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Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Spurious Arguments about the Shia The Third Spurious Argument:Visiting the Shrines of the Prophets, Imams, and Saints Some people accuse the Shias of believing that it is permissible to visit the shrines of the Prophets, Imams and saints, building them, to seek blessings through them, to pray and make supplications around them whereas it is prohibited to consider tombs as mosques or to build mosques upon tombs.

The Answer There is no prohibition on visiting tombs in any of the traditions, rather the Wahhabis prohibited it. We have discussed this matter in our book Al-Jami’ li Baraahin Usul ul-I’tiqadaat. We hereby, refer to the same discussion that is recorded on pages 413-416 of that book: The Wahhabis prohibited setting out to visit the tomb of the Prophet (s) to say nothing of the graves of others as well.

Al-Qastalani, in his book Sharh Sahih ul-Bukhari, and Ibn Hajar, in his book al-Jawhar ul-Munazzam, recorded that Ibn Taymiyyah, a model for the Wahhabis, prohibited visiting the Prophet’s shrine. Mulla Ali al-Qari says in his book Sharhu sh-Shafa, vol. 2: Ibn Taymiyyah the Hanbalite was extreme when he prohibited setting out to visit the tomb of the Prophet (s).

Others were even more extreme when they said that visiting is definitely a pious act in religion, and denying this is condemned as infidelity. Perhaps the second point was nearer to being correct, because (of the rule that says) prohibiting that which, according to the consensus of the ulama, is considered as recommended (mustahhab) is considered as unbelief, for here prohibition supercedes something that was permissible by unanimous agreement in this case.

Proving the Legitimacy of Visiting the Prophet’s Shrine There are four evidences showing the legitimacy and the merits of visiting the tomb of the Prophet (s), as it is recorded in the book titled Kashf ul-Irtiyab p. 362-372: The First Evidence The first evidence is found in the Holy Qur’an.

Allah says, And had they, when they were unjust to themselves, come to you and asked forgiveness of Allah and the Apostle had (also) asked forgiveness for them, they would have found Allah Oft-Returning (to mercy), Merciful. (Qur’an 4:64) As-Samhudi, in his Wafa’ul-Wafa’ vol. 2 p. 411, records: The ulama understood from this Qur’anic verse that it applied in general to the two cases of life and death.

They ruled that it is recommendable for everyone who visits the tomb (of the Prophet) to recite that verse.