Offering vows and sacrifices is an act of worship, and in Islam, worship is exclusively for Allah Almighty. Making vows or sacrifices in the name of any creation is forbidden and falls under the category of shirk (polytheism). If a person makes a vow in the name of a saint or a wali, offers sacrifices at graves, and believes that the owner of the grave will solve his problems or intercede for him, then this is shirk in worship.
In the Holy Quran, Allah Almighty has mentioned this act with condemnation:
وَجَعَلُوْا لِلّٰہِ مِمَّا ذَرَاَ مِنَ الْحَرْثِ وَالْـاَنْعَامِ نَصِیبًا…
This verse clarifies that the polytheists do not allocate a share for Allah from their gods, but they allocate a share for their gods from what belongs to Allah, which is a false and misleading act. Furthermore, Allah Almighty said:
وَمَا أُہِلَّ بِہٖ لِغَیْرِ اللّٰہِ
This verse declares forbidden that on which the name of anyone other than Allah is invoked.
Shariah Principles
It is narrated from the Companion of the Prophet, Sayyiduna Thabit bin Dhahak رضي الله عنه:
نَذَرَ رَجُلٌ عَلٰی عَہْدِ رَسُولِ اللّٰہِ صَلَّی اللّٰہُ عَلَیْہِ وَسَلَّمَ أَنْ یَّنْحَرَ إِبِلًا بِبُوَانَۃَ، فَأَتَی النَّبِيَّ صَلَّی اللّٰہُ عَلَیْہِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَقَالَ : إِنِّي نَذَرْتُ أَنْ أَنْحَرَ إِبِلًا بِبُوَانَۃَ، فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّی اللّٰہُ عَلَیْہِ وَسَلَّمَ : ’ہَلْ کَانَ فِیہَا وَثَنٌ مِّنْ أَوْثَانِ الْجَاہِلِیَّۃِ یُعْبَدُ ؟‘ قَالُوا : لَا، قَالَ : ’ہَلْ کَانَ فِیہَا عِیدٌ مِّنْ أَعْیَادِہِمْ ؟‘، قَالُوا : لَا، قَالَ رَسُولُ اللّٰہِ صَلَّی اللّٰہُ عَلَیْہِ وَسَلَّمَ : ’أَوْفِ بِنَذْرِکَ، فَإِنَّہٗ لَا وَفَائَ لِنَذْرٍ فِي مَعْصِیَۃِ اللّٰہِ‘ ۔
“A person made a vow to slaughter a camel at the place called Buwana during the blessed time of the Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم. He came to the Prophet and said: I have vowed to slaughter a camel at Buwana. The Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم asked: Was there any idol or idol worship practiced at that place? The Companions said: No. He asked: Did any pagan festival take place there? They said: No. He said: Fulfill your vow. Indeed, it is not permissible to fulfill a vow made in disobedience to Allah.”
In the narration reported by Sayyiduna Kardam bin Sufyan Thaqafi رضي الله عنه, the prophetic words are:
’ہَلْ بِہَا وَثَنٌ أَوْ عِیدٌ مِّنْ أَعْیَادِ الْجَاہِلِیَّۃِ ؟‘ ۔
“Was there any idol or any pagan festival at that place?”
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Amr bin Aas رضي الله عنهما:
A female Companion came to the presence of the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم and said:
إِنِّي نَذَرْتُ أَنْ أَذْبَحَ بِمَکَانِ کَذَا وَکَذَا، مَکَانٌ کَانَ یَذْبَحُ فِیہِ أَہْلُ الْجَاہِلِیَّۃِ، قَالَ ’لِصَنَمٍ ؟‘، قَالَتْ : لَا، قَالَ ’لِوَثَنٍ ؟‘، قَالَتْ : لَا، قَالَ : ’أَوْفِي بِنَذْرِکِ‘ ۔
“I have vowed to slaughter an animal at such and such a place. The people of ignorance used to slaughter animals there.” The Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم asked: Did they slaughter for any idol? The female Companion said: No. He asked: Did they slaughter for any statue? She said: No. Then the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said: Fulfill your vow.”
From these ahadith, it is understood that in places where shirk and kufr exist, fulfilling a vow is also prohibited and haram; rather, it becomes a means of reaching shirk.
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ asked two questions regarding fulfilling a vow:
➊ Is there worship of anyone other than Allah there?
➋ Is there a fair or festival of the polytheists held there?
If the answer to even one of these is affirmative, then fulfilling the vow is not permissible. This prophetic rule still stands today.
Rituals at Shrines
Some people have declared rituals such as vows and offerings at shrines and dargahs permissible to deceive the public so that they can seize their wealth. The Barelvi scholar Ahmad Yar Khan Naeemi tries to justify this practice by calling it a linguistic vow, but in reality, this distinction is an ugly innovation that is not found anywhere in the books of Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jama’ah.
The Practice of the Companions of the Prophet
Did the Companions of the Prophet ﷺ not love the Messenger of Allah ﷺ? Did they ever make vows or offerings in the name of any elder? If this practice were permissible, the Companions would not have been deprived of it either. Vows and offerings for creation have never been permissible, and this is unanimously agreed upon by the scholars.
The Position of Allama Ibn Qayyim and Other Scholars
Sheikh al-Islam Thani, Allama Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
“Polytheists hasten to consider every kind of creation worthy of vows and offerings except Allah. They believe that stones, trees, or a saint can accept vows.”
Allama Shah Waliullah Dehlawi, may Allah have mercy on him, states that polytheists seek help from others besides Allah for their needs and make vows in their names, while the Quran says:
فَلَا تَدْعُوْا مَعَ اللّٰہِ اَحَدًا
The Claim of the Literal Meaning of Vow and Its Refutation
Ahmad Yar Khan Naeemi’s statement that “vows in the name of the Awliya Allah are not Shariah-based, but linguistic” is merely to deceive people. This division of vows and supplications is neither found anywhere in Islamic jurisprudence nor does it have any basis in Shariah.
Scholars have clearly stated that making vows and supplications in the name of creation is forbidden, and there is consensus among the Muslim Ummah on this. Renowned jurists such as Imam Ibn Abidin Shami and Allama Alusi have also declared this practice as shirk and haram.
The Hanafi Fiqh Position
It is clearly written in Hanafi jurisprudence books that making vows and supplications at graves is forbidden. The statements of Hanafi jurists explicitly state that making vows and supplications in the name of creation is equivalent to shirk and kufr.
The Control of the Dead: A False Belief
According to Islamic teachings, the belief that the dead hear, see, intervene in matters, know the unseen, listen to prayers, and grant favors is completely false. This belief falls under the category of polytheism and disbelief, and it cannot be supported by any Shariah evidence.
An Incident from the Sayings of Imam Ahmad Raza Khan Barelvi
In the sayings of Imam Ahmad Raza Khan Barelvi, an incident is narrated in which a merchant’s slave girl caught the eye of Hazrat Abdul Wahab at the shrine of Hazrat Syedi Ahmad Badawi, and later the shrine owner gifted her. This story is cited as an example of the belief in the dead’s intervention, which is not only un-Islamic but also paves the way for justifying acts like adultery and fornication.
The Power of the People of the Graves: A Misconception
The belief that the people of the graves know the secrets of the hearts of the living, communicate with them, and interfere in worldly matters is clear evidence of deviation from the religion of Islam. These people have strayed away from the Muhammadan religion and are trapped in the quagmire of disbelief and polytheism. Their belief is worse than the beliefs of the polytheists of Mecca.
Interpretation of Vows and Offerings
Mufti Ahmad Yar Khan Naeemi tries to justify this practice through another unreasonable interpretation, where he claims that the vow is made for Allah and the poor of the Sheikh’s grave are the recipients of it. Such an interpretation is an unwarranted addition to the religion and is against the commands of the Quran and Sunnah.
The vow made by the mother of Sayyida Maryam (peace be upon her) for Allah was dedicated to worship, and Allah accepted it, as mentioned in the Quran:
فَتَقَبَّلَہَا رَبُّہَا بِقَبُولٍ حَسَنٍ
However, the practice of making vows and offerings at graves is completely forbidden and considered shirk in the light of the Quran and Sunnah.
The Shariah Ruling on Vows and Offerings
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ clearly stated:
“It is not permissible to fulfill a vow made in disobedience to Allah.”
From this, it is established that making vows and offerings at places associated with shirk or ignorance is religiously prohibited.
Ibn Taymiyyah’s Position
Sheikh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah have mercy on him, said that slaughtering animals at the fairs of the polytheists and places of idols is disobedience to Allah, and this act leads towards shirk instead of Allah’s pleasure.
Vows and Offerings: Forbidden and Invalid
Making vows and offerings at graves, even if done in the name of Allah, is religiously impermissible and prohibited. Jurists and scholars have unanimously agreed that making vows for created beings is forbidden.
The Lexical, Conventional, and Shariah Classification of Vows: A Review
Mr. Ahmad Yar Khan Naeemi has claimed a lexical and Shariah-based division of vows (Nazar), in which he took the position that the lexical meaning of Nazar is “gift,” and in this regard, vows can be permissible for the friends of Allah (Awliya Allah), whereas Shariah-wise, vows are considered only for Allah.
Context of the Hadith:
Naeemi Sahib cited a hadith mentioning the vow of a black slave girl who intended to beat the drum upon the safe return of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) from battle. Naeemi Sahib incorrectly linked this hadith with “some wives” and the “Battle of Uhud.” Imam Bayhaqi (may Allah have mercy on him), clarifying the context of this hadith, stated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) permitted her to fulfill this vow because it was a permissible act, and its purpose was to express joy at the Prophet’s safe return, not an act of worship or a vow for the Awliya.
Rejection of the Lexical and Shariah Division of Vows
Naeemi Sahib’s claim that there are two types of vows—literal and Shariah-based—and that the literal vow is permissible for the Awliya Allah, is a misleading and innovative division from a Shariah perspective. This division is unacceptable according to the Quran, Sunnah, and the opinions of the scholars.
Literal and Shariah meanings of acts of worship:
Naeemi Sahib gave the example of two meanings of Tawaf—literal and Shariah—and similarly tried to divide vows into two meanings. But if this logic is accepted, then tomorrow people will start considering circumambulating graves, bowing, prostrating, praying, and Hajj for created beings permissible in the literal sense, which is completely forbidden and shirk in Shariah.
The Hadith scholar Hafiz Khawaja Muhammad Qasim (may Allah have mercy on him) clarified this issue by saying that this reasoning would only be correct if it could be proven that circumambulating or prostrating to the graves of living or deceased Awliya is permissible in the literal sense. The reality is that this distinction between literal and Shariah meanings cannot be applied to acts of worship.
Refutation by Ghulam Rasool Saeedi
Barelvi scholar Ghulam Rasool Saeedi has strongly rejected this linguistic and Shariah-based division of vows. He states that if this logic is accepted, then all acts of worship other than Allah—such as prostration, circumambulation, fasting, and prayer—can also be considered linguistic and thus permissible, which is completely false. He clarified that vows, prostration, circumambulation, and other acts of worship are unanimously designated for Allah, and considering them linguistically permissible for others besides Allah is a major deviation in Shariah.
Summary
➊ The linguistic and Shariah division of vows is Shariah-wise unacceptable.
➋ Acts of worship such as vows, prostration, circumambulation, prayer, and fasting are only for Allah.
➌ Declaring acts of worship permissible for others besides Allah based on linguistic meanings is equivalent to opening the doors of polytheism.
➍ Therefore, the linguistic and Shariah division of vows is a misleading concept that has no place in Islamic teachings.
Oath by Others than Allah: A Fallacy
Mufti Ahmad Yar Khan Naeemi presented a misconception by stating that swearing by anything other than Allah is religiously prohibited, but he also claimed that oaths by things other than Allah are present in the Quran and Hadith, such as in the Quran {By the fig and the olive} (At-Tin 95:1), etc. Additionally, he referenced a Hadith in which the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ allegedly said: “By his father! He has succeeded.” According to him, a religious oath should only be for Allah, but a linguistic oath, which is merely for emphasis in speech, is permissible.
Refutation of this misconception
Ghulam Rasool Saeedi (a Barelvi scholar) refuted this argument by stating that when oaths by things other than Allah appear in the Quran and Hadith, they are interpreted under a specific context. However, vows (nazr) are not mentioned in the Quran and Hadith for anything other than Allah, so there is no need for interpretation in this regard. On this basis, considering vows made to anything other than Allah as linguistic or permissible is absolutely incorrect.
The meaning of oaths by things other than Allah
When Allah Almighty swears by something in the Quran, such as وَالتِّیْنِ وَالزَّیْتُونِ, it is a sign from Allah that these things are natural signs and indications of His greatness. Allah Almighty has the authority to swear by His creations, whereas humans do not have the authority to swear by anything other than Allah.
The Hadith of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) also prohibits swearing by anything other than Allah:
“Whoever swears by other than Allah commits shirk.”
Analogy between Vow and Oath
Na’imi Sahib has tried to establish a similarity between vow and oath, suggesting that just as swearing by other than Allah is linguistically permissible, similarly, a vow to other than Allah could also be linguistically permissible. However, this argument is very weak and based on a flawed foundation.
Summary
➊ Swearing by anyone other than Allah is religiously prohibited, and in the Quran, Allah’s oaths come in specific contexts.
➋ The mention of vows for anyone other than Allah is neither in the Quran nor in the Hadith, therefore considering vows permissible in a linguistic or non-Shariah manner is incorrect.
➌ Such interpretations are against the fundamental principles of Islamic teachings, and accepting them can lead to deviation in the religion.
