Shah Waliullah (R.A) Refuting Shirk of Barelwi Grave-Worshipers

نحمده ونصلى ونسلم على رسوله الكريم

The polytheist, grave-worshiping Barelwi sect consider Shah Waliullah Muhaddith of Delhi (1703-1762) as one of their venerated elders. Like the Deobandis and Ahlul Hadith, the Barelwis too highly regard Shah Waliullah, therefore, I shall quote some of the latter’s statements in explicit condemnation of the Shirk of tomb veneration as a proof against the misguided Barelwis:

 

كل من ذهب إلى بلدة أجمير أو إلى قبر سالار مسعود أو ما ضاهاها لأجل حاجة يطلبها فإنه أثم إثما أكبر من القتل والزنا. ليس مثله إلا مثل من كان يعبد المصنوعات أو مثل من كان يدعو اللات والعزى

All who go to the land of Ajmer or to the grave of Salar Mas’ud or those that resemble them in order to request to fulfil a need, it is indeed a sin more grievous than murder and adultery. Its likeness is not but the likeness of those who worship the creation or like those who call on Al-Lat and Al-Uzza.

(at-Tafhimat-al-Ilahiya; v. 2 p. 45)

 

ومن اعظم الامراض فى زماننا هذا عبادتهم شيوخهم احياء او قبورهم امواتا والجملة يقتدون بكفرة الهند فى عبادة اصنامهم فى فعالهم

 

One of the greatest diseases in this age of ours is their worship of their shuyukh when they are alive or worship of their graves when they are dead. The ignorant Muslims imitate the disbelievers of India i.e. Hindus in worshipping their idols which is amongst their ritual acts.

(Ibid, v. 2 p. 63)

 

Allah’s Messenger (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, ‘You will surely follow the ways of those who went before you, hand span for hand span, arm’s length for arm’s length, until if they were to enter the hole of a lizard, you would follow them.’ We said, ‘O Messenger of Allah! The Jews and Christians?’ He said, ‘Then who?’ Al-Bukhari and Muslim transmitted it. Allah’s Messenger (Allah bless him and grant him peace) spoke the truth for indeed we have seen men amongst the feeble of the Muslims taking the pious as lords besides Allah and adopting their graves as mosques just as the Jews and Christians would do.

(Ibid, v. 2 p. 134)