Chapter Three

Offering Sacrifices, Vows, and Gifts to Shrines and Graves, and the Veneration Shown to Them

The Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) closed every pathway that leads to idolatry and warned against it in the strongest possible terms. One of those pathways involves graves, so he established safeguards to prevent their being worshipped or their occupants being excessively exalted. Among those safeguards are the following:

1 – He (Allah bless him and grant him peace) warned against going to extremes concerning the friends of Allah and the righteous, for such excess leads to worshipping them. He said, “Beware of exaggeration, for it was only exaggeration that destroyed those who came before you.” (1) He also said, “Do not praise me the way the Christians praised the son of Mary. I am only a servant, so say: the servant of Allah and His Messenger.” (2)

2 – He (Allah bless him and grant him peace) forbade building structures over graves, as related by Abū al-Hayyāj al-Asadī, who said: “ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib said to me