there is no god but Me, so worship Me.”

Allah Most High also says:

“And ask those of Our messengers whom We sent before you: Have We appointed gods besides the Most Merciful to be worshipped?”

And He says:

“We certainly sent a messenger to every nation, saying, ‘Worship Allah and shun false gods.’”

It is established in the authentic hadith collection that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

“Allah is pleased with three things for you: that you worship Him without associating anything with Him; that you all hold firmly to the rope of Allah and do not become divided; and that you offer sincere counsel to those whom Allah has placed in authority over you.”

Thus, those who take graves as places of worship, owing to the association of partners with Allah found among them, have divided their religion and become sects. You find each group venerating the person they follow or their prophet, saying, “Supplication at his grave is answered.” Their hearts are attached to his grave rather than to the graves of other prophets and righteous people, even if another is superior to him. Likewise, each worshipper of celestial bodies and idols has taken his own desire as his god: he worships whatever he takes as a god, even if something else is superior to it.

They then call this “visitation,” a term sanctioned by Islamic law that they have misapplied. It is well known that the “prescribed visitation” which the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, instituted for his community entails greeting the deceased with peace and supplicating for him, much like offering the funeral prayer over him. The person offering the funeral prayer intends to supplicate for the deceased; Allah Most High shows the deceased mercy through his supplication and rewards the worshipper himself for his prayer. Likewise, when someone visits graves in the prescribed manner, greeting their occupants with peace and supplicating for them, they receive mercy through his supplication