The Ruling on Circumambulating Graves and Supplicating to Them
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Question:
May Allah reward you, Honorable Shaykh. This is another questioner who says: What is the ruling on circumambulating graves and supplicating to them other than to Allah? And is the one who circumambulates them declared a disbeliever and one who commits shirk (associating partners with Allah), or must the evidence be established against him first?
Answer:
Circumambulating graves is a bid'ah (religious innovation). Circumambulating graves is a bid'ah and legislating a religion that Allah has not authorized. Indeed, Allah has not prescribed circumambulation except around the Ancient House alone. There is nothing on the face of the earth that is circumambulated except the Ancient House, the Noble Ka'bah. So the one who circumambulates a grave or a shrine has legislated a religion that Allah has not authorized, so it is a bid'ah. And if he does so to draw near to the deceased, then it becomes major shirk. But if he circumambulates the grave to draw near to Allah, then it is a bid'ah because he has legislated a religion that Allah has not authorized.
It does not become shirk because he does not intend the owner of the grave, but he thinks that circumambulation at his place has virtue and that it is prescribed. So this is considered a bid'ah and misguidance, but it does not reach the level of shirk unless he intends the deceased with this circumambulation and draws near to him. If he intends that and draws near to him with this circumambulation, then he has worshipped him other than Allah, Mighty and Majestic. Because circumambulation is an act of worship. So if he circumambulates for the deceased, fearing him or hoping for his intercession, then he has worshipped him other than Allah, Mighty and Majestic. This is major shirk.
As for the issue that he is ignorant: the one who lives in the lands of Muslims and hears the Qur'an, hears the hadiths, and hears the words of the scholars, the evidence has been established against him. The evidence has been established against him, but he does not want it; he wants to continue in what he is doing. He did not pay attention to the Qur'an, did not pay attention to the Sunnah, and did not pay attention to the words of the scholars. So this is one who turns away. This is one who turns away and did not accept the evidence. Yes.
May Allah reward you, Honorable Shaykh. This is another questioner who says: What is the ruling on circumambulating graves and supplicating to them other than to Allah? And is the one who circumambulates them declared a disbeliever and one who commits shirk (associating partners with Allah), or must the evidence be established against him first?
Answer:
Circumambulating graves is a bid'ah (religious innovation). Circumambulating graves is a bid'ah and legislating a religion that Allah has not authorized. Indeed, Allah has not prescribed circumambulation except around the Ancient House alone. There is nothing on the face of the earth that is circumambulated except the Ancient House, the Noble Ka'bah. So the one who circumambulates a grave or a shrine has legislated a religion that Allah has not authorized, so it is a bid'ah. And if he does so to draw near to the deceased, then it becomes major shirk. But if he circumambulates the grave to draw near to Allah, then it is a bid'ah because he has legislated a religion that Allah has not authorized.
It does not become shirk because he does not intend the owner of the grave, but he thinks that circumambulation at his place has virtue and that it is prescribed. So this is considered a bid'ah and misguidance, but it does not reach the level of shirk unless he intends the deceased with this circumambulation and draws near to him. If he intends that and draws near to him with this circumambulation, then he has worshipped him other than Allah, Mighty and Majestic. Because circumambulation is an act of worship. So if he circumambulates for the deceased, fearing him or hoping for his intercession, then he has worshipped him other than Allah, Mighty and Majestic. This is major shirk.
As for the issue that he is ignorant: the one who lives in the lands of Muslims and hears the Qur'an, hears the hadiths, and hears the words of the scholars, the evidence has been established against him. The evidence has been established against him, but he does not want it; he wants to continue in what he is doing. He did not pay attention to the Qur'an, did not pay attention to the Sunnah, and did not pay attention to the words of the scholars. So this is one who turns away. This is one who turns away and did not accept the evidence. Yes.
Source
قناة «العلامة الدكتور صالح الفوزان»، ما حكم الطواف بالقبور ودعائها؟ وهل تشترط إقامة الحجة على من فعل ذلك حتى يكفر؟ — youtube.com
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.