The ruling on studying in a mosque that contains a grave and dealing with those who circumambulate it
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner:
This questioner, Kليب, says: I am a student studying the Qur'an in a mosque that has a famous grave. Please note that people circumambulate this grave and pray to it. What is the ruling on studying in such places, considering that it is in the area where I live and reside?
The Shaykh:
It is not permissible to study in this mosque or to pray in it, because it is an idol. Your studying and sitting in it constitutes approval of this evil, especially for students of knowledge, who are cited as evidence. It is said, "If this were an evil, they would not sit in it and remain silent." So avoid this and establish a gathering place for yourselves away from this polytheistic mosque. It is not a mosque; it is called a shrine, one of the shrines of shirk (associating partners with Allah). Yes.
The questioner:
Continuing with the same question, may Allah reward you with good. He says: How do we deal with those who circumambulate these graves?
The Shaykh:
Deal with them by advising and clarifying. They do not circumambulate them except because they are ignorant and do not know the Shari'ah. So clarify it to them. May Allah reward you with good. Clarify it to the people, and guidance is in the hand of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He). So you clarify, and guidance is in the hand of Allah. Compulsion is in the hand of the authority or in your hands. It is only upon you to clarify.
And if you clarify, Allah will guide whom He wills of His servants. But if you remain silent, people will become bold in this, and many will engage in it, even if out of ignorance. And you will be the ones responsible for not clarifying to the people.[Ali 'Imran 3:187] [Al-Baqarah 2:159-160] So as long as you are able to clarify, clarify. And if you are prevented, you are excused. But stay away from the places of shirk. Yes.
The presenter:
May Allah reward you,
This questioner, Kليب, says: I am a student studying the Qur'an in a mosque that has a famous grave. Please note that people circumambulate this grave and pray to it. What is the ruling on studying in such places, considering that it is in the area where I live and reside?
The Shaykh:
It is not permissible to study in this mosque or to pray in it, because it is an idol. Your studying and sitting in it constitutes approval of this evil, especially for students of knowledge, who are cited as evidence. It is said, "If this were an evil, they would not sit in it and remain silent." So avoid this and establish a gathering place for yourselves away from this polytheistic mosque. It is not a mosque; it is called a shrine, one of the shrines of shirk (associating partners with Allah). Yes.
The questioner:
Continuing with the same question, may Allah reward you with good. He says: How do we deal with those who circumambulate these graves?
The Shaykh:
Deal with them by advising and clarifying. They do not circumambulate them except because they are ignorant and do not know the Shari'ah. So clarify it to them. May Allah reward you with good. Clarify it to the people, and guidance is in the hand of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He). So you clarify, and guidance is in the hand of Allah. Compulsion is in the hand of the authority or in your hands. It is only upon you to clarify.
And if you clarify, Allah will guide whom He wills of His servants. But if you remain silent, people will become bold in this, and many will engage in it, even if out of ignorance. And you will be the ones responsible for not clarifying to the people.
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."
وَإِذْ أَخَذَ اللَّهُ مِيثَاقَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ لَتُبَيِّنُنَّهُ لِلنَّاسِ وَلَا تَكْتُمُونَهُ(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
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَكْتُمُونَ مَا أَنزَلْنَا مِنَ الْبَيِّنَاتِ وَالْهُدَىٰ مِن بَعْدِ مَا بَيَّنَّاهُ لِلنَّاسِ فِي الْكِتَابِ أُولَٰئِكَ يَلْعَنُهُمُ اللَّهُ وَيَلْعَنُهُمُ اللَّاعِنُونَ إِلَّا الَّذِينَ تَابُوا وَأَصْلَحُوا وَبَيَّنُواThe presenter:
May Allah reward you,
Source
شرح كتاب الكبائر للإمام محمد بن عبد الوهاب، بداية من باب ما جاء في زعموا — islamhouse.com (56:05)
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.