Azharul Fatawa:TO VISIT THE GRAVES OF SHRINES OF THE WALIS

Azharul Fatawa – Collection of English Fatawa
by Taajush Shariah Hadrat Allama Mufti Mohammed Akhtar Raza Khan Azhari al-Qaadiri

TO VISIT THE GRAVES OF SHRINES OF THE WALIS

QUESTION

Revisiting Graves or Shrines of a Wali Radi Allaho Anhu. In Fiji there is a grave of Wali who came from India and Muslims they visit and respect to that blessed places in the town Navua. The Wali had also shown great Karamaat and even today it can be experienced whosoever visits the graves. The Wahabies claim it is un-Islamic to visit such places. Please provide a Fatawa regarding the cited subject and there is no Muslim Sunni Mufti currenty in Fiji and it is for reason I have knocked your door.

ANSWER

In this regard, I have to say that Wahabism is based on disrespecting the Prophets and Saints of Allah and they do not believe in their authority and miracles and so claim that visiting graves and shrines are anti- Islamic and settle such action contrary to the teachings of Islam and say that Muslims should refrain from visiting the graves and shrines and even performing worship at those places.

In fact, Wahabis have refused the commands of the Holy Quran and authentic Traditions of the Holy Messenger (Sallal-Laahu Ta’ala Alaihi Wasallam) and have adopted very irrespective manners towards the Saints and pious persons. They are misled and every baseless act of Wahabis is against Islamic faith. The Holy Messenger (Sallal-Laahu Ta’ala Alaihi Wasallam) has clearly stated:- i.e. “I had forbidden to visit the graves. But be attentive that now you do visit the graves.”

Every Sunni Muslim should ask the Wahabis to present the evidence about their claim. If they cannot present any evidence and surely they would not be able to do so, then it goes without saying that their claim is contrary to Islam. Verily! Everybody can point out that no one is opposing Islam but the Wahabis. In fact, Allah has bestowed upon His favorites, a great importance, and therefore, our Shariah urges Muslims to be in touch with the pious persons and wants to remain this connection till the last moment of life.


“Recite the statement of Hazrat Yusuf Alaihis Salaam, ‘Make me die as a Muslim and join me with those who are worthy to be very close to you’”. (Sura Yusuf: 101) Note: This invocation of Hazrat Yusuf Alaihis Salaam was to instruct the Ummah as the Prophet (Sallal-Laahu Ta’ala Alaihi Wasallam) is preserved from evil end. This is the reason that the esteemed Prophet commanded his Ummah to visit the graves of virtuous persons. This practice has been continuing since the age of the preceding Prophets. The Holy Quran, narrating the saying of people about the men of the cave, says: “Those who prevailed in their affair said, ‘We swear that we shall erect over them a mosque’”. (Al-Kahaf: 21). Hence, everybody can derive clearly that Muslims in every age used to build the Mosque around the Shrine.

Since Saints are the favorites of Allah and close to Him, therefore the Muslim for beneficence visit the Shrines, perform Namaaz in the Mosque near of the Shrines, and undoubtedly, Muslims consider this act a good deed. Now they should answer whether the statement of Wahabis is contrary to Islam or the practice of Ahle-Sunnat which they have inherited by the virtuous persons from the very beginning of Islam and is still going on. It goes on without saying that whose action is contrary to Islam? This is the action of Wahabis only which is baseless in the light of the tradition of the Holy Prophet (Sallal-Laahu Ta’ala Alaihi Wasallam) which says that Allah cursed the Jews as they assumed the graves of their Prophets in the form of the Mosques. I have to say that this Hadith is never supporting them. This is only backing up the Ahle Sunnat Wa-Jamaat.

The Jews built the Mosque directly on the graves and this is obvious that this is the contempting manner and irrespective. We never allow to build a Mosque over the graves. However, he who builds a Mosque near the grave of a Saint or performs Namaaz near a grave with the intention to seek spiritual help and to be benefited from the effects of Awliya; then there is no objection to this practice. You know that the Shrine of Hazrat Ismail Alaihis Salaam is in the premises of Masjidul Haram and it is very virtuous to perform Namaaz in certain place.

In this regard the verses of the Holy Quran i.e. “We swear that we shall erect over them a Mosque” has been stated before. It has been stated in “Jalalain” explaining the word Alaihim i.e. around their graves. Through this explanation given in Jalalain it goes on without saying that the Holy Quran legitimizes to build a Mosque around the grave and it can be derived very clearly that this practice has been going on by the Muslims since thousands of years. Wahabis committed contempt of Awliya in a more violent way and so they destroyed (demolished) the graves and Shrines and still they are not pleased to do so but they just want to obliterate the reverence of the Prophets and Saints absolutely from the heart of Muslims. That is why they urged Muslims neither to visit the graves nor to pay submission and devotion to them at all.

Ja Nashine Mufti Azam, Allama Mufti Mohammed Akhter Raza Khan Azhari Qaadiri