Br. Fishman,
I hope you're in the best of Imaan and health, Insha'Allaah. I wanted to reply to a couple of points of your post as follows:
1. Not everybody (infact almost nobody, for that matter) thinks Mazzars are Shirk. But that is a sectarian discussion which is banned on the forum, as well as by the 'do not debate with the Innovators' prohibiton.
In reality brother, this will not fall into a sectarian discussion as long as the individuals taking part in the discussion will bring forth evidences, discuss in an academic manner with the proper
adaab and not engage in naming of sects and/or bashing. I believe as long as this is adhered to, there is no reason why we cannot discuss these issues as mature individuals, Insha'Allaah.
To proceed to address your point, you said:
Not everybody (infact almost nobody, for that matter) thinks Mazzars are Shirk.
You are correct that they, in and of themselves are not shirk but this does not prove that building them is permissible. They are pathways to shirk and there is a principal that whatever leads to something haram is haram; for example: free-mixing is haram because it can lead to
zina. I believe that you have not experienced and seen what goes on at such places; akhee, I have, and believe me when I tell you that there are people that make
sujood to these graves, perform
tawaaf around them, touch it with their hands and then touch their eyes thinking it will cleanse them and stand there making Dua' to Allaah at these graves, and at worse cases calling out to and making dua' to the buried person in the mazzar. I have seen others, women, coming there and staying next to these graves in hopes that by the "barakah" there they will get married or have a child or some calamity will be removed from upon them. They have formed rituals, some going to a particular mazar and some to others after Jumua'h believing that it is from Islaam. Believe me when I tell you that, though they in and of themselves are not shirk, they are pathways to shirk.
Let me clarify my points from two directions:
1. Numbers generally,
in and of themselves are not an evidence - the evidence is from the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of His Messenger.
صلى الله عليه و سلم
2. In fact, the reality is that many scholars, including those of the ahnaaf (the madhab which I assume you follow) have stated that it is impermissible to build these structures time and time again in their works because of the obvious danger of the
fitnah it will cause amongst the lay-persons. The ahadeeth in this regard are well known, so I will not quote them, but following are some quotations from scholars of the ahnaaf:
- [FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Imam Sarkhasi says in al-Masbut,[/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman, serif]"Do not reinforce the graves because its forbiddance is proven from the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alaihiwasallam."[Al-Masbut by Imam Sarkhasi v.2, p.26][/FONT]
- [FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Imam Kasani says,[/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman, serif]"It is detestable to strengthen the graves and Imam Abu Hanifah considered it detestable to build tombs and similar structures over the graves. It contains wastage of wealth. Whereas there is no harm in sprinkling of water over the grave but it is related from Imam Yusuf that even sprinkling of water is detestable because the grave cements due to it."[/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman, serif][Badai' as-Sinai' by Imam Kasani v.1 p.320][/FONT]
- [FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Qadhi Ibrahim writes mentioning the foundations of those who worship graves[/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman, serif],[/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman, serif]"[/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Nowadays some deviant people have started making Hajj of the graves and have established manners (or rituals) for it. And from those matters that oppose the religion and Shari'ah is that people express helplessness and humility near the graves, and light lamps upon them. To offer Chadar upon the graves, to assign a guard for them, to kiss them and to seek provision and children near them, all these matters have no proof from the Shari'ah Islamiyyah." [/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman, serif][Ja' al-Haq p.302][/FONT]
Insha'Allaah you can refer to this thread for more:
http://www.islamicboard.com/tawheed...tures-over-graves-obligation-remove-them.html
2. More to the point, an Ottoman fort is not a grave, or a shrine, or an idol! Its a historic site that should be protected from damage and preserved for the future, not blown up and turned into a housing block! If that was done in any other developed country the people who demolished it would be thrown into prison for breaking conservation laws.
Al-Shaatibi said: Ibn Waddaah said: I heard ‘Isa ibn Yoonus, the mufti of the people of Tarsoos, saying:
‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab ordered that the tree beneath which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) had received the oath of allegiance (bay’ah) be cut down, because the people were going and praying beneath it, and he feared that they might fall into fitnah.
al-I’tisaam, 1/448
Al-Haafidh ibn Hajar said: I found with Ibn Sa’d a
saheeh isnaad from Naafi’,
saying that ‘Umar heard that some people were going to the tree and praying there, so he warned them (not to do that), then he ordered that it be cut down, and it was cut down.
Fath al-Baari, 7/513
This Umar
رضي الله عنه, is the same Umar
رضي الله عنه about whom the Messenger
صلى الله عليه و سلم said: "
Verily Allaah Azzawajall has placed the truth upon the heart and tongue of Umar." Ahmad from Ibn Umar with saheeh Isnad.
Akhee this tree was not a grave, nor a shrine, nor an idol - I find no better words to describe it with, except yours: it was a historic site.
I am not familiar with the incident of the Ottoman fort so I have no opinion in regards to it, all I wanted here was to highlight to you the importance Islaam gives to cutting down the pathways to
fitnah.
I hope Allaah guides us to the truth in that which wherein we differ. Ameen.
