The Ruling on Circumambulating Graves, Trees, and Making Vows to Them
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Question:
May Allah reward you with good and do you well. Our brother says: In our city, there are people who go to shrines and graves, and even to trees, and they circumambulate them, offer them gifts, and make vows to them. I ask you, Honorable Shaykh, to guide us to the correct way of calling people to the oneness of Allah (Mighty and Majestic), and to rejecting shirk (associating partners with Allah), idols, and also vows to shrines and trees. May Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
There is no doubt that supplicating to the dead, shrines, and trees is major shirk (associating partners with Allah), and it is the religion of the people of the pre-Islamic age of ignorance (jahiliyyah) to whom the messengers (peace and blessings be upon them) were sent to call them to Allah and to fight them until they abandon the worship of other than Allah (Mighty and Majestic). Specifically, the Seal of the Prophets, Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), called to tawhid (the oneness of Allah) and forbade shirk (associating partners with Allah). He fought the polytheists with explanation and speech, and he fought them with the sword and the spear, until Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) guided those for whom happiness had been decreed, and the proof was established against those who were stubborn and defiant. He (peace and blessings be upon him) fought them and battled them in this matter in obedience to the command of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He):[At-Tawbah 9:73], and their abode is Hellfire, and what an evil destination it is. [At-Tawbah 9:123] [Al-Anfal 8:39] the Forgiving, the Merciful.
Therefore, it is obligatory upon you to call to Allah, to disapprove of these people, and to be severe in that, so that perhaps Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) may guide them.
Also, clarification must be provided to the people. It is obligatory upon the scholars of the Muslims to fulfill this duty; otherwise, they will be exposed to punishment. If they remain silent while they see shirk (associating partners with Allah) at the shrines and at the graves and do not disapprove of it, perhaps some of them adorn these things, make them seem good, and call them by names other than their true names, so the ignorant are deceived by them. Then they become among the callers to misguidance and among the callers to shirk (associating partners with Allah), may Allah protect us from that.[An-Nahl 16:25]. Therefore, it is obligatory upon the scholars to do what Allah has made obligatory upon them. And if [Ali 'Imran 3:187], this is the duty of the scholars. The benefit of knowledge and its possessor is that he does not enjoin what is right and does not forbid what is wrong, but rather he does not forbid the greatest of what is wrong, which is shirk (associating partners with Allah) with Allah (Mighty and Majestic). He becomes like those about whom Allah the Exalted said: [Al-Jumu'ah 62:5]. He said, the Exalted: [Al-Baqarah 2:159-160]. Therefore, it is obligatory upon the scholars, the students of knowledge, and those with insight in every town, in every region, and in every district to do what Allah the Exalted has made obligatory upon them: calling to Allah, enjoining what is right, forbidding what is wrong, clarifying the truth to the people, and not remaining silent about this serious matter, which is shirk (associating partners with Allah) with Allah (Mighty and Majestic), while they see the people of their town falling into major shirk (associating partners with Allah) that takes one out of the religion, and they remain silent about it, or they seek excuses for them. We ask Allah for safety and well-being. O Allah.
Therefore, it is obligatory upon you to be alert to this serious matter, to warn against it, and to clarify it to the people, so that perhaps Allah may guide those for whom happiness has been predestined, and the proof is established against those who are stubborn and arrogant, and your conscience is cleared of the responsibility before Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He).
May Allah reward you with good and do you well. Our brother says: In our city, there are people who go to shrines and graves, and even to trees, and they circumambulate them, offer them gifts, and make vows to them. I ask you, Honorable Shaykh, to guide us to the correct way of calling people to the oneness of Allah (Mighty and Majestic), and to rejecting shirk (associating partners with Allah), idols, and also vows to shrines and trees. May Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
There is no doubt that supplicating to the dead, shrines, and trees is major shirk (associating partners with Allah), and it is the religion of the people of the pre-Islamic age of ignorance (jahiliyyah) to whom the messengers (peace and blessings be upon them) were sent to call them to Allah and to fight them until they abandon the worship of other than Allah (Mighty and Majestic). Specifically, the Seal of the Prophets, Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), called to tawhid (the oneness of Allah) and forbade shirk (associating partners with Allah). He fought the polytheists with explanation and speech, and he fought them with the sword and the spear, until Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) guided those for whom happiness had been decreed, and the proof was established against those who were stubborn and defiant. He (peace and blessings be upon him) fought them and battled them in this matter in obedience to the command of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He):
O Prophet, fight against the disbelievers and the hypocrites and be harsh upon them
يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ جَاهِدِ الْكُفَّارَ وَالْمُنَافِقِينَ وَاغْلُظْ عَلَيْهِمْO you who have believed, fight those adjacent to you of the disbelievers and let them find in you harshness. And know that Allah is with the righteous.
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا قَاتِلُوا الَّذِينَ يَلُونَكُم مِّنَ الْكُفَّارِ وَلْيَجِدُوا فِيكُمْ غِلْظَةً وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّهَ مَعَ الْمُتَّقِينَAnd fight them until there is no fitnah and [until] the religion, all of it, is for Allah. And if they cease - then indeed, Allah
وَقَاتِلُوهُمْ حَتَّىٰ لَا تَكُونَ فِتْنَةٌ وَيَكُونَ الدِّينُ كُلُّهُ لِلَّهِ فَإِنِ انتَهَوْا فَإِنَّ اللَّهَTherefore, it is obligatory upon you to call to Allah, to disapprove of these people, and to be severe in that, so that perhaps Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) may guide them.
Also, clarification must be provided to the people. It is obligatory upon the scholars of the Muslims to fulfill this duty; otherwise, they will be exposed to punishment. If they remain silent while they see shirk (associating partners with Allah) at the shrines and at the graves and do not disapprove of it, perhaps some of them adorn these things, make them seem good, and call them by names other than their true names, so the ignorant are deceived by them. Then they become among the callers to misguidance and among the callers to shirk (associating partners with Allah), may Allah protect us from that.
That they may bear their own burdens in full on the Day of Resurrection and some of the burdens of those whom they misguide without knowledge. Unquestionably, evil is that which they bear.
لِيَحْمِلُوا أَوْزَارَهُمْ كَامِلَةً يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ وَمِنْ أَوْزَارِ الَّذِينَ يُضِلُّونَهُم بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ أَلَا سَاءَ مَا يَزِرُونَwhen Allah took a covenant from those who were given the Scripture, [saying], "You must make it clear to the people and not conceal it."
أَخَذَ اللَّهُ مِيثَاقَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ لَتُبَيِّنُنَّهُ لِلنَّاسِ وَلَا تَكْتُمُونَهُThe example of those who were entrusted with the Torah and then did not take it on is like that of a donkey who carries volumes [of books]. Wretched is the example of the people who deny the signs of Allah. And Allah does not guide the wrongdoing people.
مَثَلُ الَّذِينَ حُمِّلُوا التَّوْرَاةَ ثُمَّ لَمْ يَحْمِلُوهَا كَمَثَلِ الْحِمَارِ يَحْمِلُ أَسْفَارًا بِئْسَ مَثَلُ الْقَوْمِ الَّذِينَ كَذَّبُوا بِآيَاتِ اللَّهِ وَاللَّهُ لَا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الظَّالِمِينَ(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 الرَّحِيمُTherefore, it is obligatory upon you to be alert to this serious matter, to warn against it, and to clarify it to the people, so that perhaps Allah may guide those for whom happiness has been predestined, and the proof is established against those who are stubborn and arrogant, and your conscience is cleared of the responsibility before Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He).
Source
قناة «العلامة الدكتور صالح الفوزان»، حكم الطواف حول القبور والأشجار والنذر لها - الشيخ صالح الفوزان — youtube.com
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.