What is the ruling on those who visit the graves of scholars with the intention of being cured of a specific illness or for the sake of having children, and the like, and who slaughter animals for them?
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The questioner : He says: My question is about those who visit the graves of scholars with the intention of being cured of a specific illness or for the sake of having children, and the like, and who slaughter animals for them. What is the ruling on these people? May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : These people are mushrikin (those who associate partners with Allah) committing major shirk (associating partners with Allah), because they called upon the people in the graves, sought aid from them, and sought help from them. They believed that they bring them benefit and ward off harm from them, and they make vows to them. All of this is among the rights of Allah that are not fitting for anyone other than Him. These people must repent to Allah (Mighty and Majestic) and return to their tawhid (the oneness of Allah) and their sincerity before they die upon this, so that they do not deserve what Allah has informed us about regarding the mushrikin (those who associate partners with Allah) in His saying:[Al-Ma'idah 5:72] If someone were to say: "Perhaps these people are being given respite, or perhaps they are being tested, so they call upon the people in the graves and then what they called for happens?" We say: This is a fitnah (trial, discord or temptation) without a doubt. What happened did not happen because of these buried people, but rather it happened when they made their du'a' (supplication), not because of their du'a' (supplication). Otherwise, we believe and are certain, with the certainty of the sun in the fourth hour of the day with no clouds beneath it, that these buried people will never respond to them. This is due to the saying of Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He): [Fatir 35:13-14] and the saying of Allah the Exalted: [Al-Ahqaf 46:5-6]
So my advice to these people is to fear Allah and to return to the religion of Allah and the tawhid (the oneness of Allah) of Allah. They should know that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) fought the mushrikin (those who associate partners with Allah) and made their blood, wealth, and offspring lawful to be taken because of their shirk (associating partners with Allah). The shirk (associating partners with Allah) of these people is of the same kind as the shirk (associating partners with Allah) of the mushrikin (those who associate partners with Allah) whom the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) fought for their shirk (associating partners with Allah).
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good, Shaykh Muhammad. Many such questions related to 'aqidah (creed) arise. What is obligatory upon the students of knowledge and the scholars in correcting concepts?
The Shaykh : It is obligatory upon the people of knowledge, both scholars and students, to make it clear to the people that this is munkar (what is wrong) and shirk (associating partners with Allah), and that there is no benefit in those whom they call upon. They should know that harm and benefit are entirely in the hand of Allah (Mighty and Majestic). They should not submit, I mean the scholars and students of knowledge, to the reality. Rather, it is obligatory that they stand up for Allah, in pairs and alone, and they should know that this will not increase them in lowliness and humiliation, but rather it will only increase them in strength and honor. Many people, may Allah guide them and us, say that these people passed away upon this, and their fathers passed away upon it, and change is not possible. This is a wrong conception. What has happened is like what happened with the previous nations to whom the messengers came; some of them Allah guided, and some of them were decreed to be in misguidance. It is obligatory upon our brothers the scholars and students of knowledge to fear Allah the Exalted and to carry out the spreading of His religion and His tawhid (the oneness of Allah). Then, if the people are guided, that is what is desired. And if they are not guided, they have fulfilled what is upon them and cleared their consciences. Guidance is in the hand of Allah (Mighty and Majestic), as He said to His messenger Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him):[Al-Baqarah 2:272] And He said to him: [An-Nahl 16:82].
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : These people are mushrikin (those who associate partners with Allah) committing major shirk (associating partners with Allah), because they called upon the people in the graves, sought aid from them, and sought help from them. They believed that they bring them benefit and ward off harm from them, and they make vows to them. All of this is among the rights of Allah that are not fitting for anyone other than Him. These people must repent to Allah (Mighty and Majestic) and return to their tawhid (the oneness of Allah) and their sincerity before they die upon this, so that they do not deserve what Allah has informed us about regarding the mushrikin (those who associate partners with Allah) in His saying:
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.
إِنَّهُ مَنْ يُشْرِكْ بِاللَّهِ فَقَدْ حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ الْجَنَّةَ وَمَأْوَاهُ النَّارُ وَمَا لِلظَّالِمِينَ مِنْ أَنصَارٍAnd those whom you invoke other than Him do not possess [as much as] the membrane of a date seed. (14) If you invoke them, they do not hear your supplication; and if they heard, they would not respond to you. And on the Day of Resurrection they will deny your association. And none can inform you like [one] Acquainted [with all matters].
وَالَّذِينَ تَدْعُونَ مِنْ دُونِهِ مَا يَمْلِكُونَ مِنْ قِطْمِيرٍ * إِنْ تَدْعُوهُمْ لا يَسْمَعُوا دُعَاءَكُمْ وَلَوْ سَمِعُوا مَا اسْتَجَابُوا لَكُمْ وَيَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ يَكْفُرُونَ بِشِرْكِكُمْ وَلا يُنَبِّئُكَ مِثْلُ خَبِيرٍ(5) And 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. (6) And when the people are gathered [that Day], they [who were invoked] will be enemies to them, and they will be deniers of their worship.
وَمَنْ أَضَلُّ مِمَّنْ يَدْعُو مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ مَنْ لا يَسْتَجِيبُ لَهُ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ وَهُمْ عَنْ دُعَائِهِمْ غَافِلُونَ * وَإِذَا حُشِرَ النَّاسُ كَانُوا لَهُمْ أَعْدَاءً وَكَانُوا بِعِبَادَتِهِمْ كَافِرِينَSo my advice to these people is to fear Allah and to return to the religion of Allah and the tawhid (the oneness of Allah) of Allah. They should know that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) fought the mushrikin (those who associate partners with Allah) and made their blood, wealth, and offspring lawful to be taken because of their shirk (associating partners with Allah). The shirk (associating partners with Allah) of these people is of the same kind as the shirk (associating partners with Allah) of the mushrikin (those who associate partners with Allah) whom the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) fought for their shirk (associating partners with Allah).
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good, Shaykh Muhammad. Many such questions related to 'aqidah (creed) arise. What is obligatory upon the students of knowledge and the scholars in correcting concepts?
The Shaykh : It is obligatory upon the people of knowledge, both scholars and students, to make it clear to the people that this is munkar (what is wrong) and shirk (associating partners with Allah), and that there is no benefit in those whom they call upon. They should know that harm and benefit are entirely in the hand of Allah (Mighty and Majestic). They should not submit, I mean the scholars and students of knowledge, to the reality. Rather, it is obligatory that they stand up for Allah, in pairs and alone, and they should know that this will not increase them in lowliness and humiliation, but rather it will only increase them in strength and honor. Many people, may Allah guide them and us, say that these people passed away upon this, and their fathers passed away upon it, and change is not possible. This is a wrong conception. What has happened is like what happened with the previous nations to whom the messengers came; some of them Allah guided, and some of them were decreed to be in misguidance. It is obligatory upon our brothers the scholars and students of knowledge to fear Allah the Exalted and to carry out the spreading of His religion and His tawhid (the oneness of Allah). Then, if the people are guided, that is what is desired. And if they are not guided, they have fulfilled what is upon them and cleared their consciences. Guidance is in the hand of Allah (Mighty and Majestic), as He said to His messenger Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him):
Not upon you, [O Muhammad], is [responsibility for] their guidance, but Allah guides whom He wills.
لَيْسَ عَلَيْكَ هُدَاهُمْ وَلَكِنَّ اللَّهَ يَهْدِي مَنْ يَشَاءُBut if they turn away, [O Muhammad] - then only upon you is [responsibility for] clear notification.
فَإِنْ تَوَلَّوْا فَإِنَّمَا عَلَيْكَ الْبَلاغُ الْمُبِينُThe questioner : May Allah reward you with good.