87- Distinction between Shar`y and Bid`y visits to graves
Q: Some people visit graves especially those of Awliya (pious people) and slaughter animals by them. When we tell them that doing so is a Bid^ah (innovation in religion), they deny this, claiming that their action is Shar`y (Islamically lawful) as they only slaughter such animals for sake of Allah. Is this true? Provide us with your beneficial answer please. May Allah benefit and reward you with the best.
A: Shariah visits to graves are a Sunnah (a commendable act) for the Prophet (ﷺ) said: Visit graves for they remind you of the Hereafter. Accordingly, visiting graves to ask Allah (Exalted be He) to forgive their dwellers is permissible. The Prophet (ﷺ) did so and commanded people to copy his action: Visit graves for they remind you of the Hereafter. Moreover, the Prophet (ﷺ) used to teach his Sahabah (Companions) to say upon visiting graves: (Peace be upon you, believing men and women dwelling here. We shall. Insha` Allah (if Allah wills), soon join you. We ask Allah to grant both us and you safety. According to another narration reported on the authority of `Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her), the Prophet (ﷺ) also used to say upon visiting graves: May Allah be merciful with those who have preceded us and those who are to follow them.) On the other hand, visiting graves to invoke the deceased, seek refuge with them, ask for their Shafa`ah (intercession) or blessing, or call upon them to grant a person victory over their enemies is considered a Shirky (representing Shirk i.e. associating others with Allah in His Divinity or worship) act. It is thus, not permissible to visit graves for such purposes, for this is equivalent to major Shirk (associating others with Allah in His Divinity or worship). The same applies to vowing for the deceased, offering a sacrifice whether a cow, a camel, sheep, or even a hen to draw closer to them, or asking for their Shafa`ah or blessing. Allah (Glorified be He) says: Say (O Muhammad ﷺ ): "Verily, my Salat (prayer), my sacrifice, my living, and my dying are for Allah, the Lord of the 'Alamin (mankind, jinn and all that exists).) He has no partner. And of this I have been commanded, and I am the first of the Muslims." Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) also says: Verily, We have granted you (O Muhammad ﷺ ) {Therefore turn in prayer to your Lord and sacrifice (to Him only).) In addition, the Prophet (ﷺ) said: May Allah curse those who offer sacrifices for other than Him. Thus, it is not permissible for any person to offer sacrifices for idols, Awliya, or Jinn (creatures created from fire) aiming at drawing close to them or asking for their Shafa`ah, support against enemies, protection, or curing the ill, bringing back a missing person, or granting them children. Such acts are only done by worshippers of graves, Awliya and idols. Nevertheless, slaughtering animals by graves to draw closer to Allah (Exalted be He), but not to Awliya is Bid`ah (innovation in religion). This is because graves are not places for slaughtering. Rather, slaughtering animals by graves is a means of defiling and making them filthy as well as harming those who visit them. Whoever likes to slaughter an animal is to do so at home or at a slaughtering house then they are to distribute the meat among the poor just as they do with Ud-hiyah (sacrificial animal offered by non-pilgrims) and Hady (sacrificial animal offered by pilgrims). It may be worth mentioning that people who slaughter animals by graves do so mostly to draw closer to the deceased. Anyway, if they are truthful, i.e. they only intend to draw closer to Allah (Exalted be He) but not to the deceased; their action is Bid`ah. Conversely, if their intention, by this sacrifice, is to draw closer to the deceased to intercede for them, cure their patient, give them such and such and so on, this act is major Shirk. May Allah grant us safety.
[Vol. 2, Page No. 302-303]
