PART 7: TRYING TIMES FOR SUNNIS AND SUFIS.

From the Layman’s Desk-15:

PART 7: TRYING TIMES FOR SUNNIS AND SUFIS:

IN THE NAME OF ALLAH, MOST BENEFICIENT, MOST MERCIFUL.

“Do not demolish the buildings of the past, for they are the adornment of Madina.”

[Recorded by Tahawi (Sharh Ma’ani al-Athar, 4:193-94), Bazzar (see Haythami’s Majma’ 3:301), and Hafiz al-‘Ayni said its chain is Sahih (‘Umdat al-Qari, 10:327).]

DESTRUCTION OF ISLAMIC HERITAGE IN MADINAH MUNAWWARA:

We noted earlier that in 1806 the Wahhabi army occupied Madina Munawwara when they left no religious buildings, Masjids, Baqi graveyard, etc.,  undemolished.  The Wahhabi army’s destruction campaign targeted the graves of the martyrs of Uhud, the mosque at the grave of Sayyid al-Shuhada’ Hamza bin Abdul Muttalib and the mosques outside the Baqi’: the Mosque of Fatima al-Zahra, the Mosque of al-Manaratain, and Qubbat’ al-Thanaya (the burial site of the Prophet’s incisor that was broken in the battle of Uhud). The structures in the Baqi’ were also leveled to the ground and not a single dome was left standing. This great place that was visited by millions of Muslims over many centuries became a garbage dump, such that it was not possible to recognise any grave or know whom it embraced.

It was at about this time that Muslims who did not follow the Wahhabi Creed were prevented from performing the Haj.  The Syrians were not granted permission for the pilgrimage.  A year earlier IN 1805, the Iraqi and Iranian Muslims were refused permission to perform the Haj while a year later the Egyptians were not granted permission for the Haj!  This was in stark contravention of the injunction of the Holy Quran in Surat al-Baqara: And who doth greater wrong than he who forbiddeth the approach to the sanctuaries of Allah lest His name should be mentioned therein, and striveth for their ruin. As for such, it was never meant that they should enter them except in fear. Theirs in the world is ignominy and theirs in the Hereafter is an awful doom. [2:114] 

Destruction of Hijaz by the Wahhabis continued even thereafter in 1924 and 1925.    On April 21, 1925, the monuments at the Madina Baqi’ were demolished once again by the Ikhwan, loyal to King Ibn Saud of Saudi Arabia, along with the tombs of Muhammed’s (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) family members in Mecca.^[7]   The Prophet’s mosque in Medina was bombarded and assurances given by Ibn Saud that it would be restored were never fulfilled.  Promises that Hijaz would be transferred to an Islamic multinational government were likewise unfulfilled.^[4] 1926 saw Muslim protests across the world decrying the Saudi actions.^[4]  The grave of  ‘Abd Allah ibn Abd Muttalib (554-570 c.e.) the father of Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) was in Dar al-Nabigha of the Bani Najjar, the house of where the Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) learned to swim. However, the grave was exhumed 17 years ago and transferred to the Baqi’. The area of the house today lies under the marble covering the plaza surrounding the mosque.  The Mashrubat Umm Ibrahim—which was built to mark the location of the house where the Prophet’s (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam)  son, Ibrahim, was born to Mariah, his Egyptian wife—also contained the grave of Hamida al-Barbariyya, the mother of Imam Musa al-Kazim. These sites were destroyed over the past few years. 

 SITES UNDER THREAT:  The Prophet’s Mosque in Medina is where Mohammed, Abu Bakr and the Islamic Caliph Umar ibn Al Khattab are buried. A pamphlet published in 2007 by the Saudi Ministry of Islamic Affairs, endorsed by Abdulaziz Al Sheikh, the Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia, stated that “the green dome shall be demolished and the three graves flattened in the Prophet’s Mosque.” This sentiment was echoed in a speech by the late Muhammad ibn al Uthaymeen, one of Saudi Arabia’s most prominent Wahhabi clerics: “We hope one day we’ll be able to destroy the green dome of the Prophet Mohammed”.^[8]

Shaykh as-Sayyid Yusuf al-Rifa’i (b.1932/1351) wrote Nasiha li Ikhwanina ‘Ulama’ Najd [Advice to Our Brothers the Scholars of Najd] which has been translated into English by Shaykh Haddad for the benefit of the Muslims and the English speaking world.  According to some of the excerpts therein we learn how the Shaykh has admonished the Ulema of Najd.   He says:   You have wreaked destruction on the historical vestiges of the Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wasallam and those of his most honorable Companions may Allah be pleased with them all) in Madîna al-Munawwara especially and the two Sanctuaries generally. Nothing seems to remain of these vestiges anymore except the Prophetic Mosque itself. Yet, in our time, the nations of the world pride themselves in and preserve their historical vestiges as a memento, a lesson, a meaningful sign of their time-honored past. But you consider that every vestige that is stopped at for perusal or visit, is a partner [worshipped] together with Allah (swt) But Allah (swt) Himself ordered us to travel the earth to see the vestiges of the idolaters and derive lessons from them, such as ‘Ad and Thamud, found at Dîyar Salih, al-‘Ala’, near Madîna al-Munawwara, which are still visited sites, as Allah (swt) said: [Systems have passed away before you. Do but travel in the land and see the nature of the consequence for those who did deny (the messengers)] (3:137). [Have they not travelled in the land to see the nature of the consequence for those who disbelieved before them? They were mightier than these in power and (in the) traces (which they left behind them) in the earth. Yet Allah seized them for their sins, and they had no protector from Allah. That was because their messengers kept bringing them clear proofs (of Divine sovereignty) but they disbelieved; so Allah seized them. Lo! He is Strong, Severe in punishment] (40:21-22). [Has not the history of those before you reached you: the folk of Noah and (the tribes of) ‘Ad and Thamud and those after them? None but Allah knows them. Their messengers came unto them with clear proofs, but they thrust their hands into their mouths, and said: Lo! we disbelieve in that wherewith you have been sent, and lo! we are in grave doubt concerning that to which you call us] (14:9). Why then do you deprive the Muslims from witnessing the sign-posts and vestiges of the battles of Badr, Uhud, Hudaybiya, Hunayn, al-Ahzab, and others of the Days of Allah in which He gave victory to His Messenger and righteous servants, routing idolatry and the polytheists? Fear Allah, and be among those endowed with hearts so that, perhaps, you will be granted mercy!

Further down, he says regarding a recent elimination of a vestige:  There was a vestige at the spot where the Prophet’s (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) camel alighted in the mosque of Quba’ when he emigrated to Madîna, at which location was revealed the verse^[10] [A place of worship which was founded upon duty to Allah from the first day is worthier that you should stand to pray therein, wherein are men who love to purify themselves. Allah loves the purifiers] (9:108). You eliminated this vestige which we used to see until recently. Regarding the Defacing Masjid al-Qiblatyn he says:  There used to be, in the Mosque of the Two Qiblas, a marker indicating the old qibla and the abrogated direction of prayer towards the Farthest Mosque [in al-Qudus, Sham], so you eliminated it on the grounds that you consider it an innovation.    

Then he writes about the Razing the Gardens and Wells of the Companions ®:  You eliminated the garden of the Sahabi Salman al-Farisi ® which contained a datepalm-tree planted by the Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam)  and you destroyed the well of al-‘Ayn al-Zarqa’ near Quba’ and the well of Aris – the “well of the ring.^[11]" You also forbade sighting of the well of Ruma which ‘Uthman ® had bought from a Jew and turned into a permanent endowment for the Muslims in the way of Allah (swt).    There are many other important vestiges that were either eliminated or defaced and changed.  Regarding the razing of Abu Ayyub al-Ansari’s ® house the Shaykh says:   You wreaked destruction on the house of the great Companion Abu Ayyub al-Ansarî ® who hosted the Prophet – Allah bless and greet him and his Family – upon his arrival in Madîna al-Munawwara before the building of his noble apartments. All the periods that preceded yours have preserved this vestige, including your immediate predecessors. But you destroyed this most noble vestige which used to be in the qibla of the most prayer-niche (mihrâb) of the noble Prophetic Mosque on the pretext that “the polytheist Muslims” derived blessings from it!!    The Shaykh also writes about the Wahhabi destruction of an invaluable library near the house of Abu Ayyub al-Ansari ®:    You destroyed, near the house of Abu Ayyub al-Ansarî  ®  the library of Shaykh al-Islam ‘Arif Hikmat which was filled with priceless books and manuscripts.^[12] Its fine Ottoman architecture was unique. You destroyed all of the above when it was far from the enlargement of the Sanctuary and had nothing to do with it.   Finally he sums as follows regarding the destruction of Madina Munawwara:  

You also destroyed the well of Bir Ha’ inside the enlargement area, leaving no trace of it nor marker indicating its former existence. The Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) entered it as mentioned in Sahîh al-Bukhari and elsewhere.^[13] You spared none of the vestiges of al-Mustafa (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) and his Companions ® in Madîna, only the Prophetic Mosque.

Even regarding the Prophet’s (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) Mosque and the Green Dome a Wahhabi named Muqbil ibn Hadi al-Wadi who was a student of the Islamic University of Madina submitted his research paper entitled About the Dome Built over the Grave of Messenger (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam).  This was sponsored by Hammad al-Ansari, "the defunct Shaykh of the anthropomorphists in Madina and a venal mercenary from Mali" according to Sayyid Yusuf al-Rifa`i.   In this paper Muqbil openly and shamelessly advocated that the Noble Grave be brought out of the Mosque since he deemed the presence of the Grave and the Noble Dome there as major innovations and asks that both be destroyed.   This man was granted high marks by the authorities.  Sayyid Yusuf al-Rifa’i points out that this was the man who had directed hundreds of  his likes, followers and imitators to bear arms and destroy the graves of pious Muslims in Aden and Yemen a few years ago when they roamed the land spreading corruption and ruin, digging up the graves of the dead with picks and spades until they brought out the bones of some of the dead and violated their sanctity.  They caused a deaf and blind dissension….The Shaykh thunders at the Najdi Ulema in his Nasiha:     Do you honor those who challenge the Messenger of Islam, the Beloved of Allah, the Mercy to the Universes and His Intimate Friend?!

Again, how this upstart Wahhabi came to the conclusion that building the dome was a bida‘ or that the grave needed to be taken out of the Masjid-e Nabawi needs a critical review.  Is he more knowledgeable about Islam than the illustrious Sahaba ® of the Messenger of Allah (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam), who did not object and in fact paid great respect to the Messenger of Allah (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) by visiting his grave? Further, why should two of  his closest companions should choose to be buried next to him.   Does Muqbil ibn Hadi know more than Hadrat Abu-Bakr ® and Hadrat Umar ®?

The question that Muslims must ask is:  what right do the Saudis have to do whatever they like to these sites? The Saudis do not own the Haramayn; they are usurpers of the Arabian Peninsula, whose name they have illegally changed to “Saudi” Arabia. This is bida: Allah's Messenger named this land the Arabian Peninsula (Jazeerat al-Arab).  In their zeal to impose their own distorted version of Islam on everyone, they have embarked on wholesale destruction of Islam's historical sites.  In the recent past, the city planning board of Madinah changed the colour of the famous Green Dome of the Prophet's (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) Mosque and painted it silver. The green dome identifies and symbolizes the Prophet's (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) grave; due to the Mosque's expansion, it has now been surrounded, yet it is a unique visual focal point. Was the purpose to pave the way for its destruction, since most Muslims might not even realize what had happened if they hear or notice that a silver dome has been destroyed in Masjid-e Nabawi? After all, a number of silver domes in the Masjid-e Nabawi have already been obliterated using the pretext of expansion and renovation.   Intense protests by concerned citizens forced the board to restore the Dome to its original color, but it would be wrong to conclude that the Wahhabis have realized the error of their ways.

Regarding the ploy of the Wahhabi Ulema to stop people from visiting the Janntul Baqi, the Shaykh addressed the Ulema of Najda further as follows:   “You strove to commit a major innovation in which none preceded you, not even those who adhered to your doctrines and methods before you: striving to close down the noble Baqi‘ cemetary, prevent burial in it, and redirect the burial of the new dead to another spot “far from the place of idolatry and innovations,” as you put it, so as to stop people from entering al-Baqi‘ and visiting whoever is in it of the Prophetic relatives, the Companions, the Successors, and the rest of the Righteous. Allah (swt) brought your endeavors to nought, causing someone to inform King Fahd, the Custodian of the Two Sanctuaries, of this plan. Whereupon he rejected what you were planning and ordered that al-Baqi‘ be enlarged so as to eliminate your pretext that it became too full to accommodate more Muslim burials.”   

In Medina, of the seven mosques at the site of the Battle of the Trench (Jabal al-Khandaq), where Sura al-Ahzab was revealed, only two remained. The others have been demolished and a Saudi bank’s cashpoint machine has been built in the area. The remaining mosques were to be demolished as soon as the new mosque being constructed is ready to replace them.  One of the mosques slated for destruction was Masjid Fath, the mosque and rock of victory, where the Prophet stood during the battle of the trench praying for victory.  On the rock is where he received God’s promises of victory and of the conquest of Mecca.  On 10 September 2004, after the demolition of the famous Seven Mosques of Fatimah,‘Ali,Salman al Farisi, Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, al Qiblatayn and al Fath, Muhammad al Dubaisi writing in al Madinah highlighted that the “destruction of these mosques has deprived Madina Munawwara of one pillar of its immortal history”.  In response, Salafi writer Saleh al Fawzan justified the destruction of the historic mosques.^[10]

On the al-Muwajaha al-Sharifa or the Jali Mubarak on the Roza-e-Rasool Allah (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam)  the words YA ALLAH  YA MUHAMMAD were visible for centuries.  The Wahhabis have mutilated YA MUHAMMAD in a way that it now reads as YA MAJEED.  On the Qibla side, the brass partition that is divided into three sections between two columns, the authorities have also tried to cover the famous two verses inscribed in the east from the story of al-‘Utbi as mentioned by Ibn Kathir in his Tafsir. “O best of those whose bones are buried in the deep earth, and from whose fragrance the depth and height have become sweet! May I be the ransom for a grave in which you dwell, where purity, bounty and munificence.” There are qasidas written by rulers of the Muslim world, such as Sultan ‘Abd al- Hamid. Many verses of the famous Burda of al-Busayri had also been painted over. If one raises his head a bit, he will see on the first section of this partition a green banner, on which the words of the Almighty are framed in yellow:  O you who believe! Raise not your voices above the voice of the Prophet, may blessings and peace be upon him and his family, nor speak aloud to him in talk, as you speak aloud to one another, lest your deeds be rendered fruitless while you perceive not. (Qur’an 49:2)

The Sacred Chamber has four exterior doors: on the south, Bab al-Tawba (The Door of Repentance), on thenorth, Bab al-Tahajjud (The Door of Night Prayer), on the east, Bab Fatima (the Door of Fatima), and on the west, Bab al-Nabi (The Door of the Prophet)—also known as Bab al- Wufud (The Door of Delegations).  These gates have been present since the year 668 AH except for the Gate of the Night Prayer, which was installed in 729 AH. Inside there are two gates, one on either side of the triangular part of the interior compartment. All of these doors are covered by brass shelves holding Qur’ans, an attempt to prevent the public from looking inside the Sacred chamber.  Outside, the police are on the look out for the visitors who raise their hands as in Fateha or those who remain unduly long before the Rowza-e-Rasool (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam). They remain with their backs to the Jali Mubarak of the Rauza-e-Rasool all the time without an iota of respect for the Messenger of Allah (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam).  As Shaykh Yusuf al-Rifa’i  picturesquely  points out in his Nasiha to the Najdi Ulema:  “You have brought hirelings and ignoramuses whose only skill is frowning and placed them at al-Muwajaha al Sharifa with their backs turned to the Elect Prophet, peace and greetings be upon him. They turn their backs and rear ends to him, facing his visitors and all Muslims with sour faces full of spite, giving them sinister looks and taunting them with charges of idolatry and innovation, almost attacking them physically. They rebuke this one, bark at that one, hit the [supplicating] hands of the third, raising their voices to censor and blame, ignoring and forgetting the saying of Allah, { O you who believe! Raise not your voices above the voice of the Prophet, nor shout when speaking to him as you shout to one another, lest your works be rendered vain while you perceive not. Lo! They who subdue their voices in the presence of the Messenger of Allah, those are they whose heart Allah has proven unto righteousness. Theirs will be forgiveness and immense reward. Lo! Those who call you from behind the private apartment, most of them have no sense." [49:2-4].”   As for women, they  are forbidden by the Wahhabis from reaching the Muwajaha Sharifa and greeting the Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam).
  

Also, near Sayyiduna Ameer Hamza ® burial grounds, there is a Masjid on the “Mihrab” (prayer niche) of which there are two inscriptions which originally read in Arabic  as “ALLAH” on the right and “MUHAMMAD” on the left.  Today, the name “MUHAMMAD” has been scribbled out.   (Please watch http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RpynlYeM-H4) The commentator while addressing the Wahhabis rightly puts a poser: Will you able to drop the name of MUHAMMAD from the Kalima  or from the Holy Qur’an too!  Abandon ye the works of the Devil!  The former Masjid at Uhud was destroyed by the Wahhabi brigands. 

Shaykh Sayyid Yusuf al-Rifa'i puts three questions  to the Najdi Scholars:  "Why did you not turn to Khaybar and other places? And is it permissible to imitate the Jews who destroy and eliminate every Islamic vestige in al-Qudus al-Sharif , by erasing our own vestiges in al-Madina al-Munawara?  What have you left of our glorious heritage for future generations?" 

To continue, Insha Allah…

NASIR

Part 7: VISITING THE GRAVES IS THE SUNNAH OF PROPHET [sal Allahu alayhi wasallam] AND NOT GRAVE WORSHIP!

From Layman’s Desk-14

Part 7 continued…

Concerning visits to the graves of ordinary Muslims:

According to Shaykh Abdul Haq Dehlwi (reh.)(d. 1052 H), "To visit graves is by consensus a mustahab (preferable) action" (Ashi'atul Lum'aat, vol.1, p.715) He also writes:  "When visiting the dead, respecting them is Wajib (necessary) especially where the pious are concerned. As it was necessary to respect them whilst they were alive, similarly, it is important to show them respect at their graves. This is because the help which the pious give depends on the respect that people who visit them show to them." (Ashi'atul Lum'aat, vol.1 p.720).  From these writing, it is absolutely manifest that the belief of Shaykh Abdul Haq was that to visit the graves is neither Shirk nor Bid'ah. Moreover, it is a preferable act and the visitor is blessed with the help of the inmate of the grave.

At the outset we may point out that we are not discussing about the faculties of the dead in the Barzakh as well as the torments and pleasures that the deeased is subject to in the grave for that has been well-settled elsewhere.  Nevertheless, we will just need to touch this very cursorily in a general post such as this one. Secondly, comments coming from sources such as the Wahhabi/Salafi /Deobandi and Tableeghi/Kharji,  i.e. other than from Sunni sources, must be dealt with circumspection and caution  since they are disrespectful of the Holy Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wassallam) and the Sahaba and because they harbor ill-will against the Awliya-Allah.  However, it  is to be noted that the Ahl as-Sunnah Scholars are accustomed to quote from Ibn Taimiyya, Ibn Qayyim, etc. , only in order to corroborate and establish the Truth of the Ahl as-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah, their beliefs and practices.  Not that they really need it for they are well-endowed with the refutations of the contrary claim, but because when the Truth surfaces from the opponents  it leaves no room for their denial.  For example, the la-madhhabi regard Ibn al-Qaiyyim as a Mujtahid and praise him highly but when it comes to believing his book, such as Kitar ar-Ruh, they insist that those who believe him are polytheists.    What’s this dichotomy? Not sure, are they?  No respect for their own Ulema? And by “Ulema”  I don’t mean the petro-dollar-fed ones who have far exceeded Ibn Qayyim and his Shaykh Ibn Taimiyya in their excesses against the righteous scholars of Ahle-Sunna.   

Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jauzia (d.751/1350), whose writings are used as documents in Wahhabite books, also reiterates in his Kitab ar-Ruh: "When someone visits a grave, the dead person in the grave recognizes the visitor and hears his voice. He becomes cheerful and responds to his greeting. This is not peculiar to martyrs; it is the same for other dead people, too. This is not restricted to a certain time either; it is always as such."   As noted above, the La-Madhhabi do not believe him in regards to the faculties of the deceased in the grave.  This dichotomy reveals the stubborn and willful rejection of the Ahle Sunnah’s beliefs. 

According to ibn Qayyim’s Shaykh, ibn Taimiyya (1263-1328 c.e.) in his Majmu at-al-Fataawa (vol.24, page 331), the Holy Prophet [sal Allahu alayhi wasallam] said: “When one passes by the grave of Mumin brother, whom he had known in this world, and stands at his grave and says: ‘Assalaamu ‘alaikum’ the person in the grave will know him and also return his greetings.”  However, in reply to a question whether the dead could perceive the living acquaintances who visit them, Ibn Taimiyya stated: There is no doubt that they can!  By way of substantiation he pointed out that evidence to this effect comes from the Sahihain (i.e. the two Sahih books of Bukhari and Muslim) where Prophet [sal Allahu alayhi wasallam] said that after the people have buried a dead person and leave for home, the dead person can hear the steps of those who leave (yasma’u qur’a ni ‘alihim).  (This applies to even the Kuffar.) [Majmu at-al-Fataawa, (Vol.24, page 362)]

Abu Bakr 'Abdullah ibn Abi 'd-dunya [d. Baghdad, 261 A.H. (894)] wrote in Kitab al-qubur: "Hadrat 'Aisha ® reported the Prophet as saying, 'When a person visits the grave of his brother-in-Islam and sits by the grave, he recognizes him and replies to his greeting.' This shows that the dead recognize the people who visit them. 

Aisha ® narrates that Holy Prophet [sal Allahu alayhi wasallam] 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 remains until the visitor has left the grave" (Hayatul Amwaat Page No: 47, Ibn-e-Ibid dunya).  

It is in hadith that Abu Huraira ® declares, 'If anyone visits the grave of an acquaintance of his and greets him, the dead person recognizes him and replies to him. If he greets a dead Muslim whom he does not know, the dead person replies to his greeting.' " Yusuf ibn 'Abd al-Barr [d. Shatiba, 463 A.H. (1071)] and 'Abd al-Haqq, the author of the book Ah'kam, said that this hadith ash-Sharif was sahih. Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyya quoted this hadith Sharif in Kitab ar-ruh and gave many other khabars and added that there were many more khabars to be written in this subject.

The following hadith Shareef quoted by Ibn Abi 'd-dunya and by al-Baihaki in Shu'ab al-iman on the authority of Abu Huraira ® declares: "When a person comes near the grave of an acquaintance of his and greets, the dead person recognizes and greets him. If he comes near the grave of a person he does not know and greets, the dead person answers him."

Umro Bin Al-Aas ® in very last moments of his life said to his son at Abdullah ®:  "When you bury me, put the sand slowly on my grave, sit beside my grave for the duration in which a camel can be slaughtered and the meat of camel can be distributed   so that I can gain comfort and I should know what I have to answer the angels." (Sahih Muslim, Mishkaat Babud Dafanil Mayyat)

The people in the Qubur have awareness about what is happening outside. Some dead are actually praying or making Du'a in their Qubur.  

Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jauziyya quoted, in his book Kitab ar-Ruh and on the authority of Ibn Abi 'd-dunya, Sadaqat ibn Sulaiman al-Jafari as saying, "I was a man of bad habits. I repented of them after my father's death. I gave up my impetuosities.  Once I committed a fault. Thereupon, I dreamt of my father saying, 'Oh my son! I have been feeling comfortable in my grave with your beautiful deeds. What you do is shown to us. Your deeds have been like those of the sulaha. But I felt very sad and ashamed of what you did recently. Do not make me feel ashamed among the dead nearby.’”  This narration reflects that the dead who are not acquaintances can also be aware of the events in the world. Because, his father said, "Do not make me feel ashamed among the dead nearby," referring to the deeds of his son shown to him. He would not say so if the unacquainted dead did not understand that his son's deeds were being shown to the father.  The hadith ash-Sharif reported by 'Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak and Ibn Abi 'd-dunya on the authority of Abu Ayyub al-Ansari ®  declares, "Your deeds are made known to the dead. They become happy when they see your good deeds. They become sad when they see your bad deeds." It was said, "Fear Allahu ta'ala because of your brothers in the graves! Your deeds are shown to them," in a hadith ash-Sharif quoted by al-Al-Haakim at-Tirmidhi, Ibn Abi 'd-dunya and al-Baihaki in his book Shu'ab al-iman on the authority of Numan ibn Bashir. These two hadiths refer to all the dead.  Hadrat Abu 'd-darda ® said, "Your deeds are shown to the dead. They become happy or sad upon seeing them." 

Then there are ahadith to show that the dead feel pain.  Just to cite one: Narrated Aisha, Ummul Mu’minin as reported in Sunan Abu Dawood - Book 20, Number 3201:  The Apostle of Allah (sallal laaahu ‘alaihi wassallam) said: Breaking a dead man's bone is like breaking it when he is alive. 

In another Sahih Hadith narrated by Ibn Hanbal, Al-Haakim and Tabarani, the Holy Prophet (sallal laahu `alayhi wasallam) saw a person sitting on a Qabr and told him: "Do not harm the person in the Qabr and he will not harm you."(la tu'zi sahib al-Qabri wala yu'zeek).   The 'Ulama of Hadith explained that this shows that the dead are affected by what people do at their Qubur. This Hadith also shows that the dead feel what happens on the top of their graves. Otherwise, why not sit on a Qabr, if the dead does not feel anything?  Therefore one should not harm or destroy Qubur.  The second part of the Hadith proves that the dead have the power to harm as well as to benefit you, each in their own way and in accordance with their rank bestowed by Allah, subhanaHu wa Ta`ala, of course.  From the Jami'u Karamatil Awliya we learn that Abu Nu'aym

and Ibn Asakir relate that "A miscreant relieved himself on the grave of Hadrat Hasan (R).  Right after that he went mad, and then died."  Also that Sahawi communicates: Someone came to visit the grave of Hadrat Amr ibn Aas (R). He asked a person being there if he knew where the grave was. When the latter pointed to the grave with his foot, his foot became paralyzed, and he could not walk.

Many such examples have been illustrated by Islamic scholars including Ibn Qayyim.  Once, in the presence of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam), a person was walking out of a graveyard with his shoes on, Rasoolullah (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) said: "O you who have shaved your hair, are you wearing shoes? Throw your shoes away. Do not harm the people of the grave so that they may not harm you".   It is stated in "Fathul Kadeer", "Tahtawi" and "Raddul Mukhtaar" that, "If a new path is created in a Muslim graveyard by any person then it is Haraam to walk on it because it must have been made over graves. On the contrary, old pathways were made avoiding graves. Therefore, to walk on them is quite in order".

It is stated in the Hadith that the Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) said, "It is easier for me to put my foot on a sharp sword than to put a foot on the grave of a Muslim". In another Hadith, he says, "I will prefer to put my foot on burning fire so much so that it burns my shoe and reaches my feet, than putting my foot on the grave of a Muslim". This is a statement by that person, whom by Allah, if he sets his holy feet on the chest or eyes of any Muslim, will gain the peace and pleasure of both the world!

If a person performs salat near graves, the dead sees him and understands that he is performing salat and admires him. It may also be noted that the The word 'ziyara' (visit) is used in such hadith ash-Sharif, which would not have been used if the dead had not recognized the person who came to the grave. In all languages and every dictionary, this word is defined as the meeting of people who know and understand one another. And the word "Salamun 'alaikum" is to be said to persons who will understand it.

Yazid ibn Harun as-Sulami [d. 206 A.H. (821)] narrated, "Ibn Sasab attended a funeral. He performed two rak'as of salat by a grave. Then he leaned against the grave. He swore by Allah that he was awake when he heard a voice from the grave which said, 'Do not hurt me! You worship. But you do not hear. You do not know. We know but cannot move. In my view, there is nothing more valuable than those two rak'as you performed.' The person in the grave had understood that Ibn Sasab performed salat and leaned against the grave." After writing the above event, Ibn al-Qayyim quotes many other khabars reported from as-Sahabat al-kiram proving that the dead do hear.

It is narrated by Tirmidhi and an-Nasa'i as well as al-Hakim that one of the Sahabah put his tent over a qabr without knowing it and when he was inside the tent, he heard someone reciting surat al-Mulk. He went to Nabi Muhammad (sal Allahu alayhi wassallam) and told him what he heard. Nabi Muhammad (sal Allahu alayhi wassallam)  informed him that surat al-Mulk is a protection against punishment in the qabr, and is protecting the man buried there. The `Ulama of Hadith explain that that man loved reciting surat al-Mulk when he was alive and thus Allah (swt) granted him that he could recite it in his qabr as well. This proves that an ordinary man is able to recite Qur'an in his qabr and a normal living man is able to hear him. Thus if a truthful person claims that he has been spoken to by a wali at the wali's qabr it most likely is true, and most importantly, possible.. This fact is grounded in the above Hadith.

Isa bin Muhammad (Alaihir Rahmah) says that I once saw Abu Bakr bin Mujahid (Alaihir Rahmah) after his death in a dream reading the Holy Quran. I asked, "You have died, how are you reciting," upon which he said, "After every Salah and finishing of the Quran, I would pray "O Allah, give me the Taufiq to recite the Quran in my grave" and that is why I am praying." (Faizan-e-Sunnat)

In a sahih narration by Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah, the Holy Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wassallam) said that if anyone buries his brother  he must put on a beautiful kafan for the dead person because they visit one another in the grave (innahum yatazaawarun). This is only speaking about ordinary Muslims and not Awliya Allah. If ordinary dead Muslims  can visit one another in their Qubur, then how much greater is the status and ability of the Awliya Allah in their Qubur?  What awareness do not these friends of Allah (swt) have in their Qubur?

Imam Jalaluddin as-Suyuti was asked the following questions:Do the dead recognize their visitors and know their states in life?
Do the dead hear what the living say?
Do the souls of the dead meet and see each other?
He replied in the affirmative to all question and produced many prophetic traditions in support.  In al-Mutaqaddim he declared:  The soul of every deceased is bound to his body in an unknown way. The souls are permitted to affect and dispose (tasarruf) their bodies and be present in their graves. The attachment of the soul to the body will not fade even after the body decays in the grave.

It is Sunnah to visit Qubur, even on a certain fixed day, and annually.  It is recommended to visit the cemetery on Thursday night, Friday, Friday night until sunrise, and on Monday, for it is said---and this is supported by various narrations---that the spirits of the dead return to their graves at those times.  The degree of Friday is distinguished.  When visiting a graveyard, in the opinion of many Islamic scholars,  the person should include the following Surahs in their recitations because of their individual excellence and merits:  Surah Fatiha, Surah Ya-Sin, Surah Mulk,  and Surah Ikhlas.   According to Imam Shafi’i which is also documented by Imam Nawawi, it is better to recite the entire Qur’an Shareef by all those who are present at the grave-side.  al-Za`farani said: "I asked al-Shafi`i about reciting Qur'an at the graveside and he said: la ba'sa bihi - There is no harm in it." This is narrated by Imam Ahmad's student al-Khallal (d. 311) in his book al-Amr bi al-Ma`ruf (p. 123 #243). Similar fatwas are reported from al-Sha`bi, Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Ishaq ibn Rahuyah, and also by Ibn al-Qayyim and al-Shawkani in their books.

The Messenger of Allah (sallal ‘alaihi wassallam) ordered the Muslim to recite some of the Qur’anic Surahs at the grave of the dead persons, and according to Ibn Qayyim, since this is being recited since a long time ago and even now, this is a proof that the dead hears the recitations and makes use of it.  The practice of Talqeen too is proven from the prophetic traditions of the Messenger of Allah [sal Allahu alayhi wasallam].

It is narrated in Sharhus Sudoor by al-Imam al-Suyuti that Nabi Muhammad (sal Allahu alayhi wassallam) said that when you visit the graveyard, you should read Suratul-Ikhlas, Suratut-Takathur and Suratul-Fatiha, and present the reward of the recitations as a gift to the inhabitants of the graves. The Prophet [sal Allahu alayhi wasallam] explains that these souls will then make du'a for you, asking Allah (swt) to forgive you and bless you.  So this then is a command of the Prophet [sal Allahu alayhi wasallam]. We learn from this Hadith that the souls of the departed have the ability to make Du'a for the living, asking Allah (swt) to help the living who are visiting them.  ibn Taimiyyah states in his Fataawa (Vol.24, p.331) that the meaning of  what Holy Prophet [sal Allahu alayhi wasallam] said: "When one passes by the grave of his believing brother who he had known him in this world, then stands by his grave and says, 'Assalamu 'alaykum', the person in the grave will know him and also return his greeting" (ya'rifuhu wa yarudda 'alayihi-ssalam)" is that the dead have awareness and are able to supplicate for the living since saying "as-salamu 'alaykum" is a supplication in favor of the person one greets. 


In another Hadith in (Kanzul Ummal by al-Imam al-Muttaqi) it is narrated by Sayyidina 'Ali ® that the Prophet [sal Allahu alayhi wasallam] said: "Whoever goes to a graveyard or passes by a graveyard and recites surat al-Ikhlas eleven times and gives the thawab (reward) of the recital to the dead buried there, will receive the same thawab for it as the dead people.  In fact the Prophet [sal Allahu alayhi wasallam] is encouraging us to recite surat al-Ikhlas and present the thawab (reward) of  it as a gift to the dead when we visit them. 
Then according to a hadith reported in Mishkaat, and narrated by Abdullah Umar ® after the deceased is buried, stand before its head-side  and recite the first Ruku of Surah Baqara, i.e. from “Alif Laam Meem”  upto “Humud Muflihoon”  and recite by its feet the last Ruku of the same Surah from “Aamanur Rasoolu”  till  “Fansurna alal qumil Kaafireen” i.e. till the end of this Surah. 


The Holy Prophet [sal Allahu alayhi wasallam] said: "Recite Sura Ya-Sin for your dead.”   (Abu Dawud, Ibn-e-Majah, an-Nasai, Mishkaat - Kitaabul Janaiz).    Scholars point out that the hadith is rigorously authenticated by Imam Suyuti (rah.) as well as Ibn Habban.    And al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar, when discussing this hadith in al-Talkhis al-Habir, mentioned that Imam Ahmad (rah.) said in his Musnad, "Abul-Mughira informed us that Safwan informed us that the scholars used to say: If it, meaning Ya Sin, is read for the dying, his [death] will be lightened by it. " Strange how some people don’t even like Ya-Sin Shareef being read out for the dead!  Hadhrat Daata Ganj Baksh in his Famous Book "Kashful Mahjoob" said: "Do visit the graves of your relatives and beloved and do recite Fatiha and Ya-Sin at their graves, so that they should pray for you." Ibn al-Qayyim mentions in Kitab ar-Ruh: Abu Bakr al-Atrush said: “A man used to visit his mother’s grave every Friday and recite Surah Ya-Sin there.  After reciting the Surah one day, he said: ‘O Allah!  If you have destined a reward to this Surah, then reward it to the inhabitants of these graves.’  The following Friday a woman approached this man and asked him if he were so-and so.  After the man had affirmed it, she said: ‘I saw my dead daughter in a dream.  She was sitting by the edge of her grave.  I asked her what made her sit there.  She said that so-and-so  came to the grave of his mother and recited Surah Ya-Sin as a reward to the inhabitants of the graves  Therefore, some of its good befell us.”    


Muhammad bin Nu'man ®  narrates that Rasoolullah [sal Allahu alayhi wasallam] said: "Whoever visits his parents' graves or visits one of their graves every Friday, then he will be forgiven and will be written as being one of the pious" (Mishkat page 154). 

It is also a known fact that we visit the graves of general sinful Muslims only to seek their pardon from Allah. We do not sit there, or kiss their graves with reverence or ask them to pray for us. A person who is undergoing Azaab for his wrong deeds, he neither deserves respect (on par with Awliya Allah) nor he can help others by his Dua. Thus, one recites the Qur’an and offers ‘Fatiha’ to the soul of the departed for success in afterlife which benefits both deceased and the one offering the ‘Fatiha. 

Visting graves also reminds one of one’s own death and the fickleness of the material existence unless one carries beneficial provisions from this life to the next.  Moreover, the person who visits his parents' graves every Friday, his sins will be forgiven.  If visiting the graves of one's parents can result in such a blessing, what about visiting the graves of the honoured friends of Allah (swt)?

Today, some people are saying that making Dhikr at the graves is Bid`a!  We have proven it is not so.  It is also proven that an ordinary man is able to recite Qur'an in his Qabr and a normal living man is able to hear him. Thus if a truthful person claims that he has been spoken to by a Wali, at the Wali's Qabr, it is most likely true, and most importantly, possible. This fact is grounded in the abovementioned Hadiths.  The pious Muslims are  in comforts in their life after death. They can very well hear to our call and reply to our questions, as the boy replied to Hazrat Umar ® when he visited his grave as we shall see later. 

To continue, Insha Allah…

NASIR.