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Some of the sufis try to prove their shirk i.e Asking help from Prophet peace be upon him from a narration attributed to Imam Ahmad on kissing graves, they quote from Imam Ad-Dahabee that he mentioned
عن ابن عمر: أنه كان يكره مس قبر النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم. قلت : كره ذلك لأنه رآه إساءة أدب . وقد سئل أحمد بن حنبل عن مس القبر النبوي وتقبيله فلم ير بذلك بأسا ، ورواه عنه ولده عبد الله بن أحمدIbn Umar used to dislike touching the grave of Prophet (Peace be upon him). I (ad-Dahabee) say: He disliked it "BECAUSE HE FOUND IT AGAINST ADAB" Imam Ahmed bin Hanbal (rah) was asked about "TOUCHING AND KISSING THE GRAVE OF PROPHET" he said "I DO NOT SEE ANY HARM IN IT" This is narrated by his son Abdullah bin Ahmed [Al-Dhahabi, Mu'jam al-Shuyukh (1:73 #58).]
Response:
First of all It has nothing to do with asking help from Prophet Peace be upon him, Kissing grave is not shirk but it is against Islamic Law, If some one is kissing the grave plus asking his needs then it becomes shirk, Before dealing with the narration of Imam Ahmad allowing Kissing grave, let me deal with Asking direclty from Prophet peace be upon him.
Imam ad-Dahabee himself said regarding Sayyeda Nafeesa ra and deviant creed of people regarding her
ولجهلة المصريين فيها اعتقاد يتجاوز الوصف، ولايجوز مما فيه من الشرك، ويسجدون لها، ويلتمسون منها المغفرة
Due to ignorance of Egyptians the Creed found in them is not correct to talk about it, When shirk found in them, they prostate to others (except Allah), and they seek forgiveness from them[Seyar Ailam Nubala 10/106]
Ibn e Rajab Hanbli said
وَكَانَ الْإِمَامُ أَحْمَدُ يَدْعُو وَيَقُولُ: اللَّهُمَّ كَمَا صُنْتَ وَجْهِي عَنِ السُّجُودِ لِغَيْرِكَ فَصُنْهُ عَنِ الْمَسْأَلَةِ لِغَيْرِكَ، وَلَا يَقْدِرُ عَلَى كَشْفِ الضُّرِّ وَجَلْبِ النَّفْعِ سِوَاهُ
Imam ahmad was making a du'a " Ya Allah! Just as you have prevented my face from falling down from prostrating to somebody other than You, prevent me from asking from others than You."[Jamiul Ulum wal Hikam, 1/280,281]
Ibne Rajab said
A man came to him(Imam Ahmad) and he wiped his hands on his clothes, And wiped his face, Imam Ahmad became angry and denied that of the most denial and said: from whom you have learnt this?[ الحكم الجديرة بالإذاعة. Page 46 and 47]
Comment: After reading these statements no one can even think that Imam Ahmad and ad-Dahabee allowed asking from the pious people in graves. Let us deal with the narration mentioned by Imam ad-Dahabee
First of all Companions of Prophet Peace be upon him used to hate the practice of touching grave of Prophet Peace be upon him
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو أُسَامَةَ ، عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ ، عَنْ نَافِعٍ ، " أَنَّ ابْنَ عُمَرَ كَانَ يَكْرَهُ مَسَّ قَبْرِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ " .
Ibn Umar used to dislike touching of the grave of the Prophet peace be upon him. [Juzz Muhammad bin Asim al Thaqafi as-Subhani no: 28, Abul Hassan Ali ibn Umar al Qazweeni in his Amaleeh and Al Hafiz Al Dhahabi. Sheikh Shu'ayb Al Arna'ut said "its men are trustworthy" (Sayr A'laam Al Nublaa',12/373]
Comment: So it was the practice of Companions not to touch the grave of Prophet, let us see what is the opinion of Imam Ahmad and the Hanbli Madhab on this issue.
Qadhi Abu Yala quoted
أن أحمد قال لما سأله أبو بكر الأثرم عن التمسح بالقبر: ما أعرف هذا ، قلت: فالمنبر؟ قال:نعم.
وقال الأثرم أيضاً: وقلت لأبي عبدالله: إنهم يلصقون بطونهم بجدار القبر وقلتُ له: ورأيت أهل العلم من المدينة لا يمسونه ويقومون من ناحيته فيسلمون. فقال أبو عبدالله: نعم هكذا كان ابن عمر يفعل.
"Abu Bakr al-Athram relates: I said to Ahmad can the Prophet's grave, peace be upon him, be touched?He replied: 'I do not know this.' I then asked him: What about the pulpit? He replied: 'As for the pulpit, then yes.'Al-Athram said: I said to Abu Abdullah (Ahmad bin humble)... I have seen people of knowledge from Madeena, they would not touch the grave. They would simply stand to the side and send Salam.Abu Abdullah (Ahmad bin Humble) said Yes This is also the practise of Ibn 'Umar"
[Al Masail al Faqeeh min Kitab Riwayatain wal wajhayn page 215, Ibne Abdul Hadi in Sarim al Manki page 133, Al Mughni, 559/3, Al Furoo', 573/2 and Wafa Al Wafaa', 1403/4.]
After quoting this Qadhi Abu Yala (380 h to 458 h) said
وهذه الرواية تدل على أنه ليس بسنة وضع اليد على القبر
And this narration shows that it is not sunnah to place the hands on the grave[Al Masail al Faqeeh min Kitab Riwayatain wal wajhayn page 215]
Ibn Qudama Hanbalee said
" ولا يستحب التمسح بحائط قبر النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم ولا تقبيله قال أحمد : ما أعرف هذا . قال ابن الأثرم : رأيت أهل العلم من أهل المدينة لا يمسون قبر النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم, يقومون من ناحية فيسلمون "
It is not recomended to touch the wall of the grave of Prophet peace be upon him nor kiss it. Ahmad said 'I do not know this. ibn Al-Athram said: I have seen The people of knowledge from Madeena, they would not touch the grave. They would simply stand to the side and send Salam[See also Kashaf al Qina 2/139]
It is also mentioned in Kashaf al Qina
ويكره تقبيله والطوافبه لأن ذلك كله من البدع
And it is disliked to kiss it and doing tawaf of it, Because all this is innovation[2/140,141]
Imam Ibn Qudama Hanbalee said
ولأن تخصيص القبور بالصلاة عندها يشبه تعظيم الأصنام بالسجود لها ، والتقرب إليها ، وقد روينا أن ابتداء عبادة الأصنام تعظيم الأموات ، باتخاذ صورهم ، ومسحها ، والصلاة عندها .
Ibn Hajar Al Asqalani mentioned that the companions of Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal used to stay away from this practice. [Fathul Bari 3/475 ]
Al Mardaawi hanbali concluded,
"ولا يستحب التمسح بالقبر على الصحيح من المذهب
It is not recommended to wipe the graves and this is the correct opinion of this(Hanbli) madhab [Al Insaaf, 4/53]
Few Fatwas of Hanbli Scholars
a) Abdul Qadir Jelani Hanbli said
اذا زار قبرا لا يضع يده عليه و لا يقبله فانه عادة اليهود و لا يقعد عليه و لا يكتى عليه
"When you visit the graves then do not put your hands on them or kiss them as this is the habit of the jews, nor sit on the graves or rest against them. " (al-Ghuniyyah (1/91).
Scan: http://lh4.ggpht.com/_Y3h6JhqU8O4/TFbFeeG0GvI/AAAAAAAAAMo/-HZvP4VmhIE/s400/untitled.JPG
b) Ibn Aqil Hanbli said
لا يخلق القبور بالخلوق , والتزويق والتقبيل لها والطواف بها , والتوسل بهم إلى الله
Graves are not made for kissing and decorating and roaming around and begging them for ALLAH [Ibn e Muflih quoted al furoo 2/272]
"Ibn Aqil said: "When these obligations were hard on the ignorant and rabble ones, they diverted themselves from the positions of Shari'a to revere positions which they laid down for themselves, so it felt easy to them as they will not be regulated by the order of anyone except themselves." He added: "To me, they are kafir (infidels) due to these positions; like revering the graves and paying respect to them with things which are forbidden by Shari'a like burning fire, kissing the graves, roaming around them, addressing the dead with sheets (of requests) and notes on patches which say like this: "O My Master do such and such for me", and taking the soil for getting blessing, pouring perfume on the graves, undertaking journey to visit them, hanging shreds with trees, as imitation to those who worship Lat and Uzza[Talbees Iblees of ibn e jozi تلبيس إبليس/الباب الثاني عشر chapter تلبيس إبليس على جمهور العوام]
Conclusion:
1. Directly asking help from the people in graves is shirk by saying O so and so Help me,Aid me
2. Kissing grave of Prophet peace be upon him was hated by Companions of Prophet peace be upon him
3. Kissing grave of Prophet peace be upon him is not allowed according to Hanbli madhab and from the most correct narration from Imam Ahmad as Jurists of Hanbli Madhab said i.e Mardawi,Ibn Qudamah, Qadhi Abu Yala etc.
Related link:
a) Innovative Tawassul Refutation Series (Athar of Abu Ayub Al Ansaree RA kissing the grave is weak)
b) Detailed Discussion On the Issue of Tabarruk
http://www.ahlalhdeeth.com/vbe/showthread.php?p=612
