Dars e Imam-Al Baqi

“Bismillahir Rahmannir Raheem””Al-Hamdu Lillaahi Rabbil ‘Aalameen was Salaatu was- Salaamu ‘Alaa Sayidinaa Muhammadin wa Aalihi wa Asabihi Ajma ‘een (tauheed- risalat- ahkirat and islam-iman-ihsan)

Ibn Taymiyya (1263-1328 ) wrote : In the time of a drought, a person came to our Prophet’s grave and complained about the drought. He then saw our Prophet ﷺ who said go to ‘Umar and tell him to perform the Salaah of Istisqah. There are numerous true narrations similar to this.[Iqtisa Sirat al Mustaqim, page 373, Also Imam Bukhari has mentioned about this in his book, Tarikh al Kabir, biography of Malik al dar].

Ibn Al-Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah (1292-1350), the second in-command of Salafis, after Ibn Taymiyyah, has defended the person who calls a dead person.  In his book titled “Ar-Ruuh” (The Soul), he mentions that one should feel shy from the dead when visiting the graveyard because the dead sees their visitor … Then he says –   “Even further than that; the dead knows about the works of the living among his relatives and brothers (P. 7).” Then he says – “On this issue there are many narrations from the companions, and some of the relatives of Abdullah ibn Rawaahah used to say, ‘O Allah (swt), verily I seek your protection from doing anything that I will be brought in shame for,  in the eyes of Abdullah ibn Rawaaha.’ He  used to say this after the martyrdom of Abdullah ibn Rawaaha”.

At another place in the book, after mentioning a Hadith  he says – “This Hadith expresses the speed of the dead’s  soul’s  movement from the Throne to the Earth, and then from the Earth (back) to its place, and for this Maalik and other Imams said  ‘the soul is set free, and goes wherever it wishes.‘

Furthermore, what people see of dead peoples’ souls and their coming to them from far away places is something known by people in general, and they do not doubt it”. 

At another place in the book Ibn Qayyim says – “Your mind should not be so narrow as to not accept that the soul is in Paradise going wherever it pleases, and yet hears the greeting of a Muslim to him at his grave, and then goes down to answer it.  The soul is another matter than the body (Ar-Ruuh, P. 101-102).”

Ibn Qayyim says further in this book – “Among the things that one should know is that, what we have mentioned regarding the soul is subject to the individual souls’ power, weakness, bigness, and smallness. So the great and large soul has among what we have mentioned,  what the lesser soul does not have, and you can see how the rules of the souls differ greatly in this world according to the souls’ differences in modality, power, slowness, speed and getting help…  . This is how the soul was while captivated in its body, so how would it be if it became independent and departed from the body, and its powers were gathered, and it was at the outset a lofty, pure and big soul with high sense of purpose.  This soul has, after the departure, a whole other importance and other actions. In this regard dreams have been collaboratively mass narrated among human kind about the actions of souls after their death, actions they were not able to do while in their bodies, such as one, two or a few souls defeating entire armies and the like.

Many people have seen the Prophet ﷺ with Abu Bakr (ra) and Umar (ra)  in their sleep having defeated the armies of kufr and injustice, and then their armies are overwhelmed and crushed despite large numbers, and the weakness and small numbers of the Muslims (Ar-Ruuh, P. 102-103).”

Ibn Abd al-Wahab an-Najdi at-Tamimi (1703-1792), in his book “Ahkam Tamanni  al-Mawt”. 

 “A young boy used to do (a lot) of prayers in Masjid, however one woman fell in love with him and she started to attract him towards herself until one day he got persuaded and came to her house, but he recalled this Quranic verse : Lo! those who ward off (evil), when a glamor from the devil troubles them, they do but remember (Allah’s(swt)guidance) and behold them seers.] (Al-Araf-201), he fainted right over there, when he recovered,  he remembered the verse again and fainted once again but this time he passed away (died). After his death Umar (ra) met his father being saddened at his death. The boy was buried during night. Umar (ra) took his companions along and visited his grave, he prayed there and “Called the Boy” saying: Whosoever feared to stand in front of his Lord then there are 2 gardens for him! Voice came from the grave  O’ Omar (ra),  Allah ( swt) has granted me both the gardens. (Tafseer Ibn Kathir – Verse 7-201).

Take note of the above quote from Ibn abd al-Wahhab.  It says “Hadhrat Umer (ra) prayed (did Dua, may be read Quran) at the grave of the boy”.  This shows praying Allah (swt) next to the grave of a Muslim, doing Dua for him or reading Quran,  is the practice of Khulfa-e-Rashidoon. In another Hadith it is reported that Prophet Mohammad (saws) performed Salah close by the graves in Jannatul Baqi. 

Narrated Al-Bara (ra): The Prophet ﷺ went towards Al-Baqi (the Graveyard at Medina) on the day of Id-ul-Adha and offered a two-Rakat prayer (of ‘Id-ul-Adha)…. (part of the Hadith). (Bukhari –  Book #15, Hadith #93).

It also establishes the fact that pious Muslims are alive in their graves and they listen to our calls and reply to our questions and also pray Allah (swt) for us for our problems.

the following 4 verses of Quran, and interpret ‘out of context’ meanings, to support their arguments related to visiting of the graves of Awliya Allah and Muslims.

Verily you cannot make the dead hear and you can not make the deaf hear the call when they turn their backs and retreat. ]  (An-Naml – 80)

The living and the dead are not alike.  Allah (swt)makes whoever he wishes hear, but you cannot make those in the graves hear.] (Fatir – 22)

To whom they call on beside Allah (swt)can create nothing, they are themselves created. Dead are they – absolutely without life.  They cannot even know when they will be raised. ]  (An-Nahl – 20-21)

Surely you shall die and they too shall (surely) die.]  (Az-Zumur – 30)

 All 4 verses  quoted above, are from the Quranic chapters  delivered in Makka.  We all know that the  Suras delivered in Makka were mostly in refutation of  Idol worship of Makkan Pagans. Therefore, the above verses are surely meant for Makkan Pagans. 

Duniya=anything which takes you away from Allah

Ahkirat =that which brings you closer to Allah.

When I want to talk to allah I say prayers and when I want that he talk to me I recite quran- Hazrath Ali(ra)

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