Visiting Graves, Seeking Nearness to Allah through Shrines, and Taking Money for Such Purposes

Q: From the Arab Republic of Egypt, he says: What is the ruling in Islam regarding visiting graves, seeking nearness to Allah through shrines, and taking a sheep or money to be used for such purposes, such as visiting al-Sayyid al-Badawi, al-Husayn, and al-Sayyidah Zaynab? Please inform us; may Allah reward you.

A: Visiting graves is of two types:

The first is: It is prescribed and required for the sake of making du'a' for the dead, seeking mercy for them, and for remembering death and preparing for the Hereafter, based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): He (peace and blessings be upon him) used to visit them, and so did his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them). This branch is exclusively for men, not for women. As for women, it is not prescribed for them to visit graves; rather, they must be prohibited from doing so. This is because it is established from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) that he cursed women who visit graves. Furthermore, their visiting graves may lead to fitnah (trial, discord or temptation) for them or through them, given their lack of patience and the excessive grief that predominates in them. Likewise, it is not prescribed for them to follow funeral processions to the cemetery, as it is established in the authentic hadith from Umm Atiyyah (may Allah be pleased with her) that she said: "We were prohibited from following funeral processions, but we were not strictly obligated to do so." This indicates that they are prohibited from following funeral processions to the cemetery due to the fear of fitnah for them and through them, and their lack of patience. The original ruling in prohibition is tahrim (prohibition), based on the saying of Allah the Exalted: [Surah al-Hashr: 7].
As for praying for the deceased, it is prescribed for both men and women, as the authentic hadiths from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and from the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) confirm this. As for the statement of Umm Atiyyah (may Allah be pleased with her): "We were not strictly obligated to do so," this does not indicate the permissibility of women following funeral processions, because the issuance of the prohibition from him (peace and blessings be upon him) is sufficient for prevention. As for her statement: "We were not strictly obligated to do so," it is based on her ijtihad (independent legal reasoning) and her opinion, and her ijtihad cannot be used to contradict the Sunnah.

The second type: It is a bid'ah (religious innovation), which is: visiting graves to make du'a' for their inhabitants, seeking aid from them, or slaughtering animals for them, or making vows for them. This is reprehensible and major shirk (associating partners with Allah); we ask Allah for safety from it. Included in this is visiting them to make du'a' at their graves, praying at their graves, or reciting the Qur'an at their graves. This is a bid'ah that is not prescribed and is one of the means to shirk. Thus, in reality, there are three types:
The first type: It is prescribed, which is visiting them to make du'a' for their inhabitants or to remember the Hereafter.
The second type: Visiting them to recite the Qur'an at their graves, or to pray at their graves, or to slaughter animals at their graves. This is a bid'ah and one of the means to shirk.
The third type: Visiting them to slaughter animals for the deceased and to draw near to him thereby, or to make du'a' to the deceased other than to Allah, or to seek help, aid, or victory from him. This is major shirk; we ask Allah for safety from it. One must beware of these innovated visits. There is no difference between the one being called upon being a Prophet, a righteous person, or otherwise. Included in this is what some ignorant people do at the grave of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), such as making du'a' to him and seeking aid from him, or at the grave of al-Husayn, al-Badawi, Shaykh Abdul Qadir al-Jilani, or others. And Allah is the One to be sought for help.