Sheikh Faaik Gamieldien of Cape Town has apparently said that those who pray at the gravesides of the Auliya are mushriks and kaafirs.

Answer

In the introduction to their refutation, the supporters of grave-worship (qabar-puja) state:

Recently, there has been much controversy regarding the well-established practice of Muslims of visiting the shrines of the Awliya and paying homage to them. A local Muslim cleric, Shaykh Faaik Gamieldien, has referred to the Muslims who show respect to the blessed shrines as "Mushriks" and "Kafirs". He further claims

that there is no Qur'anic or Sunnah injunction to justify the visiting of these graves. He holds that the dead have no awareness or spiritual life and there is no Baraka at the shrines of these saints. He goes on to claim that it is forbidden to build structures around or above the graves of the saints and to honour them. He claims that expressing respect and veneration for the Prophets (s) leads to Shirk.

These outrageous claims have caused an uproar and unnecessary conflict and division in the Muslim community. The great scholar of Makkah, and one of the most highly respected `Ulama (religious scholars) of the contemporary Muslim world, Sayyid Muhammad bin Alawi Al-Maliki, has discussed these issues in detail, especially in his major work (Mafahim Yajib an Tusahhah.), a book recognised by `Ulama from every

Muslim country, including the muftis of Al-Azhar and Pakistan.

(End of the introduction)

We have not seen the Sheikh's article, hence we cannot comment on what he had said. Nevertheless, after scanning the refutation of the grave-worshippers, we must say that all their arguments are old hat and spurious. Although we are not aware of what the Sheikh had commented, we are sure that he does not deny the permissibility of Ziyaaratul Quboor (visiting the graves). Visiting the graves in general is meritorious.

However, what the juhala masses are perpetrating at the quboor (graves) of the Auliya is not permissible ziyaarat of the quboor. The ignorant masses are actually worshipping the graves. Whilst the evidences produced by the grave-worshippers pertain to valid ziyaarat, these arguments

in no way whatsoever support their acts of shirk/ and qabar puja/grave-worship.

Undoubtedly, those who divert their focus from Allah Azza Wa Jal, and instead of supplicating to Him for their needs, pray to the dead Auliya, are guilty of shirk. If the Sheikh had said that they are mushriks in this context, then he is quite right. The Qur'aan Majeed commanding us to supplicate to Allah Ta'ala, says:

"When My servants ask you

(O Muhammad!) about Me,

then (know) that verily, I am near (to them). I answer the Call of the caller when he calls Me..........."

Now when Allah Ta'ala commands us to supplicate to Him, and that He is near to us, and that He answers our call, what induces people to worship the graves of the Auliya? Such worship is most certainly shirk.

The issue of Tawassul

(i.e. asking Allah Ta'ala to accept one's dua by the barkat of Rasulullah – sallallahu alayhi wasallam-or His pious servants –the Auliya) is an act entirely apart from the Satanism of shirk which the ignorant masses practise at the gravesides of the Auliya. In this context, it is haraam to even visit the darghas because these mausolea have become haunts of shirk.

There is not a single evidence of the Shariah to justify grave-worship. Whatever the Qabar Puja people have cited in justification of their shirki practices has absolutely no bearing on grave-worship. Whilst they have proffered evidence for the permissibility of ziyaarat and tawassul, their shenanigans at the darghas/ karamats are shirk.

In the prevailing circumstances it is not permissible to visit the darghas/ karamats where shirk preponderates.