I was asked: Is it permissible to build a Masjid over the site of People of the Cave? I answered:
In the name of Allah, praise be to Allah and peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah;
I have read what was published in the third edition of the Islamic Sciences League magazine in the 'Muslim
The Islamic Sciences League, in The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, intends to build a Masjid over the site of the cave recently discovered in the village of AlRahib, which is said to be the cave where the People of the Cave
As it is my duty to advise for the sake of Allah and His servants, I thought it would be beneficial to say a word in the same magazine of the Islamic Sciences League published in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. I must admonish the league to give up the intention of building a Masjid over the site of this cave, if for no other reason than that building Masjids over the graves and remains of the Prophets and righteous people is utterly forbidden by the Islamic Shari`ah (Islamic law) and that those who do so are cursed. This is because such an act may lead to Shirk (associating others with Allah in His Divinity or worship) and excessive veneration and overpraising of the prophets and pious people. The reality bears witness to the validity of what the Shari`ah asserts, evidence that it is revealed from Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) and unquestionable, decisive proof regarding the truthfulness of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and the message sent down unto him which he conveyed to the Ummah (nation). Whoever is aware of the conditions that exist in the Islamic world and the acts of Shirk (associating others with Allah in His Divinity or worship), excessive reverence of prophets and the pious that prevail due to establishing Masjids over shrines and glorifying them by means of lavish structures and the presence of custodians to collect money from people unlawfully, will certainly know that they are avenues leading to Shirk. One of the outstanding virtues of Shari`ah is to forbid such building of Masjids over graves and to warn sternly against it.
The Two Shaykhs, AlBukhari and Muslim (may Allah be merciful with them) narrated some reports to this effect on the authority of `Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) that she related that the Prophet (peace be upon him) stated, May Allah curse the Jews and the Christians; they have taken the graves of their prophets as places of worship `Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: "He warned against what they did and had it not been for this, his grave would have been raised above the ground but he feared that it would be taken as a Masjid."
It is also related also by AlBukhari and Muslimthat Umm Salamah and Umm Habibah (may Allah be pleased with them) mentioned a church they had seen in Abyssinia (Ethiopia) and in the church there were pictures. When they told the Prophet (peace be upon him) of this, he said that when a pious man lived amongst them and died, they built a place of worship over his grave, and they carved and engraved these images therein, and these people are the worst of creation in the sight of Allah.
It is related in Sahih Muslim on the authority of Jundub Ibn `Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) that he heard the Prophet (peace be upon him) five days before his death, stating, I stand free of blame before Allah for having taken any one of you as a Khalil (friend), for Allah has taken me as His Khalil, as He took Ibrahim as His Khalil. Were I to have taken any one of my Ummah (community) as a friend, it would have been Abu Bakr. Beware of those who preceded you and used to take the graves of their prophets and righteous men as places of worship, but you must not take graves as mosques; I forbid you to do
There are many Hadiths in this regard. Imams of Muslim scholars from the four Madhhabs (Schools of Jurisprudence) and others have stated the prohibition of building Masjids over graves. They issued the sternest warning against doing so, urging Muslims to observe the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and advising this Ummah lest it should fall into the same excessiveness and veneration of the prophets and pious people the way its predecessors from the extremist Jews and Christians and their likes who deviated from the Straight Path.
Thus, it is incumbent upon the Islamic Sciences League in Jordan and Muslims to adhere to the Sunnah and the way of the righteous Imams, and to be on their guard in relation to committing what Allah and His Messenger warned against. It is the only way that leads to people's uprightness and happiness in this world and in the Hereafter. It should be noted that some people formed their opinions based on the misinterpretation of Allah's Statement in the story of the People of the Cave: (then) those who won their point said (most probably the disbelievers): "We verily shall build a place of worship over them."
The answer to this is that Allah (may He be Praised and Exalted) informed about the rulers and prominent people who announced this statement. He told their story not as a means of expressing content and agreement with what they said; rather as a kind of dispraise and expressing abhorrence of their action. This is even indicated by the Messenger (peace be upon him) unto whom this Ayah (Qur'anic verse) was revealed and the most knowledgeable of the interpretation as he forbade his Ummah from building Masjids over the graves and cursed and dispraised those who do so.
If this had been permissible, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) would have not strongly affirmed its prohibition to the extent of cursing those who did it, or describing them as the worst creatures in the sight of Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He). This should be sufficient in pointing out the gravity implied in the matter and providing a convincing answer to those who seek the truth. Even if we supposed that the building Masjids over graves was permissible for those who preceded us, still we are not permitted to follow their example because the Shari`ah (Islamic law) abrogates all previous laws, and our Prophet (peace be upon him) is the Seal of the Messengers and the Shari`ah revealed to him is comprehensive. He (peace be upon him) forbade building Masjids over graves, and as such, we are not permitted to disobey him. We must follow his example and adhere to his Sunnah as well as abandon what contradicts it in relation to the previous Shari`ahs (Divine laws) and favorable customs followed by some people, because Allah's Shari`ah is perfect and comprehensive and no guidance is better than the Prophet's.
Allah is the One Whom we invoke to grant all Muslims and us success and to keep us firm on the truth and adherence to the Sunnah of His Messenger, Muhammad (peace be upon him) in words and deeds, whether manifested or hidden, and in all daily affairs until we meet Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He). Allah is the AllHearer, Ever Near and Responsive! May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions and those who follow his guidance until the Day of Resurrection!