Hasan:Likewise, Akhi Anwar. There are more than forty books I can recommend in case you like to learn more about the Returning.
Anwar:Will you mention a few of them, please?
Hasan:Of course!
· The book, ‘Al-Iqaz Min Al-Haj’ah Bil-Borhan’ (The Awakening With Reasoning), by Sheikh Al-Hor Al-Ameli. This book expands on this topic with more than 600 Hadith and 63 Holy Verses and many other proofs.
· The book, ‘Shi’a and Raj’a’, by Sheikh Mohammad Riza Al-Tabasi.
· ‘Raj’a’ is a book by Sayyed Mohammad Momin Al-Husaini.
Anwar:Thank you.
Hasan:You are welcome.
Symposium 66
Words on Visiting Graves
Anwar:Salam ‘Alaykom!
Hasan:Alaykom As-Salam Wa Rahmatollah Wa Barakatoh!
Anwar:Today, I would like to ask you about visiting the graves!
Hasan:All right. This is one of the issues that Shi’a are concerned with; we go to visit the graves of the Prophet and the Imams (PBUT), as we also tend to build shrines for them and actually be available all around them. It is, in fact, part of the orders of the Ahl Al-Bait (PBUT).
Anwar:Some prohibited it. How do you respond?
Hasan:All Muslims agree on the fact that visiting graves are religiously desirable except the Wahabists and their supporters; they depend on two things in this:
· Visiting the graves is of no use and a waste of time as they are only bricks and mud.
This is our respond: it is actually of use to both the visitor and the visited. It is a lesson and an example for those visiting the graves to keep reminding themselves of death so they lead an honorable life. As for the visited, they are blessed and rewarded when the visitors read them from the Noble Quran; now, when they are the Prophets and the Imams and especially the Prophet Mohammad (PBUT), it is a form of glorification and exaltation to visit their tombs and it is the visitors that are well rewarded. We have some Hadith in this regard:
Qasim Bin Yahya reports from his grandfather, Al-hasan Bin Rashid, from Abdullah Bin Sinan that“Abu Abdullah, Al-Husain Bin Ali (PBUH) was on the lap of the Messenger of Allah (PBUH), when he raised his head and asked: ‘O my father! What do your visitors get after you are passed away?’ He replied: ‘O my son! Whoever comes to visit me after I am passed away has
the Paradise and so does whoever comes to visit your father as well as your brother’”.
It is reported from Ahmad Bin Mohammad Bin Isa, from Ali Bin Asbat, from Othman Bin Isa, from Al-Mo’ala Bin Abu Shihab that“Abu Abdullah Al-Husain (PBUH) asked the Messenger of Allah (PBUH): ‘What is the reward of your visitors?’ He replied: ‘Whoever visits me dead or alive or visit your father or your brother or visit you will be visited by myself in the Day of Judgment to save them from sins’”.
Moreover, visiting the grave of the Messenger of Allah (PBUH), graves of martyrs and the grave of Al-Husain Bin Ali (PBUH) is equal to a pilgrimage to Mecca with Prophet Mohammad (PBUH).
· Visiting the dead is of no use as they cannot hear or understand you; the proofs are these Holy Verses from the Noble Quran:
(…and you cannot make those hear who are in the graves)35;22.
(Surely you do not make the dead to hear, and you do not make the deaf to hear the call when they go back
retreating)27;80.
This is our respond: the visitors of the graves do not, in fact, address the dead bodies under the ground; they address the live spirits in the Purgatory (Barzakh). We have already discussed this issue when we talked about the Hereafter and the world of Barzakh. Here are a few Hadith in this regard:
(And We will most certainly try you with somewhat of fear and hunger and loss of property and lives and fruits; and give good news to the patient)2;155.
(Rejoicing in what Allah has given them out of His grace and they rejoice for the sake of those who, being left behind them, have not yet joined them, that they shall have no fear, nor shall they grieve)3;170.
(And when they shall contend one with another in the fire, then the weak shall say to those who were proud: Surely we were your followers; will you then avert from us a portion of the fire?)40;47.
Anwar:Will you, please, present some evidence on visiting graves?
Hasan:Yes. There are many Hadith in this regard:
· Barida reports from the Prophet (PBUH) that:“I have told you about visiting the graves, so visit them”.
· Abu Sa’eed Al-Khidri reports from the Prophet (PBUH) that:“I told you about visiting the graves, so visit them as there is an example in it”.
· Anas Bin Malik reports:“I have told you about visiting the graves, so visit them; it reminds of death”.
Anwar:Excellent! Let me here ask you a question. Visiting the graves to supplicate for forgiveness and salvation is, to some people, an act of polytheism. How do you respond to that?
Hasan:This is a good question? We earlier said that the only people trying to distort and discredit these facts are the Wahabists, and this only due to their ignorance and narrow-mindedness. However, this how we respond to such people:
First, asking for forgiveness and salvation is neither polytheism nor worship.
Second, the person I ask for forgiveness is in no way considered a god doing whatever I ask him to do. He is
just a close slave to the Almighty Allah whose prayers are answered more than mine.
Third, they are virtuous people and forgive only with God’s will and according to certain conditions, that is, the one asking for forgiveness and salvation has to be believing in the Almighty Allah, the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) and his pure offspring (PBUT); they follow the instructions of the Messenger of Allah (PBUH), but they have certain sins that prevent their prayers from being answered.
Fourth, the Most Exalted Allah, in the Noble Quran, provides us concrete evidence in this regard:
(And We did not send any apostle but that he should be obeyed by Allah's permission; 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)4;64.
With a bit of consideration, one can find out that repentance and forgiveness is associated with the Messenger of Allah (PBUH); we should try forgiveness
through such pure people:
(…and seek means of nearness to Him…)5;35.
Here are more proofs from the Noble Quran:
(Allah is He besides Whom there is no god, the Everliving, the Self-subsisting by Whom all subsist; slumber does not overtake Him nor sleep; whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth is His; who is he that can intercede with Him but by His permission? He knows what is before them and what is behind them, and they cannot comprehend anything out of His knowledge except what He pleases, His knowledge extends over the heavens and the earth, and the preservation of them both tires Him not, and He is the Most High, the Great۞There is no compulsion in religion; truly the right way has become clearly distinct from error; therefore, whoever disbelieves in the Shaitan and believes in Allah he indeed has laid hold on the firmest handle, which shall not break off, and Allah is Hearing, Knowing)2;256.
(And those whom they call upon besides Him have no authority for intercession, but he who bears witness of