in filth. They then cause the water to sink away for him, and they transport him—because of the disbelief with which he pleases them. They may even bring him the object of his desire, whether a woman or a boy, either borne through the air or pushed along until the person is delivered to him. And the like of these exploits are many, too many to detail.

To believe in such feats is to believe in al-jibt and al-tāghūt. Al-jibt is sorcery, and al-tāghūt is the devils and the idols. If, however, a man obeys Allah and His Messenger inwardly and outwardly, they have no way to join him in any of this or to make peace with him.

For that reason, since the prescribed worship of Muslims takes place in the mosques—the houses of Allah—those who frequent the mosques are furthest from satanic states. By contrast, the polytheists and the people of innovation, who venerate graves and the shrines of the dead—calling upon the deceased, seeking aid through them, or believing that supplication made at their tombs is answered—are nearer to satanic states.

Taking graves as places of worship

It is established in the two Ṣaḥīḥs that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

“May Allah curse the Jews and Christians; they took the graves of their prophets as places of worship.”

And in Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim it is authentically reported that, five nights before he passed away, he said: “The person who has shown me the greatest kindness in his companionship and in his wealth is Abū Bakr. Were I to take an intimate friend from the people of the earth, I would have taken…"