What is the obligation regarding shrines and raised graves?
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Question:
The listener (M. Sh. 'A.) from the Matrouh Governorate, Burj al-Arab, sent a lengthy message containing several questions, one of which reads: We have many shrines and raised graves nearby, upon which lamps are lit, and vows are slaughtered for them other than Allah, and people swear by their occupants, may Allah protect us from that. When we speak to the people and explain to them that this is shirk (associating partners with Allah), and that they must repent to Allah, they say that they found their fathers in this state that you described. What should we do regarding them? Guide us and guide them. May Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
It is obligatory for you and for them to remove the structures built over the graves, break them open, and leave them exposed to the sun, as the graves were in the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in al-Baqi' and elsewhere, and as the graves were in the lands of the people of the Sunnah and the community from ancient times. It is not permissible to build over them, nor to establish mosques over them; because the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade that, and he said:Sahih Muslim 529 And Jabir ibn 'Abdullah al-Ansari (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade plastering graves, sitting on them, and building over them." It is not permissible for anyone among the people to invoke them other than Allah, or to call for aid from their occupants, or to make vows for them, or to slaughter for them, or to seek their assistance, or to seek blessing in the soil of their graves. All of this is reprehensible, and it is major shirk (associating partners with Allah), we seek refuge in Allah.
Therefore, it is obligatory to warn them, and they have no excuse in imitating their fathers. This is the excuse of the polytheists. Allah (Exalted and Majestic is He) said about the polytheists, when the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade them from worshipping idols, they said: [Surah al-Zukhruf: 22] So this is a false excuse, a cursed and vile excuse, and it is not permissible to rely on it. This is the excuse of the disbelievers. If you find your father upon falsehood, do not follow your father. But if he is upon truth, then it is obligatory to take hold of the truth, whether it is your father or someone other than your father.
As for what people do today at the graves, such as supplication, calling for aid from their occupants, slaughtering for them, and circumambulating their graves, all of this is a great evil, and all of this is the work of the people of shirk (associating partners with Allah), the worshippers of idols.
Therefore, it is obligatory for the Muslim to beware of that, and to warn his brothers of it, and to caution them. It is obligatory for the scholars in every place to warn the people, and to guide them, and to clarify to them the reality of tawhid (the oneness of Allah), and the reality of shirk (associating partners with Allah), and that it is not permissible for anyone to invoke the dead other than Allah, nor to call for aid from them, nor to slaughter for them, nor to seek their assistance, nor to circumambulate their graves. All of this is major shirk (associating partners with Allah). The fact that he circumambulates to draw near to the dead by circumambulation is major shirk, or he says: "O my master, assistance, assistance," or "aid, aid." This is major shirk. This is of the same kind as the work of Abu Jahl and his like, the worshippers of graves, the worshippers of idols.
Therefore, it is obligatory for you, O questioner, to continue in advising and declaring what is wrong, and to ask the scholars to warn them and clarify to them, and to guide them, until they abandon this shirk (associating partners with Allah), and until they remove these structures over the graves, and the graves remain exposed to the sun with no structure over them. We ask Allah for guidance for everyone.
The presenter: O Allah, amen. May Allah reward you with good, and may He benefit us with your knowledge.
The listener (M. Sh. 'A.) from the Matrouh Governorate, Burj al-Arab, sent a lengthy message containing several questions, one of which reads: We have many shrines and raised graves nearby, upon which lamps are lit, and vows are slaughtered for them other than Allah, and people swear by their occupants, may Allah protect us from that. When we speak to the people and explain to them that this is shirk (associating partners with Allah), and that they must repent to Allah, they say that they found their fathers in this state that you described. What should we do regarding them? Guide us and guide them. May Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
It is obligatory for you and for them to remove the structures built over the graves, break them open, and leave them exposed to the sun, as the graves were in the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in al-Baqi' and elsewhere, and as the graves were in the lands of the people of the Sunnah and the community from ancient times. It is not permissible to build over them, nor to establish mosques over them; because the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade that, and he said:
Allah cursed the Jews and the Christians that they took the graves of their prophets as mosques
لعن الله اليهود والنصارى اتخذوا قبور أنبيائهم مساجدTherefore, it is obligatory to warn them, and they have no excuse in imitating their fathers. This is the excuse of the polytheists. Allah (Exalted and Majestic is He) said about the polytheists, when the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade them from worshipping idols, they said:
Indeed, we found our fathers upon a religion, and we are in their footsteps [rightly] guided."
إِنَّا وَجَدْنَا آبَاءَنَا عَلَى أُمَّةٍ وَإِنَّا عَلَى آثَارِهِمْ مُهْتَدُونَAs for what people do today at the graves, such as supplication, calling for aid from their occupants, slaughtering for them, and circumambulating their graves, all of this is a great evil, and all of this is the work of the people of shirk (associating partners with Allah), the worshippers of idols.
Therefore, it is obligatory for the Muslim to beware of that, and to warn his brothers of it, and to caution them. It is obligatory for the scholars in every place to warn the people, and to guide them, and to clarify to them the reality of tawhid (the oneness of Allah), and the reality of shirk (associating partners with Allah), and that it is not permissible for anyone to invoke the dead other than Allah, nor to call for aid from them, nor to slaughter for them, nor to seek their assistance, nor to circumambulate their graves. All of this is major shirk (associating partners with Allah). The fact that he circumambulates to draw near to the dead by circumambulation is major shirk, or he says: "O my master, assistance, assistance," or "aid, aid." This is major shirk. This is of the same kind as the work of Abu Jahl and his like, the worshippers of graves, the worshippers of idols.
Therefore, it is obligatory for you, O questioner, to continue in advising and declaring what is wrong, and to ask the scholars to warn them and clarify to them, and to guide them, until they abandon this shirk (associating partners with Allah), and until they remove these structures over the graves, and the graves remain exposed to the sun with no structure over them. We ask Allah for guidance for everyone.
The presenter: O Allah, amen. May Allah reward you with good, and may He benefit us with your knowledge.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.