< < < Articles In English

Visiting Graves and Shrines of Anbia (Alaihimus Salam) and Aulia ALLAH (Rehmatullah Alaihi Ajamaien)

Bismillahir Rehmanir Raheem

Assalat-O-Wassalam-O-Alaika YARASOOL ALLAH

We are living in a world of uncertainty and misconceptions. Man is beginning to question the very roots of his beliefs for Allah Almighty and the Holy Prophet Sall Allahu alaihi wa Aalihi wa Sallim, to create doubt in the minds of the simple and un suspecting Muslims.

Here is proof from QUR'AN, Ahadith-e-Nabawi (Sallallaho Alaihi Wasallam), Sayings of Sahab-e-Kiram and from the writings of great and authentic scholars of Islam and writings of those who declare this as SHIRK, BID'AT etc. which show beyond a shadow of a doubt that Visiting Graves and Shrines of Anbia (Alaihimus Salam) and Aulia ALLAH (Rehmatullah Alaihi Ajamaien) is Lawful.

What does HOLY QURAN says:

1. Holy Quran says:

و لو انهم إذ ظلموا أنفسهم جاءوك فاستغفروا الله واستغفر لهم الرسول لوجدوا الله توابا الرحيما 

"And when they impose on their lives (sin), they must come to your (the Nabi's) presence, then seek repentance from ALLAH and the Rasool(Peace Be Upon Him) also asks for their forgiveness. Then, they will indeed find ALLAH Most Forgiving and Compassionate." (An-Nisa:61)

2. Holy Quran says (summary is): "No Doubt ALLAH and his Prophet and those who offer prayers, zakat are helpers". (Al-Maaidah:55)

3. Holy Quran says (summary is): "Verily, ALLAH helps them and Jibril and Saaleh Mumineen and then angels are helpers". (Al-Tehreem:4)

4. Holy Quran says: "Lo! Verily, the friends of ALLAH are (those) on whom fear (cometh) not, nor do they grieve." (Surah Younus:61)

What does Ahaadeeth-e-Nabawi says:

1. Syyeduna Rasoolullah said:

"Wallahu Yu'ti wa anal QASIMU Rizqihi"

"ALLAH gives and I (Muhammad) distribute". (Bukhari, Muslim)

2. Hazrat Aaisha narrates: "Rasoolullah Sallallaho Alaihi Wasallam use to visit Baqee Shareef on late nights and Sarkar Sallallaho Alaihi Wasallam prayed there three times raising his Blessed Hands" (Muslim)

3. Allama Nabalsi states: "Sarkar use to visit Baqee Shareef and pray standing beside their graves 'I ask comfort for you people and ourselves". (Muslim)

4. Syyeduna Rasulullah Sallallaho Alaihi Wasallam said: "Recite Sura Yaseen for your died ones" (Abu Dawud, Ibn-e-Maaja, Mishkaat - Kitaabul Janaiz)

5. According to Imam Baheeqi: "Rasoolullah Sallallaho Alaihi Wasallam regularly visits the grave of Shuhda-e-Ahud every year. And Hazrat Abu Bakar Siddiq, Hazrat Umer, Hazat Usman and Hazrat Fatima (Ridwanulla Alaihim Ajamain) use to go there and praying there". (Baheeqi)

6. Syyeduna Rasolullah Sallallaho Alaihi Wasallam said: "One who visits my grave, my Shafa'at will be necessary (wajib) upon him". (Daar Qutni, Bazaz, Baheeqi, Ibn-e-Khuzaima)

7. Syyeduna Rasolullah Sallallaho Alaihi Wasallam said: "One who perform HAJJ after me and then visits my grave, that means he visits me in my life". (Daar Qutni, Baheeqi, Mishkaat, Tibrani Fiss Sageeril Ausat,  Majma' al zawaid)

8. Syyeduna Rasoolullah Sallallaho Alaihi Wassallam said: "I ordered you to not to visit garves; I now order you to visit graves, because it reminds you of Hereafter and keeps you away from world (Dunya)"
(Narrated By Hazrat Ibn-e-Masud Radi ALLAH Anho in Ibn-e-Maaja, Mishkaat - Baab Ziaratul Quboor, Sarhus Sudoor - Page No: 28, Ziaul Hadeeth - Page No: 96)

9. Hazrat Muhammad Bin Noman Radi ALLAH Anho narrates that Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) said: "ALLAH 
forgives the sins of those , who on fridays regularly visits the grave of his mother and father or any one of them and his name will be recorded amongst those who exercise kindness with parents". (Baheeqi, Mishkaat, Ziaul Hadeeth - Page No: 108)

10. Hazrat Aaisha Radi ALLAH Anha narrates that Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) said: "When ever a person visits the grave of his Muslim brother and sits besides him; then his Muslim brother feels comfort, and this condition remain until the visitor left the grave" (Hayatul Amwaat Page No: 47, Ibn-e-Ibid dunya)

11. When Nabi Kareem Sallallahu Alaihi passed near graveyard of Madina Munawwarah then he said:

"Assalam O Aalaikum Ya Ahlul Quboor Yagfirullahu Lana Walakum wa antum salfuna wa nahnu bil asari" (Mishkaat - Baab Ziaratul Quboor, Tirmizi)

12. Syyeduna Rasoolullah said: "when ever some on send salam to saahib-e-Qabr then he replies, and if he know him in his life then he do know him after death" (Baheeqi Fee Su'Bil Iman, Ibn-e-Abi Dunya)

13. Imam Bukhari states Hadeeth-e-Qudsi in his Sahi: "One who hates my WALI (freind), I declear Battle with him". (Sahih Bukhari, Mishakaat Bab Ziktullah Wat Taqrib Ilahiyyah)

What Does SAHABA-E-KIRAM Believe?

1. "When ever Hazrat Anas Radi ALLAH Anho use to visit the grave of Syyeduna Rasoolullah Sallallaho Alaihi Wasallam, He use to stand in a way that he is offering prayer (in real he was not offering the prayer)" (Kitubus Shifa, Vol2)

2. "Hazrat Abu Al-Jawaz Radi ALLAH Anho narrates that once there was no rain for long time in MADINA then the dwellers of MADINA came to Hazrat Aaisha Radi ALLAH Anha and ask her for help, She replied 'Turn to Holy Prophet Peace Be Upon Him and make hole in a roof towards sky so that there should no hurdle between Roza-e-Mubarak (Blessed Grave) and Sky', When people did the same; sky started raining and produce greenery and the camels were fead as well." (Mishkaat Shareef, Ziaul Hadeeth - Page No: 58)

3. "Hazrat Saad Bin Abi Waqas use to visit Shuhda-e-Ahud with his companions and asked them to send salam upon them who answers your salam." (Sharhus Sudoor - Page 193, Jazbul Quloob - Page 202)

4. Hazrat Umro Bin Al-Aas in very last moments of his life said his son Hazrat Abdullah (Ridwanullah Alaihim Ajamain):

"When you bury me, put the send slowly on my grave site beside my grave for the duration in which a camel can be slaughtered and the meat of camel can be distribute so that I can gain comfort and I should know what I have to answer the angels." (Sahih Muslim, Mishkaat Babud Dafanil Mayyat)

5. Hazrat Ibn-e-Umer states: "There are some believers of ALLAH, whome ALLAH have awarded the quality of Helping the people and people turns to them for the solution of their problems" (Al-Jamiul Sageer, Vol 1, Page 93)

What the Great Scholars of ISLAM says?

1. Imam Shaa'faiee states: "I gain the blessings from the grave Imam Abu Hanifa and whenever I get into trouble, then I offer two rakats and then I visit his grave, and pray their for the solution, and ALHAMDO LILLAH my needs are always fulfilled." (Al-Khairatul Hassan Vol 1 Page 38, Tareekh Khateeb-e-Baghdadi Vol 1 Page 123, Raddul Mukhrat Vol 1 Page 38)

2. Imam Ibn-e-Hajar Makki Shaafai states: "It is seen from many years that Ulma and the people use to visit the grave of Imam Abu Hanifa for the solution their problems and make him waseela for the completion of their needs".

3. Imam Ahmed Bin Hunble states: "When ever someone(i.e.muslim) died in Ansaar-e-Madina then they use to visit their graves and recite Quran Kareem on their graves". (Mirqaat Sharha Mishkaat, Vol 4, Page 81)

4. Imam Gazali Radi ALLAH Anho said: "If seeking help from a person in his life is lawful then it is lawful to seek help from him after his death". (Buhjatul Asraar)

5. Imam Ghazzali states: "This is property of Auliya ALLAH that Blessings are found in their speeches, their breath, their clothes, their houses, and in the sand of their feet and at a place where he sits for a day" (Minhajul Aabideen Ma'a Sharha Sirajus Saalikin, Page 529)

6. Allama Abdul Ghani Afandi Nabalsi said: "once i heared with my ears when I visited the grave of Arsalan Damishqi that a man said 'Why you visit sand, this is foolish act', I was amazed that a Muslim cannot say this" (Kashfun Noor - Page 19)

7. Allama Shahabuddin Khafaji states in his commentry: "Visitng the graves of Aulia ALLAH and seeking waseela from them towards ALLAH is proved and All Muslim Ummah accept this belief. But their are some mulhideen who do not believe this. May ALLAH save us from their evil beliefs"

8. Shah Abdul Aziz Dehlvi states: "The souls of Aulia gain more power and spirituality after their death". (Fatawa Azizia, Vol 2, Page 102)

9. Shah Waliullah Dehlvi in his book "Faizul Haramain", Page No: 57:

"If Someone achieves mystical knowledge then his soul become so powerful that Tariqah, Maslak, Saintly chain, Lineage, Genealogy, Relations and everything connected with that person comes into the range of his favor and inclination; The favor of ALLAH, reflects through his spiritual attention"

10. and in his book, "Hama-at":

"This Guarantees for the regular attending on death anniversaries (URS) of the saints, regular visiting to their shrines, to recite Fatiha there, Distribution of Charity, to honor his offspring, relations and Relics are lawful in Shariah; and also these are supererogation (Nafl and Mustahab) actions."

11. Hazrat Daata Gunj Bux in his Famous Book "Kashful Ma'joob" said: "Do visit the graves of your relatives and beloved and do recite Fatiha and Yaseen at their graves, so that they should pray for you."

12. "Gaining spritual reflections from Mashaikh and thier attention from thier life and from their graves are no doubt true". (Al-Muhmind i.e. Aqaid-e-Ulma-e-Deobanad By Haji Imdadullah, Page 18 )

ACT of those who declare this as SHIRK:

1. when Ahraf Ali Thanvi came to Lahore, He visits the grave of Daata Sahib and said "He is a Great Personality, He is still controlling the happenings". (Safar Naama Lahore wa Lakhnow, Page No: 50, Published By Maktaba Ashrafia Lahore)

2. Ahraf Ali Thanvi said for Sultanul Hind: "India is the emperor of Chishti's because of Khwaja Gharib Nawaz" (Al-Afazaatul Youmia, Vol 1, Page 309)

3. He further said about an English man: "One English man went England from India and said 'A Late in Ajmer (Khwaja Gharib Nawaz) is ruling entire India" (Al-Afazaatul Youmia, Vol 1, Page 309)

4. "Prime Minister and Doctor Israar Ahmed are reciting Fatiha for the Late brother of Doctor Asrar" (Daily Iman - Karachi, Dated 20th July 2004)

By the Divine Grace of Almighty Allah, this brief but informative answer will suffice to remove doubts from the hearts and minds of the Muslims created by the notorious Wahabi.