How to Guard a Shrine, and the Stipend of Its Keeper

Question

Question: Here in the village there is a revered shrine at a saint’s tomb. For its custodianship Maharaja Gaekwad gave some land, on the condition that whoever acts as custodian should cultivate this land and live off its produce. The work of custodian is done by a mu’adhdhin, and all the people of the village lay flowers on the shrine and also light lamps. The mu’adhdhin says: “I consider this grave-worship evil. If I do not do this, may I live off the produce of this land or not?

Answer

Let him guard the shrine, and gently and compassionately make those who lay flowers understand that this offering benefits neither them nor the one buried in the shrine; if they pray two rak‘as of nafl prayer and convey the reward to him, then there is benefit both for them and for him, and conveying reward in this way is moreover established by the noble hadith.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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