The Ruling on Circumambulating the Graves of the Awliya and Praying at Them

This is a question that came in a letter from a listener whose name is symbolized by (R. H. 'A), an Egyptian national residing in Al-Khobar. We previously presented some of his letter in a past episode. His second question in this letter says: I was sitting with some of my brothers from my country, from Upper Egypt, and they said to me: We have a maqam (shrine) of Abu al-Hasan al-Shadhili; whoever circumambulates it seven times has performed an 'Umrah, and whoever circumambulates it ten times has performed Hajj, and he is not required to go to Makkah. So I said to them: This act is disbelief, rather it is shirk (associating partners with Allah), we seek refuge in Allah. Am I correct? And what do you advise those who are deceived by this?
Answer: Yes, yes, you have done well. It is not permissible to circumambulate the graves of people, not the grave of Abu al-Hasan al-Shadhili, nor the grave of al-Badawi, nor the grave of al-Husayn, nor Sayyidah Zaynab, nor Sayyidah Nafisa, nor anyone else. Circumambulation is only for the Ka'bah; it is not permissible to circumambulate anything other than the Ka'bah, ever. If one circumambulates the grave of Abu al-Hasan al-Shadhili or his maqam to draw near to him through circumambulation, that becomes major shirk. It does not take the place of Hajj or the place of 'Umrah. Rather, it is disbelief, misguidance, and a great evil, and it carries great sin. If he circumambulated thinking it is prescribed (mashru') and he circumambulates for Allah, not for the sake of Abu al-Hasan, this is bid'ah (religious innovation) and an evil. But if his circumambulation is for the sake of Abu al-Hasan, for the sake of drawing near to him, it is major shirk, we seek refuge in Allah. Likewise, supplicating to Abu al-Hasan al-Shadhili or seeking aid from him, or making vows to him, or slaughtering for him, all of this is major shirk, we seek refuge in Allah. Likewise, swearing by Abu al-Hasan or by anyone else. Swearing by the Prophet, or by al-Hasan, or by al-Husayn, or by Fatimah, or by the Ka'bah, or by trustworthiness, or by the life of so-and-so, or his honor, all of this is not permissible. Swearing by other than Allah is not permissible. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: , and he said (peace and blessings be upon him): , and in another wording: , and in another wording: , and he said (peace and blessings be upon him): , and he said: . So swearing is only by Allah alone, because it is a form of exaltation that is not fitting except for Allah alone. So swearing by other than Allah is minor shirk, and it may be major if there is in his heart an exaltation of the created being that is of the same kind as the exaltation of Allah; that would be major disbelief. So supplicating to the dead, seeking aid from them, making vows to them, slaughtering for them, relying on them, or believing that they know the unseen, or that they intervene in the universe, or that they know what is in the hearts of their followers, and those who supplicate to them and those who circumambulate the graves, all of this is major shirk, we seek refuge in Allah. The unseen is not known except by Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He); neither the prophets nor anyone else knows it. They only know of the unseen what Allah has taught them. Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) says: [Surat al-Naml: 65]. So whoever claims that his Shaykh knows the unseen, or that he knows what is in the heart of his visitor or in the heart of his visitor, this is major disbelief, we seek refuge in Allah. The unseen belongs to Allah alone . Likewise, if one sits by the grave seeking the virtue of the person in the grave, seeking that he will reward him, or that he will enter him into Paradise by his sitting at his grave, or by his recitation at his grave, or by seeking aid from him, or by making vows to him, or by praying at his grave, or similar to that, this is major disbelief.
So the conclusion is that it is obligatory for the believer to beware of all shirk and its types. Graves are only to be visited for the purpose of visiting; the believer visits them to supplicate for them and seek mercy for them, saying: , like this. But to supplicate to them alongside Allah, or to seek aid from them, this is major shirk. Or to make vows to them, or to draw near to them with sacrifices, with cattle, camels, sheep, or chickens, all of this is major shirk, we seek refuge in Allah. So it is obligatory to be cautious, and it is obligatory to gain knowledge of the religion. The Muslim must gain knowledge of his religion so that he does not fall into shirk and sins. The bad scholars, the scholars of misguidance, harm people and deceive them. So it is obligatory for the scholars of truth to fear Allah, and to teach people, and to guide people through the radio, through writing and the press, through television. They should teach people their religion, guide them to the truth, so that they do not worship the dead, nor seek aid from them, so that they do not circumambulate their graves, so that they do not rub against them, so that they do not make vows to them. Graves are visited for remembrance, for the remembrance of the Hereafter, the remembrance of death, for supplicating for the deceased and seeking mercy for him. But that he circumambulates his grave, or supplicates to him besides Allah, or seeks aid from him, or sits at his grave for prayer or recitation, this is not permissible. And sitting at his grave for prayer at it or recitation at it is bid'ah (religious innovation). And if he prays for him, it is major shirk. If he prays for Allah or recites for Allah seeking reward from Allah, but he believes that graves are a place for sitting with these acts of worship, it becomes bid'ah. So graves are not a place for sitting for prayer or for recitation, but they are visited for supplication, for supplicating for the dead, supplicating for them, seeking mercy for them, just as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) visited them, and the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) visited them. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to teach his Companions when they visited graves to say: , and he used to say when he visited al-Baqi': and seek mercy for them. This is the prescribed visitation. So one must beware of what Allah has forbidden, of what the worshippers of graves and the ignorant have innovated, which harms and does not benefit, but rather it leads its followers into major shirk. There is no power nor strength except by Allah. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you.