4: Respecting to Tombs of Superiors
Overall View
Here we just talk to extremist Wahhabies, because all Muslim sects allow pilgrimage of tombs of superiors of Islam unless this sect. Anyhow a group of Wahhabi people blame us for pilgrimage of tombs of our religious leaders and call us “Tombies”!
While in all places in the world, people greaten the tombs and monuments of their departed ones and go for pilgrimage of them.
All Muslims of the world always respected to the tombs of their superiors and pilgrimage them, just this little Wahhabi group oppose this act and made themselves defendant of all Muslims of the world.
Although some of famous Wahhabi scholars affirmed that pilgrimage of tomb of Prophet (s.a.) is Mustahab, but they say that Muslims should not prepare for pilgrimage, it means that they should go for pray in Masjid Alnabi or perform Umra in Medina and beside that can pilgrimage the tomb of Prophet (s.a.) and Muslims should not prepare themselves to travel just for pilgrimage!
“Bin Baz” famous Wahhabi Faqih who died some time ago, according to Aljazeera newspaper was saying: “Anyone who pilgrimage the mosque of Prophet (s.a.), then it is Mustahab for him to pray in prophet’s house, and after that say Salaam to holy Prophet (s.a.) and it is Mustahab to go to Baqi cemetery and say Salaam to buried martyrs in there too.”
Quadric Faqihs of Ahl -e- Sonnat, according to “Alfiqh ala Almazahib Alarba’a”, has known pilgrimage of tomb of Prophet (s.a.) Mustahab without these conditions. We read in this book: “Pilgrimage of tomb of Prophet is one of greatest Mustahab acts and there are lots of Ahadith about that.” Then continue to quote six Hadiths.
Generally, this Wahhabi group oppose in three issues with other Muslims of the world:
Building monuments over the tombs
Preparing to travel for pilgrimage
Women pilgrimage of tombs
They use some cabbalas in all three issues which do not have reliable evidence or imply on them is not acceptable (and we will explain soon god willing).
It seems that they have another reason for this false act. They are involved in the scrupulosity in the issue of monotheism (Tawhid) and polytheism (Shirk) and they think that pilgrimage of tombs is worshiping them and to their point of view maybe all Muslims except them are polytheist and infidel!!
Historical Record
Respecting to tombs of departed persons, especially superiors, has a very long history. From thousands of years ago, people of the world were greaten departed persons and respect to their tombs, especially their superiors, which philosophy and good results of this acts are many.
The First benefit of greatening departed persons is keeping their reverence and appreciating these dear ones, and it is one of symbols of honor and gentility of mankind, and encourages young persons to follow their way.
The Second result is learning advised lessons from quiet but talking tombs of them, and purging the rust of ignorance from human heart and awakening and warning against doping glamour of the world, and reducing the dominance of whim whams, and according to Amir Almu’mineen (Imam of believers) Ali (a.s.) departed persons are the best preachers.
The Third result is solacing the remainents, because people feel more calmness beside tombs of their dear ones. It seems that they are beside themselves and these pilgrimages reduce their chagrins, according to this people make tomblike for those whose bodies are not found and remember them at their tomblike monuments.
The Forth is that greatening tombs of departed superiors is one of the methods to protect cultural heritage of nations, and nations are alive by their ancient cultures. Muslims of the world have a great and rich culture which an important part of it is hidden inside the tombs and monuments of martyrs, great scholars and pioneers of knowledge and culture and especially in the place of martyrdom of great religious leaders.
Saving and remembering and greatening them are reasons for saving Islam and tradition of holy Prophet (s.a.).
How tactless are those who ruined glorious impressions of superiors of Islam in Mecca and Medina and some other places and damaged Islam society hardly. Unfortunately, ignorant and retarded Salafies hit heavy strikes in this way to the body of cultural heritage of Islam because of vagarious excuses which can not be recovered.
Are these historical and great impressions belongs to just this few group that they ruin them relentlessly or saving and defending them should be done by a group of wise scholars of Islam from all countries?
The Fifth effects is that pilgrimage of tombs of great religious leaders, and asking for their intercession in the presence of Allah which is combined with penance has extra effective result in training people and nurturing ethics and belief and lots of sinful persons repent at their divine court of them and do it now, and correct themselves forever, and also righteous and pure people gain ranks above their purity.
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Hallucination of Polytheism (Shirk) in Pilgrimage of Tombs
Sometimes unknown people call pilgrims of tombs of Imams “polytheist”. Surely if they knew the meaning of pilgrimage and the contents of pray of pilgrimage, then they will be ashamed of this expression.
No wise person worships Prophet (s.a.) or Imams (a.s.), and never ever anyone even think of it, and all known believers go to pilgrimage for respecting and asking intercession.
Most of the times we say one hundred times “Allah is the greatest” and by doing this emphasis on monotheism (Tawhid) one hundred times and ward of any doubt of polytheism from ourselves.
In famous pray of pilgrimage “Amin Allah” we say in front of tombs of Imams:
“We testify that you performed Jihad for Allah and performed it completely, you acted according to Qur'an and you followed the tradition of prophet, until Allah called you from this world to his adjacency of mercy”.
Can monotheism be more than this?
In famous pray of pilgrimage “Jame’eye Khottab” (Orator’s in common) we say: (In these six sentences all pronouns refer to almighty Allah) “All of you Imams invite to him and imply on him and believe him and obey him and do what he order and guide people in his way”.
Contents of all of these prays of pilgrimage are Allah and inviting to monotheism, is it polytheism or belief?
In other part of this pray of pilgrimage we say:
“I ask you intercession in the presence of almighty Allah”, and if there is any mist in some phrases of these prays of pilgrimage, it will clarify completely with these strong proofs.
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Does requesting intercession agree the fundamentals of monotheism?
Another mistake that happened here by Wahhabies is that they compare asking intercession from maintainers and guardian of Islam (Awliya Allah) in the presence of Allah with asking intercession from idols, those lifeless, without wisdom and unthinking existences!
While holy Qur'an shows lots of times that divine prophets made intercessions in presence of Allah for sinners. For instance:
Brothers of Joseph after knowing about his greatness and their mistakes, asked their father Jacob for intercession and he promised them to do: “They said our father! Ask forgiveness for us and our sins, because we were sinners * He said I will ask my god for your forgiveness, Indeed he is clement and merciful”.
Was Prophet Jacob a polytheist?
Qur'an has encouraged sinners to repent and asking intercession from holy Prophet (s.a.) and says: “Anytime that they oppress themselves (by their sins), and came to you and repented and Prophet asks forgiveness for them, then they found Allah acceptant of penances and merciful”.
Is this expression encourages to polytheism?
Qur'an says in disapproval of hypocrites: “And when they told to come to Prophet to asking forgiveness for you, they shake their heads (as a symbol of sneering) and you can see them protesting to your words and being arrogant”.
Does Qur'an invite infidels and hypocrites to polytheism?
We know that Loot were the most dirty and impure nation. Abraham (a.s.) Sheikh of prophets made intercession for them (asked god to give them more time, may they repent), but because they loosed the capability of intercession due to their mass of obscenity, it had told to Abraham that give up intercession for them! “When fear of Abraham gone (because of seeing unknown angles) and heard enunciation (of birth of his son), talked about Loot nation with us (and asked forgiveness for them), because Abraham was forbearing, compassionate and repenter. (We told him) Abraham! Forgo this (request) because the order of your god has issued and surely a no-return torment will take them.”
It is interesting that Allah applause Abraham for this incredible intercession and say: “Indeed Abraham was very forbearing and clement and he prayed a lot to god and asked him forgiveness”, but mention him that in this case the time has gone and no chance remained for intercession.
Intercession (Shefa’at) of maintainers of Islam (Awliya Allah) is not just for their living time!
By seeing above verses that show explicitly acceptance of prophets’ intercession and there is no chance to deny this issue, cavilers made another pretext and say: These verses are for their living time and there is no proof for after their demise. Thereupon they leave branch of “polytheism” and jump on another branch.
But here this question asked that does Prophet (s.a.) transforms to soil and vanished completely after his demise or, as some of Wahhabi scholars confessed in front of us, he has purgatory life?
If he doesn’t have,First:
Is rank of Prophet (s.a.) lower than the rank of martyrs whom the verse “But they are alive fed by their god”
descended for them?
Second:
Do in testification (Tashahhud) of prayer which everyone says Salaam to his holiness and all Muslims of the world say “Salaam to you, prophet…”, they all say Salaam to a hallucinatory existence?
Third:
Don’t you believe that people should talk whispery in Mosque of Prophet (s.a.) and near his sanctuary tomb because Qur'an says: “People who believe! Do not raise your voices above the voice of Prophet…“
and you made this verse a sign and you have hanged it near the tomb of holy Prophet (s.a.)?
How can we accept these antithetical expressions?!
Fourth:
Death is not the end of life but secondary birth and expanse of life, “People are asleep and they wake up when they died”.
Fifth:
In a famous Hadith which quoted in reliable resources of Ahl -e- Sonnat we read: “Anyone who pilgrimage my tomb, my intercession for him/her is vested”.
In another Hadith by that teller from holy Prophet we read: “Anyone who pilgrimages me after my demise, it is like that he/she had pilgrimaged me in my living time.”
Therefore the difference between the living time and after death time is nothing more than a hallucination.
Moreover we recognize from these Ahadith that preparing to travel for pilgrimage of tomb of Prophet (s.a.) in Medina has no problem at all.
Women and Pilgrimage of Tombs
Because of their more sensuality, women seems to have more need of pilgrimage of tombs of their dear ones for solacement, and experiences show that they also have more passion for pilgrimage of tombs of maintainers of Islam (Awliya Allah).
But unfortunately extremist Wahhabi group, because of a doubtful Hadith, abstain women hardly from pilgrimage of these tombs and even in commons language of them in south part of Iran, it is said that if a woman goes beside a tomb, then that dead person sees her totally naked!
A scholar was saying that I told them: Tomb of Prophet (s.a.) and the first and the second leader were in house of Ayesha and she lived there for a period of time or had resort there, we assume that her nudity had no problem for Prophet (s.a.), but what about the first and the second leader?
By the way their proof is a famous Hadith that they refer to holy Prophet (s.a.) which is: “May Allah damn women who pilgrimage the tombs”.
And in some books it has been quoted with phrase “extra pilgrim women” in change and this points to women who pilgrimage a lot.
Some Sonni scholars like Tirmizi
say that: This Hadith is for the time that Prophet (s.a.) banned from doing this, but later he transformed the order and said: …
Some other scholars of them said that: This is for women who waste lots of time for pilgrimage of tombs and didn’t pay attention to their husbands, and the second version with “extra pilgrim women” is its proof.
If these brothers can deny anything, they cannot deny the act of Ayesha who tombs of the two first leaders were in her house.
Preparing to Travel for Pilgrimage Only for Three Mosques!
In Islam history it was for centuries that Muslims prepared to travel for pilgrimage of Prophet (s.a.) and tombs of superiors in Baqi cemetery and no body had problem.
Then Ibn Taimiyya appeared in seventh century. He banned his followers to do this and said: “Preparing to travel” for pilgrimage is allowed just for three mosques and others are prohibited, and referred to a Hadith from “Abu Harira”.
Abu Harira says that holy Prophet said: “Do not prepare for travel unless it is just for three mosques, my mosque and Masjid Alharaam and Masjid Alaghsaa”.
While first of all: The subject of this Hadith is related to mosques not for any place, therefore the meaning of Hadith is that Muslims should not prepare to travel for mosques other than those three.
Second:
This Hadith has been quoted in other way that has no relevance to their purpose which is: “Prepare to travel for three mosques”.
And actually this is an encouragement for the act, without any prohibition for other cases, and as a term in philosophy we know that proving a thing does not disproof the things that are not described.
And because it is not known that the main text of Hadith was as the first or the second way that quoted, therefore Hadith is inconclusive (Mujmal) and not arguable.
Maybe someone says that in another text from the same book is written: “Travel is allowed just for three mosques”.
Therefore preparing to travel is just allowed for three mosques!
The answer to this expression is also clear,First:
Religious and non religious travels are permitted according to common consensus and travel is not just limited to traveling to these three mosques, therefore this condition is so called “extra condition”, meaning that these are the mosques which can be Muslims prepare to travel to them among mosques.
Second:
The main text of Hadith is doubtful and it is not clear that it was as the first, the second or the third way that quoted and it is unlikely that Prophet (s.a.) has expressed a subject in three ways. It seems that tellers had quoted as meaning, therefore this Hadith is full of mists and a Hadith with ambiguous text is not reliable and is not arguable.
Is Building of Monuments Prohibited?
Centuries passed for Muslims and they built lots of historical and ordinary monuments over the tombs of superiors of Islam and they came for pilgrimage asking blessings and nobody animadvert these acts, and actually there was a consensus and practical method in doing this act and there seemed to be no opposition.
Historians like Mas’oodi in his book “Moravej Alzahab” who lived in forth Hejri century and globetrotters like Ibn Jubayr and Ibn Battuta who lived in seventh and eighth centuries, all have wrote in their itineraries about existence of these magnificent and great monuments.
Then Ibn Taimiyya in seventh century and his student Mohammad ibn Abdulwahhab in twelfth century appeared and assumed that building over tombs is heresy, Haraam and polytheism.
Because of their lack of scientific power and knowledge in analyzing Islamic issues especially the issue of monotheism and polytheism, Wahhabies are tangled hardly in this scrupulosity and anywhere they found a excuse arose opposing, in the issue of pilgrimage, the issue of intercession, about building monuments and issues like these, they knew all of them against religion someway and combined that with the issue of polytheism and heresy and oppose them which the most important issue among them was building monuments over the tombs of superiors of Islam. Also today in the world of Islam, except Hejaz, we can see magnificent monuments over the tombs of former prophets and superiors of Islam in various Islamic countries that reminds lots of matters; From Egypt to India and from Algeria to Indonesia all Muslims respect to their remained Islamic monuments and show especial importance to tombs of superiors of religion.
But there is no sign of these respects in Hejaz, why? Because of incorrect analyze of Islamic concepts and issues.
Destroying of Cultural Heritages by Wahhabies
A bitter incident happened in the past century in the land of Islam that deprived Muslims from Islamic monuments and effects forever and that incident was gaining power of Wahhabism.
About 80 years ago (year 1344 h.gh.) when Wahhabies gained power in Hejaz, they destroyed all historical Islamic monuments in excuse of polytheism or heresy in a coordinated and inexperienced action.
But they did not dare to go for sanctuary tomb of holy Prophet (s.a.), in order that may all Muslims arise against them and these “anti Taqiyya” people performed Taqiyya from other Muslims!
In some of my pilgrimage travels to Ka’ba I asked their leaders in friendly discussions, what is the reason that all tombs had destroyed except the holy tomb of prophet of Islam (s.a.)? They had no answer to that.
However, the life of nations has tied with lots of matters that one of them is protecting cultural, scientific and religious heritages. Unfortunately land of Islam especially Mecca and Medina moved under the power of a retarded, tactless and extremist group because of misplanning of Muslims, and most cultural heritages of Islam destroyed due to vain and extra baseless excuses, heritages that any of them were the reminder of an important part of glorious history of Islam.
Only tombs of Imams and superiors slept in Baqi were not destroyed, but this “nation” destroyed anywhere they found a valuable monument from history of Islam and in this way unrecoverable damages occurred to Muslims.
These Islamic monuments had an incredible attraction and brought human to the depths of history of Islam. Baqi cemetery which had someday a magnificent view and each corner of that was a reminder of an important historical event, nowadays has transformed to an ugly and bad viewed desert, among very luxurious hotels and glamorous buildings, which its jumbo iron doors open only one hour or two in a day for pilgrims and only for men!
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Pretexts
1- Tombs should not be Mosques!
Sometimes they say that building monuments over tombs caused worshiping of tombs and they know this Hadith from Prophet as their proof: “Allah damned Yahud, because they transformed tombs of their prophets to mosques.”
But it is clear to all Muslims that nobody worships tombs of Awliya Allah and there is a clear and explicit difference between “worship” and “pilgrimage”. We pilgrimage departed persons and respect to superiors of Islam and martyrs of the way of Islam and ask them to pray for us, as we do the same for living people and respect to elders and superiors and ask them to pray for us.
Does any wise person say that pilgrimage of superiors in their living time like said before is worship, infidelity and polytheism? Pilgrimage after the death is the same.
Prophet of Islam (s.a.) had been going for pilgrimage of tombs in Baqi and there are lots of cabbalas about pilgrimage of tomb of Prophet (s.a.) quoted in Sonni resources.
If Allah damned Yahud it was because that they made tombs of prophets as place of prostration, while no Muslim makes none of tombs as his/her prostration place.
It is interesting that the dome and monument of Prophet of Islam (s.a.) has raised to sky nowadays alongside the Masjid Alnabi and all Muslims, even Wahhabies, perform obligatory prayers in five times and Mustahab prayers in other times in the holy shrine (that place of Masjid Alnabi which is next to tomb of his holiness and connected to that), and at the end, pilgrimage the tomb of holy Prophet (s.a.).
Does this act consider as worshiping the tombs and is it Haraam? Or the sacred tomb of Prophet (s.a.) is an exception? Are proofs for polytheism and being Haraam of worshiping other than Allah excludable?!
Surely, pilgrimage of tombs has no relation to worshiping, and performing prayers beside the tomb of holy Prophet (s.a.) or other Awliya Allah has no problem and above Hadith is for those who really worship tombs.
People who are familiar with pilgrimage of tombs of Imams (a.s.) by Shiites of the world know that at the time of obligatory prayers when Muazzin starts Azaan, all Muslims stand faced to Qibla and perform prayers in groups (Jama’at) and at the beginning of pilgrimage first they say “Allah Akbar” (Allah is the greatest) hundred times and after the pilgrimage perform two Rak’at of Mustahab prayer faced to Qibla, in order that at the beginning and at the end cleared that worship is only for Allah.
But unfortunately accusation and trumping up, due to especial purposes, has begun and Wahhabi minority accuse their oppositions with difference accusations.
The best way of thinking of good purpose for their acts is to say that they are not able to analyze issues well and they did not understand the reality of monotheism and polytheism and they do not know the difference between pilgrimage and worship specifically, due to their lack of knowledge.
2- Another Pretext
They cited a Hadith that Abulhayyaj quoted from Prophet (s.a.): “Do I give a mission that Prophet of Allah (in …) gave me: Vanish any symbol (with soul) that you see and destroy any high tomb that you see”.
According to false comprehension that some people had from this Hadith, they picked mattock and destroyed all tombs of superiors of Islam, except that they leave holy tomb of Prophet (s.a.) and tombs of two first leaders which was beside tomb of Prophet (s.a.), exceptions that no reasons for them can be found.
ButFirst:
In the document of this Hadith there are persons who are reliable due to Rijal of Ahl -e- Sonnat too and some of them were from dissemblers, especially “Suffian Noori” and “Ibn Abi Sabet”.
Second:
Assuming that this Hadith is correct, it means that surface of tomb should be flat (not like the back of fish as it was the tradition of infidels), and lots of Faqihs of Ahl -e- Sonnat issued Fatwa that surface of tomb should be flat, which this matter does not relate to our issue.
Third:
We assume that the meaning of Hadith is that tomb should be at ground level and has no bulge, this matter does not relate to building over the tombs; We assume that there is a stone over the tomb of Prophet (s.a.) at ground level and while this dome and shrine which we see today had no contradiction to that order.
As we read in holy Qur'an when the secret of Kahf companions discovered, people said that we should build a monument over their tombs, and then Qur'an says: “People who know about their status said we build a mosque over their tombs”.
Holy Qur'an quoted this story with an agree tone and does not animadvert that, it means building mosques beside the tombs of superior is allowed.
Positive Results of Pilgrimage of Tombs of Superiors
Whenever people learn to abstain from any extremism and pray to Allah beside these sacred tombs and repent from their sins, and get inspiration from plans and thoughts of maintainers of Islam (Awliya Allah), surely their holy shrines will be the place for learning and educating and repent to Allah and purifying the souls.
We understood by experience that millions of people who pilgrimage pure tombs of Imams or tombs of martyrs of Islam, return from their tombs with better esprit and more purity of heart and results of this remains in them for times.
And when they ask superiors for intercession and request them to pray for solving their religious and secular problems, they have to abstain more from their sins as they can and go through good and purity for connecting with those sacred ones.
Moreover, this attention and recourse (Tawassul) to them and asking intercession from them in presence of Allah, made these people strong in confronting with problems, prevent disappointment and reduce their chagrins and aliments and lots of other benefits and blessings.
Why we deprive people from all these spiritual and physical benefits and blessings due to our false comprehension in pilgrimage, intercession and recourse issue?
Which wisdom permits this act?
Preventing these spiritual travels brings lots of damages, such a regret that senseless scrupulosity in the issue of monotheism and polytheism had deprived a huge group from these benefits.
3- Requesting Blessings (Tabarrok) is Prohibited
Another pretext: People who go for pilgrimage of tombs of superiors request blessings from them and sometimes kiss the tomb of shrine and this seems like polytheism, and according to this, pilgrims of Ka’ba had seen that hard and severe agents standing aware around the holy tomb of Prophet (s.a.) and prevent people to reach graters and windows overlooking the tomb and sometimes ascribe this act to “Ibn Taimiyya” and “Mohammad ibn Abdulwahhab”.
If these persons who are founders of Wahhabism were living at the time of Prophet of Islam (s.a.) and saw with their own eyes that during Hudaibiyya peace or conquer of Mecca when his holiness was performing ablution for prayer, and friends and companion were passing each other to gain the water of his ablution dropping from his hands in order that does not fall on the ground
, surely even they did not say anything but animadvert him in their minds that: This is not proper for the rank of Prophet (s.a.) and his friends and it seems like polytheism!
And if after the departure of Prophet of Allah (s.a.) they were in Medina and they saw with their own eyes that Abu Ayyub Ansari, the first host of his holiness, had put his face on tomb of his holiness requesting blessing from him
or Bilal, Muazzin of Prophet (s.a.), had sit beside his tomb crying and rubbing his face on the tomb
, Wahhabies took Bilal and Abu Ayyub and threw them aside that this is polytheism, the same act that followers of this sect are doing to pilgrims of tombs of Prophet of Allah.
While requesting blessings has no relation to worshiping, but it means a kinds of respect accompany with politesse, in hope that Allah who has send this Prophet descend his blessings to this pilgrim for his/her respect.
The Great Duty of Scholars of Islam
Since sometimes acts of some commons give pretexts to oppositions, it is admirable that all Faqihs and scholars of Islam prevent unconsidered acts of some commons beside tomb of Prophet (s.a.) or Imams in Baqi or other Imams and tombs of martyrs and superiors of Islam, and learn them the real meaning of pilgrimage, recourse (Tawassul) and requesting Blessings (Tabarrok) and intercession (Shefa’at).
They should tell everyone that all things are happening by Allah’s will and he is the cause of causes, acceptant of needs, resolver of plights and adequate of tasks, and if we recourse to Prophet (s.a.) and Imams they can do a job by asking Allah’s permission and by requesting assistance from his pure essence or intercede in the presence of Allah and ask him to answer a need.
Prostration of some commons in front of these sacred tombs, saying expressions that seem ascribing divinity and godhood to them, to tie something to their shrine and like these, all are abominable and troublemaking acts and alter the feature of a positive and educative act (pilgrimage), and give pretext to others to deprive people from benefits and blessings of pilgrimage.
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Author: Ayatullah Makarim Shirazi
