Hadith of Dua’a Via Nabi (S.A.W)

Uthmaan ibn Hunayf narrates that once a blind person came to Rasulullah and said:

‘O Rasulullah! Ask Allah to cure me.’ Rasulullah replied, ‘If you wish I will make Du’aa or else you may be patient and this is better for you.’ The man said, ‘Make Du’aa instead’, Rasulullah then commanded him to make Wudhu properly and that he recites the following Du’aa, ‘Oh Allah, verily, I ask of you and I turn to you through your prophet, the prophet of mercy, O Muhammad, verily, I have turned to my Lord through you so that my need be fulfilled. Oh Allah, accept his intercession on my behalf.’

In this dua, it is clear that the blind man is addressing Rasulullah whilst making dua as he says “O Muhammad, verily, I have turned to my Lord through you.”

When the blind man made this dua, was Rasulullah sallalhualaihiwasallam present with the blind man or was Rasulullah sallalhualaihiwasallam absent when the blind man made the dua?