In some countries, they make something resembling the Ka'bah, and they tell the common people: whoever cannot perform Hajj, let him perform Hajj to this..!

The questioner:
He says: Honorable Shaykh, may Allah grant you success, in some countries there is a square shape resembling the Ka'bah, and they tell the common people that whoever cannot perform Hajj should perform Hajj to this shape,

The Shaykh:
I seek refuge in Allah.

The questioner:
Is this considered seeking nearness to Allah through a means (tawassul), or is it shirk (associating partners with Allah)?

The Shaykh:
This is invalid, this is invalid. There is no Ka'bah on the face of the earth except the Noble Ka'bah. So this is from falsehood. They make a Ka'bah that resembles the Noble Ka'bah and they legislate for people to circumambulate it and visit it, and the one who cannot afford to perform Hajj goes to it. This is disbelief, and may Allah protect us from it. This is disbelief in Allah and shirk (associating partners with Allah). Yes. And Honorable Shaykh. A question came to the Committee of Senior Scholars regarding those who make the shape of the Ka'bah to teach people Hajj, to teach people Hajj, and they make a shape for them for the sake of training. So they issued, they issued the decision to prohibit this, that it is not permissible to teach people the rituals of Hajj in this way. And that a shape of the Ka'bah be placed for them there. So how much more so when they say that it suffices for the Ka'bah? It is not for the sake of teaching, or they say it suffices for the Ka'bah, that the one who does not go to the Ka'bah is satisfied with this. And why is it like the one who says: "You go to the graves, it is better than your going to the Ka'bah," as you have heard? Yes.