Reciting the Qur’an at the Graves

Source: Bida’ an-Nas Fil-Qur’an, by Abu Anas, Ali bin Husain Abu Loaz, published by Dar al-Watan.

1) Acts of worship at the graves on behalf of the deceased:

Reciting the Qur’an  at the graves is an innovation that was not performed by the Prophet (Salla-Allaahu alaihi wa sallam) nor by his Companions. Therefore, we should not innovate it as the Prophet (Salla-Allaahu alaihi wa sallam) said: “And the most evil affairs are innovations; and every innovation is a misguidance.” [Muslim] An-Nasa’i added: “and every misguidance is in Hell-fire.”

It is incumbent upon Muslims to follow the ancestors from among the Companions and their followers so that they should be on the right path. It has been narrated that the Prophet (Salla-Allaahu alaihi wa sallam) said: “The best of speech is the Book of Allah, and the best of guidance is the guidance shown by Muhammad (Salla-Allaahu alaihi wa sallam) .” [Muslim]

As for invocating for the deceased at his grave, it is permissible that a person stands at the grave (facing the Qiblah) and invokes Allah for him i.e., to say: “O Allah! forgive him, O Allah! have mercy on him, O Allah! protect him from Hell-Fire, O Allah! admit him to Paradise, and expand his grave,” and so on.

If the person stood at the grave and invoked Allah for himself, then this is an innovation if he has intentionally chosen that specific place, because one should not specify a location for supplication unless there is a clear evidence and it has been quoted by the Prophet (Salla-Allaahu alaihi wa sallam). If there is no clear statement nor Sunnah of the Prophet (Salla-Allaahu alaihi wa sallam) for particularizing a place for prayer, then it is an innovation.

In regards to fasting on behalf of the dead, praying and reciting Qur’an  as well as other acts worship: there are four types (acts of worship) that have been confirmed by the majority of scholars that will benefit the deceased: supplication, any obligatory act that can be performed on his behalf (like Hajj),  giving charity, freeing a slave. Other than those four; it has been a subject of argument among the scholars. Some say that the deceased does not benefit from any good deed other than the four previous mentioned acts, whereas the truth is that the deceased benefits from any good deed done on his behalf, if he were a believer. But we do not see that it is a legal matter to ask people to present the reward of their good deeds to the dead. If the intention of the act or good deed was to give its reward to the dead, then it will benefit him, but it is not obligatory nor it is recommendable.

Evidence for that, is that the Prophet (Salla-Allaahu alaihi wa sallam) did not guide his nation to doing that, and it is reported in Sahih Muslim that Abu  Hurairah (Radia-Allaahu ‘anhu) narrated that Allah’s Messenger (Salla-Allaahu alaihi wa sallam) said: “When a man dies, his acts come to an end, except for three: recurring charity, or knowledge (by which people benefit), or a pious son who prays for him (for the deceased).” [Muslim]

The Prophet (Salla-Allaahu alaihi wa sallam) did not say, “A righteous son who does deeds or worships Allah on his behalf by fasting, praying.” So this is a proof that Du’aa (to invoke Allah) for the dead is prescribed, and not to present them with rewards for acts of worship.

The living person needs to do good deeds for himself. So let one perform good deeds for himself and let him pray for the dead profusely; that is more virtuous and it is the path of our righteous Predecessors. [Fatawa Shaikh Bin ‘Uthaimeen (Rahimahullaah) – Noor alad-Darb]

2)    Reciting Qur’an at graves and seeking help from the dead:

First: Reciting Qur’an at graves is not permissible; it is an innovation and the Messenger of Allah (Salla-Allaahu alaihi wa sallam) said, and he is the most knowledgeable of all creations of Allah’s Laws and the most knowledgeable and eloquent in what he says; he (Salla-Allaahu alaihi wa sallam) said: “Every innovation is astray.” This statement is general and does not make any exception, so all innovations are astray (misguidance).

So reciting Qur’an at the graves is an innovation that didn’t exist in the era of the Prophet (Salla-Allaahu alaihi wa sallam) nor did he legislate it to his Ummah by statement or action or approval. Rather he would guide his Ummah (nation) to say: “Say: May security be granted to you O believers and Muslims from among the people of the graveyard. May Allah have mercy on those who have gone ahead of us, and those who will come later on, and we shall, by the Will of Allah, join you.” [Muslim]

Second: Visiting the graves of ordinary people or of those whom they claim are saints, to seek  their help and ask them for worldly matters is a major Shirk (polytheism) that expels these people from the fold of Islam. Allah Almighty said:

“And whoever invokes (or worships) besides Allah, any other ilah (god) of whom he has no proof, then his reckoning is only with his Lord. Surely! Al-Kafirun (the disbelievers in Allah and in the Oneness of Allah, polytheists, pagans, idolaters, etc.) will not be successful.” [Al-Mu’minun 23:117]

This verse indicates that whoever invokes any other deity besides Allah has no proof and no evidence; instead, the evidence shows his misguidance and his foolishness. It (the verse) also indicates the threat for him who invokes others besides Allah.

“Then his reckoning is only with his Lord” indicates that he will never be successful and that he is an unbeliever, because Allah Almighty said:

“Surely! Al-Kafirun (the disbelievers in Allah and in the Oneness of Allah, polytheists, pagans, idolaters, etc.) will not be successful.”

Invoking other than Allah is foolishness and misguidance as Almighty Allah said:

“And who turns away from the religion of Ibrahim (Abraham) (i.e. Islamic Monotheism) except him who befools himself?” [Al-Baqarah 2:130]

And He (Subhaanahu Wa Ta’aala) said:

“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?” [Al-Ahqaf 46:5]

It is very strange that those people ask the dead who are buried and who they know  are lifeless bodies that cannot even save themselves from what they are in, yet they ask them to save them and relieve them from the calamity that they are in.

If one considers the state of these people, he will see the strangest thing, and if they themselves think and ponder, they will realize their foolishness and know that they are in clear perversity and manifest error. We ask Allah Almighty to enlighten them, guide them to the right path and to keep them firm on it.

I tell those people: If you want a beneficial supplication, then turn to Allah Almighty, for He answers the distressed person if he calls unto Him in Whose Hands is the dominion of all things. He tells His Prophet (Salla-Allaahu alaihi wa sallam):

“And when My slaves ask you (O Muhammad (Salla-Allaahu alaihi wa sallam)) concerning Me, then (answer them), I am indeed near (to them by My Knowledge). I respond to the invocations of the supplicant when he calls on Me (without any mediator or intercessor). So let them obey Me and believe in Me, so that they may be led aright.” [Al-Baqarah 2:186]

Let them turn to Allah Alone and invoke Him with sincerity, faith and hope that He will answer their call, so they can be assured that none will benefit them but Allah Almighty.

If you say: “What if these people invoke and seek help from the dwellers of graves whom they claim are saints, and then Allah’s fate destines that what they ask for comes true; what is our view about such a state?

The answer to that is that we know for sure that what happened is not from the dead, and it is not because they invoked the dead. Allah Almighty said:

“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?” [Al-Ahqaf 46:5]

The dead cannot bring them anything, nor prevent any mishap from reaching them. Allah Almighty said:

“Those whom they (Al-Mushrikun) invoke besides Allah have not created anything, but are themselves created. (They are) dead, lifeless, and they know not when they will be raised up.” [An-Nahl 16:20-21]

So the dead cannot create anything as the Qur’an says and as all the Muslims are in consensus of, but what actually happened when they invoked the dead, is a trial from Allah Almighty.

Allah Almighty will put His servants to trials by making easy the paths and means for sinning, to test them, as He did with the Children of Israel when He prohibited them from fishing on the Sabbath. The fish were coming to them openly on the Sabbath (Saturday) day, and did not come to them on the other days. So they devised a plot and they laid their nets on Friday, so that on Saturday when the fish came close, they would get caught in the nets, and then on Sunday, they would come and collect the fish. So Allah Almighty told them:

“Be you monkeys, despised and rejected.” [Al-Baqarah 2:65]

And Allah Almighty said:

“And ask them (O Muhammad (Salla-Allaahu alaihi wa sallam)) about the town that was by the sea, when they transgressed in the matter of the Sabbath (i.e. Saturday): when their fish came to them openly on the Sabbath day, and did not come to them on the day they had no Sabbath. Thus We made a trial of them for they used to rebel.” [Al-A’raf 7:163] And Allah Almighty said:

“And indeed you knew those amongst you who transgressed in the matter of the Sabbath (i.e. Saturday). We said to them: ‘Be you monkeys, despised and rejected.’ So We made this punishment an example to their own and to succeeding generations and a lesson to those who are Al-Muttaqun (the pious).” [Al-Baqarah 2:65,66]

Don’t you see how Allah put the Companions to trial when they were in state of Ihram and He (Subhaanahu Wa Ta’aala) said:

“O you who believe! Allah will certainly make a trial of you with something in (the matter of) the game that is well within reach of your hands and your lances, that Allah may test who fears Him unseen.” [Al-Ma’idah 5:94]

He sent forth game that was within their reach, so they could reach with their hands the ones on the ground, and their arrows could reach those that were flying? Allah made the game within their reach to test them, and the Companions, who were the most fearful of Allah and the most pious, did not touch any of that game.

The moral is that when the Mushrikin (polytheists) go to graves and seek help from the dead, and then what they ask for comes true, this is a trial and test from Allah Almighty for them. We ask Allah to show us the right (truth) and help us to follow it and to show us the wrong and help us avoid it. . [Fatawa Shaikh Bin ‘Uthaimeen (Rahimahullaah) – Noor alad-Darb – part 1]