This clearly proves that to build an edifice that doesn't offer any benefit to anyone is prohibited, but doing so is permissible if it is built for the comfort and ease of the visitors. Also, Hadrat Urnar رضی اللہ تعالٰی عنہ built a dome on the grave of Sayyidah Zainab bint Jahsh رضی اللہ تعالٰی عنہا Sayyidah Aisha رضی اللہ تعالٰی عنہا built a dome on the grave of her brother, Hadrat Abdur-Rahman رضی اللہ تعالٰی عنہ and so did Hadrat Muhanunad ibn Hanfia رضی اللہ تعالٰی عنہ on the grave of Hadrat Abdullah ibn Abbas رضی اللہ تعالٰی عنہ.

Abu Abd Sulaiman رضی اللہ تعالٰی عنہ states, "Hadrat Umar رضی اللہ تعالٰی عنہ built a dome over the 'grave of Hadrat Zainab bint Jahsh رضی اللہ تعالٰی عنہ, Sayyidah Aisha رضی اللہ تعالٰی عنہا on the grave of her brother Hadrat Abdur-Rahman رضی اللہ تعالٰی عنہ and Hadrat Mubanunad ibn Hanfia رضی اللہ تعالٰی عنہ (the son of Hadrat Ali رضی اللہ تعالٰی عنہ) on the grave of Hadrat Ibn Abbaa رضی اللہ تعالٰی عنہ Whoever has classified building domes to be disliked (Makrooh) has said so if they are built in boast and show." 2.26-Muntaqaa, the Sharah of Muatta Imam Malik.

Badaaius-Sanaai states, "When Hadrat Ibn Abbas رضی اللہ تعالٰی عنہ passed away in Taaif Hadrat Muhanunad ibn Hanfia رضی اللہ تعالٰی عنہ read namaaz on him {i.e. Janaazah Salaah), arched his grave and built a dome over it." 12.27 - Vol. 1, Pg. 320

Aini, the Sharah of Bukhari, states, "These Sahaaba have done this and indeed, the Rauza of Rasoolullahصلی اللہ علیہ وسلم is visited by the entire Urfimah. No Muhaddith, Faqih or Aalim objected to the Rauza Sharif. Thus, the Hadith cited will have to be interpreted as we have."

"Sitting on the grave" refers to climbing and sitting on top of it. This is what is prohibited, not becoming a caretaker (Mujaawar) there. There is no prohibition in becoming a caretaker at the grave. The duties of such a person are keeping the key to open and lock the building and seeing to the needs of it, etc. This is proven from the Sahaaba. Sayyidah Aisha رضی اللہ تعالٰی عنہا the Mother of the Faithful, was the key-keeper and saw to the affairs of the Holy Prophet’sصلی اللہ علیہ وسلم Qabr Sharif. When the Sahaaba wished to visit (Ziyaarat) the blessed grave, they contacted her to open the Rauza Sharif for them. - Mishkaat, Baabud-Dafn

Even today, there are caretakers at the Rauza Sharif of the Holy Prophetصلی اللہ علیہ وسلم. No one has ruled this to be impermissible.

OBJECTION 2: The Hadith states, "Abu Hayyaj Asadi رضی اللہ تعالٰی عنہ narrates that Hadrat Ali رضی اللہ تعالٰی عنہ said to him, "Should I not send you on the task for which the Holy Prophetصلی اللہ علیہ وسلم bad also sent me for once? This task is to destroy any picture or statue and level any high grave you come across." 11.29 -Mishkaat, Baabud-Dafn

Bukhari Sharif states, "Hadrat Ibn Umar رضی اللہ تعالٰی عنہ saw a dome and tent on the grave of Hadrat Abdur-Rahman رضی اللہ تعالٰی عنہ and said, "Young man, remove it because his deeds are shading him." 12.30 - Vol. 1, Kttaabut-Janaatz, Baabul­Jareed alal-Qabr

Both of these Ahadith prove that if a grave is high or has a building it, it should be brought down.

Important Note-Using this Hadith as a shield, the Najdi/Wahabies have demolished and leveled the graves (Mazaars) of the Sahaaba and Able-Bait to the ground.

Answer- The graves which Hadrat Aliرضی اللہ تعالٰی عنہ, was ordered to bring down were the graves belonging to the Kuffaar, not the graves of Muslims.

He said, "I shall send you on the task for which the Holy Prophetصلی اللہ علیہ وسلم also sent me once." Those graves which Hadrat Ali رضی اللہ تعالٰی عنہ leveled in the time of the Holy Prophetصلی اللہ علیہ وسلم cannot have been the graves of Muslims because Rasoolullahصلی اللہ علیہ وسلم used to attend the burial of every Sahaabi, and the Sahaaba never did anything without consulting the Holy Prophetصلی اللہ علیہ وسلم. Thus, all the Muslims graves which existed in that time were either made in the presence of Rasoolullahصلی اللہ علیہ وسلم or with his full consent. Based on this, which Muslim grave would've become impermissible and necessary to level? Yes, the graves of the Christians were high. Discussing the construction of Musjidun-Nabawi, Bukhari Sharif states, "Rasoolullahصلی اللہ علیہ وسلم gave an order for the graves of polytheist. (Mushriks). Accordingly, they were unearthed, 12.31- Vol. 1, Pg. 61

There is a chapter in Bukhari Sharif named "Should the Mushriks' graves from the Period of Ignorance be excavated?" - Vol. 1. Pg. 61

Allama Haafiz Ibn Hajar رضی اللہ تعالٰی عنہwrites in the annotation of this, "... Except for the Prophets and their followers, because exhuming their graves is disrespect to them.12.32-Fat'hul-Baari, Vol. 2, Pg. 26

And, ''This Hadith proves that disposition in a graveyard that has come into ownership is permissible. Old graves may be disentombed except for when they are respected:,12.33 - Fat 'hul-Baari

This Hadith and its annotation have explained the cited Hadith of Hadrat Ali رضی اللہ تعالٰی عنہ by the opposition (i.e. it is the graves of Mushriks that should be leveled). Secondly, why were pictures mentioned with the graves? Where are there photos, etc. at the graves of Muslims? We can reason that only the graves of the Kuffaar are meant in it because only at their graves are pictures of the deceased kept. Thirdly, the quoted Hadith speaks of leveling the high graves to the ground. It is Sunnah for a Muslim grave to be a hand's length above the earth. To level it equally against the earth is against the Sunnah. Again, we shall have to accept that the graves of the Kuffaar was intended, otherwise it will be very surprising that Hadrat Ali رضی اللہ تعالٰی عنہ levels high graves but his son, Muhammad ibn Hanfia رضی اللہ تعالٰی عنہ , is responsible for constructing a dome over Hadrat Ibn Abbas's رضی اللہ تعالٰی عنہ grave!

Even if the grave of a Muslim has become high, still too can it not be brought down because this is disrespect to a Muslim. The grave shouldn't be made high in the first place, but shouldn't be destroyed if it is. To print the Holy Quean in fine print is prohibited (ref. Shaami, Kitaabul-Karaahiyat), but if it is, it shouldn't be burned, discarded or thrown away because this is disrespectful to it.

The Ahadith state that it is forbidden to sit, excrete, walk with shoes or without upon the grave of a Muslim. It is unfortunate that the Wahabies have obliterated the tombs of the Friends of Allahعزوجل to the ground yet the graves of English Christians are continuously being made extremely high in Jeddah. Verily, Sayyiduna Rasoolullahصلی اللہ علیہ وسلم :i spoke the truth, "Every person has love for his mutual kind.,,12.34

To use the Hadith of Hadrat Ibn Umar رضی اللہ تعالٰی عنہ as a proof is absolutely baseless because he himself says that the shadow of a deceased's deeds (aamaal) is sufficient. We establish from this that if a dome is made to shelter the deceased himself, it is impermissible. Under this very Hadith of Hadrat Ibn Umar رضی اللہ تعالٰی عنہ, Aini, the Sharah of Bukhari, states, "This gestures towards the permissibility of putting up a shelter over a grave for a valid purpose, e.g. to save people from the heat of the sun. It is not allowed to put up a shelter over a grave to give shade to the deceased." 12.35

It is my personal experience that building shelters over the graves (Mazaars) is very beneficial. Once, I went to the Mazaar of Mulla Abdul-Hakeern Faazil Siyaalkoti رضی اللہ تعالٰی عنہ, the eminent scholar of Islam. There was no covering over it and the heat of the sun was relentless. Due to the intensity of it, the earth was like hot coals. I quickly read a few ayats and Fatiha and returned because of the unbearable weather, but was saddened by what little I had done. It was then that I realized the benefit of buildings over the graves of the Auliya.

Under the ayat, “اذ یبایعونک تحت الشجرۃ”12.36 Tafseer Roohul-Bayaan speaks about the arrogant individuals who say that they will demolish the graves of the Saints to demonstrate to the people who respect them that the Friends of Allahعزوجل have no power, or they would save these graves from being demolished. It states, "Know that this action is pure infidelity (kufr). Such a deed is extracted from the saying of Firaun (pharaoh), "Leave me! I'll kill Musa so that he can call his Lord! I fear that he will change your religion and spread mischief on the earth.12.31

Once, a person asked me, "If the Saints or Sahaaba had any power, why didn't they save their graves from the Wahabies and Najdis? From this, we come to know that they are lifeless and dead, so why should they be respected and revered?"

There were 360 idols in the Holy Kaaba before the Holy Prophetصلی اللہ علیہ وسلم , and the Ahadith further state that, near Qiyaamat, there will be a person who will demolish the Holy Kaaba, Today, the Musjid Shaheed Ganj in Lahore has become the temple of Sikhs, and there are many other Musjids which have been demolished. What answer will you give to Hindus who ask, "If Allahعزوجل had any power, why didn't he save His house from demolition?"

The Friends of Allah (Auliya) or their graves are respected due to their closeness to Allahعزوجل not solely for their power and authority.