The Ruling on Visiting the Graves of the Awliya and Reciting al-Fatihah Over Them
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Question: What is the ruling on one who visits graves and then recites al-Fatihah, especially over the graves of the awliya, as they are called in some countries, even though some of them say: I do not want to commit shirk (associating partners with Allah), but if I do not visit this wali (close friend of Allah), he comes to me in a dream and says to me: Why did you not visit me? What is the ruling on that? May Allah reward you with good.
Answer: It is a recommended practice (sunnah) for Muslim men to visit graves, as Allah the Exalted has prescribed, based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):Sunan Ibn Majah 1569Sahih (Darussalam), which al-Bukhari recorded in his Sahih. Muslim also recorded in his Sahih from Buraydah ibn al-Husayb (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) taught his companions that when they visited graves, they should say: Sunan Ibn Majah 1547Sahih (Darussalam).
It is also authentic from him (peace and blessings be upon him), in the hadith of Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her), that when he visited graves, he would say:.
During the visit, he (peace and blessings be upon him) did not recite Surat al-Fatihah or any other part of the Qur'an. Therefore, reciting it during the visit is a bid'ah (religious innovation), and so is reciting any other part of the Qur'an. This is based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):Sahih Muslim 1718a, which is agreed upon as authentic. In a narration by Muslim (may Allah have mercy on him), he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Sahih Muslim 1718b. In Sahih Muslim, from Jabir ibn Abdullah al-Ansari (may Allah be pleased with them both), the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to say in his Friday sermon: Sahih Muslim 867a, and al-Nasa'i recorded it, adding: "And every misguidance is in the Fire."
It is obligatory for Muslims to adhere to the pure Shari'ah and to beware of religious innovations in visiting graves and other matters. Visiting is prescribed for the graves of all Muslims, whether they are called awliya (close friends of Allah) or not, for every believer, male and female, is among the awliya, as Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) said: : [Yunus: 62 - 63] And He (Mighty and Majestic) said in Surat al-Anfal: [Al-Anfal: 34].
It is not permissible for the visitor or anyone else to supplicate to the dead, or to call for aid from them, or to make vows for them, or to slaughter for them at their graves or in any place where they seek nearness to them so that they may intercede for them, or cure their sick, or support them against their enemy, or for any other need, because these matters are acts of worship, and all worship is for Allah alone, as He (Mighty and Majestic) said: [Al-Bayyinah: 5] And He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: : [Adh-Dhariyat: 56] And He (Mighty and Majestic) said: [Al-Jinn: 18] And He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: : [Al-Isra: 23], and the meaning is: He commanded and advised. And He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: : [Ghafir: 14] And He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: : [Al-An'am: 162 - 163] And the verses in this meaning are numerous.
It is authentic from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said:Sahih al-Bukhari 2856, which is agreed upon as authentic, from the hadith of Mu'adh (may Allah be pleased with him) . This includes all acts of worship, such as prayer, fasting, bowing, prostration, Hajj, du'a' (supplication), slaughter, vows, and other types of worship, just as the previous verses include all of that. In Sahih Muslim, from Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) , the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Sahih Muslim 1978b. And in Sahih al-Bukhari, from 'Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) , the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Ash-Shama'il Al-Muhammadiyah 329Sahih (Zubair `Aliza'i).
The hadiths regarding the command to worship Allah alone and the prohibition of associating partners with Him, and regarding the means to that, are numerous and well-known. As for women, they are not permitted to visit graves, because the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) cursed those who visit graves. The wisdom behind this—and Allah knows best—is that their visiting may lead to fitnah (trial, discord or temptation) for them and for other men. Visiting graves was initially prohibited in the early days of Islam to cut off the root of shirk (associating partners with Allah). When Islam became widespread and tawhid (the oneness of Allah) spread, he (peace and blessings be upon him) permitted visiting for everyone, then specifically prohibited it for women to cut off the root of fitnah (trial, discord or temptation) through them.
As for the graves of disbelievers, there is no harm in visiting them for the sake of remembrance and taking a lesson, but one should not make du'a' (supplication) for them or seek forgiveness for them. This is based on what is established in Sahih Muslim that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) asked his Lord for permission to seek forgiveness for his mother, but He did not grant him permission. He asked Him for permission to visit her grave, and He granted him permission. This was because she died in the jahiliyyah (the pre-Islamic age of ignorance) upon the religion of her people.
And I ask Allah to guide Muslim men and women to understand the religion and to be upright upon it in speech, action, and creed, and to protect them all from everything that contradicts His pure Shari'ah. Indeed, He is the One who has the power to do that and is capable of it.
And may Allah send prayers and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Answer: It is a recommended practice (sunnah) for Muslim men to visit graves, as Allah the Exalted has prescribed, based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):
Visit the graves, for they will remind you of the Hereafter.
زوروا القبور فإنها تذكركم الآخرةAs-salamu ‘alaykum ahlad-diyar minal-mu’minina wal- muslimin, wa inna insha’ Allah bikum lahiqun, nas’alul-laha lana wa lakumul-‘afiyah (Peace be upon you, O inhabitants of the abodes, believers and Muslims, and we will join you soon if Allah wills. We ask Allah for well-being for us and for you).
السلام عليكم أهل الديار من المؤمنين والمسلمين، وإنا إن شاء الله بكم لاحقون، نسأل الله لنا ولكم العافيةIt is also authentic from him (peace and blessings be upon him), in the hadith of Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her), that when he visited graves, he would say:
Peace be upon you, abode of a people of believers, 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. O Allah, forgive the people of al-Baqi' al-Gharqad.
السلام عليكم دار قوم مؤمنين، وإنا إن شاء الله بكم لاحقون، يرحم الله المستقدمين منا والمستأخرين، اللهم اغفر لأهل بقيع الغرقدDuring the visit, he (peace and blessings be upon him) did not recite Surat al-Fatihah or any other part of the Qur'an. Therefore, reciting it during the visit is a bid'ah (religious innovation), and so is reciting any other part of the Qur'an. This is based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):
'A'isha reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: He who innovates things in our affairs for which there is no valid (reason) (commits sin) and these are to be rejected.
من أحدث في أمرنا هذا ما ليس منه فهو ردHe who did any act for which there is no sanction from our behalf, that is to be rejected.
من عمل عملا ليس عليه أمرنا فهو ردThe best of the speech is embodied in the Book of Allah, and the best of the guidance is the guidance given by Muhammad. And the most evil affairs are their innovations; and every innovation is error.
أما بعد؛ فإن خير الحديث كتاب الله، وخير الهدي هدي محمد ﷺ، وشر الأمور محدثاتها، وكل بدعة ضلالةIt is obligatory for Muslims to adhere to the pure Shari'ah and to beware of religious innovations in visiting graves and other matters. Visiting is prescribed for the graves of all Muslims, whether they are called awliya (close friends of Allah) or not, for every believer, male and female, is among the awliya, as Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) said: :
(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 أَوْلِيَاءَ اللَّهِ لا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ * الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَكَانُوا يَتَّقُونَand they were not [fit to be] its guardians? Its [true] guardians are not but the righteous, but most of them do not know.
وَمَا كَانُوا أَوْلِيَاءَهُ إِنْ أَوْلِيَاؤُهُ إِلا الْمُتَّقُونَ وَلَكِنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ لا يَعْلَمُونَIt is not permissible for the visitor or anyone else to supplicate to the dead, or to call for aid from them, or to make vows for them, or to slaughter for them at their graves or in any place where they seek nearness to them so that they may intercede for them, or cure their sick, or support them against their enemy, or for any other need, because these matters are acts of worship, and all worship is for Allah alone, as He (Mighty and Majestic) said:
And they were not commanded except to worship Allah, [being] sincere to Him in religion, inclining to truth
وَمَا أُمِرُوا إِلا لِيَعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ حُنَفَاءَAnd I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me.
وَمَا خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَالْإِنْسَ إِلا لِيَعْبُدُونِAnd [He revealed] that the masjids are for Allah, so do not invoke with Allah anyone.
وَأَنَّ الْمَسَاجِدَ لِلَّهِ فَلا تَدْعُوا مَعَ اللَّهِ أَحَدًاAnd your Lord has decreed that you not worship except Him
وَقَضَى رَبُّكَ أَلا تَعْبُدُوا إِلا إِيَّاهُSo invoke Allah, [being] sincere to Him in religion, although the disbelievers dislike it.
فَادْعُوا اللَّهَ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ الْكَافِرُونَSay, "Indeed, my prayer, my rites of sacrifice, my living and my dying are for Allah, Lord of the worlds.
قُلْ إِنَّ صَلاتِي وَنُسُكِي وَمَحْيَايَ وَمَمَاتِي لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ It is authentic from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said:
Allah's right on His slaves is that they should worship Him (Alone) and should not worship any besides Him
حق الله على العباد أن يعبدوه ولا يشركوا به شيئاAllah cursed him who sacrificed for anyone besides Allah
لعن الله من ذبح لغير اللهDo not extol me as the Christians extolled [Jesus] the son of Mary. I am merely a servant,’ so say: '[He is] Allah’s servant and His Messenger.’
لا تطروني كما أطرت النصارى ابن مريم، إنما أنا عبد فقولوا: عبد الله ورسولهThe hadiths regarding the command to worship Allah alone and the prohibition of associating partners with Him, and regarding the means to that, are numerous and well-known. As for women, they are not permitted to visit graves, because the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) cursed those who visit graves. The wisdom behind this—and Allah knows best—is that their visiting may lead to fitnah (trial, discord or temptation) for them and for other men. Visiting graves was initially prohibited in the early days of Islam to cut off the root of shirk (associating partners with Allah). When Islam became widespread and tawhid (the oneness of Allah) spread, he (peace and blessings be upon him) permitted visiting for everyone, then specifically prohibited it for women to cut off the root of fitnah (trial, discord or temptation) through them.
As for the graves of disbelievers, there is no harm in visiting them for the sake of remembrance and taking a lesson, but one should not make du'a' (supplication) for them or seek forgiveness for them. This is based on what is established in Sahih Muslim that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) asked his Lord for permission to seek forgiveness for his mother, but He did not grant him permission. He asked Him for permission to visit her grave, and He granted him permission. This was because she died in the jahiliyyah (the pre-Islamic age of ignorance) upon the religion of her people.
And I ask Allah to guide Muslim men and women to understand the religion and to be upright upon it in speech, action, and creed, and to protect them all from everything that contradicts His pure Shari'ah. Indeed, He is the One who has the power to do that and is capable of it.
And may Allah send prayers and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.