Visiting Graves: Difference between revisions

Relying on the [[narration of shadd al-rihal]], [[Ibn Taymiyya]] considered legitimate [[Visit|visiting]] limited to saying [[greeting]]s upon visit and [[praying]] for the dead one and regarded other practices such as travelling for visiting graves an [[innovation]] and an act of [[polytheism]]. Many Shi'a and Sunni scholars have rejected the views of Ibn Taymiyya in their works and have considered the narration of shadd al-rihal referring to the great merits of visiting the three [[mosque]]s mentioned in the narration.

* '''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.

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.

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.

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.

* "Anyone who passes by the graves and recites [[Sura al-Tawhid]] 11 times and dedicates its rewards to the dead ones, he will be granted rewards by the number of them."

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.

[[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.

[[Ibn Taymiyya]] (b. [[661]]/1263 – [[707]]/1328) was among the first people who issued the prohibition of travelling for visiting the grave of the Prophet (s), [[supplication]] and asking requests near the grave of the Prophet (s). He claimed that anyone who travels to visit the grave of the Prophet (s) opposes the [[consensus of Muslims]] and leaves the religion of the Prophet (s). He also claimed that all Muslims prohibit touching, kissing and putting the face on the grave and none of great people in early [[Islam]] did such actions. He considered it an act of [[polytheism]].

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]]."

"Travelling to visit the graves of the Prophets (s) and the righteous is not permissible, due to the Prophetic hadith mentioned in [[َAl-Sahihan|Sahihayn]] saying, 'no journey is made other than to three mosques: Masjid al-Haram, my mosque or Masjid al-Aqsa.'; and all scholars agree upon the correctness of this hadith and the necessity of following it."

* The material for this article is mainly taken from [[:fa:زیارت قبور|{{ia|زیارت قبور}}]] in Farsi Wikishia.