The condemnation of the One who worships Allah at the Grave of a Righteous Man

In the Sahih (i.e. Al-Bukhari and Muslim), 'Aishah (May Allah be pleased with her) reported:

"Umm Salamah mentioned to Allah's Messenger (May the peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) that in Abyssinia she saw a church full of pictures and statues. He (May the peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) said: "When a righteous man or pious worshipper among them dies they build a place of worship over his grave and set up all kinds of pictures and statues. They are the worst of all creatures before Allah. They combine the two evils; worshipping at the graves and-making graven images and statues."

Also in Al-Bukhari and Muslim it is reported that `Aishah (May Allah be pleased with her) narrated:

When the death approached Allah's Messenger (May the peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) he began to draw a piece of cloth (bed sheet) over his face, (sometimes covering and sometimes removing because of distress), he (May the peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) said in this state: "Allah's curse be upon the Jews and the Christians for taking the graves of their Prophets as places of worship." Thus he (May the peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) warned the people about their actions.

Had there not been any fear of making the Prophet's grave a place of worship, his (May the peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) grave would have been as open as the graves of his Companions (May Allah be pleased with him).

Muslim reported from Jundub bin Abdullah (May Allah be pleased with him) who narrated:

I heard the Prophet (May the peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) say only five days before his death: "I am free and clear towards Allah of having any of you as my Khalil (especially close friend). Verily, Allah has taken me as His Khalil just as He had taken Ibrahim (May Allah be pleased with him) as a Khalil. If I would have taken anyone from my Ummah as a Khalil, I would have taken Abu Bakr (May Allah be pleased with him) as a Khalil. Beware! Those who proceeded before you, used to make their Prophets' graves into places of worship. Beware! Don't take (any) graves as places of worship. I forbid you to do so."

He (May the peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) forbade this at the end of his life.

After this [forbidding of taking graves as Masjid (place of worship)], he cursed anyone who did any such deed within this context.

Prayer at the graves is one of these deeds, even if no Masjid has been built. This is the meaning of his (May the peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) words "He feared (his grave) would be taken as a Masjid".

The Companions never built any place of worship around his grave. Any place which is intended for prayer or where prayer is performed has indeed been taken as a Masjid. Just as the Prophet (May the peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) said:

"The whole earth has been made for me a Masjid and it is pure and clean." Ahmad has reported with a good Sanad that Ibn Mas'ud (May Allah be pleased with him) narrated in a Marfu' Hadith (tradition traced to the Prophet (May the peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) himself):

"The most evil men are those upon whom the (signs of) Hour (of Resurrection) comes while they are still alive, and those who take graves as places of worship (Masjid)". [This tradition was also reported by Abu Hatim in his Sahih.]

Important issues of the Chapter

1) The intimidation of Allah's Messenger (May the peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) over the one who builds a mosque to worship Allah near the grave of a righteous person even with good intention.

2) Prohibition of statues and likenesses and the gravity of the matter.

3) A lesson in the emphasis of the Prophet (May the peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) on this. How he first explained and clarified the issue (politely), then five days before his death saying what he said, then how he found at the time of his death what was previously said insufficient in the context.

4) Prophet (May the peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) strongly prohibited the turning of his grave into a Masjid before it had come into existence.

5) It was the practice of the Jews & Christians to turn the graves of their Prophets into places of worship.

6) His curse on the Jews and Christians for this practice.

7) His intention in doing so was a warning to us regarding his grave.

8) The reason for not raising his grave.

9) The meaning of taking them (graves) as Masjid.

10) The Prophet (May the peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) linked those who took the graves as Masjid to those upon whom the Hour will occur. He mentioned the means to Shirk before its actual occurrence along with its final consequence.

11) The mentioning of Prophet (May the peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) in his speech a refutation of the two worst sects of innovators just five days prior to his death. Some scholars have not included these two sects in the 72[1] sects. These two sects are Rafidah[2] and Jahmiyah[3]. The occurrence of Shirk and grave worshipping was due to Rafidah sect, and they were the first to build Masjid over the graves.

12) Suffering of the Prophet (May the peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) with pains and affliction from the agony of death.

13) Allah awarded the favour of making him a Khalil (friend).

14) A clear declaration that close friendship is more valuable than love.

15) A clear declaration that As-Siddiq (Abu Bakr) (May Allah be pleased with him) was the best of the Companions. ..........

16) The indication to him (Abu Bakr) as Caliph (successor to the Prophet (May the peace and blessing of Allah be upon him).