Grave Worship and the Message of Muhammad ﷺ – Observe in the Light of Evidence
Prostrating to Graves is Forbidden
It is narrated from Hazrat Aisha (RA) that she reported from the Prophet ﷺ that he said in his illness before passing away: “May Allah curse the Jews and Christians for they have made the graves of their prophets places of prostration.” Hazrat Aisha (RA) said: If it were not for the fear that it might also be made a place of prostration, the blessed grave of the Prophet ﷺ would have been made completely visible.
Note
That is, they began to worship the graves themselves or built mosques and churches on the graves and started worshiping God there. The condition of the grave worshippers was fulfilled.
Imam Ibn Qayyim said that those who gather at graves at specific times are also, in effect, making the grave a mosque.
In another hadith, it is stated: Do not make my grave an Eid (festival), meaning do not create fairs and gatherings there like on Eid.
Those who do so are followers of those Jews and Christians upon whom the Prophet ﷺ cursed.
Alas! In our times, grave worship is spreading to such an extent that these nominal Muslims do not feel any shame before God and the Messenger; they make graves so solid and magnificent that their structures resemble mosques.
Whereas the Prophet ﷺ strictly forbade such constructions on graves.
Hazrat Ali (رضی اللہ عنہ) said to Abu Hayaj Asadi:
أبعثك علی ما بعثني علیه رسول اللہ صلی اللہ علیه وسلم لا تدع تمثالا إلا طمسته ولا قبرا مشرفا إلاسویته۔ رواہ الجماعة إلا البخاري وابن ماجة۔
Meaning: Should I not send you on the mission for which the Prophet ﷺ was sent?
That is, leave no idol that you do not destroy, and no high grave that you do not level.
From this hadith, it is understood that making graves excessively high and tall is also disliked by the Shariah.
Allama Shawkani (رحمہ اللہ) states:
فیه أن السنة أن القبر لا یرفع رفعا کثیرا من غیر فرق بین من کان فاضلا ومن کان غیر فاضل والظاهر أن رفع القبور زیادة علی القدر المأذون حرام۔
Meaning: The Sunnah is that the grave should not be made higher than the prescribed limit, whether it belongs to a virtuous scholar, a Sufi, or an unworthy person. It is clear that raising graves beyond the Shariah limit is forbidden.
Further, Allama says:
وَمِنْ رَفْعِ الْقُبُورِ الدَّاخِلِ تَحْتَ الْحَدِيثِ دُخُولًا أَوَّلِيَّا الْقُبَبُ وَالْمَشَاهِدُ الْمَعْمُورَةُ عَلَى الْقُبُورِ، وَأَيْضًا هُوَ مِنْ اتِّخَاذِ الْقُبُورِ مَسَاجِدَ، وَقَدْ لَعَنَ النَّبِيُّ – صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ – فَاعِلَ ذَلِكَ كَمَا سَيَأْتِي، وَكَمْ قَدْ سَرَى عَنْ تَشْيِيدِ أَبْنِيَةِ الْقُبُورِ وَتَحْسِينِهَا مِنْ مَفَاسِدَ يَبْكِي لَهَا الْإِسْلَامُ، مِنْهَا اعْتِقَادُ الْجَهَلَةِ لَهَا كَاعْتِقَادِ الْكُفَّارِ لِلْأَصْنَامِ:
وَعَظُمَ ذَلِكَ فَظَنُّوا أَنَّهَا قَادِرَةٌ عَلَى جَلْبِ النَّفْعِ وَدَفْعِ الضَّرَرِ فَجَعَلُوهَا مَقْصِدًا لِطَلَبِ قَضَاءِ الْحَوَائِجِ وَمَلْجَأً لِنَجَاحِ الْمَطَالِبِ وَسَأَلُوا مِنْهَا مَا يَسْأَلُهُ الْعِبَادُ مِنْ رَبِّهِمْ، وَشَدُّوا إلَيْهَا الرِّحَالَ وَتَمَسَّحُوا بِهَا وَاسْتَغَاثُوا وَبِالْجُمْلَةِ إنَّهُمْ لَمْ يَدَعُوا شَيْئًا مِمَّا كَانَتْ الْجَاهِلِيَّةُ تَفْعَلُهُ بِالْأَصْنَامِ إلَّا فَعَلُوهُ، فَإِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّا إلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ. وَمَعَ هَذَا الْمُنْكَرِ الشَّنِيعِ وَالْكُفْرِ الْفَظِيعِ لَا تَجِدُ مَنْ يَغْضَبُ لِلَّهِ وَيَغَارُ حَمِيَّةً لِلدِّينِ الْحَنِيفِ لَا عَالِمًا وَلَا مُتَعَلِّمًا وَلَا أَمِيرًا وَلَا وَزِيرًا وَلَا مَلِكًا، وَقَدْ تَوَارَدَ إلَيْنَا مِنْ الْأَخْبَارِ مَا لَا يُشَكُّ مَعَهُ أَنَّ كَثِيرًا مِنْ هَؤُلَاءِ الْمَقْبُورِينَ أَوْ أَكْثَرِهِمْ إذَا تَوَجَّهَتْ عَلَيْهِ يَمِينٌ مِنْ جِهَةِ خَصْمِهِ حَلَفَ بِاَللَّهِ فَاجِرًا، فَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ:
حْلِفْ بِشَيْخِك وَمُعْتَقَدِكَ الْوَلِيِّ الْفُلَانِيِّ تَلَعْثَمَ وَتَلَكَّأَ وَأَبَى وَاعْتَرَفَ بِالْحَقِّ. وَهَذَا مِنْ أَبْيَنِ الْأَدِلَّةِ الدَّالَّةِ عَلَى أَنَّ شِرْكَهُمْ قَدْ بَلَغَ فَوْقَ شِرْكِ مَنْ قَالَ:
إنَّهُ تَعَالَى ثَانِيَ اثْنَيْنِ أَوْ ثَالِثُ ثَلَاثَةٍ، فَيَا عُلَمَاءَ الدِّينِ وَيَا مُلُوكَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ، أَيُّ رُزْءٍ لِلْإِسْلَامِ أَشَدُّ مِنْ الْكُفْرِ، وَأَيُّ بَلَاءٍ لِهَذَا الدِّينِ أَضَرُّ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ عِبَادَةِ غَيْرِ اللَّهِ؟ وَأَيُّ مُصِيبَةٍ يُصَابُ بِهَا الْمُسْلِمُونَ تَعْدِلُ هَذِهِ الْمُصِيبَةَ؟ وَأَيُّ مُنْكَرٍ يَجِبُ إنْكَارُهُ إنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ إنْكَارُ هَذَا الشِّرْكِ الْبَيِّنِ وَاجِبًا:
لَقَدْ أَسْمَعْت لَوْ نَادَيْتَ حَيًّا … وَلَكِنْ لَا حَيَاةَ لِمَنْ تُنَادِيوَلَوْ نَارًا نَفَخْت بِهَا أَضَاءَتْ … وَلَكِنْ أَنْتَ تَنْفُخُ فِي رَمَادِ.
Meaning: The buildings, domes, and shrines constructed over the graves of elders are absolutely impermissible because they fall under the scope of this hadith.
This is precisely making graves into mosques, upon which the Prophet ﷺ cursed, and the solidifying and decorating of these graves with buildings has caused so many harms that Islam is weeping over them today.
Among these harms are, for example:
Ignorant people hold the same beliefs about such shrines as disbelievers hold about idols, even more than that.
Such ignorant people consider those buried in these graves as benefactors and removers of harm.
Therefore, they seek needs from them.
They present their wishes before them and pray to them as servants of God should pray to God.
They tie their camels and travel to these shrines, and upon arrival, they touch these graves and seek help from them.
In short, everything that was done with idols in the age of ignorance is now being done with these graves.
إنا للہ وإناإلیه راجعون۔
And despite this open and worst form of disbelief, we do not find any servant of Allah who becomes angry over it for the sake of Allah and feels some zeal for the upright religion.
Whether scholars or students, nobles or ministers or kings, all remain silent on this matter.
It has even been heard that these grave worshippers swear falsely by Allah in front of enemies.
But when it comes to the false oaths of their own sheikhs, their tongues falter.
This shows that their shirk (polytheism) has gone beyond those who believe in God or three gods.
So, O scholars of religion! And kings of Muslims! What greater calamity than such disbelief could there be for Islam? And what could be more harmful to the religion of Islam than worshiping others besides Allah? And what greater affliction could Muslims suffer from than this? And if a voice of denial cannot be raised against this open shirk, then for what sin will tongues be opened?
A poet has rightly said:
“If you called the living, they could have heard.
But those (dead) you are calling are completely deprived of life.
If you blew into fire, it would light up, but you are blowing into ashes which can never be lit.”
In summary:
Such graves and such shrines and the urs (festivals), qawwali singing, fairs, and musical performances on them are absolutely forbidden, and constitute shirk and disbelief.
May Allah protect every Muslim from clear and hidden shirk. Ameen.
Under the hadith of Ali (رضی اللہ عنہ), Hujjat al-Hind Hazrat Shah Waliullah (رحمہ اللہ) states:
ونهي أن یجصص القبر وأن یبنی علیه وأن یقعد علیه وقال لا تصلوا إلیها لأن ذلك ذریعة أن یتخذها الناس معبودا وأن یفرطوا في تعظمها بما لیس بحق فیحرفوا دینهم کما فعل أهل الکتاب وهو قوله صلی اللہ علیه وسلم لعن اللہ الیھود والنصاریٰ اتخذوا قبور أنبیاءهم مساجد الخ۔
He forbade solidifying the grave, building on it, and sitting on it, and also said not to pray facing the graves, because this leads people to worship graves and to excessively venerate them beyond what they deserve.
Thus, people distort their religion as the People of the Book did.
Therefore, the Prophet ﷺ said: Curse be upon the Jews and Christians.
They made the graves of their prophets places of prostration.
Hence, the truth is to seek intercession.
Neither should one venerate the dead so much that it becomes shirk, nor should one insult or be hostile to them, for after death all these matters end and the deceased is entrusted to Allah.
Slaughtering (rooster, goat, cow, etc.) on graves is forbidden
حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ مُوسَى الْبَلْخِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ، أَخْبَرَنَا مَعْمَرٌ، عَنْ ثَابِتٍ، عَنْ أَنَسٍ، قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ:” لَا عَقْرَ فِي الْإِسْلَامِ”، قَالَ عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ: كَانُوا يَعْقِرُونَ عِنْدَ الْقَبْرِ بَقَرَةً أَوْ شَاةً.
Anas رضي الله عنه says that the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said: “There is no ‘Aqr’ in Islam.” Abdul Razzaq says: People in the time of ignorance used to go near graves and slaughter cows, goats, etc.
Explanation:
1: Slaughtering cows, goats, etc. near graves is what is called ‘Aqr’, which Islam has prohibited.
It was a pre-Islamic custom that if the owner of the grave was very generous in his lifetime,
then his relatives would slaughter animals near his grave after his death so that the animals would be eaten. Islam has forbidden this practice.
And now, slaughtering animals at graves with any intention,
offering sacrifices, or cooking and distributing food is forbidden.
Sitting as a devotee by graves is forbidden
As Imam Abu Dawood establishes a chapter in his book Sunan Abi Dawood as follows:
Observe:
باب فِي الْبِنَاءِ عَلَى الْقَبْرِ
76. Chapter: Building a structure over the grave.
Hadith Number: 3225
حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ حَنْبَلٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ، أَخْبَرَنَا ابْنُ جُرَيْجٍ، أَخْبَرَنِي أَبُو الزُّبَيْرِ، أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ جَابِرًا، يَقُولُ: سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ” نَهَى أَنْ يُقْعَدَ عَلَى الْقَبْرِ، وَأَنْ يُقَصَّصَ، وَيُبْنَى عَلَيْهِ”.
Jabir رضي الله عنه says that I heard the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم forbidding sitting on the grave, making it solid, and building a structure over it.
Explanation:
1: Sitting on the grave means sitting out of necessity, and some people have said it means sitting absolutely because it shows disrespect to the owner of the grave.
2: Sitting on the grave is an insult to the owner of the grave, and decorating the grave and building a structure over it is, on one hand, wasteful expenditure, and on the other hand, there is fear that it may lead people into shirk (polytheism), because domes and shrines built over graves are among the manifestations and signs of shirk.
Making graves solid is also forbidden
Prohibition of building structures on graves, making them solid, and placing inscriptions on them.
Jabir رضي الله عنه says that the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم forbade making graves solid. 1؎.
Benefit:
Applying lime plaster was a method used in the past to make buildings solid; nowadays cement is used for this purpose.
It is sufficient to place only the soil taken out from the grave’s pit on the grave.
Adding more soil or making the grave solid is prohibited.
From this perspective, constructing a room or dome over it is definitely forbidden.
Writing on graves is also forbidden
Imam Tirmidhi has narrated a hadith in his book as follows:
Sunan Tirmidhi
كتاب الجنائز عن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم
Book: Rules and Issues of Funeral
58. Chapter: مَا جَاءَ فِي كَرَاهِيَةِ تَجْصِيصِ الْقُبُورِ وَالْكِتَابَةِ عَلَيْهَا
58. Chapter: Prohibition of solidifying graves and writing on them.
Hadith Number: 1052
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ الْأَسْوَدِ أَبُو عَمْرٍو الْبَصْرِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ رَبِيعَةَ، عَنْ ابْنِ جُرَيْجٍ، عَنْ أَبِي الزُّبَيْرِ، عَنْ جَابِرٍ، قَالَ: ” نَهَى النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَنْ تُجَصَّصَ الْقُبُورُ، وَأَنْ يُكْتَبَ عَلَيْهَا، وَأَنْ يُبْنَى عَلَيْهَا، وَأَنْ تُوطَأَ “. قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى: هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ، قَدْ رُوِيَ مِنْ غَيْرِ وَجْهٍ عَنْ جَابِرٍ، وَقَدْ رَخَّصَ بَعْضُ أَهْلِ الْعِلْمِ، مِنْهُمْ الْحَسَنُ الْبَصْرِيُّ فِي تَطْيِينِ الْقُبُورِ، وقَالَ الشَّافِعِيُّ: لَا بَأْسَ أَنْ يُطَيَّنَ الْقَبْرُ.
Jabir رضي الله عنه says that the Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم forbade solidifying graves 1, writing on them 2, building structures on them 3, and trampling over them 4.
Imam Tirmidhi says:
1- This hadith is Hasan Sahih,
2- It is also narrated from Jabir رضي الله عنه through other chains,
3- Some scholars have permitted putting soil on graves, among them is Hasan Basri,
4- The Shafi’i school says: There is no harm in putting soil on graves.
Explanation:
1: The reason for this prohibition is, firstly, that it involves wasteful expenditure because it does not benefit the deceased; secondly, it involves such veneration of the dead that it leads a person to shirk (associating partners with Allah).
2: This is not absolute; it includes writing the name of the deceased, their date of death, Quranic verses, and the Beautiful Names of Allah for blessings.
3: For example, domes, etc.
4: This prohibition is due to the respect and honor of the deceased; it causes humiliation and insult to the deceased, therefore it is forbidden.
