Innovations Connected with Graves: ‘Urs and the Like

Question

Zayd says that prostration (sajda) to a grave is permissible, a vow to other than Allah is permissible, offerings at a grave are permissible, sama‘ (listening to devotional singing) as practised in the present age is permissible, and prostration to one’s spiritual guide is permissible. Kindly give the answer to these from the standpoint of the Qur’an, the Hadith and Hanafi fiqh. If these things are impermissible according to all three, is Zayd a Muslim or not? Is he included in the community of the Hanafis or not?

Answer

Prostration to a grave, if it is done merely by way of greeting, is haram; if it is done with the intention of worship, it is shirk and kufr. Making a vow to other than Allah is shirk. An offering at a grave is haram. Prostration to one’s spiritual guide by way of greeting is haram, and with the intention of worship it is shirk and kufr.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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