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f:732 -    Is Urs allowed in Islam
 Country : Pakistan,
Name : Abdullah
Question:     Is celebrating the Urs of the Auliya allowed in Islam
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Answer:     There is a Hadith in Jame’ Tirmidhi on the authority of Hadhrat Abu Hurairah (May Allah Ta’ala be well pleased with him):

Translation:  When the body is laid, then 2 angels with dark blue eyes come.  One of them is called "Munkir" and the other "Nakeer."  They ask him:  What had you said about this person?  The deceased says:  He is the Slave of Allah Most High and His Prophet.  I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah Most High and indeed, Hadhrat Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) is His Slave and His Prophet.

Then the angels say:  We knew that you would say this.  Then his grave is widened to 4900 sq. yards.  Then the grave is illuminated.  It is said to him:  Sleep!  He says:  I will go back to my family members and call them.  The angels say:  Sleep like the bride whom only the most beloved to her will awaken in her chambers.  At last, Allah Most High Himself raises him from his abode.

If the deceased is a hypocrite, he will say:  I heard people saying so and I also repeated it.  I don’t know.  The angels say:  We knew that you would say this.  Then it will be said to the earth to be constrained for him.  It starts becoming so, so much that the ribs of 1 side are enmeshed with the other side.  He will be punished like this until Allah Most High raises him from his abode.  (Jame’ Tirmidhi, Hadith No. 1092)

In other Hadith, some more details are mentioned that the soul of the pious people are taken to the heavens with a group of angels, it is clothed with clothes of paradise, the fragrances of paradise are applied.  All this is done on the day of the death.

Thus, for the pious persons, the day of death is a day of happiness.  It is a day when the bounties of Allah Most High are received.  For this reason, in light of the words used in the Hadith “’Uroos” meaning bride, this day is called “Urs.”

On this day, the poor are fed, some gifting of reward (Isaal-e-Sawab in Urdu) is done and the grave is visited.  This is also well established by the Hadith that at the beginning of every year, the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) would visit the graves of the martyrs of Uhud.  As given in Radd Ul Muhtaar, Vol. 1, Pg. No. 651.

As asked in the question, the gathering of the Shaykhs at the graves of the saints is established by the Hadith of the martyrs of Uhud.  The naming of this as “Urs” is in light of the words of the Hadith, as shown above.  As the happiness gotten with meeting the Ultimate Beloved and receiving bounties from Him can only be compared to the day of marriage in this world.  As Hadhrat Shah 'Abdul Haq Muhaddith Dehlwi (May Allah shower His mercy on him) has said.

Visiting the grave of the deceased on the day of Urs, reciting Surah Fatiha, Surah Ikhlaas, the beginning verses of Surah Baqarah, Surah Tabarakallazi, Surah Yaseen, Ayat Ul Kursi, etc. with the intention of gifting the reward to the deceased, feeding the poor, etc. leads to blessings and reward.  The person gifting the rewards should make the intention of including the whole Ummah, those who have passed away and those who are present as well.  Allah Most High will grant equal reward to all.  As given in Radd Ul Muhtaar, Vol. 2, Pg. No. 631.

And Allah Most High knows best.

Mufti Syed Ziauddin Naqshbandi Qadri

[Professor, Islamic Law, Jamia Nizamia,
Founder-Director, Abul Hasanaat Islamic Research Center]
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