The Disagreement between al-Azhar & Salafis on Performing Prayer in the Mosques with Graves Inside

In continuation of observing false opinions of Salafis and extremist groups, Dar al-Ifta’ of Egypt has recently criticized one of the fatwas of Salafi Shaykhs regarding the permissibility of performing prayer in the mosques which have ḍarih (grave) inside them.

Shaykh Sami’ ‘Abd al-‘Aziz is a Salafi preacher who has claimed in his fatwas that performing prayer is not permissible in the mosques which have ḍarih (grave) inside them. She has claimed that the mosques should be empty of any graves and if there are any graves in them, they should be separated from the mosque using a wall so that the graves are located outside the mosque.

In reaction to this fatwa of the Salafi shaykh, Dar al-Ifta’ of Egypt said that performing prayer in the mosques which have ḍarih (graves) of the friends of God and the righteous inside them is recommended and its prohibition is invalid and disregarded.

In this regard, Shaykh Ali Jumu’a, a scholar of al-Azhar who was also the former mufti of Egypt said, “the issue of the mosques, which have graves inside them, is a secondary issue in fiqh some ignorant and trouble-maker people have used as a cause of division among Muslims and to accuse others; and thus call some Muslims Qubur [grave-associated], Ahl al-bid’a [people of illegal innovation] or Mushrik [polytheist] and “there is no change or power except by Allah, the All-exalted, the All-supreme.”

He continued, “to end this dispute and being hopeful about blinded eyes to be cured, we state our opinion that the two issues of “performing prayer over graves” which is an issue in fiqh and “performing prayer in the mosques which have graves inside them” are two separate issues, and this does not meanturning the graves to mosques.