O Allah, do not make my grave an idol that is worshiped
Narrator in the source: Abu Hurayrah reported: I heard the Messenger of Allah say:
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: "O Allah, do not make my grave an idol that is worshiped. Allah cursed the people who took the graves of their prophets as places of worship."- Grade in the source
- Authentic
- Reported by
- Narrated by Ahmad
- Source entry
- HadeethEnc · 3336 ↗
Original Arabic wording
عن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم: «اللهُمَّ لَا تَجْعَلْ قَبْرِي وَثَنًا، لَعَنَ اللهُ قَوْمًا اتَّخَذُوا قُبُورَ أَنْبِيَائِهِمْ مَسَاجِدَ».Understand this hadith
The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) supplicated to his Lord to not make his grave like an idol that people worship by extolling it and facing it in prostration. Then, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) mentioned that Allah Almighty banished and expelled from His mercy those who took the graves of their prophets as places of worship, for taking them as places of worship is conducive to worshiping and having faith in them.
Lessons from the hadith
- Exceeding the limits set by the Shariah with regard to the graves of the prophets and the righteous people turns them into idols worshiped apart from Allah. So, we should beware of the means leading to Shirk (polytheism).
- It is not permissible to visit the graves to show reverence to them and perform worship there, regardless of the closeness of those buried to Allah.
- It is prohibited to build mosques over the graves.
- It is prohibited to perform prayer at the graves, even if no mosque is built there, except for prayer for a dead person upon whom the funeral prayer has not been offered.
References (original Arabic)
مسند أحمد (12/ 314) (7358). فتح المجيد شرح كتاب التوحيد، لعبد الرحمن التميمي (1/ 434). القول المفيد على كتاب التوحيد، لمحمد بن عثيمين (1/ 434). الملخص في شرح كتاب التوحيد، لصالح الفوزان (ص178). الجديد في شرح كتاب التوحيد، لمحمد القرعاوي (ص194). التمهيد لشرح كتاب التوحيد، لصالح آل الشيخ (ص51). مشكاة المصابيح، للتبريزي (1/ 234).
