A: The advice to Sufi and other scholars is to hold on to what is stated in Allah's Book (the Qur'an) and the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace be upon him) and to teach this to people. Moreover, I exhort them not to follow their antecedents in anything that opposes the Qur'an and the Sunnah. Religion is not to be acquired through imitation of shaykhs or others; it is to be taken from the Book of Allah, the Sunnah of His Messenger, Muhammad (peace be upon him), what was unanimously agreed upon by scholars and what was related about Sahabah (Companions of the Prophet, may Allah be pleased with them).

permissible to break their bones, walk or sit on their graves, or urinate or throw garbage on them. All these acts are prohibited, as the Muslim dead should neither be desecrated, nor glorified by making Du`a' to them instead of Allah (Exalted be He) or to circumambulate around them. Shari`ah (Islamic law) orders moderation and respect for graves and at the same time it does not permit glorifying the dead and worshiping them besides Allah (Exalted be He) or harming them through sitting on their graves and the like, concerning things which show disrespect to the dead. Indeed, it is the legislation of the All­Wise, All­ Knowing, Who places things in their right positions. Allah (Exalted be He) says: Certainly your Lord is All­Wise, All­ Knowing.

Our perfect Shari`ah combined forbidding people to excessively revere the dead by making Du`a' to them besides Allah (Exalted be He), seeking their help and offering Salah (prayers) while graves are in the direction of Qiblah, and making it forbidden to debase and offend the dead by sitting on their graves, walking over them, leaning on them, and throwing garbage on them. All these practices are prohibited.

Hence, the believer who seeks the truth knows that Shari`ah introduced moderation; not Shirk or offense and desecration. It is permissible to make Du`a' on the behalf of the dead, to ask Allah (Exalted be He) to forgive them and to greet them when visiting their graves. Nevertheless, they should never be asked in Du`a' instead of Allah (Exalted be He), circumambulate around them or offer Salah while they are in the direction of Qiblah. It is permissible to seek assistance from someone who is alive, for people help one another. This is so as long as it is within the limits of legal permissibility and means, such as working in fields, factories and the like for this is an allowed tangible form of co­operation in possible allowable matters. On the other hand, seeking help from the dead and those who are absent using unallowable acts, is an act of Major Shirk, according to Ijma` (consensus) of scholars without any dispute concerning it between the Sahabah and those who followed them from among the people of knowledge, belief and insight.

I again emphasize that building on graves and establishing Masjids or domes over them is an abominable act known to the people of knowledge and the Islamic Shari`ah forbade them as they lead to Shirk. Muslim scholars, once again, should have Taqwa, wherever they are, and advise people and teach them the true Shari`ah of Allah, and should not be amiable with those who practice Shirk and Kufr. They should warn everyone, whether he is a ruler, poor, young or old that these things are unallowable and he should guide them to Allah's Shari`ah. It is their duty to do this everywhere and in every possible way, whether verbally, in writing, by composing a book or delivering sermons on Fridays or others, by phone, fax, or any possible means of communication that is available nowadays and can be used to convey Da`wah (calling to Islam) and guide people to Allah's Correct Pathway.