V2:99- Ruling on offering vows at the shrines of Awliya (1)
- 4 years ago
99- Ruling on offering vows at the shrines of Awliya (1)
Q: In the city of Mosul there is a shrine called the shrine of Shaykh Fathy Abu `Abdullah. This Shaykh is of great importance for the people of Mosul, especially their women who claim that when any of them falls ill or is inflicted by any harm then visits the shrine of Shaykh Fathy, she recovers her health soon. Thus, they offer vows for Shaykh Fathy. However, they sometimes say that such vows are for the sake of Allah. Some other times they say that the vows are for Abu `Abdullah, for Allah (Exalted be He) and Shaykh Fathy, or that they are for Allah (Exalted be He) but their reward is for Abu `Abdullah. Is this Halal (lawful) or Haram (prohibited)? Provide us with your beneficial answer please. May Allah benefit us and you!
A: Though I do not know the shrine that you referred to in the question, it is generally not permissible to visit graves to invoke their dwellers, seek their protection, or offer them vows. This same ruling is applicable to the grave of Fathy as well as all other graves. It is not permissible for male and female Muslims alike to visit graves for the sake of seeking blessings from them, invoking their dwellers, seeking their protection, offering them vows, and such like acts. All these are acts of Munkar (that which is unacceptable or disapproved of by Islamic law and Muslims of sound intellect) and major Shirk (associating others with Allah in His Divinity or worship that takes the Muslim out of Islam). Accordingly, scholars have to make it clear for both male and female Muslims that such acts are not permissible and that if a person is afflicted by a disease or any other harm, they must invoke Allah (Exalted be He) and make Dua`a' (supplication) to Him in Sujud (prostration), while concluding Salah (prayer), towards the end of the night, and between Adhan (call to Prayer) and Iqamah (call to start the Prayer). They may also read Ruqyah (reciting Qur`an and saying supplications over the sick seeking healing) on each other by saying: "O Allah, Lord of all people! Drive away disease! Grant us recovery! Verily, You Alone can do so! There is no cure but Your cure; (grant us) cure that wipes out all ailment." Moreover, they are to recite Surah (Qur`anic chapter) Al-Ikhlas, Al-Mu`awwidhatayn (Surahs Al-Falaq and Al-Nas), Surah Al-Fatihah, Ayat-ul-Kursy (the Qur`anic Verse of Allah's Chair, Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:255), as well as some other Ayahs (Qur`anic verses). The point here is that visiting graves to ask their dwellers for recovery, victory, and so on is an act of Munkar and major Shirk, and one of the practices of people of Jahiliyyah (pre-Islamic time of ignorance). Conversely, graves are to be visited for greeting their dwellers and asking Allah (Exalted be He) to forgive them and be merciful with them. The Prophet (ﷺ) taught his Sahabah (Companions) to say upon visiting graves: Peace be upon you inhabitants of the graves from among the believers and Muslims. We shall, Insha` Allah (if Allah wills), soon join you. We ask Allah to grant both us and you safety. May Allah be merciful with those who have preceded us and those who are to follow them. A Muslim who visits graves is to ask Allah to forgive the dead and have mercy on them. This is the Shariah (Islamic legal) visit. It is worth mentioning that the Prophet (ﷺ) visited Baqi " (the graveyard of Madinah, near the Prophet's Mosque) and said: Peace be upon you 0 dwellers of graves. May Allah forgive both us and you. You have preceded us and we are to follow you. This is the Shar"y visit to graves. On the contrary, visiting graves to invoke the deceased, seek their protection, seek blessings from them by wiping over graves, ask for their Shafa`ah (intercession) by making Tawaf (circumambulation) around their graves, or seek recovery via the soil of the graves are all prohibited acts of Jahiliyyah and Shirk. It is Wajib (obligatory) on scholars to warn the public against all such practices and explain that these acts are not permissible as Allah Alone is the One to be asked for help, recovery, and attaining victory against enemies. Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) says: so invoke not anyone along with Allah.) And: "Invoke Me, [i.e. believe in My Oneness (Islamic Monotheism) and ask Me for anything] I will respond to your (invocation). And: I "And invoke not besides Allah, any such that will neither profit you nor harm you, but if (in case) you did so, you shall certainly be one of the Zalimun (polytheists and wrong-doers)." On the other hand, the Prophet (ﷺ) said: Dua`a' is (a sort of) "Ibadah (worship). It is not permissible that a person invokes other than Allah (Exalted be He) even if it is a close angel or a messenger. Dua`a 1 is for Allah Alone. It is not permissible to say: "O Messenger of Allah! Cure my illness and grant me victory!" or "O Shaykh Abu `Abdullah! Grant me victory!" or O Shaykh `Abdul-Qadir Al-Jilany! Grant me victory and cure my...
Q: In the city of Mosul there is a shrine called the shrine of Shaykh Fathy Abu `Abdullah. This Shaykh is of great importance for the people of Mosul, especially their women who claim that when any of them falls ill or is inflicted by any harm then visits the shrine of Shaykh Fathy, she recovers her health soon. Thus, they offer vows for Shaykh Fathy. However, they sometimes say that such vows are for the sake of Allah. Some other times they say that the vows are for Abu `Abdullah, for Allah (Exalted be He) and Shaykh Fathy, or that they are for Allah (Exalted be He) but their reward is for Abu `Abdullah. Is this Halal (lawful) or Haram (prohibited)? Provide us with your beneficial answer please. May Allah benefit us and you!
A: Though I do not know the shrine that you referred to in the question, it is generally not permissible to visit graves to invoke their dwellers, seek their protection, or offer them vows. This same ruling is applicable to the grave of Fathy as well as all other graves. It is not permissible for male and female Muslims alike to visit graves for the sake of seeking blessings from them, invoking their dwellers, seeking their protection, offering them vows, and such like acts. All these are acts of Munkar (that which is unacceptable or disapproved of by Islamic law and Muslims of sound intellect) and major Shirk (associating others with Allah in His Divinity or worship that takes the Muslim out of Islam). Accordingly, scholars have to make it clear for both male and female Muslims that such acts are not permissible and that if a person is afflicted by a disease or any other harm, they must invoke Allah (Exalted be He) and make Dua`a' (supplication) to Him in Sujud (prostration), while concluding Salah (prayer), towards the end of the night, and between Adhan (call to Prayer) and Iqamah (call to start the Prayer). They may also read Ruqyah (reciting Qur`an and saying supplications over the sick seeking healing) on each other by saying: "O Allah, Lord of all people! Drive away disease! Grant us recovery! Verily, You Alone can do so! There is no cure but Your cure; (grant us) cure that wipes out all ailment." Moreover, they are to recite Surah (Qur`anic chapter) Al-Ikhlas, Al-Mu`awwidhatayn (Surahs Al-Falaq and Al-Nas), Surah Al-Fatihah, Ayat-ul-Kursy (the Qur`anic Verse of Allah's Chair, Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:255), as well as some other Ayahs (Qur`anic verses). The point here is that visiting graves to ask their dwellers for recovery, victory, and so on is an act of Munkar and major Shirk, and one of the practices of people of Jahiliyyah (pre-Islamic time of ignorance). Conversely, graves are to be visited for greeting their dwellers and asking Allah (Exalted be He) to forgive them and be merciful with them. The Prophet (ﷺ) taught his Sahabah (Companions) to say upon visiting graves: Peace be upon you inhabitants of the graves from among the believers and Muslims. We shall, Insha` Allah (if Allah wills), soon join you. We ask Allah to grant both us and you safety. May Allah be merciful with those who have preceded us and those who are to follow them. A Muslim who visits graves is to ask Allah to forgive the dead and have mercy on them. This is the Shariah (Islamic legal) visit. It is worth mentioning that the Prophet (ﷺ) visited Baqi " (the graveyard of Madinah, near the Prophet's Mosque) and said: Peace be upon you 0 dwellers of graves. May Allah forgive both us and you. You have preceded us and we are to follow you. This is the Shar"y visit to graves. On the contrary, visiting graves to invoke the deceased, seek their protection, seek blessings from them by wiping over graves, ask for their Shafa`ah (intercession) by making Tawaf (circumambulation) around their graves, or seek recovery via the soil of the graves are all prohibited acts of Jahiliyyah and Shirk. It is Wajib (obligatory) on scholars to warn the public against all such practices and explain that these acts are not permissible as Allah Alone is the One to be asked for help, recovery, and attaining victory against enemies. Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) says: so invoke not anyone along with Allah.) And: "Invoke Me, [i.e. believe in My Oneness (Islamic Monotheism) and ask Me for anything] I will respond to your (invocation). And: I "And invoke not besides Allah, any such that will neither profit you nor harm you, but if (in case) you did so, you shall certainly be one of the Zalimun (polytheists and wrong-doers)." On the other hand, the Prophet (ﷺ) said: Dua`a' is (a sort of) "Ibadah (worship). It is not permissible that a person invokes other than Allah (Exalted be He) even if it is a close angel or a messenger. Dua`a 1 is for Allah Alone. It is not permissible to say: "O Messenger of Allah! Cure my illness and grant me victory!" or "O Shaykh Abu `Abdullah! Grant me victory!" or O Shaykh `Abdul-Qadir Al-Jilany! Grant me victory and cure my...