Is the One who Circles Graves a Kafir?

Uploaded Jan 19, 2024

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Question

Some contemporary students of Ilm (Islamic knowledge) say: “Those who make Takfeer (i.e., label someone as a disbeliever) on those who make Tawaf (circle around) the graves are Takfirees. That is because the one who makes Tawaf (circles around) the grave might be insane. And the correct view is that no one is declared aa a Kafir (disbeliever) until they meet the conditions without impediments”. Is such a statement correct?

Sheikh Al-Fawzan

This is the statement of the Murji’ah, and the scholars did not say: anyone who makes Tawaf (circles around) the graves is a Kafir (disbeliever) without exception. Rather, they distinguish in such a matter. They say (the scholars): If the person is making Tawaf with the intention of getting closer to Allah while thinking that circling the grave is permissible, this is a misguided person, not a Kafir; He made a mistake. However, if he is circling the grave with the intention of getting closer to the dead person, this is major Shirk (polytheism). (This is) because Tawaf is an act of worship and can only be dedicated to Allah. They distinguish in this matter.