Construction of Shrines and Their Worship
Building shrines, domes, and cupolas over graves and worshipping at them is a custom of disbelief and atheism and a major cause of shirk (polytheism). This practice is exactly analogous to the synagogues of the Jews and the temples of the Hindus. Just as in churches and synagogues worship is directed to beings other than Allah, similarly in shrines the servants of the religion are worshipped. Amir San’ani wrote in his book “Tathir al-I’tiqad”:
((وَالْمَشَاهِدُ أَعْظَمُ الدَّرِيعَةِ إِلَى الشِّرْكِ وَالَّا الْحَادِ ، وَيَرَوْرُهُ النَّاسُ الَّذِينَ يَعْرِفُونَهُ زَيَارَةَ الْأَمْوَاتِ مِنْ غَيْرِ تَوَسُّل بِهِ بَلْ يَدْعُونَ وَيُسْتَغْفِرُونَ حَتَّى يَنْفَرِضَ مَنْ يَعْرِفُهُ أَوْ أَكْثَرَهُمْ ، فَيَأْتِي مِنْ بَعْدِهِمْ مَنْ يَرَى قَبْراً قَدْ سُيِّدَ عَلَيْهِ الْبِنَاهُ وَسُرِجَتَ عَلَيْهِ الشُّمُوعُ وَفَرْشُ بِالْفِرَاشِ الفَاخِرِ فَيَعْتَقِدُ أَنَّ ذلِكَ لِنَفَع أَوْ دَفَع ضُرِ ، وَتَأْتِيهِ السَّدَنَةُ يَكْذِبُونَ عَلَى الْمَيِّتِ بِأَنَّهُ فَعَلَ وَفَعَلَ ، وَأَنْزَلَ بِفُلَانِ الضُّرُّ وَبِغُلَانِ النفع حَتَّى يَغْرِسُو في جبلتِهِ كُلَّ بَاطِل))
“Tombs and shrines are a major source of polytheism and atheism. People who know the owner of the grave go there merely to visit the graves; they do not consider the grave as a means, but rather pray for the well-being of the owner of the grave and seek forgiveness and pardon for him. However, after some time passes and a new generation comes, seeing the beautiful structure built over the grave, the lit lamps, and the luxurious carpets spread there, they become convinced that there is indeed a means for our benefit and protection from harm. They attribute false stories to the caretakers there, claiming that the owner of the grave performed great deeds, that so-and-so benefited from his grave, and so-and-so was harmed. Even tales and stories are narrated, creating superstitions and myths in the minds, which make them inclined to offer sacrifices and gifts.”
Therefore, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ strictly forbade building domes and structures over graves. In fact, he specifically sent Sayyiduna Ali رضي الله عنه with the instruction to level any grave that was elevated and to erase any idols found. Abu al-Hayyaj al-Asadi رضي الله عنه narrates that Ali رضي الله عنه said to me:
(( أَلَا أَبْعَتُكَ عَلَى مَا بَعَثَنِي عَلَيْهِ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَن لَا تَدَعَ نِمْثَالًا إِلَّا طَمَسْتَهُ وَلَا قَبْرًا مُشْرِفًا إِلَّا سَوَّيْتَهُ . ))
“Shall I not appoint you to the task on which the Messenger of Allah ﷺ appointed me? It is that you do not leave any image or statue except that you erase it, and that you level any grave that is higher than the others.”
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Jabir رضي الله عنه that:
((نَهَى رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَن تُجَصَّصَ الْقَبْرُ وَأَن قعَدَ عَلَيْهِ وَأَن تُبْنَى عَلَيْهِ.))
“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ forbade plastering the grave with lime, sitting on it, and building structures over it.”
Imam Nawawi رضي الله عنه states under this hadith:
(( وَفِي هَذَا الْحَدِيثِ كَرَاهَةُ تَجْصِيصِ الْقَبْرِ وَالْبَنَاءِ عَلَيْهِ وَتَحْرِيمُ القعود))
“In this hadith, there is a dislike for strengthening the grave, building a structure over it, and there is a prohibition on sitting on them, i.e., on the graves.”
Sayyiduna Abu Saeed Khudri (RA) says:
(( نَهَى نَبِيُّ اللَّهُ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَن يُبْنَى عَلَى الْقُبُورِ ، أَوْ يُقْعَدَ عَلَيْهَا أَوْ يُصَلَّى عَلَيْهَا . ))
“The Prophet ﷺ forbade building structures over graves, sitting on them (taking them as places to sit), and praying at them.”
Abu Burda (RA) narrates:
((أَوضَى أَبُو مُوسَى حِيْنَ حَضَرَهُ الْمَوْتُ فَقَالَ: إِذَا انْطَلَقْتُمُ بِجَنَازَنِي فَاسْرِعُوا الْمَشْيَ وَلَا يُتبَعُنِي مُجَمَّرٌ وَلَا تَجْعَلُوا فِي لَحْدِي شَيْئًا يَحُولُ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَ التُّرَابِ وَلَا تَجْعَلُوا عَلَى قَبْرِي بِنَاءً ، وَأَشْهِدُكُمْ أَنِّي بَرِيءٌ مِنْ كُلِّ حَالِقَةٍ أَوْ سَالِقَةٍ أَوْ خَارِقَةٍ ، قَالُوا: أَوَ سَمِعْتَ فِيْهِ شَيْئًا؟ قَالَ: نَعَمُ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ))
“Abu Musa Ash’ari (RA) made a will at the time of death that when you carry my funeral procession, walk quickly, and do not carry any brazier with me, nor place anything in my grave that comes between me and the soil, nor build any structure over my grave. And I bear witness to you that I am free from those who wail, scream, or tear their clothes.” People asked:
Did you hear these things from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ? He said:
Yes! I have heard from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.”
In the light of these ahadith, the jurists of the Ummah have declared building structures over graves as forbidden, and have issued orders to demolish those tombs and shrines that are constructed contrary to Shariah, because the Islamic Shariah holds the principle that any structure which causes fitnah (discord) and corruption, or whose foundation is based on disobedience to the Messenger, must be demolished. It should be remembered that implementing this ruling is not obligatory upon every individual, rather it is the responsibility of the Islamic government or its leader, so that fitnah and corruption do not occur. Even if it is a mosque, as the story of Masjid al-Dirar is a clear and evident proof of this.
Benefit:
“The story is that in Medina, there was a man from the tribe of Khazraj named Abu Amir Al-Rahib who had become a Christian during the pre-Islamic era. He held a high status among the Khazraj. When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ migrated to Medina, he invited him to Islam, but he refused. After the Battle of Badr, he went to Mecca and incited the disbelievers of Quraysh against the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. In the Battle of Uhud, he came forward among the disbelievers and addressed the Ansar, inviting them to support him, for which the Ansar severely reproached him. After that, he went to Rome and incited the king there, Heraclius, against the Muslims. From there, he wrote to his hypocritical friends in Medina to build a mosque whose purpose was to conspire against Islam and create division among the Muslims. When he returned to Medina, he intended to use it as a hideout. When the hypocrites built that structure, they came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said that they had built a mosque to protect the weak and sick from rain and cold, and they wished that he would visit and pray there. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was then preparing to depart for the Battle of Tabuk and said he would go there on his return. On his way back, when he was some distance from Medina, revelation came revealing the true nature of that building. Consequently, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ sent two companions who burned down that building, which Allah Almighty named ‘Masjid Dhirar,’ meaning the mosque built to harm the people of Quba.”
“It is obligatory to demolish all those structures built on graves, because their foundation is in disobedience and opposition to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.”
It should be remembered that the hadith mentioned from Sayyiduna Ali رضي الله عنه regarding “leveling the graves” does not mean that graves should be completely demolished and leveled with the ground, rather it means that they should be leveled to the extent of the legal limit, equal to ordinary graves, that is, leaving them about a span (balasht) high so that it is known that it is a grave.
Imam Bayhaqi رضي الله عنه narrates that the Prophet ﷺ’s grave was one span above the ground.
From Imam Bayhaqi’s classification, it is also clear that nothing should be added on the grave beyond its soil so that it does not become too high.
Imam Nawawi رضي الله عنه says:
(( إِنَّ السُّنَّةَ أَنَّ الْقَبْرَ لَا يُرْفَعُ عَلَى الْأَرْضِ رَفْعًا كَثِيرًا. ))
“Indeed, the Sunnah is that the grave should not be higher than the ground (rather it should be about one span high).”
Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani (may Allah have mercy on him) says:
(( وَيُرْفَعُ الْقَبْرُ مِنَ الْأَرْضِ قَدْرَ شِبْرٍ وَيُرَشُ عَلَيْهِ الْمَاءُ وَيُوْضَعُ عَلَيْهِ الْحَا وَإِن طينَ جَازَ وَإِنَّ حُضِصَ كُرِهَ . ))
“The grave should be raised one cubit above the ground, and water should be sprinkled on it, and gravel should be placed on it, and if it is plastered, it is permissible, but making it with plaster is disliked.”
Imam Abu Hanifa (may Allah have mercy on him) says:
(( وَلَا نَرى أن يُرَادَ عَلى مَا خَرَجَ مِنْهُ وَنَكْرَهُ أَنْ يُجَصَّصَ أَوْ يُطِينَ أو يُجْعَلَ عِندَهُ مَسْجِدًا أَوْ عَلَمَا أَوْ يُكْتَبَ عَلَيْهِ ، وَيُكْرَهُ الْآجُرُّ أن يُيْنَى بِهِ أَوْ يُدْخَلَ الْقَبُرُ وَلَا نَرَى بِرَبِّ الْمَاءِ عَلَيْهِ بَأْسًا .))
“And we do not see it appropriate to add more than what comes out of it, meaning the soil that comes out of the grave, and no other soil should be added to it. And we consider it disliked to plaster it or cover it with soil, and it is disliked to make the grave with baked bricks or to place them inside the grave. And in our view, there is no sin in sprinkling water on the grave.”
Allama Mahmood Alusi (may Allah have mercy on him) says:
((ثُمَّ إِجْمَاعًا فَإِنَّ أَعْظَمَ الْمُحَرَّمَاتِ وَأَسْبَابِ الشَّرُكَ الصَّلوةُ عِنْدَهَا ، وَاتَّخَاذْهَا مَسَاجِدَ ، وَبَنَالُهَا عَلَيْهِ ، وَتَحِبُّ الْمُبَادَرَةُ إِلَى هَدْمِهَا ، وَهَدْمُ الْقُبَابِ الَّتِي عَلَى الْقُبُوْرِ إِذْ هِيَ أَضَرُّ مِنْ مَسْجِدِ الضَّرَارِ لِأَنَّهَا أُسَسَتْ عَلَى مَعْصِيَةِ الرَّسُولِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَتَجِبُ إِزالَهُ كُلَّ قَنْدِيلِ أَوْ سِرَاحٍ عَلَى قَبْرٍ ، وَلَا يَجُوزُ وَقُفُهُ ونذرہ))
“It is unanimously agreed that among the greatest prohibitions and causes of shirk is to offer prayers near shrines, and to build mosques or buildings on them. It is obligatory to demolish such things and those domes built over graves. Because these are even more harmful than the Mosque of Harm, as their foundation is laid in opposition to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. It is also obligatory to extinguish every lamp and light on graves, and dedicating or offering them as vows is not permissible.”
Qazi Sanaullah Panipati Hanafi (may Allah have mercy on him) says:
((آنچه بر قبور اولیاء عمار تھائی رفیع بنامی کنند و چراغان روشن می کنند و ازین قبیل هرچه می کنند حرام است یا مكروه.))
“Whatever is done at the graves of the noble saints, such as building tall structures and lighting lamps, and any such acts, are either forbidden or disliked.”
Imam Malik (may Allah have mercy on him) says:
(( أَكْرَهُ تَجْصِيصَ الْقُبُورِ وَالْبِنَاءَ عَلَيْهَا ))
“I consider making graves solid and constructing buildings on them as disliked (forbidden).”
Imam Shafi’i (may Allah have mercy on him) says:
(( وَلَمْ أَرَ قُبُورَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ وَالْأَنْصَارٍ مُجَصَّصَةٌ (قَالَ الرَّاوِيُّ) عَنْ طَاؤُسٍ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ نَهَى أَن تُبَنِى الْقُبُورُ أَوَ تُجَصَّصَ ….. وَقَدْ رَأيتُ من الولاة مَنْ يَهْدِمُ بِمَكَّةُ مَا يُبْنَى فِيْهَا فَلَمْ أَرَ الْفُقَهَاءَ يَعِبُيُونَ ذَلِكَ . ))
I have not seen the graves of the Muhajireen and Ansar companions to be solidly constructed. Tawus has narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ forbade building or solidifying structures over graves, and I have seen rulers who used to demolish buildings over graves in Mecca, and I have not seen jurists criticize this action.”
A question was asked to Imam Abu al-Hasan Musa Kazimؒ (of Ja’fari jurisprudence) about building a structure over a grave and sitting on it. He replied:
لَا يَصْلُحُ الْبِنَاء عَلَيْهِ وَلَا الْجُلُوسَ وَلَا تَجْصِيصُهُ وَلَا تَطيتُهُ .
“Building a structure over the grave, sitting on it, solidifying it, and plastering it is not permissible.”
Dear readers! The domes, shrines, and mausoleums built over the graves of saints and the acts of worship performed there are exactly like the prostrations and worship of other than Allah in churches; the only difference is in the names. Hindus call such a place a (Mandir), and Muslims name it Mashhad, Khanqah, Dargah, or Mazar Sharif. Similarly, the attendants of Khanqahs are similar to the “Suddana al-Bad.” Allama Baladhuri (may Allah have mercy on him), while mentioning the conquests of Sindh during the time of Muhammad bin Qasim, discussed “Bad” and “Suddana al-Bad,” writing:
مَاليدُ إِلَّا كَكَنَائِسِ الْيَهُودِ وَالنَّصَارَى وَبْيُوتِ نَيْرَانِ الْمَجُوسِ .
“That is, ‘Bad’ is a place of worship just like the churches of Christians, the synagogues of Jews, and the fire temples of fire-worshippers, in which (worship of other than Allah is performed).”
Then he writes:
وَالْبُدُّ فِيْمَا ذَكَرُ وا مَنَارَةً عَظِيمَةٌ يُتَّخَذُ فِي بِنَاءٍ لَهُمْ فِيْهِ صَنَمٌ أَوْ أَصْنَام.
“According to the statements of researchers, Bad is a very tall tower built on a place where one or more idols are kept.”
Going further, he writes:
وَكَانَ بُدُ الْمُلْتَانِ تُهْدَى إِلَيْهِ الْأَمْوَالُ ، يُندَرُ لَهُ النَّدْرُ ، وَيَحَجُ إِلَيْهِ أَهْلُ السَّنْدِ ، فَيَطُوفُونَ بِهِ ، وَيَحْلِقُونَ رُهُ وَسَهُمْ عِنْدَهُ ، وَيَزْعَمُونَ أَن صَنَمًا فِيْهِ هُوَ أَيُّوبُ النَّبِيُّ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ .
“That is, the ‘idol’ of Multan was a very large temple, gifts and offerings were brought for it, vows were made for it, the people of Sindh would come for its pilgrimage, shave their heads, and say that the one who is greatly inside it is our master Ayyub (peace be upon him).”
Consider! What is the difference? Only that they used to worship idols of saints and prophets in those places, and Muslims worship the graves of elders in these buildings. They used to feed “Sadi al-Bad” by accepting vows for those elders, and these caretakers and devotees of graves consider feeding offerings at graves a blessing for both religion and worldly life:
(( مَنْ تَشَبَّهَ بِقَوْمٍ فَهُوَ مِنْهُمْ ))
“Whoever imitates a people is raised with them on the Day of Resurrection.”
