Six decisive narrations from the Prophet and his Companions about taking graves a places of worship.
Shall I not send you for what the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) sent me? That you deface all statues and pictures and that you level all elevated graves.
[1] Jundub Ibn ‘Abdullaah al-Bajalee said that he heard the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) say - five days before he died: "Verily those before you took the graves of their Prophets and righteous people as places of worship, so do not take the graves as places of worship. Indeed I forbid you from this!"
[2] From Aboo Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: "O Allaah, do not turn my grave into an idol. May the curse of Allaah be upon those who take the graves of their Prophets as places of worship."
[3] 'Abdullaah Ibn Sharjeel Hasanah said: "I saw ‘Uthmaan Ibn ‘Affaan order the leveling of the graves. So it was said to him: 'This is the grave of Umm ‘Amr the daughter of ‘Uthmaan!' However, he commanded that it too should be leveled."
[4] From Abul-Hayyaaj al-Asadee who said: "‘Alee Ibn Abee Taalib said to me: 'Shall I not send you for what the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) sent me? That you deface all statues and pictures and that you level all elevated graves.'"
[5] Aboo Burdah said: "Aboo Moosaa al-Ash‘aree advised us before he died, saying: 'You should hasten with my janaazah…and do not put in my lahad (a cleavage in the side of the grave where the body is placed) anything that will come between me and the earth, nor build anything over my grave. So bear witness that I am free of those women who shave their heads, tear their clothes or beat their cheeks.' They said: 'Did you hear anything about this?' He said: 'Yes, from the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam)!'"
Footnotes:
[1] Related by Muslim (2/67-68), Aboo ‘Awaanah (1/104) and others.
[2] Related by Ahmad (no. 7352), Ibn Sa‘d (2/241-242) and others. Its chain of narrators is authentic.
[3] Related by Ibn Abee Shaybah in al-Musannaf (4/138) and Aboo Zur‘ah in at-Taareekh (22/2) with an authentic chain of narrators.
[4] Related by Muslim (3/61), Aboo Daawood (3/70), an-Nisaa‘ee (1/285) and others.
[5] Related by Ahmad (4/397) with a strong chain of narrators.
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