Visiting Graves: Difference between revisions

* '''Visiting the grave of the Prophet (s):''' [[Sura al-Nisa']], verse 64. According to verses and hadiths, believers can repent to [[God]] near the grave of the Prophet (s); they consider no difference between the time the Prophet (s) was alive and when he (s) is dead regarding the application of the verse; the same way they respect the manners of communicating with the Prophet (s) both during his life and after his demise, such as not raising one's voice beside his grave. The verb "Ja'uk" (Arabic: {{ia|جاءوك}}) in the verse is mentioned in conditional form which is a sign of generality in meaning and therefore covers both the time of the Prophet (s) and after his demise.

* '''Visiting the graves of great religious personalities:''' In [[Sura al-Hajj]], verse 32, those who have mentioned this verse for the legitimacy of visiting graves, consider visiting the graves of great religious personalities a sign of the [[taqwa]] of the heart and thus, they have considered any religious sign, a cause of becoming close to God. [[Fadil Miqdad]] was among the first people who considered visiting the graves of the Prophet (s) and [[Imams (a)]] among Islamic sacraments.

* '''Visiting the graves of believers:''' [[Sura al-Tawba]], verse 84. According to this verse, the Prophet (s) was ordered not to pray upon the bodies of [[hypocrisy|hypocrite]]s or stand beside their graves. Many scholars of [[fiqh]] including Fadil Miqdad, [[Abu l-Futuh al-Husayni al-Jurjani]] and [[Ja'far Subhani]] relied on the meaning of this verse and emphasized that doing both actions is good to be done for those who are not hypocrites. According to some [[exegete]]s, this verse shows the conduct of Muslims and the action of the Prophet (s); for if the Prophet (s) did not do those actions for believers, prohibiting him from doing them about hypocrites would not sound right.

===Speeches, Actions, and Approvals of Imams (a) ===

According to Islamic hadiths, the noble [[Prophet (s)]] not only advised [[Companions of the Prophet (s)|his companions]] to visit the graves, but he (s) himself visited graves. In ''[[Sahih Muslim]]'', it is quoted from [[Aisha]] that in the last part of the night, the Prophet (s) left the house to visit [[al-Baqi' cemetery]] and spoke with dwellers of graves.

While after the primary prohibition of visiting the graves in early [[Islam]], the noble Prophet (s) ordered to visit the graves. There are many reports mentioned in historical and [[hadith]] books, that the Prophet (s) went to al-Baqi' cemetery, the grave of [[Amina bt. Wahb|his mother]], and also the graves of [[martyr]]s.

In sayings quoted from Imams (a), visiting graves has been frequently advised and there are many reports about their conducts in this regard that removed any doubts or questions of scholars of fiqh about legitimacy, permission, and recommendation of visiting graves.

There are many books written with the title ''[[Al-Mazar (disambiguation)|al-Mazar]]'' or ''[[Al-Ziyarat (disambiguation)|al-Ziyarat]]'' which have collected the speeches, practices and tradition of the [[Infallible Ones (a)]] regarding visiting graves. [[Ibn Qulawayh al-Qummi]], [[al-Shaykh al-Mufid]], [[al-Sayyid b. Tawus]], and [[al-Shahid al-Awwal]] are some of the authors of such works.

To prove the legitimacy of visiting graves and to answer the questions of Sunni scholars in their works, Shi'a scholars in [[theology]] such as al-Shaykh al-Mufid, [[al-Sayyid Muhsin al-Amin]], [[al-'Allama al-Amini]], Ja'far Subhani, and [[Sayyid Hasan Tahiri Khurramabadi]] have referred to the conduct of the Infallible Ones (a). They also have quoted from some Sunni works including ''Sahih Muslim'' which contain hadiths about merits of visiting graves.

Shi'a and Sunni scholars have referred to the many verses and hadiths about visiting graves some of which refer to visiting graves in general and some others are special to visiting the grave of the Prophet (s).

In ''Ittifaq al-a'imma'', Ibn Hubayra (b. 499/1105-6, d. 560/1165), the Hanbali [[faqih]], has said that [[Malik b. Anas|Malik]], [[Muhammad b. Idris al-Shafi'i|al-Shafi'i]], [[Abu Hanifa]], and [[Ahmad b. Hanbal]] considered visiting the grave of the Prophet (s) recommended.

The Hanbali scholar, Shams al-Din b. 'Abd al-Wahid al-Muqaddasi (d. 663/1264-65) mentioned some hadiths and said that Muslims visited all places in all times and recited the [[Qur'an]] for the dead ones. He considered this tradition agreed by all and said that no one rejected it. Two of the hadiths he has referred to are:  

* One who enters tombs and recites chapters of Fatihat al-Kitab, [[Sura al-Ikhlas|al-Ikhlas]] and [[Sura al-Takathur|al-Takathur]] and then prays, 'I dedicated what I recited from Your word to believing men and women dwellers of the graves.' They will [[Shafa'a |intercede]] for him before the Almighty [[God]]."

Muhy al-Din al-Nawawi (d. 676/1277), the Shafi'i commentator and faqih, considered Shafi'i followers and companions agreeing that visiting graves is recommended for men. In addition to the agreement of Muslims, he considered authentic famous hadiths, a reason for this recommendation as well.

Sayyid Muhammad Amin known as Ibn 'Abidin (d. 1252/1836), among Hanafi scholars of 13th/19th century, regarded visiting graves recommended every week.

One of the functions of visiting graves in Islamic culture is remembering death and being aware about the shortness of life. In ''[[Risala fi ma'na al-ziyara|Ma'na al-ziyarah]]'', [[Ibn Sina]]  (b. [[370]]/980, d. [[428]]/1037) mentioned that visiting graves prevents from being drowned in worldly issues and it is a cause of return to God.

[[Fakhr al-Razi]] (b. [[544]]/1149, [[606]]/1209-10), the Sunni scholar in [[fiqh]], [[theology]] and commentator of the Qur'an has mentioned several benefits for visiting graves and believes that wise people benefit from visiting graves.

Even though visiting graves in Islamic culture was not well cared about during the time of [[Sahaba]] (the companions), but at the time of the [[Tabi'un]] (the followers), it was gradually spread. Muhammad b. Ibrahim al-Taymi and 'Abd Allah b. Burayda were followers who helped spreading the culture of visiting graves through quoting hadiths from the [[Prophet (s)]] about it.

However, people such as 'Amir b. Sharahil al-Sha'bi and Ibrahim al-Nakha'i disapproved of visiting graves and even considered it a cursed action. According to some reports, also [[al-Hasan al-Muthanna]], a descendant of [[Imam al-Hasan (a)]] was against visiting graves.

According to Shi'a [[hadith]]s, dead ones get familiar to the visitors of their graves and miss them if they do not visit for long. In some other hadiths, it is mentioned that dead ones come to visit their living relatives and friends and they will be pleased if those who are alive, have good actions and they will be sad if those relatives and friends, have bad actions. From the documents left from 4th/10th century, it can be learned that over time, visiting graves was not abandoned and even grew and became a common practice.

Mystics and [[Sufi]]s, whether [[Shi'a]] or Sunni, consider visiting graves a part of journey toward God and have explained the reasons for legitimacy of visiting graves in their works. Visiting the grave of their [[Shaykh (sufism)|Shaykh]] and staying there, is among the manners  of disciples and believers in him. In ''Nafahat al-uns'', 'Abd al-Rahman Jami lists the graves of Sunni Sufis whose tombs are places people visit to be [[Tabarruk|blessed]] by them, such as [[Ma'ruf Karkhi]] (d. [[200]]/815-16) in [[Baghdad]], Ibrahim Satanba al-Harawi (alive in 2nd/[[8th century]]) in Qazvin and al-shaykh Baha' al-Din 'Umar (d. [[857]]/1453) in Jaghara, [[Herat]].

Graves of Hujwiri in [[Lahore]], Nizam al-Din Awliya' in [[Delhi]] and Gisu Daraz in Golbarge of [[Hyderabad Dakan]] are some Sufi graves, Hindus as well as Muslim visit. Mausoleums in Africa have been burial places for Sufi leaders and have a place for [[worshipping]] and places for [[reciting the Qur'an]] and staying of visitors which are called Zawiya. Some of these graves in Africa were the graves of women who were taught in these Zawiyas and reached high positions. There are graves of the relatives of the [[Ahl al-Bayt (a)]] and great Shi'a personalities in [[Egypt]] which have been the centers for holding Sufi rituals. Since the end of 13th/19th century and during 14th/20th century, the most important Sufi ritual in Egypt was celebrating the birthdays of the Prophet (s), the Ahl al-Bayt (a) and religious leaders near the graves and in the [[mosque]]s.

About visiting graves, the supreme commission of fatwa in [[Saudi Arabia]] which is the highest religious position in this country and follows the views of Ibn Taymiyya and [[Muhammad b. 'Abd al-Wahhab]] has declared that travelling to [[Medina]] to visit the grave of the Prophet (s) is not [[permissible]] and if someone travels to Medina for work such as business, seek knowledge, etc. can also visit the grave of the Prophet (s) with some conditions. For this ruling, they have referred to the [[hadith of shadd al-rihal]]. In this ruling, also asking and making entreaty to the Prophet (s) after [[Demise of the Prophet (s)|his demise]] is considered like asking and making entreaty to other dead people and regarded an act of greater polytheism.

Opposite to the majority of Muslims, a small group have used hadith of shadd al-rihal to declare travelling to visit the graves of the Prophets (s), [[Imams (a)]] and great people, [[forbidden]], [[reprehensible]] or lacking religious justifications. The text of this hadith mentioned in [[Sunni]] sources such as ''[[Sahih al-Bukhari]]'', ''[[Sahih Muslim]]'', ''[[Sunan Ibn Maja]]'' and other sources is, "no journey is to be made other than to three mosques: [[Masjid al-Haram]], [[Al-Masjid al-Nabawi|my mosque]], or [[Masjid al-Aqsa]]."