Ruling on circumambulating graves out of ignorance

 There are people who circumambulate graves out of ignorance. What is the ruling on these people, and can one of them be called a polytheist?

The ruling on those who invoke idols and seek help from them, and similar acts, is clear by the grace of Allah: it is major disbelief (kufr akbar). However, if someone claims that they circumambulate graves with the intention of worshiping Allah, just as they circumambulate the Kaaba, thinking that it is permissible to circumambulate graves without intending to draw closer to their occupants but rather to Allah alone, then this person is considered an innovator (mubtadi’) and not a disbeliever (kafir). This is because circumambulating graves is a reprehensible innovation (bid’ah), like praying at them, and all of these are means leading to disbelief. However, the majority of those who worship at graves do so to draw closer to their occupants by circumambulating them, just as they draw closer to them by sacrificing and making vows for them. All of this is major shirk (shirk akbar). Whoever dies upon this dies as a disbeliever, is not washed, prayed over, or buried in Muslim cemeteries, and their matter is left to Allah in the Hereafter. If they were among those who did not receive the message, they are judged as people of the interval (ahl al-fatrah). This is evidenced by what happened to the Prophet’s mother May God bless him and grant him peace, who did not reach the time of prophethood and was upon the religion of her people. The Prophet May God bless him and grant him peace sought permission from his Lord to seek forgiveness for her, but it was not granted because she was upon the religion of ignorance.

 Similarly, his father, when asked about him, the Prophet May God bless him and grant him peace said: “My father and your father are in the Fire.” His father died in the pre-Islamic period upon the religion of his people, so his ruling is that of the disbelievers. However, those who did not receive the message in this world and died in ignorance of the truth will be tested on the Day of Judgment according to the most correct view of the scholars. If they succeed, they will enter Paradise, and if they disobey, they will enter Hell.

This applies to all people of the interval who did not receive the message, as Allah says: “And We never punish until We have sent a Messenger” [Al-Isra: 15]. As for those who received the Quran or the message of the Prophet May God bless him and grant him peace and did not respond, the proof has been established against them, as Allah says: “And this Quran has been revealed to me that I may warn you thereby and whomever it reaches” [Al-An’am: 19], meaning that whoever the Quran reaches has been warned.

And Allah says: “This [Quran] is a message for the people and so that they may be warned thereby” [Ibrahim: 52]. Therefore, whoever the Quran and Islam reach, and they do not enter it, they are judged as disbelievers. It has been authentically reported from the Prophet May God bless him and grant him peace that he said: “By Him in Whose Hand is my soul, no one from this nation, Jew or Christian, hears of me and then dies without believing in what I was sent with, except that he will be among the people of the Fire” (reported by Muslim in his Sahih). Thus, hearing about the Prophet’s mission is a proof against them.

In summary, whoever openly displays disbelief in the lands of Islam is judged as a disbeliever. As for whether they will be saved or not on the Day of Judgment, this is up to Allah, the Exalted. If they were among those who did not receive the message and did not hear about the Prophet’s mission, they will be tested on the Day of Judgment. A neck of fire will be sent to them, as mentioned in the hadith of Al-Aswad bin Sari’, and it will be said to them: “Enter it.” If they enter, it will be cool and safe for them, but if they refuse, it will encircle them and they will be taken to the Fire. We seek Allah’s protection.

In conclusion, those who did not receive the message, such as those in remote parts of the world or during periods of interruption, or those who received it but were insane, mentally incapacitated, or extremely old and unable to understand, are like the children of polytheists who died young. The children of polytheists who did not reach puberty are all left to Allah’s judgment. Allah knows best what they would have done, as the Prophet May God bless him and grant him peace answered when asked about them. Their fate will be revealed on the Day of Judgment through a test. Whoever succeeds will enter Paradise, and whoever does not will enter Hell. There is no power and no strength except with Allah.