجَّهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ رَبِّي وَ رَبِّكَ بِكَ لِيَغْفِرَ لِي ذُنُوبِي

Translation: I bear witness that there is no god but Allah; He is alone and has no partners and I bear witness that Muhammad (S) is His servant and messenger. I bear witness that you are Allah's Messenger (S), and you are Muhammad, son of Abdullah. I bear witness that you announced the messages of your Lord, you advised your Ummah, you fought with wisdom and by giving good counsel until death came to you. You fulfilled your obligations; you were kind to believers and harsh to disbelievers. Hence Allah granted you the highest honoured position of the honoured ones. Praise to be Allah who, through you, saved us from polytheism and deviation. O Allah! Convey Your blessings, blessings of Your proximate angels, blessings of Your righteous servants, blessings of Your prophet messengers, blessings of all the inhabitants of heavens and earths and blessings of everyone from first to last who sanctifies the Lord of the Worlds, on Muhammad (S), Your servant, Your Messenger, Your Prophet, Your trustee, Your confidant, Your beloved, Your chosen one, Your special servant and the best of Your creation. O Allah! You said,

وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ إِذْ ظَلَمُوا أَنْفُسَهُمْ جَاءُوكَ فَاسْتَغْفَرُوا اللَّهَ وَاسْتَغْفَرَ لَهُمُ الرَّسُولُ لَوَجَدُوا اللَّهَ تَوَّابًا رَحِيمًا

“And had they, when they were unjust to themselves, come to you and asked forgiveness of Allah and the Apostle had (also) asked forgiveness for them, they would have found Allah Oft returning (to mercy), Merciful” (4:64).

And I have come to Your Prophet, repenting and begging forgiveness for my sins and I have turned to You through Your Prophet, the Prophet of Mercy, Muhammad (S). O Muhammad (S)! I have turned to Allah, Your Lord and mine, through you, so that He forgives my sins.

Imam ('a) continued: If you have a request, face Qibla keeping your back to the grave; raise your hands and ask for your request; it will be granted, Insha'Allah.

Tradition 2: Imam As-Sadiq (‘a) said:

After you finish invocations at the head of the grave, proceed to the pulpit and rub your hands on it then hold its two bottom knobs, rub your face and eyes on them, as they cure the eyes. Then stand by the pulpit, praise glorify Allah and then ask for your needs as the Allah's Messenger (S) has said: There is a garden from the gardens of Paradise between my pulpit and grave. My pulpit is over an oasis from the oases of Paradise and its four pillars were built in Paradise.

Imam ('a) continued: Then go to the place where the Prophet prayed and pray as much as you like.

Invoke blessings on Muhammad and Aali Muhammad ('a) when you enter or leave the Prophet's mosque and pray much at the Prophet's mosque.

Tradition 3: Imam Al-Baqir ('a) said:

Imam As-Sajjad ('a) used to stand at the Prophet's grave and salute Allah's Messenger (S) and bear witness that he conveyed Allah's message. Then he recited any prayer that came to his mind. Then leaned on the delicate green marble attached to the grave of Allah's Messenger (S). Resting his back on the grave he would face the Qibla and say:

اللَّهُمَّ إِلَيْكَ أَلْجَأْتُ أَمْرِي وَ إِلَى قَبْرِ مُحَمَّدٍ (ص) عَبْدِكَ وَ رَسُولِكَ أَسْنَدْتُ ظَهْرِي وَ الْقِبْلَةَ الَّتِي رَضِيتَ لِمُحَمَّدٍ (ص) اسْتَقْبَلْتُ اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَصْبَحْتُ لَا أَمْلِكُ لِنَفْسِي خَيْرَ مَا أَرْجُو لَهَا وَ لَا أَدْفَعُ عَنْهَا شَرَّ مَا أَحْذَرُ عَلَيْهَا وَ أَصْبَحَتِ الْأُمُورُ بِيَدِكَ وَ لَا فَقِيرَ أَفْقَرُ مِنِّي إِنِّي لِمَا أَنْزَلْتَ إِلَيَّ مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَقِيرٌ اللَّهُمَّ أَرِدْنِي مِنْكَ بِخَيْرٍ فَلَا رَادَّ لِفَضْلِكَ اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ أَنْ تُبَدِّلَ اسْمِي أَوْ أَنْ تُغَيِّرَ جِسْمِي أَوْ تُزِيلَ نِعْمَتَكَ عَنِّي اللَّهُمَّ زَيِّنِّي بِالتَّقْوَى وَ جَمِّلْنِي بِالنِّعَمِ وَ اعْمُرْنِي بِالْعَافِيَةِ وَ ارْزُقْنِي شُكْرَ الْعَافِيَةِ

Translation: O Allah! I seek Your refuge in all my affairs, and I have leaned on the grave of Muhammad, Your servant and messenger and I have turned to the Qibla that You chose for Muhammad. O Allah! I find that I don't have the power to attain good that I desire for myself, nor I have the power to avert the harm, I fear. I find that all affairs are in Your hands, and no one is more than I. I am in need of the good You gave me. O Allah! I ask You to decree that which is good for me, because no one can keep away Your grace. O Allah! I seek refuge with You from replacing my name, from changing my body, or from removing Your blessing from me. O Allah! Embellish me with piety and beautify me with Your bounties, give me a long, healthy life and sustain me with the ability to thank You for prosperity.

Tradition 4: I saw Imam As-Sadiq (‘a) going to the grave of Allah's Messenger (S). When he reached the grave, he placed his hand on it and said: I ask Allah Who selected you, chose you, guided you and guided others through you, to bless and have mercy on you.

Surely Allah and His angels bless the Prophet; O you who believe! call for (Divine) blessings on him and salute him with a (becoming) salutation.

Tradition 5: Imam Al-Kadhim ('a) asked the narrator, “How do you recite salutations to the Prophet?” I replied, “I recite the usual version.” Imam ('a) asked, “Shall I teach you something better?” “Yes, may I be sacrificed on you,” I replied. As I sat, Imam ('a) wrote the following for me and also read it out: When you stand beside the Prophet's grave, recite:

أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ وَ أَشْهَدُ [أَنَّكَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ] أَنَّ مُحَمَّداً عَبْدُهُ وَ رَسُولُهُ وَ أَشْهَدُ أَنَّكَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ وَ أَشْهَدُ أَنَّكَ خَاتَمُ النَّبِيِّينَ وَ أَشْهَدُ أَنَّكَ قَدْ بَلَّغْتَ رِسَالاتِ رَبِّكَ وَ نَصَحْتَ لِأُمَّتِكَ وَ جَاهَدْتَ فِي سَبِيلِ رَبِّكَ وَ عَبَدْتَهُ حَتَّى أَتَاكَ الْيَقِينُ وَ أَدَّيْتَ الَّذِي عَلَيْكَ مِنَ الْحَقِّ اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ عَبْدِكَ وَ رَسُولِكَ وَ نَجِيِّكَ [وَ نَجِيبِكَ] وَ أَمِينِكَ وَ صَفِيِّكَ وَ خِيَرَتِكَ مِنْ خَلْقِكَ أَفْضَلَ مَا صَلَّيْتَ عَلَى أَحَدٍ مِنْ أَنْبِيَائِكَ وَ رُسُلِكَ اللَّهُمَّ سَلِّمْ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ كَمَا سَلَّمْتَ عَلى نُوحٍ فِي الْعالَمِينَ وَ امْنُنْ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ كَمَا مَنَنْتَ عَلى مُوسى وَ هارُونَ وَ بَارِكْ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ كَمَا بَارَكْتَ عَلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَ آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ تَرَحَّمْ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّ الْبَيْتِ الْحَرَامِ وَ رَبَّ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ وَ رَبَّ الرُّكْنِ وَ الْمَقَامِ وَ رَبَّ الْبَلَدِ الْحَرَامِ وَ رَبَّ الْحِلِّ وَ الْحَرَامِ وَ رَبَّ الْمَشْعَرِ الْحَرَامِ بَلِّغْ رُوحَ نَبِيِّكَ مُحَمَّدٍ (ص) مِنِّي السَّلَامَ

Translation: I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, He is alone and has no partners and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and messenger. I bear witness that you are Muhammad, son of Abdullah and you are the last prophet. I bear witness that you conveyed the messages of your Lord, you advised your Ummah, you fought in the path of your Lord, and you worshipped Him till your last moments; and fulfilled your obligations. O Allah, bless Muhammad, Your servant, messenger, confidant, trustee, chosen one and the best of Your creation, blessings greater than any blessings sent on any of Your prophets or messengers. O Allah, convey peace on Muhammad and Aali Muhammad just as You sent Your peace on Nuh “among the worlds.” Bestow Your favour on Muhammad and Aali Muhammad just as You bestowed Your favour “on Musa and Harun”. And bless Muhammad and Aali Muhammad just as You blessed Ibrahim and the progeny of Ibrahim. Indeed, You are Praised, Glorified. O Allah, bless Muhammad and Aali Muhammad. O Allah, Lord of the Sacred House, Lord of the Sacred Mosque, Lord of Rukn and Maqam. Lord of the Sacred Land, Lord of the lawful and unlawful. Lord of Mashar al-Haram. Convey my salutation to the soul of Muhammad, Your Prophet.

Tradition 6: The narrator asked Imam Ar-Ridha’ ('a), “How should I salute Allah's Messenger near his grave?” Imam ('a) replied:

السَّلَامُ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا حَبِيبَ اللَّهِ السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا صَفْوَةَ اللَّهِ السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا أَمِينَ اللَّهِ أَشْهَدُ أَنَّكَ قَدْ نَصَحْتَ لِأُمَّتِكَ وَ جَاهَدْتَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَ عَبَدْتَهُ مُخْلِصاً حَتَّى أَتَاكَ الْيَقِينُ فَجَزَاكَ اللَّهُ أَفْضَلَ مَا جَزَى نَبِيّاً عَنْ أُمَّتِهِ اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ أَفْضَلَ مَا صَلَّيْتَ عَلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَ آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ

Translation: Peace be on Allah's Messenger. Peace be on you, O beloved of Allah. Peace be on you, O choice of Allah. Peace be on you, O trustee of Allah. I bear witness that you advised your Ummah. You fought in the way of Allah and worshipped Him with loyalty until your last moments. May Allah reward you with a greater reward than He has given to any other prophet for guiding his Ummah. O Allah, bless Muhammad and Aali Muhammad, more than You blessed Ibrahim and the progeny of Ibrahim. Indeed, You are Praised, Glorified.

Tradition 7: The narrator saw Imam Al-Kadhim ('a), Harun Rashid, Isa Ibn Ja'far and Ja'far Ibn Yahya together in Medina at the Prophet's grave. Harun said to Imam Al-Kadhim ('a), “Go ahead and salute Allah's Messenger.” But the Imam ('a) refused. So, Harun moved forward and saluted Allah's Messenger and then moved aside. Then Isa Ibn Ja'far asked the Imam ('a), yet he refused. So, Isa stepped forward and saluted Allah's Messenger and then moved aside and stood with Harun. Then Ja'far Ibn Yahya asked Imam ('a) to go ahead but the Imam ('a) refused. So Ja'far stepped forward and saluted Allah's Messenger and then he also moved aside and stood with Harun. Then Imam ('a) stepped forward and said: Peace be on you, O father. I ask Allah Who selected, chose and guided you and guided the creatures through you, to bless you. Harun asked Isa, “Did you hear that?” “Yes,” replied Isa. “I bear witness that Allah's Messenger is truly his father,” said Harun.

Tradition 8: Same as no. 3.

Tradition 9: Same as the last lines of Tradition no. 7.

Tradition 10: The narrator asked Imam Ar-Ridha’ ('a), “How should I salute Allah's Messenger (S) near his grave?” Imam ('a) replied: Recite:

السَّلَامُ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ وَ رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ وَ بَرَكَاتُهُ السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا مُحَمَّدَ بْنَ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا خِيَرَةَ اللَّهِ السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا حَبِيبَ اللَّهِ السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا صَفْوَةَ اللَّهِ السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا أَمِينَ اللَّهِ أَشْهَدُ أَنَّكَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ وَ أَشْهَدُ أَنَّكَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ وَ أَشْهَدُ أَنَّكَ قَدْ نَصَحْتَ لِأُمَّتِكَ وَ جَاهَدْتَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ [رَبِّكَ]- وَ عَبَدْتَهُ حَتَّى أَتَاكَ الْيَقِينُ فَجَزَاكَ اللَّهُ أَفْضَلَ مَا جَزَى نَبِيّاً عَنْ أُمَّتِهِ اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِهِ [وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ] أَفْضَلَ مَا صَلَّيْتَ عَلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَ آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ

Translation: Peace be on Allah's Messenger (S). Peace be on you and Allah's mercy and blessings be on you. Peace be on you, O Allah's Messenger (S)! Peace be on you, O Muhammad Ibn Abdullah! Peace be on you, O chosen one from the creation of Allah! Peace be on you, O beloved of Allah! Peace be on you, O choice of Allah! Peace be on you, O trustee of Allah! I bear witness that you are Allah's Messenger (S) and that you are Muhammad, son of Abdullah. I bear witness that you advised your Ummah, you fought in the path of your Lord and worshipped Him until your last moments. May Allah reward you with a greater reward than He has given to any other prophet for guiding his Ummah. O Allah! Bless Muhammad and Aali Muhammad, more than Ibrahim and the progeny of Ibrahim. Indeed, You are Praised, Glorified.