Source: Fatāwā Arkān-e-Islām
◈ Those who died upon Islam and were known for righteousness are hoped to be among the people of goodness.
◈ Such individuals, after death, are in need of others’ supplication for Allah’s mercy and forgiveness.
◈ They fall under the general meaning of the Qur’ānic verse:
﴿وَالَّذينَ جاءو مِن بَعدِهِم يَقولونَ رَبَّنَا اغفِر لَنا وَلِإِخونِنَا الَّذينَ سَبَقونا بِالإيمـنِ وَلا تَجعَل فى قُلوبِنا غِلًّا لِلَّذينَ ءامَنوا رَبَّنا إِنَّكَ رَءوفٌ رَحيمٌ﴾
Sūrat al-Ḥashr: 10
◈ Some claim sainthood (wilāyah), unseen knowledge, or healing powers — such claims are false both Sharʿī and rationally.
◈ For such individuals, the Qur’ān forbids seeking forgiveness:
﴿ما كانَ لِلنَّبِىِّ وَالَّذينَ ءامَنوا أَن يَستَغفِروا لِلمُشرِكينَ وَلَو كانوا أُولى قُربى﴾﴿وَما كانَ استِغفارُ إِبرهيمَ لِأَبيهِ﴾
Sūrat al-Tawbah: 113–114
◈ Do not seek help from anyone except Allah ﷻ.
◈ All sovereignty belongs to Allah ﷻ alone.
◈ Only He hears the call of the distressed and removes harm:
﴿وَما بِكُم مِن نِعمَةٍ فَمِنَ اللَّهِ ثُمَّ إِذا مَسَّكُمُ الضُّرُّ فَإِلَيهِ تَجـَٔرونَ﴾
Sūrat al-Naḥl: 53
◈ Avoid blind imitation of others:
﴿لَقَد كانَ لَكُم فى رَسولِ اللَّهِ أُسوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ﴾
Sūrat al-Aḥzāb: 21
﴿قُل إِن كُنتُم تُحِبّونَ اللَّهَ فَاتَّبِعونى يُحبِبكُمُ اللَّهُ﴾
Sūrat Āl ʿImrān: 31
◈ True saints (awliyāʾ) are only those who have īmān and taqwā:
﴿أَلا إِنَّ أَولِياءَ اللَّهِ لا خَوفٌ عَلَيهِم الَّذينَ ءامَنوا وَكانوا يَتَّقونَ﴾
Sūrat Yūnus: 62–63
◈ Any perceived benefit from graves or their soil is a test, not a sign of real power in the deceased.
◈ The Qur’ān rejects this belief:
﴿وَمَن أَضَلُّ مِمَّن يَدعوا مِن دونِ اللَّهِ﴾﴿وَإِذا حُشِرَ النّاسُ كانوا لَهُم أَعداءً﴾
Sūrat al-Aḥqāf: 5–6
﴿وَالَّذينَ يَدعونَ مِن دونِ اللَّهِ لا يَخلُقونَ شَيـًٔا أَموتٌ غَيرُ أَحياءٍ﴾
Sūrat al-Naḥl: 20–21
Just as the Jews were tested with the Sabbath fishing prohibition (Sūrat al-Aʿrāf: 163), people may be tested with seemingly beneficial outcomes from prohibited acts. True believers, like the Companions in Sūrat al-Māʾidah: 94, avoid the prohibited even when its means are within reach.
◈ Supplicating to the dead, making ṭawāf around their graves, offering vows to them, or performing any act of worship for them is major shirk (shirk akbar).
◈ Such acts violate tawḥīd, remove one from the fold of Islam, and must be repented from immediately.
◈ Any perceived “benefit” from these acts is a divine test, not a justification.
◈ Salvation lies in exclusive worship of Allah ﷻ and strict adherence to the Sunnah of His Messenger ﷺ.
ھذا ما عندي والله أعلم بالصواب
1. Two Types of Graves
First Type: Graves of Righteous Muslims
◈ Those who died upon Islam and were known for righteousness are hoped to be among the people of goodness.
◈ Such individuals, after death, are in need of others’ supplication for Allah’s mercy and forgiveness.
◈ They fall under the general meaning of the Qur’ānic verse:
﴿وَالَّذينَ جاءو مِن بَعدِهِم يَقولونَ رَبَّنَا اغفِر لَنا وَلِإِخونِنَا الَّذينَ سَبَقونا بِالإيمـنِ وَلا تَجعَل فى قُلوبِنا غِلًّا لِلَّذينَ ءامَنوا رَبَّنا إِنَّكَ رَءوفٌ رَحيمٌ﴾
Sūrat al-Ḥashr: 10
Second Type: Graves of Those Who Died upon Kufr or False Claims
◈ Some claim sainthood (wilāyah), unseen knowledge, or healing powers — such claims are false both Sharʿī and rationally.
◈ For such individuals, the Qur’ān forbids seeking forgiveness:
﴿ما كانَ لِلنَّبِىِّ وَالَّذينَ ءامَنوا أَن يَستَغفِروا لِلمُشرِكينَ وَلَو كانوا أُولى قُربى﴾﴿وَما كانَ استِغفارُ إِبرهيمَ لِأَبيهِ﴾
Sūrat al-Tawbah: 113–114
2. Key Islamic Guidelines
◈ Do not seek help from anyone except Allah ﷻ.
◈ All sovereignty belongs to Allah ﷻ alone.
◈ Only He hears the call of the distressed and removes harm:
﴿وَما بِكُم مِن نِعمَةٍ فَمِنَ اللَّهِ ثُمَّ إِذا مَسَّكُمُ الضُّرُّ فَإِلَيهِ تَجـَٔرونَ﴾
Sūrat al-Naḥl: 53
3. Follow Only the Messenger ﷺ
◈ Avoid blind imitation of others:
﴿لَقَد كانَ لَكُم فى رَسولِ اللَّهِ أُسوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ﴾
Sūrat al-Aḥzāb: 21
﴿قُل إِن كُنتُم تُحِبّونَ اللَّهَ فَاتَّبِعونى يُحبِبكُمُ اللَّهُ﴾
Sūrat Āl ʿImrān: 31
4. True Wilāyah
◈ True saints (awliyāʾ) are only those who have īmān and taqwā:
﴿أَلا إِنَّ أَولِياءَ اللَّهِ لا خَوفٌ عَلَيهِم الَّذينَ ءامَنوا وَكانوا يَتَّقونَ﴾
Sūrat Yūnus: 62–63
5. The False Perception of Benefit from Graves
◈ Any perceived benefit from graves or their soil is a test, not a sign of real power in the deceased.
◈ The Qur’ān rejects this belief:
﴿وَمَن أَضَلُّ مِمَّن يَدعوا مِن دونِ اللَّهِ﴾﴿وَإِذا حُشِرَ النّاسُ كانوا لَهُم أَعداءً﴾
Sūrat al-Aḥqāf: 5–6
﴿وَالَّذينَ يَدعونَ مِن دونِ اللَّهِ لا يَخلُقونَ شَيـًٔا أَموتٌ غَيرُ أَحياءٍ﴾
Sūrat al-Naḥl: 20–21
6. Tests and Trials in Sharīʿah
Just as the Jews were tested with the Sabbath fishing prohibition (Sūrat al-Aʿrāf: 163), people may be tested with seemingly beneficial outcomes from prohibited acts. True believers, like the Companions in Sūrat al-Māʾidah: 94, avoid the prohibited even when its means are within reach.
7. Conclusion
◈ Supplicating to the dead, making ṭawāf around their graves, offering vows to them, or performing any act of worship for them is major shirk (shirk akbar).
◈ Such acts violate tawḥīd, remove one from the fold of Islam, and must be repented from immediately.
◈ Any perceived “benefit” from these acts is a divine test, not a justification.
◈ Salvation lies in exclusive worship of Allah ﷻ and strict adherence to the Sunnah of His Messenger ﷺ.
ھذا ما عندي والله أعلم بالصواب
