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QUESTION 1:
What do the Qur'an and Sunnah say concerning the visitation of graves, the spiritual life and awareness of the dead, and the presence of Baraka (grace) and Nur (light) at the graves of the pious ones among Allah's (swt) servants?
ANSWER:
Visiting graves
Firstly, Allah (swt) says in the Holy Qur'an about the qabr of the munafiq (hypocrite): "do not stand at his grave" ( Wa la Taqum ala Qabrihi ). From this the `Ulama have deduced that we should visit the graves of the mu'minin, i.e. our Muslim brothers and sisters.. Also, it is narrated in Sahih Muslim, Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud, Nasai and Musnad Ahmad (Bab al-Jana'iz) that Nabi Muhammad (s) said:
"I had previously forbidden you to visit graves, but I now permit you to visit them, for it will remind you of the Akhira." Even the Nabi Muhammad (s) used to visit the graves of his companions who had passed away at that time. It is narrated in the six authentic compilations of Hadith that the Nabi Muhammad (s) used to regularly visit the graveyard of Madinah, Jannatul-Baqi and make Du`a there (Muslim and Tirmidhi). Al-Bayhaqi, narrates that he used to visit the graveyard of the martyrs of Uhud annually (Ala r'a s kulli Hawl). So, besides merely visiting the graves, in some cases, the Nabi Muhammad (s), also did so at specific periodic intervals, e.g. annual commemoration, for visiting certain graves, as is the custom of many Muslims all over the world today. We also know that the Nabi Muhammad (s) visited the Jannat al-Mua'lla graveyard in Makkah, where his dear wife Sayyidah Khadijah is buried and called the whole place a blessed graveyard "Ni'm al-Maqbarah Hazihi" (contrary to Shaykh Gamieldien's claim that he did not give any importance to his wife's grave). Narrated by alBazzar. Imam Muslim narrates that the Prophet (s) even visited his honourable mother's grave, which is in a place between Makkah and Madinah. He cried there and made everybody else also cry. We also ask, why was the Jannatul Baqi` in Madinah made the holiest graveyard on earth as in the Sahih AHadith? Precisely because of the Holy people who were going to be buried there, a fact which clearly shows that not all graves and graveyards are the same in status and Darajah (level), according to the Shariah. Those graveyards in which Holy people are buried are definitely higher in Status and Baraka, otherwise, why visit Jannat ul-Baq`i and Jannat ul-Mu`alla in Madinah and Makkah? Bayhaqi narrates in Shu'ab al-Iman that the Prophet (s) said: "Whoever visits the grave of his parents or the grave of one of them, every Friday, he will be forgiven and his name will be written among the pious ones"(Man zaara qabra abawayhi au ahadihima fi kulli Jum'ah, ghufira lahu wa kutiba barran). If visiting the graves of one's parents can result in such a blessing, what about visiting the graves of the esteemed friends of Allah (swt)? We ask, when the Prophet of Islam (s) has encouraged us to visit graves regularly and considered it a cause for Maghfirah, then how can anyone ever condemn it? It is narrated in Sharhus Sudoor by al-Imam al-Suyuti that Nabi Muhammad (s) said that when you visit the graveyard, you should read Suratul-Ikhlas, Suratut-Takathur and Suratul-Fatiha, and present the reward of the recitations as a gift to the inhabitants of the graves. Nabi Muhammad (s) explains that these souls will then make du'a for you, asking Allah (swt) to forgive you and bless you. So this then is a command of the Nabi Muhammad (s). We learn from this Hadith that the souls of the departed have the ability to make Du'a for the living, asking Allah (swt) to help the living who are visiting them. In another Hadith in (Kanzul Ummal by al-Imam al-Muttaqi) it is narrated by Sayyidina 'Ali (r) that the Nabi Muhammad (s) said: "Whoever goes to a graveyard or passes by a graveyard and recites surat al-Ikhlas eleven times and gives the thawab (reward) of the recital to the dead buried there, will receive the same thawab for it as the dead people.
In fact the Nabi Muhammad (s) is encouraging us to recite surat al-Ikhlas and present the thawab of it as a gift to the dead when we visit them. Today, some people are saying that making Dhikr at the graves is Bid`a!!! They must go and study Hadith.
Yet many people today want to deny the life of the Prophet (s) who is in fact the Imam of all those prophets (as), saying that the Nabi Muhammad (s) is dead and cannot go from place to place, that he is finished and has no awareness, A'udhu billah. May Allah (swt) protect us from such blasphemy. We all know about the incident of Mi'raj and the reason why Masjidul Aqsa is so dear to us and so holy is because the Prophet (s) prayed there with all the Nabis. If we say that they never prayed there, then why is it so dear to us? What then is the significance of Aqsa? We also know that Sayyidina Musa (as) benefitted us on that night because Allah (swt) had made fifty Prayers fard on us. But, through the intermediary action of Musa (as) this number was reduced to five times daily. What a great help is this to the Ummah of Muhammad (s). There are so many people having problems performing only the five daily prayers, how much more difficult would not 50 have been? Allah's (swt) mercy upon us is indeed great. But what is astonishing about this incident is that Musa (as) had passed away 4,000 years before that night of Mi'raj, yet there he was, acting as an intermediary for the Ummah of the Nabi Muhammad (s). If this is the ability of Musa (as), what about the best of creation, the Imam of prophets, our own Nabi Muhammad (s)? Can the Nabi Muhammad (s) not help us today if Sayyidina Musa (as) could help us then?
This proves that an ordinary man is able to recite Qur'an in his qabr and a normal living man is able to hear him. Thus if a truthful person claims that he has been spoken to by a wali at the wali's qabr it most likely is true, and most importantly, possible.. This fact is grounded in the above Hadith. Another sahih Hadith is interpreted by Ibn Taymiyah, who is called Shaykhul Islam by his followers. We note that most of his followers claim that the dead have no perception or power after their demise - an Atheistic Materialistic view of death. However Ibn Taymiyah narrates in his Fatawa (vol.24 p.331) that Nabi Muhammad (s) said that "When one passes by the grave of his mu'min brother who he had known in the dunya, and stands at the qabr and says, `Assalamu `alaykum', the person in the qabr will know him and also return his greeting"(yarifuhu wa yarudda alayihi as salaam)". This shows that the dead have awareness and are able to invoke Du`a for the living, as the Islamic greeting is a Du`a.
Do we want to follow the great giants of Islamic knowledge or modern day dwarfs? Abu Dawud narrates that Aisha (r) said that when Najashi (the pious King of Abyssinia) had passed away, the Sahabah reported that there was LIGHT shining from his grave (yura ala qabrihi Nur). He was not even a Sahabi but it was believed that he was a Wali. Thus, if the Sahabah believed that the Awliya can have nur (light) and blessings at their Qubur, it does not matter what any 21st-Century `scholar' says.
Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal narrates that before Sayyidina Umar (r) was buried in her room, Sayyidah Aisha (r) would go their without Hijab, as the Nabi 14.0pt">(s) and Sayyidina Abu Bakr (r), who were buried there were her Husband and Father. However, when Sayyidina Umar got buried there, she would only go in the room with Hijab. (check al-Mishkat: Bab ziyarat al-Qubur). This action clearly shows that according to Sayyidah Aisha, the dead can feel and see their visitors and are aware of those who come to them and How they come to them. . It is narrated in a Sahih Hadith that Nabi Muhammad (s) said that every person's grave will be either a garden from the gardens of Paradise or a hole from the holes of hell (rawda mim riyad al-Jannah aw Hufrah min Hufar an naar) If the qabr of a normal mu'min is a garden of paradise, what about the Qubur of the Awliya of Allah (swt). Are they not from the Jannah?, if yes, then only a fool can claim that there is no Baraka there.
Imam Shafi`i seeks Baraka from the Tomb of Imam Abu Hanifa
The people of Cape Town are Shafi`i. We say that when Imam Shafi`i was in Baghdad, whenever he would have a problem, he would visit the TOMB of Imam Abu Hanifah , pray two Rakahs there and ask Allah (swt) through the Baraka of Imam Abu Hanifah, and his problem would be immediately be solved. He would also make those two Rakahs according to the Hanafi Mazhab. When asked why, he replied : "In respect of the person in the Tomb (i.e. Abu Hanifah)" (ta'adduban ma'a sahib al-Qabr). This Authentic story is narrated by the Great Shafi`i scholar Imam Ibn Hajar al-Makki in in his Book called "alKhairat al-Hisan fi manaqib al-imam Abu Hanifah al-Numan". And also by the great Hanafi scholar Ibn Abidin Shami in the introduction of his massive work called Rad al-Muhtar. We ask, was Imam Shafi`i making Shirk, and are these great Ulama who narrated this incident also encouraging Shirk? Na'udhu billah min dhalik.
Summary
The people in the Qubur have awareness about what is happening outside. Some dead are actually praying or making Du`ah in their Qubur. There is Baraka at the Qubur of the Awliya. It is Sunnah to ask the pious to make du`a for you. It is absurd to say that one may ask the living pious for du`a but once they have passed away it is Shirk to ask du`a, as they are still alive in their Qubur.Or do they say that Shirk is allowed with and a living person and not allowed with a dead person.
QUESTION 2:
Is it true that Sayiddina Umar (r) chopped down the tree when he saw people praying there to attain the Baraka of Nabi Muhammad (s). (It was believed that special Bay`ah was taken at this tree.)? Mr.Gamieldien uses this to show that the Sahabah did not believe in the Baraka of Sayyidina wa Mawlana Rasul Allah (s):
It is narrated that when Nabi Muhammad (s) was in Hudaybia he gave bay'a to some people under a tree. The incident was known as bay'atur Ridwan. The tree became famous when Allah (swt) mentioned it in the Qur'an (48:18) saying : (laqad radiy Allahu anil muminina iz. Yubayi-oonaka tahta ash shajarah) "Verily Allah (swt) is pleased with those believers who gave Bayah to you under the tree".
ANSWER:
In the time of Sayyidina Umar (r) people went to pray at this tree to receive the Baraka of Nabi Muhammad (s). Then, Sayyidina Umar went and chopped down the tree. Faiek Gamieldien uses this Hadith, wrongly, to prove that praying under the blessed tree was Shirk. Also, to search for Tabarruk and blessings of Nabi Muhammad (s) and pious people is Shirk and it is for this reason that Sayyidina Umar chopped the tree down. This is a great lie and some people fabricate this to suit their own ideas and Sayyidina Umar (r) did chop the tree down, because he thought the people praying there were mushriks. That kind of a silly thought did not even occur his mind. This incident -as recorded in Sahih Bukhari (Kitab al-Maghazi) and Muslim (Kitab al-Imamah) - took place because there was controversy over which tree was the one where ba'yah was taken and reliable sources from amongst the Sahabah held that that tree was definitely the wrong tree and the original tree could no longer be located and had vanished . Ibn Umar (who was present in the Bayah under the tree) said no one could locate the tree after that year. (Bukhari). The tree that the Tabi'een were visiting at the Hudaybiyyah , in the the time of Sayyidina Umar was not the real one, but it was in the same valley where the real one was. Hence, the real reason Umar had the tree chopped down (because it was wrongly attributed to the Prophet (s). In fact, the mysterious vanishing of the real tree by Allah (swt) shows how important it was.
Sahaba's Respect for the Person and Relics of the Prophet (s)
QUESTION:
What were the true views of Sayyidina Umar (r) and other Sahaba regarding Tabarruk (seeking Baraka with the Nabi Muhammad (s) ?
ANSWER:
We ask, why did Sayyidina Abu Bakr as well as Sayyidina Umar requested to be buried next to the qabr of Nabi Muhammad (s) in his house, while everybody in Madinah gets buried in the Jannatul Baqi`?. Because they knew that there was Baraka at his Qabr and they wanted it. Sayyidina Umar's respect for the relics and things of the Nabi (s) can be ascertained from the following incident narrated in Kanzul Ummal(vol.7 p.66) and Ibn Qudamah (al-Mughni vol.4 p.554):
Once while going to the Mosque to lead the Jumu`ah Salat, Umar passed by a canal (Mizab), which was in the way, and the dirty water from the canal messed up his clean clothes. He got angry and took the canal out of the way, went back home, dressed up again and went to Mosque. In the Mosque, the Prophets (s) uncle Sayyidina Abbas (r) confronted him and said: "that canal was put there by the Messenger of Allah (s), as I saw with my own eyes". When Sayyidina Umar heard that, he immediately left the Mosque with Abbas and went where that canal was, bent himself like in Ruku (bowing) and said to Abbas: " uncle of the Messenger of Allah (s), climb on my back and put the canal back where Allah's Messenger put it". THIS WAS THE LOVE AND RESPECT OUR MASTER UMAR HAD FOR THE THINGS RELATED TO THE MASTER OF ALL BELIEVERS, SAYYIDINA MUHAMMAD (s). THOSE WITH NO LOVE IN THEIR HEARTS CAN SAY AND DO WHAT THEY WANT. Today some people call it `Shirk'. May Allah (swt) Guide them to the Baraka of his Prophet (s). It is narrated in Sahih Bukhari (Kitab al-Libas) that Nabi Muhammad (s) had a ring, thereafter Sayyidina Abu Bakr (r) had the ring, thereafter Sayyidina Umar (r) and thereafter Sayyidina Uthman (r). Clearly, they wore this ring to receive the Baraka of Nabi Muhammad (s). It is narrated in Sahih al-Bukhari (Kitab al-Maghazi) that the same holds true for the spear of Nabi Muhammad (s). It was passed on to Sayyidina Abu Bakr (r) and then to Sayyidina Umar (r) and then to Sayyidina Uthman (r) and finally to Sayyidina `Ali (r).
It is narrated in al-Shifa of al-Qadi Iyad that Sayyidina Ibn Umar (r) had put his hands on Nabi Muhammads (s) minbar (pulpit) and would wipe it over his face. He was clearly looking for Tabarruk. If the Sahabah were clearly in need of Baraka, aren't we?
Respect and Seeking Baraka through the Uncle of the Prophet (s)
It is narrated by Bukhari in (al-Adab al_mufrad p.144) that Sayyidina `Ali (r) used to kiss the hands and feet of Sayyidina Abbas (r). Today it is `Shirk', but during the time of the holy Sahabah, it was Iman and okay.
Seeking Baraka through the Remains of the Wudu` of the Prophet (s)
An-Nisa narrated that Nabi Muhammad (s) gave bay'ah to a group of people. They informed Nabi Muhammad (s) that they had worshipped idols before, but now that they were Muslim, they desired to build a mosque in that vicinity and requested du`a of Nabi Muhammad (s). Nabi Muhammad (s) took wudu` and gave the water to these people, ordering them to destroy the idols and place the water in the mosque for Baraka. They were
concerned that the water may dry up before they reached their far destination. Nabi Muhammad (s) replied that the water would bring purity and would not become less.(check Mishkat al-Masabih No.716).
It is permitted to get Baraka from Salih people and objects connected to them. It is recommended to pray in the places where the pious used to pray. It is recommended to seek Baraka from the places where the pious people resided.
Summary
All the Sahabah always sought Tabarruk from any object connected to the pious. Nabi Muhammad (s) was first and foremost in teaching us to receive blessings from him illustrated by the fact that He distributed his hair and wudu` water. Refutations of the Cape Town Wahabi