Is it true that Imam Malik commanded Caliph Abu Ja'far al-Mansur to lower his voice in the Prophet's Mosque, and to seek intercession with Allah through the Prophet (peace be upon him), and did Imam Malik permit seeking intercession through the Prophet (peace be upon him)?

The article summarizes Sheikh Al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah’s position on the story attributed to Imam Malik regarding seeking intercession through the Prophet (peace be upon him), clarifying the invalidity of its chain of narration (sanad) and text (matn). Ibn Taymiyyah holds that it is well-known from Malik and other Imams that a supplicant should face the Qiblah when supplicating for himself, not the grave. He also states that Malik’s saying, "The latter part of this Ummah will not be set right except by that which set right its first part," confirms his rejection of what the predecessors did not do. It is mentioned that some later Maliki scholars authenticated the story and permitted seeking intercession, but the preponderant opinion is that it is not authentically reported from Malik that he permitted seeking intercession through the Prophet's person or status, and that goodness lies in following the predecessors and abandoning innovations.