And He Most High says:
“They were commanded only to worship Allah with sincere devotion to Him alone, upright in faith, to establish prayer and give zakah. That is the upright religion.”
False attribution is not confined to this “shrine.” Other shrines ascribed to prophets and others are likewise falsely attributed. Examples include the grave called “Noah’s grave,” near Baalbek at the foot of Mount Lebanon, and the grave on the Mecca-facing side of the Great Mosque of Damascus called “Hūd’s grave,” which is actually the grave of Mu‘āwiyah ibn Abī Sufyān. Another is the grave in eastern Damascus called “Ubayy ibn Ka‘b’s grave,” although scholars agree that Ubayy never came to Damascus.
The same applies to the purported graves in Damascus of “the Prophet’s wives,” may Allah bless him and grant him peace, whereas they died in the Prophet’s city, Medina. Likewise, the purported graves in Egypt of “‘Alī ibn al-Husayn,” “Ja‘far al-Sādiq,” and others are falsely attributed, by scholarly agreement: ‘Alī ibn al-Husayn and Ja‘far al-Sādiq both died in Medina.
‘Abd al-‘Azīz al-Kinānī said—in the well-known report—“None of the prophets’ graves has been established with certainty except the grave of ‘our Prophet.’” Another added: “And the grave of ‘the Intimate Friend’ as well.”
The reason scholars differ concerning the locations of graves is that accurately recording this information is not part of the religion. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, prohibited taking graves as places of worship. Since knowing their locations was not part of the religion, keeping an exact record of them was not obligatory.