It is not permissible to use the bodies of the saints or items attributed to them for seeking blessings; rather, it is an innovation
There is no evidence of this practice from the pious predecessors. Here, some arguments presented by certain people are being examined.
Argument 1: The incident of Imam Shafi’i, may Allah have mercy on him
It is attributed to Imam Shafi’i’s student, Rabi’ ibn Sulayman, may Allah have mercy on him, that:
Imam Shafi’i, may Allah have mercy on him, wrote a letter from Egypt and asked for it to be delivered to Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal, may Allah have mercy on him. When Rabi’ ibn Sulayman, may Allah have mercy on him, arrived in Baghdad, he met Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal, may Allah have mercy on him, at the time of Fajr and gave him the letter. While reading the letter, Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal’s eyes filled with tears. In the letter, Imam Shafi’i, may Allah have mercy on him, mentioned a dream in which نبی کریم صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم had given Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal, may Allah have mercy on him, the message to oppose the false belief of “Creation of the Quran.” Rabi’ ibn Sulayman, may Allah have mercy on him, further narrates that Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal, may Allah have mercy on him, gave him one of his shirts, which he took to Imam Shafi’i, may Allah have mercy on him, in Egypt. Imam Shafi’i, may Allah have mercy on him, expressed a desire to gain blessings from this shirt and soaked it in water to use it.
Commentary on this narration:
This incident is based on weak and unreliable chains of narration. There are several reasons for this:
◈ Muhammad bin Hussain Abu Abdul Rahman Salmi, the narrator of this incident, is considered “accused of lying” (mutaham bil-kadhib).
◈ Abu Bakr Muhammad bin Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz bin Shadhan Razi, who was a misguided Sufi, is also declared “accused” (mutaham).
◈ There is no mention of the life circumstances of Ali bin Abdul Aziz Talhi.
Second Chain:
Another chain of this incident is present in Manaqib Ahmad bin Hanbal, but it also has flaws:
◈ About Abu Ali Al-Hasan bin Ali bin Muhammad Abu Ali bin Madhhab Baghdadi, Hafiz Al-Dhahabi (may Allah have mercy on him) says: “He was not a Sheikh with a strong memory”
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◈ Other scholars also did not trust this narrator and mentioned his confusion.
Third Chain:
The third chain appears in Tarikh Ibn Asakir and Tabaqat al-Shafi’iyyah al-Kubra, but it is also “weak”:
◈ The narrator Ja’far bin Muhammad al-Maliki is not authenticated.
◈ Hafiz Al-Dhahabi (may Allah have mercy on him) writes about Abu Bakr Muhammad bin Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz bin Shadhan Razi that “he was not trustworthy”
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Comments of the Muhaddithin about Rabi’ bin Sulayman:
Hafiz Zahbi, may Allah have mercy on him, states that Rabi’ bin Sulaiman was not one who traveled extensively in search of knowledge, and that it is incorrect that he went to Baghdad to meet Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal, may Allah have mercy on him.
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This is further confirmed by the fact that Khateeb Baghdadi did not mention him in his book Tarikh Baghdad. If he had gone to Baghdad, he would certainly have been mentioned.
Evidence Number 2: The Incident of Imam Sufyan Thawri, may Allah have mercy on him:
Imam Ajli, may Allah have mercy on him, narrates about Amr bin Qais Malai, Abu Abdullah Kufi, may Allah have mercy on him:
“Imam Sufyan Thawri, may Allah have mercy on him, used to come to him, greet him, and seek blessings from him.”
Commentary:
This statement is severely disconnected because:
◈ Imam Sufyan Thawri, may Allah have mercy on him, died in 161 AH.
◈ Imam Ajli, may Allah have mercy on him, was born in 182 AH.
◈ There is no mention of any intermediary between them, so this chain of narration is disconnected and rejected.
Evidence Number 3: The Story of Sultan Muhammad Ghaznavi:
Some people say that Sultan Muhammad Ghaznavi (died: 421 AH) achieved victory in the Battle of Somnath by the blessing of the cloak of Ali bin Ahmad Abu al-Hasan Kharaqani Bastami (died: 425 AH).
Commentary:
This is a false and baseless story, a fabricated tradition of misguided Sufis. This tale is not proven by authentic Islamic sources.
Intercession and Seeking Blessings: The Path to Innovation and Polytheism:
Forms of intercession and seeking blessings that are not legitimate lead to polytheism and innovation.
◈ Seeking blessings from graves, whether of saints or others, is forbidden and an innovation.
◈ If seeking blessings from the blessed grave of the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم is not permissible, then how can it be permissible from the graves of others, while the concept of seeking blessings is specifically related to the blessed person of the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم.
◈ In the best of eras, that is, during the time of the Companions and the Successors, there is no mention of seeking blessings from graves. This idea has been taken from the Rafidah.
Statement of Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah:
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah’s student, Allama Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah (691-751 AH) says:
“Our teacher (Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah) may Allah sanctify his soul said: There are many levels of innovations near graves. The most contrary to the Shariah among them is to ask the deceased for needs and to seek help from them, as many people do. These people are like idolaters. This is why sometimes Satan appears before them in the form of a deceased or a non-present person, just as he does with idolaters. The same happens with polytheists, disbelievers, and the People of the Book, that when they call upon a revered figure among them, Satan appears before them in that form and sometimes informs them of unseen matters…”
◈ Touching, kissing the grave, and praying near it also fall under the category of innovation (bid’ah).
◈ Believing in the acceptance of prayers near the grave, or thinking that praying there is better than praying in a mosque, is forbidden and an innovation. Muslims are unanimous on this matter.
◈ The story about Imam Abu Hanifa praying at the grave of Imam Shafi’i (may Allah have mercy on them) is false and has no basis.
Evidence Number 4: Mention of a Dome on the Grave of Sayyiduna Hamza (may Allah be pleased with him)
Allama Sakhawi (831-902 AH) wrote about the circumstances of Sayyiduna Hamza (may Allah be pleased with him):
“A dome was built over the grave of Sayyiduna Hamza (may Allah be pleased with him), which is his shrine, and people seek blessings from it.”
Comment:
◈ Building domes over graves is an innovation of the Rafidah and their invention.
◈ Those who build domes generally intend to seek blessings and benefit from the graves.
◈ There is no need to present the actions of such unknown Rafidah and innovators as a reference. The actions of the Imams of Ahl al-Sunnah should be presented.
◈ According to Ahl al-Sunnah wal Jama’ah, building domes over graves is unanimously considered forbidden and sinful. This practice is the handiwork of the innovators, as some people built a green dome over the blessed grave of نبی کریم صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم, even though during the best of eras (i.e., the time of the Companions, the Followers, and the Followers of the Followers) nothing like this existed.
Argument Number 5: The Incident of Imam Tabarani
Hafiz Dhahabi, may Allah have mercy on him, narrates an incident as follows:
Abu Bakr bin Abu Ali narrates that Ibn Maqri used to say: I, Imam Tabrani, and Imam Abu al-Sheikh were in Madinah Munawwarah, and we fell into hardship. We began to observe continuous fasting (wisaal). At the time of Isha, I came near the Prophet’s grave and said: O Messenger of Allah! Hunger? Imam Tabrani told me: Sit down, either provision will come or death will come. We stood up and went to Bab Alawi, where a man came with two young men, carrying two baskets filled with many things. He said: You complained to me about the Noble Prophet ﷺ, I saw you in a dream, and the Prophet ﷺ commanded me to bring something for you.
Comment:
◈ This incident is baseless and false.
◈ The purpose of this incident is a failed attempt to prove the honorable hadith scholars guilty of polytheism.
◈ Presenting baseless statements is against scholarly integrity because in Islam, an unsupported tradition holds no status.
◈ Such stories are not established from any authentic Islamic source and are only narrated to mislead the public.
Argument Number 3: The Incident of Seeking Blessings from the Grave of Ali ibn Musa Reza
Imam Ibn Hibban, may Allah have mercy on him, states:
“At the place of Tus, whenever I faced a severe difficulty, I would go to the grave of Ali ibn Musa Reza and pray to Allah, and my prayer would be accepted. I have experienced this many times.”
Comment:
◈ This incident is an ijtihadi error of Imam Ibn Hibban. There is no reference from the pious predecessors for this practice.
◈ This practice is contrary to the Book and Sunnah and against the conduct of the best generations of Muslims.
◈ Sheikh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
“Supplicating at graves is not superior to supplicating in mosques or other places. None of the predecessors of the Ummah considered supplicating at graves to be recommended.”
Evidence Number 6: Supplication for Rain through the Intercession of Sayyiduna Abbas bin Abdul Muttalib
Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik, may Allah be pleased with him, narrates:
“When there was a drought, Sayyiduna Umar bin Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, used to seek rain through the supplication of Sayyiduna Abbas bin Abdul Muttalib, may Allah be pleased with him.”
Comment:
◈ If praying at the grave of a Prophet or a saint were more effective, then Sayyiduna Umar رضي الله عنه would have faced the grave of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم. His having Sayyiduna Abbas رضي الله عنه pray alive clearly indicates that praying at graves is not permissible.
◈ The Companions and the Tabi‘un never performed any act at graves seeking the acceptance of prayers.
◈ Allama Muhammad Bashir Sahaswani رحمه الله states that asking for prayers or seeking help at graves leads to innovation and polytheism.
Argument Number 7: A “Weak” and False Tradition Attributed to Imam Shafi‘i رحمه الله
A tradition has been attributed to Imam Shafi‘i رحمه الله, the text of which is as follows:
“I seek blessings from Imam Abu Hanifa and visit his grave every day for ziyarat. When I have a need, I pray two rak’ahs and go to his grave and ask Allah Almighty for my need there, and soon that need is fulfilled.”
Commentary:
This narration is false and invalid, and there are many defects in its chain of transmission:
◈ There is no mention of the narrator named Umar bin Ishaq bin Ibrahim in the books of Rijal, leaving his identity unknown.
◈ The narrator Ali bin Maymun also cannot be identified; he is not mentioned in the books of Rijal.
◈ Despite this, Muhammad Zahid Al-Kawthari, who is a Jahmi Hanafi scholar, has declared its chain as “authentic.”
◈ But how can it be authentic when nothing is known about any of the narrators of this narration? This all appears to be an attempt to promote grave worship.
Refutation by Sheikh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah have mercy on him:
Sheikh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah have mercy on him (d. 728 AH), says about this narration:
“This is a fabricated narration, the falsehood of which becomes evident to anyone who has even the slightest knowledge of the science of Hadith. When Imam al-Shafi’i, may Allah have mercy on him, came to Baghdad, there was absolutely no grave there that people would visit for supplication. This practice was not known during the time of Imam al-Shafi’i, may Allah have mercy on him. Imam al-Shafi’i, may Allah have mercy on him, had seen the graves of the Prophets, Companions, and Successors in Hijaz, Yemen, Sham, Iraq, and Egypt. These people were superior in the eyes of Imam al-Shafi’i and all Muslims compared to Imam Abu Hanifa and other scholars like him. Why then did Imam al-Shafi’i, may Allah have mercy on him, not supplicate at any grave except that of Imam Abu Hanifa?”
According to the statement of Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah have mercy on him, during the time of Imam Shafi’i, may Allah have mercy on him, it was not common to visit graves with the intention of supplication, and this practice was against the way of the common Muslims and scholars of that era.
◈ Imam Shafi’i, may Allah have mercy on him, himself considered the veneration of the graves of righteous people as disliked, because there is a fear of trials in it.
◈ Such narrations are fabricated by ignorant or irreligious people, or they are transmitted from unknown narrators.
Commentary of other scholars:
Janab Sarfaraz Khan Safdar Deobandi Sahib (d. 2009) writes:
“This incident itself is false and fabricated.”
Argument number 8: The incident of praying for rain at the grave of Imam Bukhari, may Allah have mercy on him
Hafiz Ibn Bishkawal has narrated an incident:
“A famine occurred in Samarkand for one year. People repeatedly prayed for rain, but no rain came. A pious person, who was famous for his religiosity, came to the Qazi of Samarkand and said that if we all go to the grave of Imam Muhammad bin Ismail Bukhari, may Allah have mercy on him, and pray for rain, it is possible that Allah will grant us rain. Accordingly, the Qazi and the people went to the grave of Imam Bukhari, may Allah have mercy on him, and prayed, and Allah sent abundant rain, because of which the people stayed in Khartank for about seven days.”
Commentary:
◈ This incident is from the late fifth century Hijri and the people involved are unknown, so it cannot be made the basis of religion.
◈ This practice is against the Quran, Sunnah, and the conduct of the pious predecessors. There is no evidence of such an act from the pious predecessors.
◈ Rainfall is a coincidental matter. Many people seek wishes from graves and sometimes their wishes are fulfilled, but this belief is based on their misunderstanding.
◈ Referring to such incidents to justify grave worship is legally incorrect.
Argument No. 9: The incident of seeking intercession from the grave of Musa bin Jafar
Hasan bin Ibrahim bin Tubah, Abu Ali Al-Khallal, states:
“Whenever I faced difficulty in any matter, I would go to the grave of Musa bin Jafar and seek his intercession, and Allah Almighty would make my choice easy for me.”
Comment:
◈ This narration is not authentic because the reliability of its narrator Hasan bin Ibrahim is not established.
◈ Narrations from unreliable narrators cannot be considered evidence in religion, and such narrations are not accepted in the scholarly world.
Argument Number 10: The Cure of the Grave of Ma’ruf al-Karkhi, may Allah have mercy on him
It is attributed to Imam Ibrahim Harbi, may Allah have mercy on him, that:
“The grave of Ma’ruf al-Karkhi is a tried and tested cure.”
Comment:
This narration is false and its chain of transmission is weak because:
◈ Ahmad bin Hussain bin Yaqub Abu al-Hasan Attar is the narrator of this narration, whom the scholars of Hadith have declared unreliable and defective.
◈ Abu al-Qasim Azhari, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
“This person was extremely lying.”
◈ Hafiz Khateeb Baghdadi, may Allah have mercy on him, states:
“He was not trustworthy in narrating Hadith.”
◈ Muhammad bin Abi al-Fawaris, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
“He was in a bad state in Hadith, blameworthy and unreliable.”
◈ Hafiz Abu Nu’aym, may Allah have mercy on him, writes about him:
“He used to narrate weak Hadith.”
◈ Hafiz Suhmi, may Allah have mercy on him, also criticized him, stating that he narrated from people who had died before his birth.
Proof Number 11: Acceptance of Needs at the Grave of Ma’ruf al-Karkhi
Abdur-Rahman bin Muhammad bin Zuhri says:
“The grave of the famous Karkhi is known for fulfilling needs. It is said that whoever recites Surah Ikhlas one hundred times near this grave, Allah Almighty fulfills his wish.”
Commentary:
◈ The practices of later generations cannot be made part of the religion.
◈ Such practices are against the ways of the best of generations, i.e., the Companions, the Followers, and the Followers of the Followers.
◈ The fulfillment of a need is a coincidental matter, and considering it the effect of a grave is a misconception.
◈ If the Companions had permitted praying at graves, they themselves would have visited the graves of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ or other Companions. But there is no evidence of such practice in their actions.
Evidence Number 12: Relief from distress through the grave of the famous Karkhi
The trustworthy scholar Abu Abdullah Ibn Mihamali, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
“I have known the grave of the famous Karkhi for seventy years. Whoever, in distress, visits his grave, Allah Almighty removes his distress.”
Commentary:
◈ The practices of later generations cannot be part of the Quran and Sunnah, nor can their actions be considered proof in religion.
◈ Such practices are not proven from the era of the best generations (Khair al-Qurun), rather they are innovations added later.
◈ The fulfillment of needs or removal of difficulties may be mere coincidence, and attributing it to the blessing of a grave falls under the category of shirk (polytheism).
Evidence Number 13: Prayer for Rain from the Grave of Sayyiduna Abu Ayyub Ansari (RA)
This narration is attributed to the famous Tabi’i, Mujahid ibn Jabr (may Allah have mercy on him):
“When the Romans suffered from drought, they would open the grave of Sayyiduna Abu Ayyub (RA), and thus rain would be sent upon them.”
Commentary:
This narration is weak, and there are many issues in its chain:
◈ Muhammad bin Umar Al-Waqidi, who is the narrator of this hadith, has been classified as weak and abandoned narrator.
◈ Ishaq bin Yahya bin Talha is also a weak narrator in the chain of this hadith.
Evidence No. 14: Romans asking for rain prayer from the grave of Sayyiduna Abu Ayyub Ansari, may Allah be pleased with him
It is narrated from Imam Malik, may Allah have mercy on him:
“I have heard that the Romans seek health and rain through the intercession of Sayyiduna Abu Ayyub Ansari’s grave.”
Comment:
◈ Imam Malik, may Allah have mercy on him, only reported this news and did not confirm or endorse it.
◈ It is narrated from an unknown narrator, and there is no Shariah basis for the matter mentioned in it.
◈ It is not correct to attribute to a great Muhaddith like Imam Malik that he endorses such practices.
Evidence No. 15: Acceptance of prayers at the grave of Abu Ayyub Ansari, may Allah be pleased with him
Imam Ibn Abd al-Barr, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
“The grave of Sayyiduna Abu Ayyub رضي الله عنه is near the city wall of (Constantinople). It still exists there today. It is honored, and if rain is requested through his intercession, rain falls.”
Commentary:
◈ It is baseless to claim that the prayer for rain is accepted because of this grave.
◈ Although this may happen coincidentally, it does not prove that the prayer was accepted through the intercession of the grave owner.
◈ There is no mention in the Quran and Sunnah that prayers are accepted by taking intercession from graves.
◈ If this practice were permissible, the Companions, the Followers, and the Followers of the Followers would certainly have done so, but no such practice is proven from them.
Evidence Number 16: Hatim Asamm’s Prayer at the Prophet Muhammad’s صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم Grave
An incident is attributed to Imam Hasan Basri رحمه الله:
Hatim Asam stood at the blessed grave of the Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم and said: O Lord! We have come to visit the grave of Your Prophet, do not leave us disappointed. A voice was heard: O so-and-so! We have permitted you to visit the grave of Our Beloved, and We have accepted it as well. You and your companions may return; your forgiveness has been granted.
Commentary:
◈ The chain of narration for this incident does not exist, and it is an unauthenticated statement.
◈ According to scholarly principles, unauthenticated statements are not reliable.
◈ In Islamic teachings, unauthenticated incidents cannot be made part of the religion.
Argument Number 17: Seeing the Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم in a dream and fulfillment of needs
Imam Hakim, may Allah have mercy on him, states:
“I heard that Abu Ali Nisaburi was saying: I was going through severe distress. I saw the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, in a dream. It felt as if he, peace be upon him, was telling me: Go to the grave of Yahya bin Yahya, seek forgiveness there and pray, your need will be fulfilled. I did this the next day, and my distress was resolved.”
Comment:
◈ This incident is based on a dream, and except for the dreams of the Prophets, the dream of any person cannot be a Shariah proof.
◈ The dream of anyone other than the Noble Prophet, peace be upon him, is not part of the religion because it does not hold the status of revelation.
Proof Number 18: Seeking Blessings from Abu Fath Qawas
Imam Darqutni, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
“We used to seek blessings from Abu Fath Qawas, even though he was still a child.”
Comment:
◈ The purpose of this statement is to seek blessings through the prayers of a living person, not to seek blessings from the grave.
◈ It is permissible and religiously established to have a living pious person pray for you or to remain in their company; there is no disagreement on this.
Evidence Number 19: Praying at the grave of Sayyiduna Talha bin Ubaidullah (may Allah be pleased with him)
Imam Ibn Abi Asim (may Allah have mercy on him) says:
“I saw a group of scholars and virtuous people who, whenever they faced any difficulty, would go to the grave of (Sayyiduna Talha bin Ubaidullah), greet him, and pray at that place. They felt the acceptance of their prayers. Our elders have reported that they also saw people before them doing the same.”
Comment:
◈ This is the practice of unknown people, which cannot be made the foundation of religion.
◈ When the noble Companions and the great Followers did not pray at the Prophet Muhammad’s ﷺ grave, how can it be justified to do so at someone else’s grave?
◈ In the best of eras (i.e., the time of the Companions, Followers, and the Followers of the Followers), there is no evidence of going to graves to ask for prayers.
Summary of the Article
The Issue of Seeking Blessings from Graves and Review of Its Arguments
This article examines various arguments regarding seeking blessings from graves and asking for prayers through them. The article presents statements and incidents from various personalities and then provides detailed commentary on them, most of which were found to be weak or unauthentic arguments.
Important Points:
◈ Seeking blessings from graves is an innovation: There is no justification for seeking blessings from graves in the Quran, Sunnah, or the practices of the Companions. This practice emerged later and there is no example of it in the best of generations.
◈ Use of weak narrations: Many narrations mentioned in the article, such as those attributed to Imam Shafi’i, Imam Tabarani, and other scholars, are weak or disconnected in terms of their chains of transmission. No religious practice can be established based on them.
◈ Establishing Shariah rulings based on dreams: Shariah matters cannot be decided based on dreams, except for the dreams of the Prophets. The dreams of later scholars and elders cannot be used as Shariah evidence.
◈ Claim of acceptance of prayers at graves: The claim that prayers are more accepted at a certain grave is baseless. The real reason for the acceptance of prayers is the humility and devotion of the one praying, not the sanctity of any grave.
◈ The practice of the Companions: If it were permissible to seek blessings from graves or to pray through them, the Companions would certainly have gone to the blessed grave of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to pray, but no such practice is established from them.
Conclusion:
There is no evidence in the Quran and Sunnah for seeking blessings from graves or asking for prayers through them. This practice is considered an innovation (bid’ah) that emerged later and gained popularity among the masses. Muslims should adhere to the original teachings of the religion, that is, the Quran, Sunnah, and the practices of the Companions, and avoid such innovations in order to protect the belief in the Oneness of Allah.
