The ruling on building over graves and staying at them for praise and glorification
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Q: In our town, there is a righteous man who has passed away, and a shrine has been built over his grave. We have a custom in our area where, every year, we go to him with the people, men and women, and they stay there for three days engaged in praise, glorification, and remembrance, continuing with the known descriptions. We ask for guidance and direction.
A: This action is not permissible, and it is among the religious innovations that people have introduced. It is not permissible to build over anyone’s grave, whether it is called a shrine, a dome, a mosque, or anything else. The graves in the time of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and the time of the Companions in al-Baqi’ and elsewhere were exposed, with no building over them. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade building over a grave or plastering it, and he said:Sahih al-Bukhari 1330 It is agreed upon that it is authentic.
And Jabir ibn 'Abdullah al-Ansari (may Allah be pleased with him) said:Sahih Muslim 970a It was narrated by Imam Muslim in his Sahih.
Therefore, building over graves, plastering them, and placing decorations or curtains on them is all reprehensible and a means to associating partners with Allah. It is not permissible to place domes, curtains, or mosques on them. Likewise, visiting them in the manner described by the questioner—sitting at them, glorifying Allah, eating food, rubbing against the grave, making supplication at the grave, and praying at the grave—is all reprehensible and all of it is a religious innovation that is not permissible. What is prescribed is visiting graves for the sake of remembrance, making supplication for the dead, and seeking mercy for them, and then leaving.
What is prescribed for the one who visits graves is to say:Sunan Ibn Majah 1547Sahih (Darussalam) and the like of such supplications only; this is what is prescribed, which the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) taught his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) . Al-Tirmidhi narrated from Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) that he said: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) passed by the graves of Madinah and said: Jami` at-Tirmidhi 1053Da'if (Darussalam).
As for staying at the grave for eating and drinking, or for glorifying Allah, or for praying, or for reciting the Qur’an, all of this is reprehensible and has no basis in the pure Shari’ah.
As for supplicating to the dead, calling upon them for aid, and seeking help from them, all of that is major shirk (associating partners with Allah). It is the practice of the worshippers of idols in the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), such as al-Lat, al-'Uzza, Manat, and other idols and statues of the pre-Islamic age of ignorance. One must be cautious of this, warn the common people against it, and make them aware of their religion so that they are safe from this grave shirk. This is the obligation of the scholars whom Allah has granted understanding of the religion and knowledge of what Allah sent the messengers with. As Allah the Exalted said: [Surah al-Nahl: 125] And He the Exalted said: [Surah al-Nahl: 36] And he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [Surah Fussilat: 33] And He the Exalted said: [Surah Yusuf: 108]. And the verses in this meaning are many.
When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) sent Mu’adh to Yemen, he said to him:Sunan an-Nasa'i 2435Sahih (Darussalam) And in a narration by al-Bukhari (may Allah have mercy on him): It is agreed upon that it is authentic. So he ordered him to begin by calling them to tawhid (the oneness of Allah) and safety from shirk, along with belief in the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) and testifying to his message.
Thus it is known that calling to the rectification and soundness of 'aqidah (creed) takes precedence over the rest of the rulings; because 'aqidah is the foundation upon which the rulings are built. As Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [Surah al-An'am: 88] And He the Exalted said: [Surah al-Zumar: 65] And the verses in this meaning are many.
So it is obligatory upon the people of knowledge in every place and time to double their efforts in this matter until they make the common people aware of the reality of Islam and explain to them the correct creed with which Allah sent the messengers, peace and blessings be upon them, and at the head of them is their Imam, their Seal, and their Master, Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). May Allah guide the scholars of the Muslims and their common people to everything in which He is pleased; He is the best of those asked.
A: This action is not permissible, and it is among the religious innovations that people have introduced. It is not permissible to build over anyone’s grave, whether it is called a shrine, a dome, a mosque, or anything else. The graves in the time of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and the time of the Companions in al-Baqi’ and elsewhere were exposed, with no building over them. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade building over a grave or plastering it, and he said:
Allah cursed the Jews and the Christians because they took the graves of their Prophets as places for praying.
لعن الله اليهود والنصارى، اتخذوا قبور أنبيائهم مسجداAnd Jabir ibn 'Abdullah al-Ansari (may Allah be pleased with him) said:
Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) forbade that the graves should be plastered or they be used as sitting places (for the people), or a building should be built over them.
نهى رسول الله ﷺ أن يجصص القبر، وأن يقعد عليه، وأن يبنى عليهTherefore, building over graves, plastering them, and placing decorations or curtains on them is all reprehensible and a means to associating partners with Allah. It is not permissible to place domes, curtains, or mosques on them. Likewise, visiting them in the manner described by the questioner—sitting at them, glorifying Allah, eating food, rubbing against the grave, making supplication at the grave, and praying at the grave—is all reprehensible and all of it is a religious innovation that is not permissible. What is prescribed is visiting graves for the sake of remembrance, making supplication for the dead, and seeking mercy for them, and then leaving.
What is prescribed for the one who visits graves is to say:
As-salamu ‘alaykum ahlad-diyar minal-mu’minina wal- muslimin, wa inna insha’ Allah bikum lahiqun, nas’alul-laha lana wa lakumul-‘afiyah
السلام عليكم أهل الديار من المؤمنين والمسلمين، وإنا إن شاء الله بكم لاحقون، نسأل الله لنا ولكم العافية، يرحم الله المستقدمين منا والمستأخرينPeace be upon you O inhabitants of the grave! May Allah forgive us and you; you are our predecessors and we are to follow you.
السلام عليكم يا أهل القبور، يغفر الله لنا ولكم، أنتم سلفنا ونحن بالأثرAs for staying at the grave for eating and drinking, or for glorifying Allah, or for praying, or for reciting the Qur’an, all of this is reprehensible and has no basis in the pure Shari’ah.
As for supplicating to the dead, calling upon them for aid, and seeking help from them, all of that is major shirk (associating partners with Allah). It is the practice of the worshippers of idols in the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), such as al-Lat, al-'Uzza, Manat, and other idols and statues of the pre-Islamic age of ignorance. One must be cautious of this, warn the common people against it, and make them aware of their religion so that they are safe from this grave shirk. This is the obligation of the scholars whom Allah has granted understanding of the religion and knowledge of what Allah sent the messengers with. As Allah the Exalted said:
Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good instruction, and argue with them in a way that is best
ادْعُ إِلَى سَبِيلِ رَبِّكَ بِالْحِكْمَةِ وَالْمَوْعِظَةِ الْحَسَنَةِ وَجَادِلْهُمْ بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُAnd We certainly sent into every nation a messenger, [saying], "Worship Allah and avoid Taghut."
وَلَقَدْ بَعَثْنَا فِي كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ رَسُولًا أَنِ اُعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ وَاجْتَنِبُوا الطَّاغُوتَAnd who is better in speech than one who invites to Allah and does righteousness and says, "Indeed, I am of the Muslims."
وَمَنْ أَحْسَنُ قَوْلًا مِمَّنْ دَعَا إِلَى اللَّهِ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحًا وَقَالَ إِنَّنِي مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَSay, "This is my way; I invite to Allah with insight, I and those who follow me. And exalted is Allah; and I am not of those who associate others with Him."
قُلْ هَذِهِ سَبِيلِي أَدْعُو إِلَى اللَّهِ عَلَى بَصِيرَةٍ أَنَا وَمَنِ اتَّبَعَنِي وَسُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ وَمَا أَنَا مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَWhen the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) sent Mu’adh to Yemen, he said to him:
You are going to some of the People of the book. When you come to them, call them to testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.
إنك تأتي قوما من أهل الكتاب، فادعهم إلى أن يشهدوا أن لا إله إلا الله وأن محمدا رسول اللهSo call them to make Allah one. If they respond to that, inform them that Allah has made obligatory upon them five prayers in every day and night. If they respond to that, inform them that Allah has made obligatory upon them a charity in their wealth, to be taken from their rich and returned to their poor. If they respond to that, beware of the best of their wealth, and fear the supplication of the oppressed, for there is no barrier between it and Allah.
فادعهم إلى أن يوحدوا الله، فإن هم أجابوك لذلك فأعلمهم أن الله افترض عليهم خمس صلوات في كل يوم وليلة، فإن هم أجابوك لذلك فأعلمهم أن الله افترض عليهم صدقة في أموالهم تؤخذ من أغنيائهم فترد على فقرائهم، فإن أجابوك لذلك فإياك وكرائم أموالهم، واتق دعوة المظلوم فإنه ليس بينها وبين الله حجابThus it is known that calling to the rectification and soundness of 'aqidah (creed) takes precedence over the rest of the rulings; because 'aqidah is the foundation upon which the rulings are built. As Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
But if they had associated others with Allah, then worthless for them would be whatever they were doing.
وَلَوْ أَشْرَكُوا لَحَبِطَ عَنْهُمْ مَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَAnd it was already revealed to you and to those before you that if you should associate [anything] with Allah, your work would surely become worthless, and you would surely be among the losers."
وَلَقَدْ أُوحِيَ إِلَيْكَ وَإِلَى الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِكَ لَئِنْ أَشْرَكْتَ لَيَحْبَطَنَّ عَمَلُكَ وَلَتَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْخَاسِرِينَSo it is obligatory upon the people of knowledge in every place and time to double their efforts in this matter until they make the common people aware of the reality of Islam and explain to them the correct creed with which Allah sent the messengers, peace and blessings be upon them, and at the head of them is their Imam, their Seal, and their Master, Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). May Allah guide the scholars of the Muslims and their common people to everything in which He is pleased; He is the best of those asked.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.