The Imams of the Ahl al-Bayt did not take even a small amount of gold for themselves as long as they were alive. How is it that their graves are filled with gold?! Why did Ali not build an ornate shrine for the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and his family, like what Shias built for the Imams of the Ahl al-Bayt, even though he was a Caliph and had control of the public treasury?!
Please note the following:
1. There is no doubt that the Prophet and his Ahl al-Bayt did not hoard gold or silver during their lifetime, but rather that they spent it in the way of Allah; because they feared Allah and knew that He said in His Book: ﴿وَالَّذِينَ يَكْنِزُونَ الذَّهَبَ وَالْفِضَّةَ وَلَا يُنْفِقُونَهَا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ فَبَشِّرْهُمْ بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ﴾[1]; “And those who hoard gold and silver and do not spend them in the way of Allah, then give them tidings of a painful punishment.” Clearly, the gold and silver used to decorate their graves were not from their wealth but from people’s wealth, and they did not order spending them on decorating their graves, but rather rulers did. Therefore, They are not responsible for that, ﴿وَلَا تَكْسِبُ كُلُّ نَفْسٍ إِلَّا عَلَيْهَا ۚ وَلَا تَزِرُ وَازِرَةٌ وِزْرَ أُخْرَى﴾[2]; “and each soul earns only for itself, and no bearer of burdens shall bear the burden of another.”
2. Ali, peace be upon him, did not build a shrine over the grave of the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and his family; because the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and his family, did not order him to do so, but rather he ordered him to demolish all built-up graves; as it has been narrated that he said: «كُنَّا مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِي جِنَازَةٍ، فَقَالَ: مَنْ يَأْتِي الْمَدِينَةَ فَلَا يَدَعْ قَبْرًا إِلَّا سَوَّاهُ، وَلَا صُورَةً إِلَّا طَلَخَهَا، وَلَا وَثَنًا إِلَّا كَسَرَهُ؟ فَقَامَ رَجُلٌ فَقَالَ: أَنَا، ثُمَّ هَابَ أَهْلَ الْمَدِينَةِ فَجَلَسَ، قَالَ عَلِيٌّ: فَانْطَلَقْتُ، ثُمَّ جِئْتُ فَقُلْتُ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، لَمْ أَدَعْ بِالْمَدِينَةِ قَبْرًا إِلَّا سَوَّيْتُهُ، وَلَا صُورَةً إِلَّا طَلَخْتُهَا، وَلَا وَثَنًا إِلَّا كَسَرْتُهُ، فَقَالَ: مَنْ عَادَ لِصَنْعَةِ شَيْءٍ مِنْ هَذَا فَقَدْ كَفَرَ بِمَا أُنْزِلَ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ»[3]; “We were with the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and his family, at a funeral. Then he said: ‘Who will go to Medina and not leave any grave without leveling it, any image without erasing it, or any idol without breaking it?’ Then a man stood up and said: ‘I will.’ Then he felt afraid of the people of Medina and sat down. So I went. Then I came back and said: ‘O Messenger of Allah! I did not leave in Medina any grave but I leveled it, any image but I erased it, or any idol but I broke it.’ Then he said: ‘Whoever goes back to doing any of that has disbelieved in what Allah has sent down to Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and his family.’” Also, it has been narrated that he said to Abu al-Hayyaj al-Asadi: «أَبْعَثُكَ عَلَى مَا بَعَثَنِي عَلَيْهِ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ، أَنْ لَا تَتْرُكَ قَبْرًا مُشْرِفًا إِلَّا سَوَّيْتَهُ، وَلَا تِمْثَالًا إِلَّا طَمَسْتَهُ»[4]; “I am sending you on what the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and his family, sent me on: that you should leave no elevated grave without leveling it and no statue without obliterating it,” and it has been stated in another narration: «أَنَّهُ دَخَلَ عَلَى صَاحِبِ شُرَطِهِ، فَقَالَ: انْطَلِقْ، فَلَا تَدَعْ زُخْرُفًا إِلَّا أَلْقَيْتَهُ، وَلَا قَبْرًا إِلَّا سَوَّيْتَهُ، ثُمَّ دَعَاهُ فَقَالَ: هَلْ تَدْرِي إِلَى أَيْنَ بَعَثْتُكَ؟ إِلَى مَا بَعَثَنِي عَلَيْهِ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ»[5]; “He went to the chief of his security force and said: ‘Go and do not leave any decoration without discarding it or any grave without leveling it.’ Later, he called him and said: ‘Do you know what I sent you on? On what the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and his family, sent me on.’” It has also been narrated that the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and his family, said: «لَا تَتَّخِذُوا قَبْرِي عِيدًا»[6]; “Do not take my grave as a place of festivity.” There is a difference of opinion among scholars about its interpretation, but it is not far-fetched that it is a prohibition against decorating his grave as people decorate places during their festivals. Yes, the grave of the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and his family, was not under the sky either, but rather it was in his house until Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan connected it to the mosque in the year 88 AH. Therefore, His Eminence Mansoor, may Allah Almighty protect him, has said: «لَا بَأْسَ بِأَنْ يَكُونَ الْقَبْرُ فِي بَيْتٍ لَمْ يُبْنَ لَهُ»; “There is no problem that a grave is in a house that has not been built for it.”
3. There is no doubt that building on the graves of the Prophet and his Ahl al-Bayt and decorating them with gold and silver have no basis in Islam and are contrary to the Book of Allah and their Sunnah. Therefore, it is definitely not permissible to initiate it. However, if it has already been initiated and finished, it is not permissible to remove it unless it is not considered an insult to them conventionally; because the prohibition of insulting them is greater than the prohibition of building on their graves and decorating them with gold and silver, and it may lead to strife and discord among Muslims. Therefore, if it is possible to remove it in a proper way that does not involve any insult or evil consequence, it is permissible to do so, and it should be done by their children and those who are known for their affection for them to be further removed from insults and evil consequences. The same ruling applies to the graves of other believers; as one of our companions informed us, he said:
«سَمِعْتُ الْمَنْصُورَ يَقُولُ: مَنْ هَدَمَ قَبْرَ مُؤْمِنٍ فَكَأَنَّمَا هَدَمَ دَارَهُ، قُلْتُ: أَرَأَيْتَ إِنْ وَجَدَ فِيهِ خَلَلًا أَوْ نَقْصًا، أَلَهُ أَنْ يُصْلِحَهُ؟ قَالَ: لَا بَأْسَ بِأَنْ يُصْلِحَهُ، وَلَيْسَ الْهَدْمُ كَالْإِصْلَاحِ، قُلْتُ: أَرَأَيْتَ إِنْ وَجَدَ عَلَيْهِ بُنْيَانًا مِمَّا لَا يَجُوزُ أَنْ يَكُونَ عَلَى قَبْرٍ، أَلَهُ أَنْ يَهْدِمَ الْبُنْيَانَ؟ قَالَ: لَيْسَ لَهُ أَنْ يَهْدِمَهُ هَدْمًا فَيُهِينَهُ، وَلَكِنْ يَأْخُذُ مِنْهُ عَلَى رِفْقٍ، حَتَّى إِذَا سَوَّاهُ جَعَلَ حَوْلَهُ مَوَانِعَ لِكَيْلَا يَطَأَهُ النَّاسُ، قُلْتُ: أَمَا أَمَرَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَلِيًّا بِهَدْمِ الْقُبُورِ؟! قَالَ: إِنَّمَا أَمَرَهُ بِهَدْمِ قُبُورِ الْمُشْرِكِينَ لِيُذْهِبَ آثَارَ الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ وَأَنْجَاسَهَا، وَلَمْ يَأْمُرْهُ بِهَدْمِ قُبُورِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، قُلْتُ: فَمَاذَا تَرَى إِنْ كَانَ قَبْرَ نَبِيٍّ أَوْ إِمَامٍ مِنْ أَئِمَّةِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ؟ قَالَ: أَرَى أَنْ لَا يُهْدَمَ وَلَا يُؤْخَذَ مِنْهُ شَيْءٌ إِلَّا عَلَى وَجْهِ الْإِصْلَاحِ، لِكَيْلَا يَكُونَ فِتْنَةً لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا، فَيُوقِعَ بَيْنَهُمُ الْعَدَاوَةَ وَالْبَغْضَاءَ، وَلَا بَأْسَ بِأَنْ يَكُونَ الْقَبْرُ فِي بَيْتٍ لَمْ يُبْنَ لَهُ مَا لَمْ يُرْفَعْ فَوْقَ أَرْبَعَةِ أَصَابِعَ، وَلَا أَقُولُ كَمَا يَقُولُ هَؤُلَاءِ الْأَحْجَارُ -يَعْنِي الْوَهَّابِيَّةَ! ثُمَّ أَقْبَلَ بِوَجْهِهِ عَلَى عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ حَبِيبٍ، وَكَانَ يُصْلِحُ لَهُ قَمِيصًا، فَقَالَ: يَهْدِمُونَ قُبُورَ الصَّالِحِينَ، وَيَعْمُرُونَ قُصُورَ الظَّالِمِينَ! لَا وَاللَّهِ مَا بِذَلِكَ أُمِرُوا!»[7]; “I heard Mansoor say: ‘Whoever destroys the grave of a believer, it is as if he has destroyed his house.’ I said: ‘What is your opinion, if he finds a flaw or deficiency in it, can he reform it?’ He said: ‘There is nothing wrong with reforming it, and destroying is not the same as reforming.’ I said: ‘What is your opinion, if he finds a construction on it, which is not allowed to be on a grave, can he destroy the construction?’ He said: ‘It is not for him to destroy it all at once and disrespect him in this way, but he may remove it gently until he makes it flat, and place obstacles around it so that people do not step on it.’ I said: ‘Did the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and his family, not order Ali to destroy the graves?!’ He said: ‘He ordered him to destroy the graves of disbelievers in order to remove the traces of the time of ignorance and its impurities, and he did not order him to destroy the graves of believers.’ I said: ‘Then what is your opinion if it is (a construction on) the grave of a Prophet or an Imam from among the Imams of believers?’ He said: ‘I see that it should not be destroyed and nothing should be removed from it except for the purpose of reformation so that it would not be a fitnah for those who believed, causing enmity and hatred among them, and there is no problem that a grave is in a house that has not been built for it as long as it is not raised above four fingers, and I do not say as these stones say -i.e., Wahhabis!’ Then he turned his face toward Abdullah ibn Habib, who was mending a shirt for him, then he said: ‘They destroy the graves of the righteous and build up the palaces of the unjust! No, I swear to Allah, they have not been commanded to do so!’”
This great scholar has highlighted an important point, which is that those who currently resent building on the graves of the Prophet and his Ahl al-Bayt and decorating them with gold and silver, do not challenge the palaces of kings and the towers of the sons of kings, and overlook the gold and silver that they spend on living luxuriously, engaging in immorality, and spreading corruption on the earth. Although building on the graves of the Prophet and his Ahl al-Bayt and decorating them with gold and silver are bad, building palaces and towers and spending gold and silver on living luxuriously, engaging in immorality, and spreading corruption on the earth are worse and more significant in the sight of Allah. Therefore, striving to destroy the palaces of oppressors comes before striving to destroy the graves of the righteous; as one of our companions informed us, he said:
«كُنْتُ عِنْدَ الْعَبْدِ الصَّالِحِ، فَدَخَلَ عَلَيْهِ رَجُلٌ مِنَ السَّلَفِيَّةِ، فَقَالَ: كَانَ فِي قَرْيَتِي قَبْرٌ لِفُلَانٍ الصُّوفِيِّ، وَكَانَ يُعْبَدُ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ، فَهَدَمْتُهُ! قَالَ: وَهَدَمْتَهُ؟! قَالَ: نَعَمْ وَاللَّهِ، وَنَفَضْتُ يَدَيَّ مِنْ تُرَابِهِ! قَالَ: هَدَمْتَ الْقَبْرَ الْأَصْغَرَ، وَأَبْقَيْتَ الْقَبْرَ الْأَكْبَرَ! قَالَ: وَمَا الْقَبْرُ الْأَكْبَرُ؟! قَالَ: قَصْرُ الْحَاكِمِ، وَعُبَّادُهُ أَكْثَرُ! فَتَأَمَّلَ الرَّجُلُ سَاعَةً، ثُمَّ قَالَ: وَاللَّهِ لَوْ أَطَعْنَاكَ لَحَمَلْتَنَا عَلَى الطَّرِيقِ الْوَاضِحِ، وَلَكِنْ مَا نَصْنَعُ بِالْمَذَاهِبِ؟! ثُمَّ قَامَ وَخَرَجَ»[8]; “I was with the righteous servant (i.e., Mansoor, may Allah Almighty protect him), then a man from Salafiyyah came to him and said: ‘In my village, there was a grave for a Sufi man, which was worshiped instead of Allah, so I destroyed it!’ He said: ‘Did you destroy it?!’ He said: ‘Yes, I swear to Allah, and I shook its dust off my hands!’ He said: ‘You destroyed the smaller grave and left the bigger grave!’ He said: ‘What is the bigger grave?!’ He said: ‘The ruler’s palace, and its worshipers are more!’ So the man pondered for an hour, then he said: ‘I Swear to Allah, if we obey you, you will lead us to the clear path, but what should we do with the sects?!’ Then he got up and left.”
Yes, the palaces of oppressors are the greatest graves where the moving dead rule, and they are more deserving of being destroyed in the sight of Allah and those who have believed, but most people do not know, ﴿وَمَنْ يُضْلِلِ اللَّهُ فَمَا لَهُ مِنْ هَادٍ﴾[9]; “and whomever Allah sends astray, there will be no guide for him.”