—may Allah have mercy on him—as was just quoted in the nearby footnote (p. 78).

Al-Ghumari then cited the Shafiʿis in his attempt to reinterpret the ḥadith, saying: “What is intended is not that the grave be made level with the ground; rather, the command is to make its top flat, so as to reconcile the various reports.”

I reply: Even if we granted this, it would be evidence against al-Ghumari, not for him! He does not argue that flattening the grave is obligatory; instead, he claims it is recommended to raise it without limit, and even to build over it a dome or a mosque.

Al-Ghumari’s final answer to the ḥadith was:

“The sound position, in our view, is that the Prophet intended the graves of the polytheists that they venerated in the pre-Islamic era, located in the lands of the unbelievers conquered by the Companions—proof of this being that statues are mentioned alongside them.”

I respond: In some chains of transmission recorded by Aḥmad, ʿAlī—may Allah be pleased with him—was sent to certain outskirts of Medina while the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was still there, which overthrows his claim that the dispatch was—