The Ruling on Seeking Intercession and Supplication from the Dead at the Grave
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Question:
Is supplicating to the grave and asking Allah to make the dead person benefit the living person major shirk (associating partners with Allah) and minor shirk?
Answer:
What is sought from the deceased is intercession, my brothers. Nothing is sought from the deceased. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Riyad as-Salihin 1383 The deceased is in need of supplication, so how do you seek it from him? He is in need of you to give charity on his behalf, to make du'a for him, to perform Hajj and 'Umrah on his behalf. He is in need of you benefiting him with some righteous deeds, because his deeds have been cut off. So how do you seek from him? Nothing is sought from the dead, O servants of Allah. Rather, it is sought from Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He), the Living who does not die. [Al-Furqan 25:58] Why do you go to the dead and leave the Living who does not die, who has everything? (Glorified and Exalted is He), nothing is too difficult for Him. Why do you not seek from Allah (Mighty and Majestic)? You go to the grave and do not go to the deceased, and you leave the du'a to Allah. [Ghafir 40:60] Call upon Allah, my brother. As for the deceased, make du'a for him. Make du'a for the deceased. A righteous du'a by which Allah benefits him. Yes.
This is not permissible. One does not go to the grave; du'a' is not made at it, nor is prayer performed at it, nor is it circumambulated, nor is a sacrifice slaughtered for it, even if the person intends the face of Allah. But it is not permissible in that place; this place is not suitable for worship, because it is a means to shirk (associating partners with Allah).
Is supplicating to the grave and asking Allah to make the dead person benefit the living person major shirk (associating partners with Allah) and minor shirk?
Answer:
What is sought from the deceased is intercession, my brothers. Nothing is sought from the deceased. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
When a man dies, his deeds come to an end except for three things: Sadaqah Jariyah (ceaseless charity); a knowledge which is beneficial, or a virtuous descendant who prays for him (for the deceased).
إذا مات ابن آدم انقطع عمله إلا من ثلاث صدقة جارية أو علم ينتفع به أو ولد صالح يدعو لهAnd rely upon the Ever-Living who does not die
وَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى الْحَيِّ الَّذِي لَا يَمُوتُAnd your Lord says, "Call upon Me; I will respond to you." Indeed, those who disdain My worship will enter Hell [rendered] contemptible.
وَقَالَ رَبُّكُمُ ادْعُونِي أَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ عَنْ عِبَادَتِي سَيَدْخُلُونَ جَهَنَّمَ دَاخِرِينَThis is not permissible. One does not go to the grave; du'a' is not made at it, nor is prayer performed at it, nor is it circumambulated, nor is a sacrifice slaughtered for it, even if the person intends the face of Allah. But it is not permissible in that place; this place is not suitable for worship, because it is a means to shirk (associating partners with Allah).
Source
قناة «العلامة الدكتور صالح الفوزان»، محاضرات في العقيدة والدعوة-11-التوحيد يا عباد الله|صالح الفوزان|العام|كبار العلماء — youtube.com (1:08:38)
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.