The Ruling on Circumambulating Graves

Question:
Sufficient for us is Allah, O Honorable Shaykh. This questioner says: Is circumambulating the grave a religious innovation (bid'ah) or associating partners with Allah (shirk)?

Answer:
There is doubt that circumambulating the grave is a religious innovation (bid'ah); shirk is a religious innovation, and shirk itself is a religious innovation. So circumambulating the grave is undoubtedly a religious innovation, because Allah has not prescribed circumambulating anything on the face of the earth except the Ka'bah. Nothing else is circumambulated, neither the stations nor the graves. This is a religious law that Allah the Exalted has not authorized. There is no circumambulation except around the Ka'bah. So whoever circumambulates other than the Ka'bah has legislated in the religion of Allah what is not part of it. And if he intends by this circumambulation to draw near to another deity, and I think this has not been legislated, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, and if it is established , the least of the states of circumambulating graves is that it is a religious innovation. It may escalate to major shirk if the one doing it draws near to the deceased with it, and this is the common practice of those who circumambulate graves, except that it is... Allah is the Greatest.
I do not think that any of those who circumambulate the grave draw near to Allah by it, but rather they draw near to the grave.
But even if he draws near to Allah by it, it is an invalid and rejected act, and a religious innovation. Yes.