The Ruling on Those Who Worship Graves and Shrines, and Whether They Are Excused by Ignorance
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A message from one of our listening brothers, saying: From your brother in Allah, al-Tawil Idris Ibrahim. Our brother has a collection of questions, among which is one that says: I ask you to comment on what many people are doing, namely the worship of graves and shrines, directing acts of worship to them, and asking their occupants to heal the sick and relieve distress. If a person dies in this state, will he be eternal in Hellfire? And is an ignorant person excused in this matter?
Answer: This is a great question that deserves attention, because it is a reality in many Islamic countries. It involves asking the dead, seeking aid from the dead, and requesting from them the healing of the sick or victory over enemies. This is major shirk (associating partners with Allah), and it is the religion of the pre-Islamic age of ignorance, the religion of Abu Jahl and his like among the worshippers of graves and idols. They say: [Surah al-Zumar: 3], as Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) reported about them . Allah (Mighty and Majestic) said: [Surah Yunus: 18]. And He (Blessed and Exalted is He) said in Surah al-Zumar: [Surah al-Zumar: 3].
So the conclusion is that this act is major shirk (associating partners with Allah), and its practitioner, if he dies upon it, will be among the people of the Fire, eternal in it, may Allah grant us safety. Except if the call did not reach him, if he was among the people of the intervals (fatrat) to whom the call did not reach in places where the call did not reach, where the Qur'an did not reach them, nor the words of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). Then his case is left to Allah (Mighty and Majestic) on the Day of Resurrection. He will be tested on the Day of Resurrection, and whoever answers with a correct answer will enter Paradise, and whoever answers with an incorrect answer will enter the Fire.
So the point is that he will be tested on the Day of Resurrection, and whoever answers what is asked of him will enter Paradise, and whoever disobeys will enter the Fire. As for the one who in this world had the Qur'an reach him, and the Sunnah reach him, and he lives among Muslims, then he is not excused by his claim of ignorance. He has been excessive toward himself and has been negligent, and he did not ask the people of knowledge, and he did not look into his religion. So he is held accountable for his evil shirky acts, may Allah grant us safety. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good. So, the matter of being excused by ignorance.
The Shaykh: No, the beliefs that are the foundation of Islam, there is no excuse by ignorance for them. Allah (Mighty and Majestic) said about the disbelievers: [Surah al-A'raf: 30]. They are not excused by their supposition that they are guided, they are not excused by their ignorance. And He said about the Christians: [Surah al-Kahf: 103-104].
So the conclusion is that by this they became disbelievers. After this, He (Glorified and Exalted is He) said:Al-Mustadrak lil-Hakim 25:528 [Surah al-Kahf: 106]. They are not excused by ignorance, due to their negligence and lack of attention to seeking the truth. He (Glorified and Exalted is He) said: [Surah al-An'am: 19]. And he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Sahih Muslim 153, narrated by Muslim in his Sahih. And he did not say: "and understood from me," or "looked into it," or "knew it," but he tied it to hearing: Sahih Muslim 153 May Allah grant us safety. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.
Answer: This is a great question that deserves attention, because it is a reality in many Islamic countries. It involves asking the dead, seeking aid from the dead, and requesting from them the healing of the sick or victory over enemies. This is major shirk (associating partners with Allah), and it is the religion of the pre-Islamic age of ignorance, the religion of Abu Jahl and his like among the worshippers of graves and idols. They say:
We only worship them that they may bring us nearer to Allah in position
مَا نَعْبُدُهُمْ إِلَّا لِيُقَرِّبُونَا إِلَى اللَّهِ زُلْفَىAnd they worship other than Allah that which neither harms them nor benefits them, and they say, "These are our intercessors with Allah
وَيَعْبُدُونَ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ مَا لا يَضُرُّهُمْ وَلا يَنْفَعُهُمْ وَيَقُولُونَ هَؤُلاءِ شُفَعَاؤُنَا عِنْدَ اللَّهِWe only worship them that they may bring us nearer to Allah in position
مَا نَعْبُدُهُمْ إِلَّا لِيُقَرِّبُونَا إِلَى اللَّهِ زُلْفَىSo the conclusion is that this act is major shirk (associating partners with Allah), and its practitioner, if he dies upon it, will be among the people of the Fire, eternal in it, may Allah grant us safety. Except if the call did not reach him, if he was among the people of the intervals (fatrat) to whom the call did not reach in places where the call did not reach, where the Qur'an did not reach them, nor the words of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). Then his case is left to Allah (Mighty and Majestic) on the Day of Resurrection. He will be tested on the Day of Resurrection, and whoever answers with a correct answer will enter Paradise, and whoever answers with an incorrect answer will enter the Fire.
So the point is that he will be tested on the Day of Resurrection, and whoever answers what is asked of him will enter Paradise, and whoever disobeys will enter the Fire. As for the one who in this world had the Qur'an reach him, and the Sunnah reach him, and he lives among Muslims, then he is not excused by his claim of ignorance. He has been excessive toward himself and has been negligent, and he did not ask the people of knowledge, and he did not look into his religion. So he is held accountable for his evil shirky acts, may Allah grant us safety. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good. So, the matter of being excused by ignorance.
The Shaykh: No, the beliefs that are the foundation of Islam, there is no excuse by ignorance for them. Allah (Mighty and Majestic) said about the disbelievers:
Indeed, they had taken the devils as allies instead of Allah while they thought that they were guided.
إِنَّهُمُ اتَّخَذُوا الشَّيَاطِينَ أَوْلِيَاءَ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ وَيَحْسَبُونَ أَنَّهُمْ مُهْتَدُونَ(103) Say, [O Muhammad], "Shall we [believers] inform you of the greatest losers as to [their] deeds? (104) [They are] those whose effort is lost in worldly life, while they think that they are doing well in work."
قُلْ هَلْ نُنَبِّئُكُمْ بِالأَخْسَرِينَ أَعْمَالًا الَّذِينَ ضَلَّ سَعْيُهُمْ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَهُمْ يَحْسَبُونَ أَنَّهُمْ يُحْسِنُونَ صُنْعًاSo the conclusion is that by this they became disbelievers. After this, He (Glorified and Exalted is He) said:
Those are the ones who disbelieved in the verses of their Lord and in meeting Him, so their deeds became void. So We will not establish for them a weight on the Day of Resurrection. That is their reward: Hellfire, because they disbelieved and took Our verses and Our messengers as a mockery.
أُولَئِكَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا بِآيَاتِ رَبِّهِمْ وَلِقَائِهِ فَحَبِطَتْ أَعْمَالُهُمْ فَلا نُقِيمُ لَهُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ وَزْنًا ذَلِكَ جَزَاؤُهُمْ جَهَنَّمُ بِمَا كَفَرُوا وَاتَّخَذُوا آيَاتِي وَرُسُلِي هُزُوًاAnd this Qur'an was revealed to me that I may warn you thereby and whomever it reaches.
وَأُوحِيَ إِلَيَّ هَذَا الْقُرْآنُ لِأُنذِرَكُمْ بِهِ وَمَنْ بَلَغَBy Him in Whose hand is the life of Muhammad, he who amongst the community of Jews or Christians hears about me, but does not affirm his belief in that with which I have been sent and dies in this state (of disbelief), he shall be but one of the denizens of Hell-Fire.
والذي نفسي بيده، لا يسمع بي أحد من هذه الأمة يهودي ولا نصراني، ثم يموت ولم يؤمن بالذي أرسلت به، إلا كان من أصحاب النارBy Him in Whose hand is the life of Muhammad, he who amongst the community of Jews or Christians hears about me, but does not affirm his belief in that with which I have been sent and dies in this state (of disbelief), he shall be but one of the denizens of Hell-Fire.
والذي نفسي بيده، لا يسمع بي أحد من هذه الأمة يهودي ولا نصراني، ثم يموت ولم يؤمن بالذي أرسلت به، إلا كان من أهل النارThe presenter: May Allah reward you with good.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.