THE PROHIBITIONS OF TAKING GRAVES AS PLACES OF WORSHIP

THE PROHIBITIONS OF TAKING GRAVES
AS PLACES OF WORSHIP

Many people ask me can we visit the ‘Mazar’ (Graves), let us know the hadeeth of our prophet regarding raised graves.

It is mentioned in Sahih Muslim vol. 2 pp 459-60, No. 2116-2118 “Jabir said : Allaah’s Messenger forbade that the graves should be plastered or, they be used as sitting places (for the people), or a building should be built over them”

[Also in Sahih Muslim vol. 2 Hadith No. 2114 (also see 2115)] I heard the messenger of Allaah commanding (us) to level the grave. 'Abdullaah Ibn Sharjeel Hasanah said: "I saw ‘Uthmaan Ibn ‘Affaan order the leveling of the graves. So it was said to him: 'This is the grave of Umm ‘Amr the daughter of ‘Uthmaan!' However, he commanded that it too should be leveled." [Related by Ibn Abee Shaybah in al-Musannaf (4/138) and Aboo Zur‘ah in at-Taareekh (22/2) with an authentic chain of narrators]

From Abul-Hayyaaj al-Asadee who said: "‘Alee Ibn Abee Taalib said to me: 'Shall I not send you for what the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) sent me? That you deface all statues and pictures and that you level all elevated graves." [Related by Muslim (3/61), Aboo Daawood (3/70), an-Nisaa‘ee (1/285) and others]

So if we cannot construct anything on the grave then how can Mazar exist, and when there is no existence of Mazar, where is the question of visiting it.

Jundub Ibn ‘Abdullaah al-Bajalee said that he heard the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) say - five days before he died: "Verily those before you took the graves of their Prophets and righteous people as places of worship, so do not take the graves as places of worship. Indeed I forbid you from this!" [Related by Muslim (2/67-68), Aboo ‘Awaanah (1/104) and others]

From Aboo Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: "O Allaah, do not turn my grave into an idol. May the curse of Allaah be upon those who take the graves of their Prophets as places of worship." [Related by Ahmad (no. 7352), Ibn Sa‘d (2/241-242) and others. Its chain of narrators is Authentic]

Aboo Burdah said: "Aboo Moosaa al-Ash‘aree advised us before he died, saying: 'You should hasten with my janaazah…and do not put in my lahad (a cleavage in the side of the grave where the body is placed) anything that will come between me and the earth, nor build anything over my grave. So bear witness that I am free of those women who shave their heads, tear their clothes or beat their cheeks.' They said: 'Did you hear anything about this?' He said: 'Yes, from the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam)!'" [Related by Ahmad (4/397) with a strong chain of narrators]

'Abdullaah Ibn Sharjeel Hasanah said: "I saw ‘Uthmaan Ibn ‘Affaan order the leveling of the graves. So it was said to him: 'This is the grave of Umm ‘Amr the daughter of ‘Uthmaan!' However, he commanded that it too should be leveled." [Related by Ibn Abee Shaybah in al-Musannaf (4/138) and Aboo Zur‘ah in at-Taareekh (22/2) with an authentic chain of narrators]

From Abul-Hayyaaj al-Asadee who said: "‘Alee Ibn Abee Taalib said to me: 'Shall I not send you for what the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) sent me? That you deface all statues and pictures and that you level all elevated graves.'" [Related by Muslim (3/61), Aboo Daawood (3/70), an-Nisaa‘ee (1/285) and others]

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Kaleem Khan