Juhud Ulama al-Hanafiyya fi Ibtal Aqaid al-Quburiyya
- Author died
- 1420 AH
- Editions
- Dār al-Ṣumayʿī
Juhud Ulama al-Hanafiyya fi Ibtal Aqaid al-Quburiyya (The Efforts of Hanafi Scholars in Refuting the Creeds of Grave-Venerators) is an extensive theological treatise and doctoral dissertation in three volumes by Abu Abd Allah Shams al-Din ibn Muhammad ibn Ashraf ibn Qaysar al-Afghani (d. 1420 AH / 1999 CE) . The work gathers and analyzes citations from authoritative jurists and scholars of the Hanafi legal school to dismantle doctrines and practices associated with the veneration of graves, shrines, and deceased saints .
Background and Purpose
The book was written as a doctoral dissertation following al-Afghani's master's thesis on the Maturidiyya . The author explained that while his master's thesis focused on the divine names and attributes (tawhid al-asma wa-l-sifat) and refuting Jahmi and Maturidi theological tenets, he dedicated this work to the oneness of worship (tawhid al-ibada) . Al-Afghani noted that he chose to argue specifically through Hanafi authorities because a substantial number of those engaged in grave veneration in his assessment claimed affiliation with the Hanafi school; thus, presenting arguments directly from classical Hanafi works served to refute stubborn opponents and advise common adherents using their own school's acknowledged authorities .
Structure and Content
The work is organized into an introduction, ten major thematic parts (abwab), and a conclusion with indices, spanning three large volumes :
- Definition of Worship and Monotheism: Chapters define worship (ibada), its linguistic and legal meanings, pillars, conditions, and types according to Hanafi authorities, while rejecting the definitions advanced by grave-venerators . It refutes the conflation of the unity of lordship (tawhid al-rububiyya) with the unity of divinity (tawhid al-uluhiyya) .
- Polytheism and Blocking the Means: The author details Hanafi definitions and classifications of shirk, its historical origin in grave veneration, and foundational legal principles (qawaid usuliyya) formulated by Hanafi jurists to block means leading to polytheism (sadd al-dharai') .
- Excessive Veneration (Ghuluww): The text examines Hanafi proofs against exaggeration regarding the status of righteous figures, the claims that the dead hear the calls of those seeking their aid in worldly distress, and doctrines asserting that the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was created from light rather than being human .
- Unseen Knowledge and Cosmic Control: It compiles scriptural and legal arguments cited by Hanafi scholars denying that created beings possess knowledge of the unseen (ilm al-ghayb) or the ability to manage and influence cosmic affairs (al-tasarruf fi al-kawn) .
- Seeking Deliverance (Istighatha) and Intercession (Tawassul): The treatise systematically counters the practice of calling upon deceased figures for deliverance during hardship (istighatha), addressing twenty specific arguments raised by proponents . It categorizes valid versus prohibited forms of tawassul under Hanafi jurisprudence .
- Tomb Rites and Shrines: The final part addresses the invalidity of making vows to tomb dwellers (al-nadhr li-ahl al-qubur), forbidden modes of seeking blessings (tabarruk), non-canonical visitation rites (ziyara), and the prohibition of erecting domes, structures, or mosques over burial sites based on Hanafi rulings .
The author concludes with a summary of findings regarding the doctrinal perils of tomb veneration, followed by recommendations and comprehensive research indices .
Method and Sources
Al-Afghani quotes classical and later Hanafi texts directly from their primary manuscripts and printed editions . Among the jurists cited are Qasim ibn Qutlubugha and Ibn Abidin, whose rulings on the invalidity of customary vows made to deceased figures and saints are analyzed . The author also engages with modern Subcontinental Hanafi movements, presenting comparative critiques of the Barelwis and Deobandis .
Publication
The work was first published in three volumes in Riyadh by Dar al-Sumay'i in 1416 AH / 1996 CE .
Answer updated