We ask about the authenticity of the saying: “When chests are constricted, visit the graves.” Is this a hadith from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and if it is a hadith?
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The questioner : The fourth issue: The listener Abdullah al-Arabi from Egypt asks about the authenticity of the saying: “When chests are constricted, visit the graves.” Is this a hadith from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and if it is a hadith, we ask for clarification, may you be rewarded?
The Shaykh : It appears that the questioner did not get this phrase right. What I have heard regarding this phrase is that they say: “When matters become difficult, turn to the people of the graves”, meaning that when matters become difficult for you, go to the people of the graves and call upon them to rescue you and save you from what has befallen you. There is no doubt that this matter is major shirk, meaning that a person goes to the people of the graves to call upon them to save him from the affliction that has befallen him. There is no doubt that it is major shirk that takes a person out of Islam and necessitates eternal abode in the Fire, may Allah protect us from it. As Allah the Exalted said:[Al-Ma'idah 5:72] So supplication is not to be made to anyone but Allah (Mighty and Majestic). Allah the Exalted said: [Ghafir 40:60] And He said: [Al-Ahqaf 46:5].
So calling upon the people of the graves is of no benefit; rather, it harms the person and takes him out of Islam. If someone were to say that incidents have occurred indicating that the caller benefited from the supplication of the people of the graves, where a person calls upon the occupant of a grave to save him from destruction or to obtain a desire, and he is saved from destruction and the desire is obtained.
The answer to that is to say that what occurred after calling upon the occupant of the grave did not occur through the supplication of the occupant of the grave, certainly. Rather, it occurred as a trial for him, meaning for the caller. For Allah the Exalted may test a person with something in which the tested person persists in disobedience to Allah, and Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, is Wise.
As for this thing occurring, meaning salvation from distress and obtaining the desired, through the supplication of the people of the graves, this is absolutely impossible. For Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, has informed that whoever is called upon besides Allah does not respond to the caller until the Day of Resurrection.
As for the phrase the questioner said: “When matters become difficult for you, visit the graves”, this is not a hadith from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), nor is it authentic. Rather, visiting graves serves as a reminder of the Hereafter. It should be said: If you see in yourself negligence regarding the Hereafter and immersion in this world and luxury, then visit the graves to be admonished and take a lesson from their occupants. For their occupants, who were imprisoned in them, are your companions yesterday on the surface of the earth. They may have been wealthier than you, stronger than you, and more powerful than you, and yet they became bound and imprisoned in their graves. So when a person visits the cemetery, he is reminded of the Hereafter. For this reason, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sunan Ibn Majah 1569Sahih (Darussalam).
It is recommended for one who visits graves to supplicate for them with the supplication reported from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), such as:. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.
The Shaykh : It appears that the questioner did not get this phrase right. What I have heard regarding this phrase is that they say: “When matters become difficult, turn to the people of the graves”, meaning that when matters become difficult for you, go to the people of the graves and call upon them to rescue you and save you from what has befallen you. There is no doubt that this matter is major shirk, meaning that a person goes to the people of the graves to call upon them to save him from the affliction that has befallen him. There is no doubt that it is major shirk that takes a person out of Islam and necessitates eternal abode in the Fire, may Allah protect us from it. As Allah the Exalted said:
Indeed, he who associates others with Allah - Allah has forbidden him Paradise, and his refuge is the Fire. And there are not for the wrongdoers any helpers.
إنه من يشرك بالله فقد حرّم الله عليه الجنة ومأواه النار وما للظالمين من أنصارAnd your Lord says, "Call upon Me; I will respond to you." Indeed, those who disdain My worship will enter Hell [rendered] contemptible.
وَقالَ رَبُّكُمُ ادعوني أَستَجِب لَكُم إِنَّ الَّذينَ يَستَكبِرونَ عَن عِبادَتي سَيَدخُلونَ جَهَنَّمَ داخِرينَAnd who is more astray than he who invokes besides Allah those who will not respond to him until the Day of Resurrection, and they, of their invocation, are unaware.
وَمَن أَضَلُّ مِمَّن يَدعو مِن دونِ اللَّهِ مَن لا يَستَجيبُ لَهُ إِلى يَومِ القِيامَةِ وَهُم عَن دُعائِهِم غافِلونَSo calling upon the people of the graves is of no benefit; rather, it harms the person and takes him out of Islam. If someone were to say that incidents have occurred indicating that the caller benefited from the supplication of the people of the graves, where a person calls upon the occupant of a grave to save him from destruction or to obtain a desire, and he is saved from destruction and the desire is obtained.
The answer to that is to say that what occurred after calling upon the occupant of the grave did not occur through the supplication of the occupant of the grave, certainly. Rather, it occurred as a trial for him, meaning for the caller. For Allah the Exalted may test a person with something in which the tested person persists in disobedience to Allah, and Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, is Wise.
As for this thing occurring, meaning salvation from distress and obtaining the desired, through the supplication of the people of the graves, this is absolutely impossible. For Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, has informed that whoever is called upon besides Allah does not respond to the caller until the Day of Resurrection.
As for the phrase the questioner said: “When matters become difficult for you, visit the graves”, this is not a hadith from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), nor is it authentic. Rather, visiting graves serves as a reminder of the Hereafter. It should be said: If you see in yourself negligence regarding the Hereafter and immersion in this world and luxury, then visit the graves to be admonished and take a lesson from their occupants. For their occupants, who were imprisoned in them, are your companions yesterday on the surface of the earth. They may have been wealthier than you, stronger than you, and more powerful than you, and yet they became bound and imprisoned in their graves. So when a person visits the cemetery, he is reminded of the Hereafter. For this reason, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
Visit the graves, for they will remind you of the Hereafter.
زوروا القبور فإنها تذكّر الأخرةIt is recommended for one who visits graves to supplicate for them with the supplication reported from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), such as:
Peace be upon you, abode of a people of faith. And we, if Allah wills, will be joining you. May Allah have mercy on those of us who have gone before and those who come after. We ask Allah for well-being for us and for you. O Allah, do not deprive us of their reward, and do not test us after them, and forgive us and them.
السلام عليكم دار قوم مؤمنين وإنا إن شاء الله بكم لاحقون يرحم الله المستقدمين منا ومنكم والمستأخرين نسأل الله لنا ولكم العافية اللهم لا تحرمنا أجرهم ولا تفتنا بعدهم واغفر لنا ولهمThe questioner : May Allah bless you.