The ruling on building domes over graves and slaughtering animals and making vows for them

The question: This questioner is of Egyptian nationality and works in Kuwait. He has symbolized his name with (M. S. A). He says in a long message, in fact, and he has elaborated in it, and many of the brothers embarrass us with these messages because they take up the program's time, and we cannot present them in their entirety. This questioner says in his message:
We have a large cemetery with three shrines built over it, with large domes. It is said that they were built two hundred years ago. Regrettably, there is an old woman who goes to these shrines on the pretext that they are awliya (close friends of Allah) and she cleans them. People go to these shrines and slaughter animals for them and make vows for them. There is a group that says it is necessary to demolish these domes, and another group says it is not permissible for us to demolish them because they are old domes built a long time ago, so we do not know their status. My question is: What is the ruling on such actions, the woman’s service to these shrines, the slaughtering and vows at them, the placing of money, and where does this money go? And where do these slaughtered animals go? May Allah guide you.
The answer: Building over graves is a reprehensible matter. It is not permissible to build domes over them or to build mosques over them. Rather, the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade this. In fact, he cursed the one who did it. He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: , and Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) said: : , which Muslim narrated in his Sahih. Likewise, al-Nasa'i and al-Tirmidhi and others narrated: (the prohibition of writing on graves) as well.
So the conclusion is: Building over graves is a reprehensible matter, and the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade it, as did building mosques over them; because it is a means to exaggeration in them and worshipping them instead of Allah through supplication, or circumambulation, or calling for aid from them, or slaughtering for them. All of this occurs among some of the ignorant people, and this is major shirk (associating partners with Allah). Circumambulating graves to draw near to the dead thereby, or supplicating to the dead, or calling for aid from the dead, or asking them to heal the sick or fulfill a need, or return the absent one, or the like of that, this is major shirk. This is not sought from idols, nor from the dead, nor from trees and stones, nor from stars. This is sought from Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) , He is the One who heals the sick, returns the absent, fulfills needs, and removes distress .
As for seeking this from the dead, or from idols, or from trees and stones, or from stars, all of this is shirk (associating partners with Allah) with Allah (Mighty and Majestic). Likewise, circumambulating graves is reprehensible. Circumambulation... is done with the Ka'bah. Graves are not circumambulated. This is a great reprehensible matter, and in fact, it is major shirk if the intention is to draw near to the owner of the grave. It is major shirk. And if one thinks it is a means of nearness to Allah and that he draws near to Allah by this, it is a reprehensible religious innovation and a means to shirk. So one does not circumambulate, neither for Allah at a grave nor for the dead. One does not circumambulate at a grave ever. Circumambulation is a specific attribute of the Ancient House, the Ka'bah. Graves are never circumambulated. In fact, this is reprehensible and a religious innovation. And if it is done for the owner of the grave, it becomes major shirk. Likewise, supplicating to the dead, calling for aid from the dead, making vows for them, and slaughtering for them, all of this is major shirk. So it is obligatory upon the Muslims to beware of that, and it is obligatory upon the prominent Muslims to prevent these people from this action, and it is obligatory upon the rulers and princes to prevent the ignorant people from this thing. This is the obligation of the rulers of the Muslims, because Allah (Exalted and Majestic is He) established them to prevent the community from what harms it and to compel it to what Allah has made obligatory upon it, and to look into its interests. This is the obligation of the rulers. The rulers, from the princes, kings, and sultans, their authority was legislated so that they establish the command of Allah on the earth of Allah, so that they implement the judgments of Allah.
So upon the prince in the village, and upon the ruler in any place, and upon the sultan and the president of the republic, and upon everyone who has the ability to contribute to this good, and that is by removing these buildings, domes, and mosques that were built over graves, and that the graves remain exposed, like the graves in al-Baqi' in the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and in our time now in Medina. The graves are exposed and there is no building over them, no mosque, no room with a roof, no dome, or anything else; because the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade building over graves, making mosques over them, and plastering them; because this is a means to exaggeration in them, to worshipping them alongside Allah. Likewise, no money, slaughtered animals, or clothes are sent to them, nor to the custodians at them. And this old woman who comes to the grave, she is prevented from coming to these cemeteries, and she does not clean them; because this is an advertisement for shirk. But the graves are protected if the edges of the entire cemetery are fenced so that they are not desecrated, so that they are not made into paths or for animals, there is no harm.
As for building over a grave to magnify it or to display its honor and virtue, all of this is reprehensible. It is not permissible to build over graves ever. And it is forbidden to place custodians at the graves to take the money of people, or to mislead people and call them to shirk. All of this must be prevented. And this is the obligation of the rulers, the obligation of the prominent people, and the obligation of the princes of the lands, that they strive in this good and advise the common people and the ignorant and teach them. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), when he visited the graves, used to teach his companions when they visited the graves to say: , and he used to say to them when he visited al-Baqi' (peace and blessings be upon him) himself: . This is how he supplicated for them. This is the sunnah (recommended practice). One supplicates for the buried with mercy and forgiveness, one greets them and supplicates for them, then one departs. One does not supplicate to them alongside Allah, one does not call for aid from them, one does not rub against their graves, one does not kiss them. Rather, one supplicates and departs. One supplicates for them with forgiveness and mercy, then departs; because visiting graves is a reminder of the Hereafter, and a reminder of death. As for sitting at the graves to read or supplicate, or rubbing against the grave, or kissing it, this is not permissible. Or calling upon them instead of Allah, or calling for aid from them, or making vows for them, all of this is from the actions of the pre-Islamic age of ignorance, from the actions of the first polytheists.
So one must beware of it, and one must teach the people and guide them and direct them to good, and teach them what benefits them, so that they do not fall into shirk, and so that they are not of the kind of the first pre-Islamic age of ignorance. And Allah is the Helper. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah guide you.