Moulana
Zakariyah
approves
of
the
practice
of
visiting
the
graves
of
the
saints
in
the
Fazaail-e-Aamaal,
as
he
says,
“And
the
blessings
of
the
tombs
are
another
issue.
I
ask
if
visiting
the
graves
of
the
Prophets
will
be
prohibited?
Then
when
visiting
them
is
not
prohibited,
then
the
graves
of
the
righteous
are
like
them.”[1]
To
prove
his
point
Moulana
Zakariyah
mentions
a
story
of
two
brothers
whose
father
died
leaving
an
inheritance,
which
included
three
strands
of
hair
of
Prophet
Muhammad
(sallallahu
alaihi
wa-sallam).
The
brothers
divided
the
property
in
half,
so
that
they
had
one
strand
of
hair
each.
They,
however,
disputed
about
the
third
strand
of
hair.
The
elder
brother
agreed
to
give
the
younger
brother
all
the
three
strands
of
hair,
if
the
younger
parted
off
with
his
share
of
the
property,
to
which
the
younger
brother
happily
agreed.
When
the
younger
brother
died,
“...many
pious
people
dreamt
of
the
Holy
Prophet,
who
told
them,
‘If
a
person
has
any
need
he
should
ask
it
from
Allah
sitting
at
the
side
of
his
grave.’”[2]
Moulana
Zakariyah
expresses
his
belief
more
openly
in
the
book,
Mashaikh-e-Chist.
He
says:
Haji
Imdadullah
mentioned:
“…The
Fakir
does
not
die.
He
is
simply
transformed
from
one
abode
to
another.
The
same
benefit
which
was
received
from
the
Fakir’s
physical
life
will
be
acquired
from
his
grave.”[3]
[1] Fazaail-e-Aamaal (Hindi Trans.) Virtues of Hajj, Chapter. Ziyarat of Medina, p.150, Explanation of Hadeeth no.12, (Idara Ishaat Diniyat, First Edition (1984).
[2] Fazaail-e-Aamal, (Eng. Trans.), Virtues of Darood, Chapter.5: Fifty Parables Concerning the Darood), story no. 35, p.128. (Edt. 1985, Published by Dini Book Depot - Delhi).
