Question:
There is a mausoleum in our residential district where people claim the body of Al-Khadir (peace be upon him) is buried. When visiting this mausoleum, people bring with them candles and sweets. When they enter, they light the candles and start to invoke Al-Khadir and make vows to him. Is that considered to be an act of Bid ah (innovation in religion)?
Answer:
Al-Khadir died a long time ago. The most correct view is that he had died before Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was raised to Prophethood. Al-Khadir was a righteous man but the preponderant opinion is that he was a prophet because this is supported by textual evidence in the Qur’an. However, no one knows the exact location of his grave. It is groundless to claim that his grave is located in that mausoleum in your residential district. Had his grave been known, it is still impermissible to venerate its dweller, make vows to him, invoke him besides Allah, seek blessings from him, or construct a building over his grave.
It is heinous Munkar (that which is unacceptable or disapproved of by Islamic law and Muslims of sound intellect) and an act of major Shirk (associating others with Allah in His Divinity or worship) to make vows to Al-Khadir or to invoke him besides Allah (Exalted be He). The same also applies to invoking and beseeching the help of prophets and righteous people. Allah (Glorified be He) says: “so invoke not anyone along with Allah.” [Al-Jinn: 18]
Allah (Glorified be He) also says: “And whoever invokes (or worships), besides Allah, any other ilah (god), of whom he has no proof, then his reckoning is only with his Lord. Surely! Al-Kafirun (the disbelievers in Allah and in the Oneness of Allah, polytheists, pagans, idolaters, etc.) will not be successful.” [Al-Mu’minun: 117]
Neither a man nor a woman is allowed to invoke Al-Khadir, seek help from him, make vows to him, or circumambulate his “so called” grave. This is because all these practices constitute an act of major Shirk. Circumambulating the graves in the pursuit of gaining benefit from their occupants is as an act of major Shirk. It is Wajib (compulsory) on those who visit this mausoleum to give up these unlawful practices and Wajib on the state to demolish this mausoleum which is falsely claimed to be the grave of Al-Khadir.