Grave-Worship

Grave-Worship

This is the belief that dead awliaa` ( saints ) can fulfill one`s needs or help at times of distress , so they call upon them for aids . Allah says
:
" And your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him "

[ Surah al-Israa` (17 ) : 23 ]

Similarly , they call upon dead Prophets , righteous people and others to intercede for them or to rescue them from some calamity , but Allah says
:
"

Is not He ( better than your gods ) Who responds to the distressed one , when he calls Him , and Who removes the evil , and makes you inheritors of the earth , generations after generations ? Is there any ilaah ( god ) with Allah

?
"
[ Surah an-Naml ( 27 ) : 62 ]

Some of them have adopted the habit of of mentioning the name of a shaykh or wali / saint / when they stand up , sit down , stumble , encounter problems or distress . So one might say , for example : " O Mohammad ! " or : " O Ali ! " or : " O Hussayn ! " while another may say : " O Badawi ! " or : " O Jeelaani ! " or : " O Shaadhili ! " or : " O Rifaa`i ! " . They may call upon al-Aydaroos or Sayyidah Zaynab or Ibn Alwaan . Allah says
:
" Verily those whome you call upon besides Allah are slaves like you ….. "

[ Surah al-A`RAAF ( 7 ) : 194 ]

Some of those who worship graves walk around them as if in Tawaaf , and touch their corners [ as is done at the Ka`bah ] , or touch them , kiss them , wipe their faces with its dust , prostrate towards them when they see them , or stand before them in fear and humility , praying for whatever they need of healing from disease , or for a child , or for help with some difficulty . Sometimes they call upon the occupant of the grave , saying : " O my master , I have come to you from far away , so do not let me down . " But Allah says
:
"
" And who is more astray than one who calls ( invokes ) besides Allah such as will not answer him till the Day of Resurrection , and who are ( even ) unaware of their calls ( invocations ) to them
" ?
[ Surah al-Ahqaaf ( 46 ) : 5 ]

The Prophet said : " Whoever dies calling on someone else as a rival to Allah will enter Hell
. "
Reported by al-Bukhaari , al-Fat`h , 8/176

Some of them shave their heads at the graves , and some have books with titles like Manaasik Hajj al-Mashaahid ( " The Rituals of Pilgrimage to Shrines " ) , and what they mean by mashaahid are the graves and tombs of awliyaa` . Some of them believe that awliyaa` are running the affairs of the universe and that they have the power to benefit or harm . Allah says
:
"
And if Allah touches you with hurt , there is none who can remove it but He ; and if He intends any good for you , there is no one who can repel His Favor
....."

[ Surat Yoonus ( 10 ) : 107 ]

It is also shirk to make a vow to any other than Allah , as is done by those who vow to bring candles or lights for the occupants of the graves
.
**********
ترجمة الموضوع للعربية هنا :
The translation into Arabic is here
:

http://www.al-shaaba.net/vb/editpost...tpost&p=147729