like houses, and they set up domes over them—until he said: “Look at this tremendous disparity between what the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—prescribed and intended by forbidding all that has just been mentioned regarding graves, and what these people have instituted and intended. There is no doubt that the corruption involved is beyond a servant’s ability to count.” He then went on to list those harms, saying: “Among them is that what the Prophet legislated for visiting graves is simply to remember the Hereafter and to do good to the deceased by praying for him, asking mercy for him, seeking forgiveness for him, and pleading that he be granted well-being. In this way the visitor benefits both himself and the deceased. These polytheists, however, have turned the matter on its head, upended the religion, and made the very aim of the visit to commit shirk with the dead—calling upon him, invoking him, requesting their needs from him, drawing down blessings through him, seeking his aid against enemies, and the like. Thus they wrong themselves and the deceased, if only by depriving him of the blessing that Allah has prescribed of supplication, mercy, and forgiveness for him.” End quote (1).

From this it becomes clear that offering vows and sacrifices to shrines is major shirk, caused by contravening the guidance of the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—in the very situation that ought to