The report about making an opening to the sky about the grave of Allaah’s Messenger (sallalahu alaihi wa ala alihi wa sallam). Ad-Daarimee reports in his Sunan (1/43): Abun-Nu’maan narrated to us:

Sa’eed ibn Zayd narrated to us: ‘Amr ibn Maalik an-Nukree narrated to us: Abul-Jawzaa Aws ibn ‘Abdullaah narrated to us, saying: “The people of al-Madeenah suffered a very severe drought, so they complained to ‘Aaishah, so she said:

“See the grave of the Prophet (sallalahu alaihi wa ala alihi wa sallam ), make an opening in the roof above it, so that there is nothing between it and the sky.” He said: So they did so, and we were blessed with rain such that the crops grew and camels became fat and swollen, so it was called the year of increase.”

This chain of narration is weak and cannot be used as a proof due to three reasons:

(i) Sa’eed ibn Zayd who is the brother of Hammaad ibn Zayd is somewhat weak. Al-Haafidh said about him in at-Taqreeb: “Generally acceptable, but he makes mistakes.” Adh-Dhahabee said about him in al-Meezaan: “Yahyaa ibn Sa’eed said: ‘weak’, and as-Sa’dee said: ‘He is not a proof, they declare his ahaadeeth to be weak.’ An -Nasaa’ee and others said: ‘He is not strong’ and Ahmad said: ‘He is all right.’ Yahyaa ibn Sa’eed would not accept him.”

(ii) It is mawqoof, coming only from ‘Aaishah and not from the Prophet (sallalahu alaihi wa ala alihi wa sallam), and even if the chain of narration upto ‘Aaishah were authentic then it would not be a proof since it is something open to personal judgement in which even the Companions are sometimes correct and sometimes incorrect, and we are not bound to act upon that.

(iii)     That the Abun-Nu’maan in its isnaad is Muhammad ibn al-Fadl, who is known as “Aarim1. He was originally a reliable narrator except that he deterio – rated at the end of his life. Al-Haafidh Burhaanud-Deen al-Halabee mentions him amongst those who deteriorated in later life in his book:al-Muqaddimah (p.391) and he says: “The ruling about these people is that the narrations of these people are accepted if reported from them by people who heard from

them before they deteriorated. But narrations reported from them by those who heard from them after they deteriorated, or narrations reported from them by people about whom we do not know whether they heard from them before they deteriorated or after, then these narrations are to be rejected.” I say: We do not know whether this report was heard by ad -Daarimee from him before or after his memory deteriorated, so it is therefore not acceptable, and cannot be used as evidence.133Then Shaikhul-Islaam Ibn Taimiyyah said in ar-Radd ‘alal-Bakree (pp68-74):

“What is reported from ‘Aaishah, radiyallaahu ‘anhaa, that an opening was made above his grave to the sky, in order for rain to be sent down, then that is not authentic. Its chain of narration is not reliable, and a clear proof of its being a lie is the fact that no such opening existed above the house at all in the whole of the life of ‘Aaishah. Rather it remained as it had been in the time of the Prophet (sallalahu alaihi wa ala alihi wa sallam), part of it being covered and a part uncovered. The sun used to shine into it as is established in the two Sabeehs from ‘Aaishah that the Prophet (sallalahu alaihi wa ala alihi wa sallam) used to pray the ‘Asr Prayer whilst the sun was shining into her house and not producing shade. Then the room remained like that attached to the mosque of the Messenger (sallalahu alaihi wa ala alihi wa sallam)… then the Prophetic room was entered into the mosque. Then a high wall was built around the room of ‘Aaishah, which contained the grave. Then after that a window was built in the roof so that it was possible to enter through it if there was a need to sweep it clean. But as for the presence of such an opening during the lifetime of ‘Aaishah, then it is a clear lie. Even if that were true then it would only be a proof that the people had not used to seek from Allaah by means of the right of a created being, and that they had not used to make tawassul in their supplication by means of a deceased person, nor ask Allaah through him.

Rather they opened up an opening above the grave so that mercy should descend upon it. They did not make any supplication by means of his right, so what is the connection between this and that?! (end of quote from sheikh Albani).

May mercy of Allah be upon sheikhana Albani, which deal with this and many other doubts of heretics in his work, which could be find here.

All I want to add, as said our beloved sheikh, even if this report would be saheeh, it by no way would be an ammo for mushriks which are making istigatha to dead awliyah.  Because in it NO indication in it that it’s permitted to ask dead awliya for something. The latest point that it could be used for, it’s tabarruk, which no one from scholars has ever denied. But want to repeat again, if it would be saheeh.