Praying in mosques that contain shrines is not permissible, and it is obligatory to warn against this
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The questioner:
May Allah reward you with good and do you good. He says: In most of the mosques in our town, there are shrines for some of the righteous close friends of Allah, and I see some of the brothers rubbing themselves against them and also circling around them, saying, "Support, O my master so-and-so." Is the prayer in these mosques valid? Knowing that these shrines are at the front of these mosques, i.e., next to the imam.
The Shaykh:
These shrines are idols worshipped besides Allah, like the idols of the pre-Islamic age of ignorance. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) cursed those who build over graves and warned against this with the strongest warning. He said (peace and blessings be upon him)Sahih al-Bukhari 3453, 3454 He did this (peace and blessings be upon him) at the end of his life while enduring the pangs of death, as Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated. All of this is to warn the community against these shrines and these idols that have led many people astray, may Allah protect us from that.
These mosques built over them must be demolished, and prayer in them is not permissible, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade praying toward graves and forbade praying at graves, because this is one of the means to shirk (associating partners with Allah). As for calling for aid from them, this is explicit major shirk, with no doubt about it. Calling for aid from the dead and supplicating to the dead is major shirk that takes one out of the religion. Likewise, rubbing against them seeking blessing: if the one rubbing believes that the blessing is obtained from this grave, this is major shirk. And if he thinks that this rubbing is a cause for obtaining blessing from Allah, a cause for receiving blessing from Allah, then this is one of the means to shirk and a forbidden religious innovation. Yes.
The presenter:
May Allah reward you with good and do you good. Despite the seriousness of this matter, Shaykh Salih, and despite the abundance of scholars in many Muslim countries, it still exists, and letters continue to arrive at this program one after another, all complaining about this situation. Do you have a word, Shaykh Salih?
The Shaykh:
This is a dangerous situation, and this is a painful reality. These shrines have led much of the community astray and corrupted their beliefs. It is obligatory for the scholars to speak, to denounce it, and to strive with the rulers to remove these idols and purify the lands of the Muslims from them, because most people are commoners. If they see the scholars silent and see these shrines established in their lands, they assume that they are part of the religion and that they are prescribed. It is obligatory for the people of knowledge, given the trust of knowledge that Allah has placed upon them, to clarify things for the people, to enjoin good and forbid evil. Otherwise, what is the benefit of knowledge? It will only be a proof against them on the Day of Resurrection. Allah the Exalted said:[Ali 'Imran 3:187]
He the Exalted said:[Al-Baqarah 2:159-160]. The duty of the scholars is calling to Allah, clarification, warning against shirk, combating religious innovations and superstitions, and working to reform the beliefs of the Muslims. This is their duty, and this is their responsibility before Allah the Exalted. Yes.
May Allah reward you with good and do you good. He says: In most of the mosques in our town, there are shrines for some of the righteous close friends of Allah, and I see some of the brothers rubbing themselves against them and also circling around them, saying, "Support, O my master so-and-so." Is the prayer in these mosques valid? Knowing that these shrines are at the front of these mosques, i.e., next to the imam.
The Shaykh:
These shrines are idols worshipped besides Allah, like the idols of the pre-Islamic age of ignorance. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) cursed those who build over graves and warned against this with the strongest warning. He said (peace and blessings be upon him)
May Allah's Curse be on the Jews and the Christians for they build places of worship at the graves of their prophets." (By that) he intended to warn
لعنة الله على اليهود والنصارى، اتخذوا قبور أنبيائهم مساجد يحذر ماThese mosques built over them must be demolished, and prayer in them is not permissible, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade praying toward graves and forbade praying at graves, because this is one of the means to shirk (associating partners with Allah). As for calling for aid from them, this is explicit major shirk, with no doubt about it. Calling for aid from the dead and supplicating to the dead is major shirk that takes one out of the religion. Likewise, rubbing against them seeking blessing: if the one rubbing believes that the blessing is obtained from this grave, this is major shirk. And if he thinks that this rubbing is a cause for obtaining blessing from Allah, a cause for receiving blessing from Allah, then this is one of the means to shirk and a forbidden religious innovation. Yes.
The presenter:
May Allah reward you with good and do you good. Despite the seriousness of this matter, Shaykh Salih, and despite the abundance of scholars in many Muslim countries, it still exists, and letters continue to arrive at this program one after another, all complaining about this situation. Do you have a word, Shaykh Salih?
The Shaykh:
This is a dangerous situation, and this is a painful reality. These shrines have led much of the community astray and corrupted their beliefs. It is obligatory for the scholars to speak, to denounce it, and to strive with the rulers to remove these idols and purify the lands of the Muslims from them, because most people are commoners. If they see the scholars silent and see these shrines established in their lands, they assume that they are part of the religion and that they are prescribed. It is obligatory for the people of knowledge, given the trust of knowledge that Allah has placed upon them, to clarify things for the people, to enjoin good and forbid evil. Otherwise, what is the benefit of knowledge? It will only be a proof against them on the Day of Resurrection. Allah the Exalted said:
And [mention, O Muhammad], when Allah took a covenant from those who were given the Scripture, [saying], "You must make it clear to the people and not conceal it." But they threw it away behind their backs and exchanged it for a small price. And wretched is that which they purchased.
وَإِذْ أَخَذَ اللَّهُ مِيثَاقَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ لَتُبَيِّنُنَّهُ لِلنَّاسِ وَلَا تَكْتُمُونَهُ فَنَبَذُوهُ وَرَاءَ ظُهُورِهِمْ وَاشْتَرَوْا بِهِ ثَمَنًا قَلِيلًا فَبِئْسَ مَا يَشْتَرُونَHe the Exalted said:
(159) Indeed, those who conceal what We sent down of clear proofs and guidance after We made it clear for the people in the Scripture - those are cursed by Allah and cursed by those who curse, (160) Except for those who repent and correct themselves and make evident [what they concealed]. Those - I will accept their repentance, and I am the Accepting of repentance, the Merciful.
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَكْتُمُونَ مَا أَنزَلْنَا مِنَ الْبَيِّنَاتِ وَالْهُدَىٰ مِن بَعْدِ مَا بَيَّنَّاهُ لِلنَّاسِ فِي الْكِتَابِ أُولَٰئِكَ يَلْعَنُهُمُ اللَّهُ وَيَلْعَنُهُمُ اللَّاعِنُونَ إِلَّا الَّذِينَ تَابُوا وَأَصْلَحُوا وَبَيَّنُوا فَأُولَٰئِكَ أَتُوبُ عَلَيْهِمْ وَأَنَا التَّوَّابُ الرَّحِيمُ
Source
قناة «العلامة الدكتور صالح الفوزان»، 4461- الصلاة في المساجد التي بها أضرحة لا يجوز ووجوب التحذير من ذلك - الشيخ صالح الفوزان — youtube.com
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.