Sunday, October 10, 2010

Holy places

Another wild and stormy day in Cape Town. We went for a windy walk on Lion's Head, and looked down on one of Cape Town's Kramats (holy places) far below. Apparently there is a ring of Kramats that encircle Cape Town, keeping her safe from natural disasters. I went to see the Kramat and was invited in by some other visitors who had come to pay their respects to Sheikh Mohammed Hassen Ghaibie Shah, a very holy man and a follower of the famous Sheikh Yusuf (who is regarded as the father of the South African Muslim community) who was buried here in the late 1600s. I took my shoes off, and went in to see the grave. A charming old man called Saheer gave me a piece of material to put over my head, and when we came out again, had a most interesting chat about other Kramats in this area. The photo above shows the road from Lion's Head to Signal Hill with Table Bay in the background looking rather stormy. The Kramat is clearly visible about half way along the road. Today is 10/10/10 and an auspicious day for Climate Action. I was going to join a clean-up the beach walk but as it is now pouring with rain, I will pass on that and just remember to switch off the heater and the lights tonight to do my bit for climate action! More Scenic Sundays.

24 comments:

  1. The Cape Town kramats stroy is quite an interesting one, although I don't know the whole one. Something to go and research for interest sake.

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  2. There is an astonishing number of kramats, all over Cape Town. You can find more info here:
    http://www.capemazaarsociety.com/html/kramat.html

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  3. Kramat list:

    Imam Abdullah Haron (1924-1969), Browning Road, Mowbray Cemetery, Cape Town, South Africa
    Sayed ’Abd Al-Samad of Dolphin Way, Simon’s Kloof, South Africa
    Sayed ’Abd Al-’Aziz of Muizenberg, South Africa
    Sayed ’Abd Al-Latif bin Qadi Muhammad Yusuf bin Qadi ’Abd Al-Rahmān al-Chishtī al-Nizami al-Hafidhi al-Habībi al-Siddiqi, 1860 1916, in Duine Road, Rylands Estate, Cape Town, South Africa
    Sayed ’Abd Al-Rahmān Matebi al-Qādirī of Klein Constantia, Cape Town, South Africa
    Sayed ’Abdullah bin Qadi ’Abd Al-Salaam (‘Tuan Guru’, d. 1807) of the Tana Baru, Cape Town, South Africa
    Sayed ’Ali Mustapha al-Haq al-Qādirī of Deer Park in Vredehoek, Cape Town, South Africa
    Sayed 'Abd Al-Rahim ibn Muhammad al-Iraqi (d. 1361A.H.), Browning Road, Mowbray Cemetery, Cape Town, South Africa
    Sayed 'Abd Al-Rahmān Matar al-din (d. 1755) at Robben Island, South Africa
    Sayed Abduragmaan bin Sulayman da Costa al-Qādirī (1924-1989), Vygekraal Cemetery, Rylands Estate, Cape Town, South Africa
    Sayed Abū Bakr of Deer Park in Vredehoek, Cape Town, South Africa
    Sayed Abū Bakr and three others of Macassar, Western Cape, South Africa
    Sayed Abu Taalib, on the farm Welgelegen in Tokai, Cape Town, South Africa
    Sayed Ahmad Mahdi of Bakoven, Cape Town, South Africa
    Sayed Ahmad of Dolphin Way, Simon’s Kloof, South Africa
    Sayed Ashraf of Montagu, Western Cape, South Africa
    Sayed Badruddin on Signal Hill, Cape Town, South Africa
    Sayed Bienjamien at Robben Island, South Africa
    Sayed Goesnie Khattāb and three others of Macassar, Western Cape, South Africa
    Sayed Haashiem of Bakoven, Cape Town, South Africa
    Sayed Ibrāhīm at Montagu Springs, South Africa
    Sayed Ibrāhīm in the Scout Camp on Signal Hill, Cape Town, South Africa
    Sayed Mahmūd al-Qādirī of Muscat Road, Constantia, Cape Town, South Africa
    Sayed Mas’ūd of Bakoven, Cape Town, South Africa
    Sayed Moegsien bin Salim al-Aidarus (d. 1934), Cape Town, South Africa
    Sayed Muhammad Hasan Ghaibi Shah al-Qādirī of Signal Hill, Cape Town, South Africa
    Sayed Muhammad Ja’far of Bakoven, Cape Town, South Africa
    Sayed Muhammad Johaar of Deer Park in Vredehoek, Cape Town, South Africa
    Sayed Muhammad Nasser (pronounced Naasir) at Rawsonville, South Africa
    Sayed Muhammad Yaasier of Deer Park in Vredehoek, Cape Town, South Africa
    Sayed Mūsa of Belsfontein, Cape Town, South Africa
    Sayed Nur Al-Mubin of Belsfontein, Cape Town, South Africa
    Sayed Qaasiem of Bakoven, Cape Town, South Africa
    Sayed Rygaaj of Houw Hoek Pass, South Africa
    Sayed Sa’id ’Alawi (“Tuan Sa’id”, d. 1803) at Tana Baru, Cape Town, South Africa
    Sayed Shams al-din 'Abd Al-Malik of Gorge Road in Vredehoek, Cape Town, South Africa
    Sayed Siddīq (Sedick), Deer Park in Vredehoek, Cape Town, South Africa
    Sayed Sulaiman of Bain’s Kloof, South Africa
    Sayed Sulaiman and three others of Macassar, Western Cape, South Africa
    Sayed abū Raaf’i in Port Elizabeth, South Africa
    Sheikh Muhammad Salih ’Abādi Solomons (d. 1999)
    Sheikh Yusuf bin ’Abdullah al-Tāj al-Khalwati of Macassar (d. 23rd May 1699), South Africa
    Tuan Amīr al-dīn in du Toit's Kloof, Western Cape, South Africa
    Tuan Amānullāh in du Toit's Kloof, Western Cape, South Africa

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  4. From the English translation of the Sunan An-Nasâ’î As-Sughra by Imâm Hâfiz Abû Abdur Rahmân Ahmad bin Shu’aib bin ’Ali An-Nasâ’î, Ahâdîth edited and referenced by Hâfiz Abû Tâhir Zubair ’Alî Za’î, translated by Nâsiruddin al-Khattâb, edited by Hudâ Khattâb, final review by Abû Khaliyl, Volume 5, The Book on Ad-Dahâyâ (Sacrifices), Chapter 36: ‘Permission to Do That’, Hadîth Number 4434:
    It was narrated from Ibn Buraidah that his father said: “The Messenger of Allâh said: ‘I used to forbid you from doing three things: To visit graves, but now visit them, for you may benefit from that. And I used to forbid you (from eating) the meat of sacrificial animals after three days, but now eat it, and keep whatever you want. And I forbade you to drink from (certain kinds of) vessels, but now drink from whatever kind of vessel you want but do not drink any kind of intoxicant.’” (Sahîh)

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  5. From the Jâmi’ Tirmidhi by Imam Muhammad ibn ’Isa Tirmidhi, original translation and commentary by Dr Maulana Fadl Ahmad, translated into English by Rafique Abdur Rehman, Volume One, Section 10: ‘Chapters on Funerals Narrated from Allah’s Messenger ’, Chapter 60: "Permission to visit graves", Hadīth Number 1056:
    Sulayman ibn Buraydah reported from his father that Allah’s Messenger said, “I had disallowed you to visit graves. Now, indeed, Muhammad has been permitted to visit the grave of his mother. So, you (too) visit graves, for that reminds of the Hereafter.”

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  6. From the English translation of the Sunan An-Nasâ’î As-Sughra by Imâm Hâfiz Abû Abdur Rahmân Ahmad bin Shu’aib bin ’Ali An-Nasâ’î, Ahâdîth edited and referenced by Hâfiz Abû Tâhir Zubair ’Alî Za’î, translated by Nâsiruddin al-Khattâb, edited by Hudâ Khattâb, final review by Abû Khaliyl, Volume 6, Book 51: The Book on Drinks, Chapter 40: ‘Permission for Some of Them’, Hadîth Number 5656:
    It was narrated from Ibn Buraidah that his father said: “The Messenger of Allâh said: ‘I used to forbid three things to you: Visiting graves, but now visit them, and may visiting them increase you in goodness; and I forbade you (to store) the sacrificial meat for more than three days, but now eat whatever you wish of it. And I forbade to you drinks in (certain kinds of) vessels, but now drink from whatever vessel you wish, but do not drink any intoxicant.’” (Sahîh)

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  7. From the English translation of the Sunan An-Nasâ’î As-Sughra by Imâm Hâfiz Abû Abdur Rahmân Ahmad bin Shu’aib bin ’Ali An-Nasâ’î, Ahâdîth edited and referenced by Hâfiz Abû Tâhir Zubair ’Alî Za’î, translated by Nâsiruddin al-Khattâb, edited by Hudâ Khattâb, final review by Abû Khaliyl, Volume 3, Book 21: The Book on Funerals, Chapter 117: ‘The Souls of the Believers’, Hadîth Number 2076:
    It was narrated that Anas said: “We were with ’Umar between Makkah and Al-Madînah, when he started to tell us about the people of Badr. He said: “The Messenger of Allâh showed us the day before where they (the disbelievers) would fall. He said: This is the place where so-and-so will fall tomorrow, if Allâh Wills.’ ’Umar said: ‘By The One Who Sent him with the Truth! They did not miss those places. They were placed in a well and the Prophet came to them and called out: O so-and-so, son of so-and-so! O so-and-so, son of so-and-so! Have you found what your Lord Promised to be true? For I have found what Allâh Promised me to be true.’ ’Umar said: ‘Are you speaking to bodies in which there are no souls?’ He said: ‘You do not hear what I say any better than they do.’” (Sahîh)

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  8. From the Jâmi’ Tirmidhi by Imam Muhammad ibn ’Isa Tirmidhi, original translation and commentary by Dr Maulana Fadl Ahmad, translated into English by Rafique Abdur Rehman, Volume One, Section 10: ‘Chapters on Funerals Narrated from Allah’s Messenger ’, Chapter 61: "Women Visiting Graves", Number 1057:
    Abdullah ibn Abu Mulykah narrated that Abdur Rahman ibn Abu Bakr died at Habshi. His body was brought to Makkah and buried there. When Sayyidah Ayshah came (to Makkah), she came to the grave of Abdur Rahman ibn Abu Bakr and said (in poetry), “The two of us were like friends of Jazimah, together for an age so that it was thought we were inseparable. When we were apart, though we had been together for a long time, it seemed that we had never been together.” Thereafter, she said, “By Allah, if I was there, I would have buried you not save where you died and if I had seen you, I would not have visited you (today).”

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  9. From the Sunan Abu Dawud, Volume 3, Book 20: the ‘Book on Funerals’ (Kitāb al-Janā-iz, in Arabic), Chapter 57, 59: ‘Putting More Than One Deceased Person in the Grave and Marking the Grave’, Hadīth Number 3206, Ahâdith edited and referenced by Hâfiz Abu Tâhir Zubair ’Alī Za’î, translated by Yaser Qadhi and Nasiruddin al-Khattab, editing by Huda Khattab, final review by Abû Khaliyl:
    It was reported from Kathīr bin Zaid Al-Madanī, from Al-Muttalib who said: “When 'Uthmān ibn Math'ūn died, his Janāzah was brought out and he was buried. Then the Messenger of Allāh told a man to bring him a rock, but he could not carry it, so the Messenger of Allāh stood up and rolled up his sleeves.” Kathīr said: Al-Muttalib said: ‘The one who informed me of that from the Messenger of Allāh said: ‘It is as if I can see the whiteness of the forearms of the Messenger of Allāh when he rolled up (his sleeves), then he carried it and put it at his head, and said: “I am marking the grave of my brother with it and I shall bury here whoever dies of my family.”’’ (Hasan)

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  10. From The Kitāb al-Āthār of Imam Abū Hanīfah – the Narration of Imam Muhammad ibn Al-Hasan ash-Shaybānī by Al-Imām Abū Hanīfah Nu’mān ibn Thābit, translated by ’Abdassamad Clarke, with explanatory footnotes by Hāfidh Riyād Ahmad al-Multānī, the Section called ‘The Prayer’, Chapter 78: ‘Visiting Graves’, Narration Number 269:
    Muhammad said, “Abū Hanīfah informed us saying, ‘’Alqamah ibn Marthad narrated to us from ibn Buraydah al-Aslamī from his father [Buraydah] that the Prophet said, “We forbade you to visit graves, but now visit them and do not use bad language, for permission has been granted to Muhammad to visit the grave of his mother. [We forbade you] to retain the meat of [’Īd] sacrifices for more than three days, but now retain as much as you wish and take provision from it, because we only forbade you so that those of you who are wealthy would be generous to those of you who are poor. [We forbade you to drink] pressed juice which had been left to stand [nabīdh] in gourds, or in green glazed wine-jars and skins or vessels smeared with pitch, but now prepare pressed juice in any receptacle because a receptacle does not make anything halāl or harām. However, do not drink intoxicants.”’”

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  11. From The Kitāb al-Āthār of Imam Abū Hanīfah – the Narration of Imam Muhammad ibn Al-Hasan ash-Shaybānī by Al-Imām Abū Hanīfah Nu’mān ibn Thābit, translated by ’Abdassamad Clarke, with explanatory footnotes by Hāfidh Riyād Ahmad al-Multānī, the Section called ‘The Prayer’, Chapter 74: ‘Building a Mound Over the Grave and Plastering it With Gypsum’, Narration Number 256:
    Muhammad said, “Abū Hanīfah informed us from Hammād that Ibrahīm said, ‘It used to be said that one should raise the grave so that it will be recognised as a grave and not stepped on.’”

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  12. From The Kitāb al-Āthār of Imam Abū Hanīfah – the Narration of Imam Muhammad ibn Al-Hasan ash-Shaybānī by Al-Imām Abū Hanīfah Nu’mān ibn Thābit, translated by ’Abdassamad Clarke, with explanatory footnotes by Hāfidh Riyād Ahmad al-Multānī, the Section called ‘The Prayer’, Chapter 74: ‘Building a Mound Over the Grave and Plastering it With Gypsum’, Narration Number 256:
    Muhammad said, “Abū Hanīfah informed us from Hammād that Ibrahīm said, ‘It used to be said that one should raise the grave so that it will be recognised as a grave and not stepped on.’”

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    Replies
    1. The evidence from Hanafi Madhab that even plastering the graves of Anbiya is not permitted according to Kitab Al-Athar of Hanafi fiqh. Please read the foot notes 800, 802 along with the narration quoted by Imam Abu Haneefa (Rahimahullah)in the same page 145 concerning the graves of the Prophet (Sallallahu Alahi wasallam) and his two companions Abu Bakr and Umar (RadhiAllahu Anhum).

      800 - In this is an indication that the grave was not plastered nor built up with baked bricks and Gypsum because that is an aspect of refraining from doing what would injure one in one's Din (religion).

      802 - Since building it in a square shape is one of the distinctive signs of the rejectionist Shi'ah (Rafidah) and putting a flat roof on it is a sign of the people of innovation and thus deplored.

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    2. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  13. From The Kitāb al-Āthār of Imam Abū Hanīfah – the Narration of Imam Muhammad ibn Al-Hasan ash-Shaybānī by Al-Imām Abū Hanīfah Nu’mān ibn Thābit, translated by ’Abdassamad Clarke, with explanatory footnotes by Hāfidh Riyād Ahmad al-Multānī, Page XLVI, the ‘Introduction’:
    Al-Muwaffaq related that ’Alī ibn Maymūn said, “I heard ash-Shāfi’ī saying, ‘I seek the blessings of Abū Hanīfah; I go to his grave every day,” as a visitor, “so when some urgent necessity comes about, I pray two rak’ahs, and go to his grave, and ask Allah for that necessity there, and it is not long until it is fulfilled.”

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  14. Imam Ash-Shafi'i (Rahimahullah) said: "I prefer that the soil used for a grave be no more than that dug for that grave. I like to see a grave raised above the ground the length of a hand or so. I prefer not to erect a structure over a grave or to whitewash it, for indeed this resembles decoration and vanity, and death is not the time for either of these things. I have never seen the graves of the Muhajirin or Ansar plastered. I have seen the Muslim authorities destroying structures in graveyards, and I have not seen any jurists object to this." [Kitabul Umm]

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  15. From the Arabic book called al-Wābil al-Sayyib min al-Kalim al-Tayyib by ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya, translated by Michael Abdurrahman Fitzgerald and Moulay Youssef Slitine as ‘ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya on the Invocation of God’, Part Three – The Many Benefits of Remembrance, Page 105, the Section called The Mountains and Plains Boast to One Another:
    [’Abd Allāh] ibn Mas’ūd said, ‘One mountain calls another by its name and asks, “Did anyone pass by you today invoking Almighty God?” When the other answers in the affirmative, the first says, “Then be gladdened!”’

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  16. From the English translation of the Musnad of Imam abu Abdullah Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Hanbal Ash-Shaibani, translated by Nasiruddin Al-Khattab, edited by Huda Khattab; Volume 1, The Musnad of ’Ali Ibn Abi Talib , Hadith Number 896:
    Shuraih – i.e., bin ’Ubaid - said: The people of Syria were mentioned in the presence of ’Ali bin Abi Talib ( ) when he was in Iraq. They said: Curse them, O Ameer al-Mu’mineen. He said: No; I heard the Messenger of Allah ( ) say: “The abdal (people who are close to Allah) will be in Syria, and they will be forty men. Every time one of them dies, Allah will replace him with another man. By virtue of them rain is sent and through them victory is achieved against the enemy and punishment is warded off from the people of Syria.”
    Publisher’s Comments: [Its isnad is da’eef because it is interrupted]

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  17. Sheikh Muhammad Salih ’Abādi Solomons (d. 1999), above, should say: Sheikh Muhammad Salih ’Abādi Solomon (1911-1999)

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