polytheism and the worship of idols, for Allah and His Messenger have forbidden such practices. Rather, they worship Allah alone, without partner, dedicating their religion purely to Him as He and His Messenger commanded. They fill the houses of Allah with both heart and limb—through prayer, recitation, remembrance, supplication, and other acts of devotion.

So how can it be lawful for a Muslim to turn away from the Book of Allah, the law of His Messenger, and the path of the early believers, only to follow what other people have introduced, whether deliberately or by mistake?

Accordingly, the bearer of this treatise has been informed that every one of these innovations practiced at the graves of the prophets, the noble members of the Prophet’s household, and the shaykhs—innovations that conflict with the Book and the Sunnah—may not be supported by any Muslim. This applies even when the graves themselves are authentic; what, then, when most of these graves are themselves open to doubt?

And since these vows made in connection with graves are acts of disobedience that Allah, His Messenger, the believers, and the earliest generations have all forbidden, the Prophet ﷺ said: “Whoever vows to obey Allah must obey Him, and whoever vows to disobey Allah must not disobey Him.” 1

He ﷺ also said: “The expiation for a vow is the same as the expiation for an oath.” 2 This ḥadith is recorded in the authentic collections.

Therefore, when a vow involves an act of obedience to Allah and His Messenger—such as vowing to perform a prayer, to fast, to make pilgrimage, to give charity, and the like—then it must be fulfilled.