đź“–Sahih Muslim 532
Jundub reported: I heard from the Messenger of Allah (ď·ş) five days before his death and he said: I stand acquitted before Allah that I took any one of you as friend, for Allah has taken me as His friend, as he took Abraham as His friend. Had I taken any one of my Ummah as a friend, I would have taken Abu Bakr as a friend. Beware of those who preceded you and used to take the graves of their prophets and righteous men as places of worship, but you must not take graves as mosques; I forbid you to do that.
- This hadith (narration) from Sahih Muslim, one of the most authentic collections of narrations in Sunni Islam. The narration reports that a companion of the Prophet Muhammad, Jundub, heard the Prophet say five days before his death that he did not take any of his companions as a friend because Allah had taken him as His friend, just as He took Prophet Ibrahim as His friend. The Prophet added that if he had taken anyone as a friend from his Ummah (community), he would have chosen Abu Bakr, one of his closest companions. The Prophet then warned the people to be careful and avoid following the example of those who preceded them and used to take the graves of their prophets and righteous men as places of worship. He explicitly forbade his followers from taking graves as mosques or places of worship. The hadith contains several important teachings. First, it emphasizes the importance of a strong relationship with Allah as the ultimate goal for every Muslim. Second, it highlights the exceptional character and status of the Prophet Muhammad and his close companions. Third, it warns against the dangers of innovations in religion, particularly in matters of worship. Finally, it forbids the practice of taking graves as places of worship, which is considered an act of shirk (associating partners with Allah) and is strictly prohibited in Islam.