Alhassanain(p) Network for Heritage and Islamic Thought

Kissing of Tombs

Malik: What is the point in kissing the Tomb of the Prophet (PBUH & HP) & the Imams, and keep insisting upon it?

Sadiq: Is there any problem?

Malik: They say it is (Polytheism) Shirk!

Sadiq: And who says it is Shirk?

Malik: All Muslims say.

Sadiq: Strange! And who are those who kiss the Tomb?

Malik: They say: They are the Shia’as.

Sadiq: Did you go for Hajj?

Malik: Yes, glory to ALLAH All Mighty.

Sadiq: And did you visit the Tomb of the Prophet (PBUH & HP) in Medina?

Malik: Yes, thanks to ALLAH All Mighty.

Sadiq: Did you see thousands of Sunnis wishing to kiss the Tomb of the Prophet (PBUH & HP) and the “Custodians of Islam” beating them with whips and lashes?

Malik: Yes ….

Sadiq: Then we Shia’as are not the only ones who kiss Tombs but all Muslims also do.

Malik: Then why do some people prohibit it and say that it is a mark of polytheism?

Sadiq: All such people are very few compared to Muslims as a whole; they see themselves as if only they are righteous and ‘Muslims’ and consider all other Muslims as Pagans, Heathens and Polytheists. They consider all others as on the wrong. As such, they consider Muslims of all sects and creeds as Kaafir. Did you not see these ‘custodians of Islam’!! They beat with staffs and lash whoever wishes to kiss the Tomb of the Prophet (PBUH & HP) and yell & shout at them: O’ Kaafir! O’ Mushrik! O’ Atheist! O’ Pig! You Dog!and such other derogatory names out of sheer hatred & disgust. None is excluded from their shameless behaviour …..Shia’as, Hanafis, Malikis, Shafa’eis, Hanbalis, Zaidis, and all other sects. 9

Malik: Yes …. I saw all this and I hate it. I saw those people hitting with a rod on the head of people who insist upon kissing the Tomb so much so that blood spurted out and they hit with their hands full force on the chest of the visitors, which would cause intense pain and misery. And how much pain all these scenes caused me!! Hajj ….. which ALLAH All Mighty made for all Muslims a Conference, a Meeting Place so that they all come from all parts of the World and discuss their affairs and exchange news about each other and thus get to know each other …… has been turned into a place ! This divides the Muslims into different classes by the local citizens of the country wherein Mecca & Medina are unfortunatelylocated, these local people call themselves as “Authority for ordering people to do good and to prohibit them from doing bad.”!!

Sadiq: Anyway, do you kiss your child?

Malik: Yes.

Sadiq: Do you enjoin any partner to ALLAH by doing this?

Malik: No, no …..never .

Sadiq: How come you do not become a Kaafir?

Malik: I surely kiss my child out of love and this is not Shirk.

Sadiq: Or do you kiss the Holy Quran?

Malik: Yes.

Sadiq: And this is also not Shirk?

Malik: No.

Sadiq: Is the cover of the Holy Quran, which you kiss, skin of animal?

Malik: Yes.

Sadiq: Then you certainly have assigned partner to ALLAH and have made the skin of the animal a partner to ALLAH …..and this is certainly a grave sin you have committed.

Malik: No, it is not like this. I kissed the Quran because it is the Word of ALLAH All Mighty; hence for this reason, I kissed the cover which contains the Holy Quran. This was from sheer love & excessive adoration, wherefrom has Shirk come into this? And then, by kissing the Quran, I will get blessing from ALLAH for, kissing the Quran is like respecting HIM and respecting the Quran begets boon from HIM; what can be farther from polytheism?

Sadiq: Why do you not say that kissing the Tomb of the Prophet (PBUH & HP) and Tombs of Imam10 (A.H.S.) is similar to kissing the Holy Quran, or kissing your own child? Or you presume that the people kissing Tombs are making Steel / Iron as partners of ALLAH All Mighty? If this is the case, then why do they not kiss Iron so found here & there in such abundance? But, since the Tomb enshrines the Grave of the Prophet (PBUH & HP) or Grave of one of the Imams (A.H.S.), it is love of the Prophet (PBUH & HP) or the Imam (A.H.S.) that makes us involuntarily kiss the Tomb as we cannot reach them personally. And in addition to this, all of them have a special Status and Place with ALLAH All Mighty, hence their tombs are a mark of respect for them which is tantamount to respect for Islam for which they all strived (and ultimately gave up their precious life! And as we stated earlier, anything which presents respect for Islam is as per the Verse of Quran:

وَمَن يُعَظِّمْ شَعَائِرَ اللَّـهِ فَإِنَّهَا مِن تَقْوَى الْقُلُوبِ And whosoever respecteth the Signs of ALLAH verily it is (the reflection) of the piety of the hearts ….11

Malik: Then how come some people say that you people are Polytheist?

Sadiq: It has come in the Sayings of the Prophet (P.B.U.H. & H.P.): “All your deeds are dependent upon your intentions”12 . So if a person kisses a Tomb with intentions of Shirk, then he is guilty of polytheism. And if this expression of love (kiss) is from intense adoration and for obtaining benedictions from respecting Signs of ALLAH All Mighty, then certainly such an action is commendable & acceptable in HIS eyes! And if you put this question to all who plant kisses on Tombs whether Shia’a or Sunni and ask them why do they kiss Tombs, no one will say anything but that it is out of sheer love & adulation and for obtaining blessings, and you will not hear anything from almost anyone that they kissed with any other thought.

Malik: True, very true.

Sadiq: And if any person kisses without intention of polytheism, then it will be almost impossible to see any person but only Polytheist! Because, all Muslims kiss either Tomb or Quran ----- in either case ------ they are Polytheists. Then ------ who will be Muslim?

Malik: I thank you very much and I shall talk to my father who thrust into me these bigoted thoughts & I shall never listen to any talk against Faith of others; and I know now that truth is really with you people ------ you Shia’as ------- and compassion is ever with you for you have given me sight not just in this matter but in all matters in such a manner that I will never believe whatever I hear without confirming its truth and falsity.

Seeking Solicitation from God - men

Waleed: Ah! Who are these pagans, atheists & polytheists who call themselves as Muslims! Damn them......

Mohammed: Whom do you mean?

Waleed: All these Shia’as!

Mohammed: Do not swear like this and do not castigate them as heathens, they are Muslims.

Waleed: They are more worthy of being killed than Kaafirs.

Mohammed: What sort of blasting is this? And why do you say they are Polytheists?

Waleed: They take gods beside ALLAH and deify other gods which can neither do them good nor can harm them in anyway.

Mohammed: How is it so?

Waleed: They seek help from Prophets, Imams, and God - men to help them in their problems and afflictions and say: O! Mohammed, O! Ali, O! Hussain, O! Imam - e - Zamaan......!13

Imagining that these personalities are capable of fulfilling their wishes! And is this not clear Kufr, Paganism and Atheism? Mohammed: Allow me to quote you a short Hadith.

Waleed: Go ahead.

Mohammed: I was among those who forever cursed, swore &

damned with worst words all Shia’as and never would I sit down or get up but that I cursed them and opposed them in every way until I had a chance of going for Hajj where I met a Shia’a when I blasted him with full vengeance all that was boiling in my chest for all these years...... words which were surging in anger for them words which came out on my tongue with full force; but this man (Shia’a) was patient, quiet and smiling gently with his countenance beaming with a radiance of peace and tranquillity! The more I swore upon him, the more he cooled my temper with his pervading smile which never left his lips; and this noble person put off the fire of hatred & enmity in my heart. And when I stopped, he addressed me saying: Brother Mohammed in the name of ALLAH will you please allow me to talk a few words to you?

He then said and I replied he then said and I told him till finally I realised that truth is with them on many subjects and topics which were controversial between them and us, and seeking / soliciting help from God - men was one of these topics I realised they were on the right.

Waleed: And has their treachery, trickery & dribble affected you? How short - sighted you are and how estranged is your knowledge of Islam!

Mohammed: I am certainly in a position to discuss with you this Solicitation from God - men under the light of Holy Quran, the Pristine Traditions of the Prophet (PBUH & HP) and lives of holy men from Muslims.

Waleed: ALLAH is certainly more benevolent than all HIS creations and HE is not unaware of them, and his creation can certainly be in touch with HIM ------- without any via media ------- anytime, anywhere; and they can reach HIM and seek HIS help & protection. It is not permissible to seek anyone other than HIM however exalted & elevated his status might be in HIS eyes, even if he happens to be a Prophet or Imam or Angel or any noble person.

Mohammed: And why is it not permitted?

Waleed: Because when a man dies, he perishes & is no more and what has perished cannot be beneficial, so how do you entreat anything which is no more & has just turned into nothing?

Mohammed: How do you say Death is “end of all” and who says so?

Waleed: Imam Mohammed Ibn Abdul Wahabsaid ....... Soliciting and seeking help from noble souls who have died & hence are nothing is intellectually wrong & foolish. And he believed that the Staff of the Prophet( P.B.U.H . & H.P. ) is more useful than him because he used to while alive but when he died he became “ nothing ” and became like an immovable, inanimate thing of no use but his Staff is still useful for people as it can guide them; hence it is of use for religion.14 So this and other such statements stress upon the folly of entreating the Dead even if they are Prophets or Apostles of ALLAH.

Mohammed: The matter is just the opposite; for, when a man dies, he perceives Worlds which were hidden from his eyes while he was alive. ALLAH All Mighty says in the following Verse from the Holy Qur’an:

...... Now have WE removed from thee thy veil, so thy sight today issharp.15

And say not of those who are slain in the path of ALLAH that they are dead; Nay, (they are) living but ye perceive not.16

Reckon not those who are slain in the way of ALLAH, to be dead;Nay ! Alive they are with their Lord being sustained.17

And in Bukhari it is stated: The Holy Prophet (PBUH & HP) came to a dug - out hole in Badr18 and addressing the dead said: I have found the promise of my LORD true, did you also find promise of your Lord true? He was asked: You are talking to the dead? He answered...... You cannot hear better than them but they cannot reply.19 Hence a man when he dies whether a Muslim or a Kaafir does not turn into immovable matter not feeling or not understanding. And Ghazali20 ------ one of Imams of Shafa’ei Sect ------ has said:

Some think that Death is End ------ and this is the opinion of Atheists ------21 .

Waleed: Has Imam Ghazali taken Death as End to be an atheistic thought? Where is this mentioned?

Mohammed: In his book Ahyaa’ul Uloom22 refer to it & you shall find what I have told23 you.

Waleed: This is strange, coming from Ghazali.

Mohammed: This is not strange from Ghazali, but it is strange that you did not study this. Did you not hear what the Holy Prophet (PBUH & HP) told the dead Pagans of Mecca: “If they had met their End, they would not have heard & would not have understood what I told them”, when he told the Muslims: “You do not hearbetter than them”24 , meaning they hear as you hear and understand as you understand. Are you satisfied with this?

Waleed: Yes, I amsatisfied ..... However, I am surprised how all these long years I never gave a thought to these Verses, which are so clear in this regard? Moreover, how did I not hear Hadith of the Holy Prophet (PBUH & HP) and the saying of our Imam (Ghazali)?

Mohammed: Now you have accepted half the assertion of the Shia’a that: Man does not become “Null”, a Non - entity by death! Or do you still doubt?

Waleed:No ..... I do not have any doubt lingering but I have another surprise!

Mohammed: What is it?

Waleed: Thatis ...... How did Abdul Wahab believe that Death makes man Non - existent when Ghazali says that such a belief is of Atheists and above all, the clear declaration of the Holy Prophet (PBUH & HP) that a dead person hears equally well as a live person? And then how dare Abdul Wahab with such audacity,accentuate ....... My Staff is better than Mohammed, as it gives benefits to me and Mohammed does not?!25 This is what surprises me.

Mohammed: Do not be surprised. It is imperative upon us to know people through religion; for every person whose words & actions are as per Qur’an, Sunnah (Traditions of Prophet) and life - history of noble personalities gone-by is a Mo’min; no, we should know religion through people who practise it. For if we know that so & so son of so & so is a sincere Mo’min, it is not right for us to take his words & actions from Islam, even if we know it’s open opposition to the Book of ALLAH and Hadith of Prophet, and life - history of noble personalities and it is nothing but heathenistic & atheistic, instead it is obligatory upon us that we see any perversion in a person, we should keep away from him whoever he be in position or status and should instead follow the TRUTH unfolded to us.

Waleed:True ..... I was a staunch believer of this person all this while and now you have stopped me from committing this grave mistake who considers atheism in religion, who took away my faith; I will never take him as a scholar & shall not take any rule of Islam from him.

Mohammed: Leave this talk of son of so & so; let us focus on the remaining topic.

Waleed:Yes ..... true that dead - body does not “end” with Death but how do we justify entreating it if it is Prophet or Imam or a God - man? Know that there are people who consider such solicitation from a dead person as paganism and it (such solicitation) is castigated from the faith!

Mohammed: Is it permissible to ask for help from a live person, or request a favour from him or some such thing, and say: O’ Baqir or O’ Ja’afar or O’ Rida .z.... Please give me a Dinar or pray for ALLAH’s pardon or hold my hand and take me to the mosque, or some similar request?

Waleed: Yes it is permitted.

Mohammed: Then, now when it is proved that dead hear like the alive, what is there to prevent from one from asking it after its death, and ask for a favour from it?

Waleed: After thinking for awhile ..... lifts up his heads saying: Yes, as you say Mohammedit is right.

Mohammed: We have another proof in favour of entreating the Holy Prophet (PBUH & HP) and with pious persons who have died.

Waleed: What is it?

Mohammed: Companions26 during the Holy Prophet’s (PBUH & HP) lifetime & after his demise always contacted him and neither he nor any of his Companions ever stopped them from doing so; had it been otherwise, they all would have stopped them.

Waleed: And who entreated the Holy Prophet (PBUH & HP) after his death?

Mohammed: Here are some examples......

Narrates Baihaqi27 and Ibn Abi Shaiba from authentic sources ---- as also Ahmed Ibn Zaini Dahlan ---- People were troubled from a famine during the caliphate of Omar; so Bilal Ibn Harth came to the grave of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H.& H.P. ) and pleaded him: O’ Prophet of ALLAH, give water to your Nation, they are dying.28 If this pleading and entreating of Bilal ------ who had taken all the tenets of Islam from the very lips of the Holy Prophet (PBUH & HP) directly & who stayed with him for not a small period ------ to the Holy Prophet (PBUH & HP) had been polytheism, then he would never have gone to his grave and the Companions also never would have allowed him to do so. Clearly, this is the strongest proof pertaining to the permissibility of ‘entreating the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. & H.P.)’.

Baihaqi narrates29 from Omar Ibn Khattab who said: The Holy Prophet (PBUH & HP) told: When Adam (AHS) committed an error, he pleaded ALLAH that HEpardon him in the name of Mohammed....... till the end of this Hadith; so if such an entreaty was prohibited, why did then Adam (AHS) plead!

It is narrated that when Mansur Dawaniqi performed Hajj, visited the grave of the Holy Prophet (PBUH & HP) in Medina and asked Imam Malik30 (Imam of Maliki Sect): O’ father of Abdullah, should I face Qibla & pray or should I turn toward Prophet of ALLAH? So Malik told him: Do not turn your face away from him for he is your intercessor and that of your father Adam unto ALLAH, do turn toward him & ask his entreaty from ALLAH for sure HE will grant your wish in his name. ALLAH has said:31

And if they commit a mistake, they repented & ALLAH and HIS Prophet pardoned them; they verily find ALLAH Pardoner & Compassionate.

And Malik’s statement: ‘He is your intercessor and that of your father Adam unto ALLAH’ is a clear proof that requesting for intercession is permitted and is praiseworthy even.

And Darimi32 in his Saheeh33 narrated from Abi Jauza who said: People in Medina had a severe drought so they came to Ayesha & complained her, so she said: ‘Look to the grave of the Prophet and make it a door to the Sky for yourself and then pray for rain’. They did as she told them and it rained heavily so much that the whole city turned green & fresh.

And there are hundreds of such examples in books; so if requesting intercession from the Prophet (PBUH & HP) is permissible and acceptable in Islam, then similar entreaty to Imams, Angels and God - men is also equally permitted. If such pleading had been illegal in the religion, then it would be prohibitive to entreat even the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. & H.P.). And if it is permitted to ask for intercession from him then it should be permissible for all pious men & God - fearing persons too.

Waleed: Strange that these sayings you have quoted me, I never saw even one of them.

Mohammed: If you are to turn to books on Hadith, you will see hundreds of such instances of seeking solicitations from the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. & H.P.), God - men and pious persons; and the narrations I quoted are but a drop in the Ocean34 , and it appears that your reading of Hadith & Life of Pious men of Religion is very limited.

Waleed: Too much of work & busy life with many trying situations prevent me from having access to reading all such books in spite of my eagerness to read them.

Mohammed: If your study of books on Hadith is so limited, what right do you have to blame Shia’as ----- and for that matter all the Muslims ----- and castigate them as polytheists all based on one Mohammed Abdul Wahab and when you are totally ignorant of Hadith & other facts concerning them? This is not correct, I tell you openly ……. if you permit me.

Waleed: ----- with a sheepish laughter and embarrassed face ----- Tell me Mohammed whatever you have in your heart, for we are friends and you have truly enlightened me with all these Hadith and I have profited from you.

Mohammed: Your example is totally like the pagans of Qureish who prostrated down in front of their idols saying:35

Verily we found our forefathers (so doing) and certainly we follow their example.

Will not ALLAH humiliate them? For they saw the TRUTH but did not listen to it to know if it was right or not and instead, went astray by worshipping the idols. And you Waleed, do not follow your forefathers blindly, but be enlightened and search for truth and lead your life accordingly; and if you searched books on Hadith, you will find that what that specific group tells about there being no basis for solicitation with God - men & HIS friends is paganism, all groups & sects of Islam will act against it, do you accept?

Waleed: Yes.....for I see truth is with Shia’as and all other Muslims in this regard, but what do I do in regard to calling names to Shia’as?

Mohammed: May ALLAH protect us, search for truth always & every time you hear beliefs of Shia’as, think it over till you get the truth and give up bigotry, for the Holy Prophet (PBUH & HP) has said: Every religious bigot will be in Hell .

Waleed: I shall do this and thank you very much.

Visiting the Graves

Jameel: What is all this commotion that you Shia’as create for yourselves without any reason?

Jawad: What is it?

Jameel: Visiting the Grave of the Holy Prophet (PBUH & HP) and Graves of your Imams & other God - men!

Jawad: Is it of any concern?

Jameel: It is certainly Haram and it is like assigning partners to ALLAH!

Jawad: And are you such riff - raff O’ Jameel ----- to croak with every croaking frog and get swayed with every breeze? I never expected such a thing from you ----- man of intellect, cultured, educated, a man of understanding ----- hurling impulsively fanatical outbursts without any basis and proof; I respected you ----- and now ----- where has the essence of debating gone which searches the reality of truth wherever it is present?

Jameel: Do you think my talk is fanatical religious bigotry then?

Jawad: Yes, nothing other than this.

Jameel: And wherefrom do you say so?

Jawad: Let us now place this topic ----- Visiting Graves ----- on the table of argument to see who is with Truth and who is with False!

Jameel: I am ready, for I know visiting graves is sheer paganism.

Jawad: And how do you say it is Polytheism (Shirk)?

Jameel: Because it resembles heathens circumambulating round their Idols!

Jawad: So because of this, you say it is Polytheism?

Jameel: Yes...... for visiting a grave, is tantamount to going round and round like the pagans going round their Idols!

Jawad: So going round makes a Visit to grave Polytheism?

Jameel: Yes......

Jawad: Then, all Muslims ---- without exception ----- are Polytheists and there is not one person in the world who is not a Polytheist, including you!

Jameel: How so?

Jawad: Did you go for Hajj?

Jameel: Yes, Glory to ALLAH!

Jawad: And you prayed in the Grand Mosque of Mecca?

Jameel: Yes, Glory to ALLAH!

Jawad: And did you see how all Muslims ----- at the time of Prayers ----- swarm around the Ka’aba for Prayers, so a person standing on the western side will have his back towards West and face the Ka’aba, one standing on the South will have his back towards South and face Ka’aba and so on for all directions with his back towards that direction while facing Ka’aba in his Prayers, his Bowing down and in his Prostrations! Did you see all this?

Jameel: Yes, I saw all of this and I did the same during my Prayers, so that whatever direction I was inside the Grand Mosque, I faced Ka’aba with my back turned towards that direction because Prayers without facing the Ka’aba are null & void!

Jawad: Then every one of the Muslims is a Kaafir and you are also a Kaafir.

Jameel: And why is it so?

Jawad: This is because you’re facing the Ka’aba during your Prayers is same as the heathens facing their Idols while praying & bowing before them. Fact of the matter is, theidolaters face ------- during their prayers ----- those idols which they made with their own hands, and you face during your prayers a house erected in stones.

Jameel: There is a big difference in my facing the Ka’aba and the idolaters facing their idols.

Jawad: And what is the difference?

Jameel: When I face the Ka’aba ----- during my Prayers ----- I do not consider it to be God to be prayed other than ALLAH ----- and may ALLAH protect me ----- all other Muslims likewise pray, facing Ka’aba without considering it to be God, rather face it because ALLAH commanded us to do so during all Prayers; and idolaters face their idols ----- during their prayers ----- taking them as their Gods other than ALLAH! They face the idols during their prayers with their hearts taking the idols as God while we turn our face towards Ka’aba with our hearts turned towards ALLAH in our prayers. Thus idolaters perform an act of Polytheism clearly! But where is such performance in our work, and our facing the Ka’aba with Prayers? There is a difference of Earth & Sky between these two actions!

Jawad: Thus mere similarity of actions cannot be a reason for Polytheism else your action can be termed Paganism as it so much resembles actions of idolaters and that which makes the action of idolaters as Polytheism is their intention of bowing and praying the idols and not the action of bowing & praying! And that which makes your attention towards Ka’aba from being branded as Polytheism is absence of the thought of praying to it as God!

Jameel: Yes.

Jawad: And we Shia’as and rest of all Muslims are similar in their action that we do not intend our Visit to the Grave of the Holy Prophet (PBUH & HP) or Imams (P.B.U.T.) or to God - men as praying or bowing to them...... even though such a Visit resembles the action of the Polytheists, but such resemblance does not make our Visit Prohibited (Haram) or Polytheism if the intention is not to pray or bow down. There is a saying of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. & H.P.): “Actions are judged by their intentions”36 . Hence, an action will be adjudged as Polytheism if the intention is to pray other than ALLAH & is commendable (acceptable) if the intention is not so.

For example: If you prayed in a place and there is an idol erected in front of you, then your prayer will be null & void and you will be considered a heathen if your intention is to pray to that idol, and if your intention is to pray ALLAH without paying any attention to the idol within your heart then your prayer is correct & acceptable and you shall not be castigated as a Kaafir.

Jameel: ----- After deep thinking ----- All this is correct; and I pray ALLAH that HE keeps you as confirmation ----- a witness ------ for us, lest I get stuck in some important matter, due to religious bigotry. But I wish to benefit from you by asking you a question.

Jawad: Please go ahead.

Jameel: I know (now) that to visit graves is not something prohibited (by Islam) and that it is in fact commendable and appreciated, but what is the secret that you Shia’as hold it in such regard and with such active determination and what is the reason for such enthusiasm?

Jawad: All because it is a grateful act made obligatory.

Jameel: Grateful & desirable?

Jawad: Yes and it has been made mandatory & obligatory with full stress on performing it!

Jameel: Is there any Hadith which indicates desirability of visiting the Grave of the Holy Prophet (PBUH & HP) or that of holy God - men?

Jawad: Yes there are many Hadith, in addition to what the Holy Prophet (PBUH & HP) himself did in this regard and the practice of Muslims since the dawn of Islam to date!

Jameel: Please mention some of these.

Jawad: It is narrated in Saheeh Muslim that the Holy Prophet (PBUH & HP) visited the graves of the Martyrs of Ohad.37 It is also narrated that he visited Al Baqea’a Cemetery.

It is written in Sunan Al Nisa’i and Sunan Ibn Maaja and Ahya ul Uloom by Ghazali that Abu Hurairah quotes the Holy Prophet (PBUH & HP) saying: “Visit the graves for this will make you remember the Hereafter”.38

It is written in the same book quoting Abu Hurairah that the Holy Prophet ( P.B.U.H.& H.P. ) visited his mother’s grave in Mecca and he cried and all around him started crying, and he said: “Visit the graves for this will remind you of the Hereafter”!39

Books on Hadith, Saheeh & Sunan etc. are all full to the brim from narrations about the topic of Visiting Graves and in here, is a narration...... Peace unto you O’ residents of this dwelling (the Cemetery of Baqea’a) from believer men & women ......40

This is as far as recommendations for visiting graves of noble souls and believers is concerned, and why it is asked for and is so very desirable; and with reference to visiting the grave of the Holy Prophet (PBUH & HP) there are many many of these and we mention here only some of them:

i - Narrate Darqutni41 , Ghazali42 , Baihaqi43 and others that the Holy Prophet (PBUH & HP) declared: Whosoever visits me, I shall certainly intercede for him.

ii - It is narrated that he (PBUH & HP) said: One who visits me in Medina with (my) awareness I shall intercede for him and shall be his witness on the Day of Reckoning.44 entering a Graveyard and a Prayer for the departed souls; Muntakhib Kanz al Ummal on Side-notes of Musnid Ahmed 2/89 wherein is written.....“From Muslim believer men & women”.

iii - Narrates Nafe’a from Ibn Omar who narrates from the Holy Prophet (PBUH & HP) who said: One who performs Hajj but does not visit me, has been rude to me.45

iv - From Abu Hurairah narrating the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. & H.P.): One who visits me after my death is as if he visited me when I was alive.46

v - Ibn Abbas quotes the Holy Prophet (PBUH & HP) who said: One who performs Hajj and comes to me (visits my grave) in my Mosque, he is rewarded for 2 Hajj Pilgrimages which have been accepted.47

And there are many other Hadith other than these mentioned above, that stress upon visiting the grave of the Holy Prophet (PBUH & HP) and indicate how much desirable it is to pay homage to him (PBUH & HP) and to graves of noble souls and God - men. Is not his (PBUH & HP) declaration: “As if he has been rude to me?” an enough indication on stressing upon visiting his grave?Does not his (PBUH & HP) saying: “Verily he shall receive my intercession?” 48 stress upon the intensity of lamentation upon visiting? Is not his (PBUH & HP)

clear command: “Visit the graves for this will make you remember the Hereafter”49 , a clear order for visiting graves, and the order here if not stresses upon its being obligatory, is then without doubt for its desirability?

Jameel: From where have you learnt all these Hadith and they are in which book?

Jawad: Books on Hadith are full of such narrations and similar ones; you read collection of Hadith.

Jameel: Certainly, I have nottill now seen or heard, even one narration from these Hadith.

Jawad: Have you read Saheeh al Bukhari?

Jameel: We do not have it.

Jawad: Did you read Saheeh Muslim?

Jameel: It was my late Grandfather but my Uncle took it when he died.

Jawad: Did you read Sunan al Nisa’i?

Jameel: What is it?

Jawad: It is a book of Hadith.

Jameel:No ..... never seen it.

Jawad: Pardon me, then what have you read from Hadith?

Jameel: Sorry, I am a student in the Faculty of Medicine and I will not finish them till I succeed in my studies and hence I do not have time left to read Hadiths in spite of my attachment to them.

Jawad : How then you do you raise objections on visiting the grave of the Holy Prophet (PBUH & HP) and the Holy Imams (P.B.U.T.) without reading Hadith & without knowing them? And were you told that visiting graves is polytheism without confirming it ever?

Jameel: What all I heard ---- from my father, my grandfather & my colleagues ----- regarding visiting graves, was nothing but its rejection, cursing those who performed such visits, and I never heard any day, one single such narration & Hadith you narrated me.

Jawad : It is obligatory on a person to confirm the truth to attain it & not bow down in the shadow of what he hears in his environment for, it might be that they might be mistaken & wrong; so he ought to study, follow, read until he lives & follows his beliefs as per ALLAH All Mighty’s Wishes.

Jameel: I now accept that visiting the grave of the Holy Prophet (PBUH & HP) is very much desirable & is stressed upon and so is visiting the Holy Imams (P.B.U.T.), noble persons and God - fearing men.

Jawad: By your permission......

Jameel: Please......

Jawad: I stressfully request you to not to be like common people following every scream & shout and do not succumb to beliefs of your surroundings except after knowing the truth by study & erudition, and this way you are sure to succeed.

Jameel: And this is my intention in the future, for after believing that visiting graves is Polytheism, I learnt by way Islam that it is very much desirable and is much stressed upon & it is imperative upon me to confirm these subjects. I shall discuss this matter with my father as a first step and ----- before anything ----- for he was the sole cause of my belief about this specific matter which I had overtly acquiesced because of his directives.

Jawad: I thank you.

Jameel: I am thankful to you for guiding me.