Ismaeel bin Yaqoob Taimee said:
Muhammad bin Munkadar used to remain silent whenever he sits with his companions. Then he would stand and put his cheeks on the grave of Prophet peace be upon him and he would come back. When he was accused for this. He said: When I would fear than I ask help by the grave of Prophet peace be upon him [Tareekh Ibn Abi Khaytama 2/258]
Response:
a) Shaykh Shuaib al Arnaoot said:
The chain of this story is weak The author (of the book Seyar Imam ad-Dahabee) said in al Meezan al Aitedaal in the biography of Ismaeel bin Yaqoob al Taymee : Abu Hatim weakened him and he narrated a munkir Hikayah from Maalik which is mentioned by Khateeb [Seyar Ailam an-Nubala 5/359]
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b) Imam ad Dahabee said after quoting this narration
There is some weakness in Ismaeel [Tareekh al Islam 8/256]
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c) Shaykh Zubayr Ali Zai said
This narration is mentioned with much difference in Tareekh Damishq of Ibn Asakir (56/50-51) with the chain of Ibn Abi Khaytama.
Hafidh ad Dahabee also mentioned it [see Seyar Ailam an Nubala 5/359, Tareekh al Islam 8/256]
Hafidh ad Dahabee remained silent in Seyar but he said in Tareekh al Islam righter after this narration: There is some weakness in Ismaeel [see page 256]
Abu Hatim al Razi said regarding Ismaeel bin Yaqoob al Taimi: He is weak in hadeeth [Kitab al Jarh wal Tadeel 2/204 no. 690]
Hafidh ad-Dahabee mentioned him in Deewan al Duafa wal Matrookin [1/92 no. 458]
And He said in Meezan al Aitedaal: He narrated a munkir Hikayah from Maalik which is mentioned by Khateeb [1/254]
Ibn Jawzi Mentioned this narrator in Kitab al Duafa wal Matrookin [1/123 no. 429]
Against Imam Abu Hatim al Razi and majority of the Muhadditheen, It is wrong to mention him in Kitab at Thiqaat by Ibn Hibban.
Secondly, Ismaeel bin Yaqoob did not mentioned that from who he heard this story?
According to our knowledge No one from the muhadditheen mentioned his any meeting with Muhammad bin al Mundakar and Munqata narration is Mardood.[Al Hadith no. 108 page 35-36]
It is known that Rubbing the cheeks on the grave is an innovation and asking help from the person in grave is shirk according to the consensus as said by Imams of Hanafiyah.
a) Imam Birqivi Hanafi (d 929 h) said in Ziyarat al quboor
فزيارة القبور لأجل الصلاة عندها والطواف بها وتقبيلها واستلامها وتعفير الخدود عليها وأخذ ترابها ودعاء أصحابها والاستعانة بهم، وسؤالهم النصر والرزق والعافية والولد وقضاء الديون وتفريج الكربات وإغاثةاللهفات وغير ذلك من الحاجات، التي كان عباد الأوثان يسألونها من أوثانهم، فليس شيء من ذلك مشروعًا باتفاق أئمة المسلمين إذ لم يفعله رسول الله r ولا أحد من الصحابة والتابعين وسائر أئمة الدين، بل أصل هذهالزيارة البدعية الشركية مأخوذة من عباد الأصنام
“Visiting graves to offer prayers by them, circumambulate them, kiss them, carry out their istilam, to rub cheeks on them, take their dust, to supplicateto the occupants [of the grave], seek their aid [isti’ana], ask from them help,sustenance, well being, children, fulfillment of debts, removal of difficulties, help with sorrows and other needs which the worshippers of idols used to ask their idols. None of this is sanctioned in Shari’ah, according to the consensus of the Imams of the Muslims, as the Messenger of Allah and none of the Companions and Followers and the imams of the faith did this. Rather, the basis of this polytheistic, bid’ati visit has been derived from the worshippers of statutes!”
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b) Shaykh Muhammad ibn Tahir ibn ‘Ali al-Hanafi al-Fattani al-Gujrati (913 – 986 H)
He said In his work Majma‘ Bihar al-Anwar fi Ghara’ib al-Tanzil wa Lata’if al-Akhbar which became a widely accepted work (Nuzhat al-Khawatir p. 410) he wrote:
كره مالك أن يقول زرنا قبره صلى الله عليه وسلم وعللوه بأن لفظ الزيارة صار مشتركا بين ما شرع وما لم يشرع فإن منهم من قصد بزيارة قبور الأنبياء والصلحاء أن يصلي عند قبورهم ويدعو عندها ويسألهم الحوائج وهذا لا يجوز عند أحد من علماء المسلمين فإن العبادة وطلب الحوائج والإستعانة حق لله وحده
“Malik disliked that one says: ‘We visited his (Allah bless him and grant him peace) grave.’ They [i.e. the ‘ulama] gave the reason for this that the word ‘visit’ (ziyarah) has become a common word for that which is established in the Shari’ah and that which is not established in the Shari’ah. For indeed, there are from them those who intend by visiting the graves of the prophets and the righteous to pray near their graves and supplicate near them, and ask them for needs, and this [i.e. asking them for needs] is not permissible according to any of the ‘ulama of the Muslims, for indeed worship and asking for needs (talab al-hawa’ij) and seeking help (isti’anah) is the right of Allah alone.” (vol 2, p. 73)
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Some other Fatawas
a) Ibn Aqil Hanbli said
لا يخلق القبور بالخلوق , والتزويق والتقبيل لها والطواف بها , والتوسل بهم إلى الله
Graves are not made for kissing and decorating and roaming around and making tawassul before Allah [Ibn e Muflih quoted al furoo 2/272]
B) Imam أبي العباس الونشريسي (834-914 ) said:
Among them are kissing the grave of pious person or a scholar. For indeed all of this is an innovation [alMayaar alMa`rab vol 2 page 490]
c) Imam Ibn Qudama Hanbalee said
ولأن تخصيص القبور بالصلاة عندها يشبه تعظيم الأصنام بالسجود لها ، والتقرب إليها ، وقد روينا أن ابتداء عبادة الأصنام تعظيم الأموات ، باتخاذ صورهم ، ومسحها ، والصلاة عندها .
The special treatment of graves by means of praying by them is similar to the veneration of idols by prostrating oneself before them and wishing to draw near to them. And it is narrated that idol worship began initially by praising the dead by taking their pictures and wiping them and praying over them.[Al Mughni, Kitab al-Janaiz Vol 2 page 193]
d) Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jeelani RA said
“When you visit the graves then do not put your hands on them or kiss them as this is the habit of the jews, nor sit on the graves or rest against them..” (al-Ghuniyyah (1/91).
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e) Imam Nawawi said
ومن خطر بباله أن المسح باليد ونحوه أبلغ في البركة فهو من جهالته وغفلته؛ لأن البركة إنما هي فيما وافق الشرع وأقوال العلماء، وكيف يبتغى الفضل في مخالفة الصواب؟!
Whoever thinks that wiping the grave (of the Prophet) with the hand attains barakah, then this is a result of the foolishness and ignorance, because barakah is attained by following shariyah and from the sayings of scholars. How can barakah be attain by going against shariyah?[Al Eydaah fil Manaasik page 456]
f) The Tawassul of Fuḍayl ibn ‘Iyāḍ (died 187 h).
Abu Nu`aym al-Isfahani narrated with his chain, that Fuḍayl ibn ‘Iyāḍ had some problem, He prayed to Allah.
” بِحُبِّي إِيَّاكَ لَمَا أَطْلَقْتَهُ
By my love for YOU (Allah, Heal me). [Hilya tul Auliya 8/109]
Its the tawassul of righteous deeds. The recommended one, You will never find that salaf asked from Prophets or Auliyah to ask Allah for them, neither they asked them directly.
Conclusion:
This narration is not proven as said by the scholars, and it is against the consensus.