What is the ruling on visiting the awliya (close friends of Allah), whether they are alive or dead?
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The questioner : In the question from the listener Muhammad al-Tayyib, he asks: What is the ruling on visiting the awliya (close friends of Allah), whether they are alive or dead? We ask for your guidance.
The Shaykh : Regarding the term "awliya," it should not be applied except to those in whom the status of being a close friend of Allah, as defined by Allah (Mighty and Majestic) in His saying[Yunus 10:62-63], has been verified. This status is not achieved through publicity, specific clothing, or a specific appearance, but through faith and piety. Many of those who claim this status are false prophets and liars who call for the exaltation of themselves and for their control over the minds of creation without right. Such a person does not deserve to be visited, nor should his call be answered, until he straightens out in the command of Allah, returns to the religion of Allah, and people are safe from his evil and deception.
And if we know that this man is among the believers who are pious, who does not praise himself and does not claim this status for himself, then he has a right over his Muslim brothers that they love him for the sake of Allah and respect him with the respect befitting him, so that this encourages him to continue in what he is upon of faith and piety, and urges others to be like him in his faith and piety.
As for visiting the awliya (close friends of Allah) after death, as the questioner mentioned, the sincere awliya who are characterized by faith and piety, when they die, their visitation is like that of others; it does not differ from the visitation of others, because they themselves are in need of supplication for them, just as other Muslims are in need of supplication for them. There is no special merit in visiting their graves over visiting the graves of others in terms of benefit or harm, because they themselves are in need of the pardon and forgiveness of Allah, and they have no power over anything. What some ignorant common people do, such as frequenting the graves of those they call awliya or believe to be awliya for healing with the soil of the grave, or seeking blessing through supplication at their graves, or the like of that, all of this is religious innovation (bid'ah), and it may even be a means to associating partners with Allah (shirk) with them and supplicating to them alongside Allah (Mighty and Majestic).
The questioner : May Allah bless you.
The Shaykh : Regarding the term "awliya," it should not be applied except to those in whom the status of being a close friend of Allah, as defined by Allah (Mighty and Majestic) in His saying
(62) Unquestionably, [for] the allies of Allah there will be no fear concerning them, nor will they grieve (63) Those who believed and were fearing Allah
أَلا إِنَّ أَولِياءَ اللَّهِ لا خَوفٌ عَلَيهِم وَلا هُم يَحزَنونَ * الَّذينَ ءامَنوا وَكانوا يَتَّقونَAnd if we know that this man is among the believers who are pious, who does not praise himself and does not claim this status for himself, then he has a right over his Muslim brothers that they love him for the sake of Allah and respect him with the respect befitting him, so that this encourages him to continue in what he is upon of faith and piety, and urges others to be like him in his faith and piety.
As for visiting the awliya (close friends of Allah) after death, as the questioner mentioned, the sincere awliya who are characterized by faith and piety, when they die, their visitation is like that of others; it does not differ from the visitation of others, because they themselves are in need of supplication for them, just as other Muslims are in need of supplication for them. There is no special merit in visiting their graves over visiting the graves of others in terms of benefit or harm, because they themselves are in need of the pardon and forgiveness of Allah, and they have no power over anything. What some ignorant common people do, such as frequenting the graves of those they call awliya or believe to be awliya for healing with the soil of the grave, or seeking blessing through supplication at their graves, or the like of that, all of this is religious innovation (bid'ah), and it may even be a means to associating partners with Allah (shirk) with them and supplicating to them alongside Allah (Mighty and Majestic).
The questioner : May Allah bless you.