Visiting the Graves of Saints and Pious People

Question and Answer Details

Name of Questioner Salina Title Visiting the Graves of Saints and Pious People Question As-Salamu `alaykum. Could you please shed more light on the Islamic view regarding visiting the graves of Al-Awliya’ wa As-Salihin (saints or pious people) and making du`a’ there?  Date 07/May/2003 Name of Counsellor `Atiyyah Saqr Topic Creedal Innovations

Answer

Wa `alaykum As-Salamu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.  All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.  Dear questioner, thanks a lot for your question and your apparent fear of contradicting Allah’s laws. May Allah enlighten our hearts with the light of Islam! Responding to the question you posed, we’d like to cite the fatwa issued by Sheikh `Atiyyah Saqr, former head of Al-Azhar Fatwa Committee, which reads: “It is well known that when one loves somebody one loves all that is related to him. Such an innate human characteristic is not opposed by religion; rather, it is guided in two ways. The first is choosing those who deserve that love and veneration and the second is not violating the principles of religion in expressing this love or in any of its consequences. Seeking the blessings of pious people or saints is not forbidden under Islam but it might have some features that are against religion such as: 1- Going round the grave is blameworthy because it is an imitation of circumambulating the Ka`bah. 2- Seeking blessings by touching or kissing the grave and the like. Imam Al-Ghazali states that touching and kissing graves is not stated in the Sunnah and it is better to stand at a distance from the grave. 3- When one performs du`a’ (supplications) at graves, one must direct such du`a’ to Allah alone for He alone is capable of granting help and warding off harm. It is forbidden to direct the du`a’ to or seek the help of the one in the grave however venerated he may be. Moreover, performing du`a’ at his grave is not better or more likely to be answered than doing it elsewhere. Ibn Taymiyyah was among those who expressed such opinion. He says: ‘Making supplications (du`a’) at graves of the righteous thinking that the supplications are more likely to be answered than in any other place, is a practice that had never been done by the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) or any of his Companions, their successors, or the Imams of Islam and has never been mentioned or recommended by any of the righteous scholars.’ It may be better to prevent such a practice in order to dissuade people from invoking or seeking the help of others than Allah or even along with Him.”