The ruling on one who circumambulates graves out of ignorance

Q: We observe in some Islamic countries that there are people who circumambulate graves out of ignorance. What is the ruling on these people, and is it permissible to call any one of them a mushrik (one who associates partners with Allah)?
A: The ruling on one who calls upon idols and seeks their aid, and the like of that, is, with the praise of Allah, clear, and it is major kufr (disbelief), unless he claims that he circumambulated the graves with the intention of worshipping Allah, just as one circumambulates the Ka'bah, believing that circumambulating graves is permissible, and did not intend to draw near to their owners through it, but rather intended to draw near to Allah alone. In that case, he is considered a mubtadi' (innovator), not a kafir (disbeliever); because circumambulating graves is a bid'ah (religious innovation) that is condemned, just as praying at them is, and all of that is among the means to kufr. However, the predominant practice of those who worship graves is to draw near to their owners by circumambulating them, just as they draw near to them by slaughtering for them and making vows for them, and all of that is major shirk (associating partners with Allah). Whoever dies upon it dies a disbeliever; he is not washed, no funeral prayer is performed over him, and he is not buried in the graves of Muslims. His affair is left to Allah (Mighty and Majestic) in the Hereafter. If he was among those to whom the call did not reach, he has the ruling of the people of the period of ignorance (al-fatra). And that is indicated by what happened to the mother of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), for she did not reach the time of the Prophethood and was upon the religion of her people. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) sought permission from his Lord to seek forgiveness for her, but he was not permitted to seek forgiveness for her; because she was upon the religion of the jahiliyyah (the pre-Islamic age of ignorance). And so it was with his father; when a questioner asked him about his father, he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: And his father (peace and blessings be upon him) died in the jahiliyyah upon the religion of his people, so his ruling became the ruling of the disbelievers. But whoever did not receive the call in this world, and died in ignorance of the truth, will be tested on the Day of Resurrection, according to the most correct of the opinions of the scholars of knowledge. If he succeeds, he enters Paradise, and if he disobeys, he enters the Fire.
And so it is with all the people of the periods of ignorance (al-fatra) to whom the call did not reach, as Allah the Exalted said: [Al-Isra: 15].
As for one to whom the Qur'an or the mission of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) reached, but he did not respond, then the proof has been established against him, as Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) said: : [Al-An'am: 19], meaning: that whoever the Qur'an has reached has been warned.
And He the Exalted said: [Ibrahim: 52]. So whoever the Qur'an and Islam have reached, and then he did not enter into it, has the ruling of the disbelievers. And it is authentic from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said: Muslim narrated it in the Sahih. So he made hearing of the mission of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) a proof against him.
The conclusion is: that whoever displays kufr in the lands of Islam has the ruling of the disbelievers. As for whether he will be saved or not saved on the Day of Resurrection, that is up to Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He). If he was among those to whom the call did not reach and he did not hear of the mission of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), he will be tested on the Day of Resurrection, and a neck of fire will be sent to him, as came in the hadith of al-Aswad ibn Sari' and it will be said to him: "Enter." If he enters it, it will be coolness and peace for him, and if he refuses, the neck will encircle him and he will go to the Fire. We ask Allah for safety.
So the summary is: that whoever the call did not reach, such as those in the far corners of the world or in the periods of ignorance (al-fatra), or it reached him but he was a madman whose mind was gone, or an old man who does not reason, these and their like are like the children of the mushrikin (those who associate partners with Allah) who died while they were young. For the children of the mushrikin who did not reach puberty, all of their affairs are left to Allah. Allah knows what they would have done, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) answered that way when asked about them. And His knowledge of them (Glorified is He) will be manifested on the Day of Resurrection through the test. So whoever succeeds among them enters Paradise, and whoever does not succeed enters the Fire. There is no power and no strength except with Allah.