The Description of the Lawful Visiting of Graves

From the Arab Republic of Egypt, Sinai Governorate, one of the listening brothers sent a message saying: We have people who visit graves, especially the graves of the awliya (close friends of Allah), and they slaughter sacrifices at them. When I say: This is a bid'ah (religious innovation), they say: It is not a bid'ah, we do it for Allah. Is this practice mentioned in the Sunnah? Is it correct? Please inform us, may Allah reward you? And may Allah reward you with good.
Answer: Visiting graves in the lawful manner is a sunnah (recommended practice). The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: So if one visits a grave to make du'a' (supplication) for the deceased or to remember the Hereafter and death, then all of this is good. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) visited the graves and made du'a' for their inhabitants, and he ordered the people to visit them, saying: He used to teach his Companions that when they visited graves, they should say: , and in a hadith of Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her), he used to say: .
As for visiting them for other purposes, such as visiting to make du'a' to the dead, seeking aid from them, or asking them for healing, or for victory over enemies, this is called a shirkiyyah (polytheistic) visit. This is a blameworthy visit; indeed, it is shirk akbar (major shirk). Because making du'a' to the dead, seeking aid from the dead, and making vows for them is shirk akbar. Likewise, slaughtering for them—slaughtering a cow, camel, sheep, or chicken to draw near to the deceased, hoping for his intercession or hoping for his blessing—is shirk akbar. Because Allah says, the Exalted: [Al-An'am: 162-163]. And "nasik" (ritual worship) is used for both slaughtering and worship. And He says, Mighty and Majestic: [Al-Kawthar: 1-2]. And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: .
So no one has the right to slaughter for idols, or for the awliya, or for the jinn, with the intention of drawing near to them, seeking their intercession, or their victory over enemies, or seeking their aid, or for them to heal his sick, or to return his absent one, or to give him a child, or anything similar to what is done by the worshippers of graves, the worshippers of the awliya, and the worshippers of idols.
As for slaughtering at the graves for Allah, not for the awliya, drawing near to Allah, this is a bid'ah. Graves are not a place for slaughtering at them; this is defiling them, making them impure, and causing harm. Slaughtering should be done in one's house or in the slaughterhouse, and the meat distributed to the poor. This is permissible if he intends by it charity for the poor and drawing near to Allah with what he slaughters. The udhiyah (sacrifice) and hady (sacrificial animal of the pilgrimage) in Mina, and the udhiyah in one's house, this is permissible. But bringing the sacrificial animal to the graves is a bid'ah, and it is defiling the graves, causing harm to them, and causing harm to the visitors as well. The common practice of these people is that they do not bring it to the graves except because of their belief in these graves and their intention to draw near to them with it. But if they are sincere and that they did not intend anything but drawing near to Allah and slaughtering for Allah, not for the dead, then this is a bid'ah. But if they intend by the sacrificial animal to draw near to the deceased so that he may intercede for them, or heal their sick, or give them such and such, this is shirk akbar. The 'aqidah (creed) is fasid (defective) and the slaughtering is all shirk. We ask Allah for safety. Yes.
The presenter: O Allah, amen. May Allah reward you with good.