90- Ruling on distributing food by the graves
Q: Some women in my country visit graves and Masjids (mosques). They summon children inside the Masjids or by the graves and give them bread as well as some other portions of food, claiming that they do so only for the sake of Allah (Exalted be He). They then invoke the Waliy (pious person) that they basically come to the place to visit and ask him/her to grant them safety and protect their children. What is the ruling on this?
A: This is very dangerous and all Muslims must beware of doing so. Moreover, visiting graves is not permissible for women. Permission in this regard was only given to men as the Prophet (ﷺ) said: Visit graves for they remind you of the Hereafter. Conversely, the Prophet (ﷺ) cursed females who visit graves as they cause Fitnah (temptation) and have little patience. In addition, if either a man or a woman invokes the deceased, seeks their help, offers sacrifices for them, or asks for their protection, he or she is committing an act of major Shirk (associating others with Allah in His Divinity or worship that takes the Muslim out of Islam). Namely, doing so is tantamount to the same Shirk that was practiced by the early Mushriks (those who associate others with Allah in His Divinity or worship) and worshippers of graves, such as Abu Jahl and his companions. On the other hand, distributing Sadaqah (voluntary charity) with the intention of drawing close to the deceased while believing that the latter will benefit a person for doing so or for offering Salah (Prayer) for their sake is major Shirk. Giving Sadaqah by graves for the sake of Allah Alone while believing that the Sadaqah which is distributed there is more rewarded, is a Bid`ah (innovation in religion) and a wrong conviction. A person may give Sadaqah at home or at any other place. It is better to give Sadaqah secretly unless the situation requires giving it publicly. Anyway, graves are not the proper place for giving Sadaqah. Rather, a person is to give Sadaqah anywhere else, i.e. in the market, at home, or even in the Masjid if there is a need to do so. To sum up, it is not permissible for women to visit graves. Besides, offering sacrifices for the deceased, seeking their help, asking for their protection, or invoking them to cure the ill are all acts of major Shirk even if they are done at a person's home. The same ruling applies to both men and women. To clarify further, if a man or a woman - even when at home, in a wild area, or anywhere else far from the graves - calls upon a Waliy saying: "O "Abdul-Qadir!", "O Husayn!", "0 `Aly!", or "O Messenger of Allah!"; they are committing an act of major Shirk. This is because asking for the help of those who are absent is major Shirk. Accordingly, saying: "O Messenger of Allah! Grant me victory!", "O Messenger of Allah! Cure the ill," and so on, is tantamount to worshipping the Messenger (ﷺ) other than Allah (Exalted be He), which is major Shirk. The same applies to saying: "O my master Al-Husayn!", "O my master Al-Hasan!", "O my master `Aly!", or "O my master "Abdul-Qadir!" It is also major Shirk that a person offers sacrifices for the deceased to draw close to them, believing that the Waliy will therefore give them things that they ask for. This applies whether the slaughtering is done by the graves or far from them. Offering sacrifices for other than Allah (Exalted be He) is major Shirk. Allah (Exalted 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." And: Verily, We have granted you (O Muhammad ﷺ ) Al-Kauthar (a river in Paradise). {Therefore turn in prayer to your Lord and sacrifice (to Him only). Moreover, the Prophet (ﷺ) said: Allah curses those who offer sacrifices for other than Him. Offering sacrifices is a great form of "Ibadah (worship) just like Salah. Consequently, offering sacrifices for the dwellers of graves to draw close to them or to ask for their Shafa`ah (intercession) while hoping that this will bring a person closer to Allah (Exalted be He) is tantamount to worshipping them and offering Salah for them. The same applies to giving Sadaqah while seeking the reward of the deceased and performing Hajj to their graves; there is neither might nor power except with Allah.
[Vol. 2, Page No. 320-322]
