Is there any consensus on prohibition of constructing mausoleum?

Question:
Is there any consensus on prohibition of constructing mausoleum?


Answer:
At first we should say, Shiite scholars have different viewpoints from Sunnite ones about consensus. We consider consensus as a proof while it is on the authority of Infallible Imam (virtuous imam) but in Sunnite viewpoint, consensus has innate validity and their reason is the sentence which is attributed to The Prophet who stated: ‘’My nation don’t reach consensus on the wrong issue”. Now we should notice what Wahhabites viewpoint about consensus is or this claim mean Muslim jurists and scholars reach consensus or the purpose is consensus of all Muslims. It means Muslims believe practically that construction of mausoleum is prohibited by Islamic laws .Each type of consensus they mean have some problems. If they mean scholars have given judicial decree in jurisprudential and traditional books, it is not something more than a claim because some of the Sunnite scholars have different viewpoints. In the book Alfiqh ‘alalmadhahibil arba’i is stated so: “It is undesirable that graves be surrounded by room, dome, school, mosque or wall” (1). As you see there is no speak about prohibition and no viewpoint indicating disagreement is mentioned in conjunction with the basis of monument for graves. This example shows there is no consensus between scholars and jurists about prohibition. But if Wahhabites purpose of consensus is that Muslims don’t construct (mausoleum) for graves, we should say: Muslims approach have been contrary to the tack until the period of Abdul Wahhab and Wahhabites’ movement of taking measures for destruction of graves, invasion, murder, plunder in Hijaz, Najaf, Iraq and other Islamic territories. Shiite and Sunnite constructed dome, mausoleum or at least sunshade and room for graves of the Prophets and Saints. There was also sunshade and monument for graves of The Prophets and pious men before Islam. Graves of The Prophets Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph (in Jerusalem) and graves of The Prophets Hood, Salih, Yoonus, Dholkafl (in Iraq)and grave of Hawwa (in Jaddah) had monument. After Islam was the same. Grave of Aboo Hunayfah in Baghdad still has dome and mausoleum. Malik’s grave in Baqi’ and Shafi’i‘s one in Egypt has dome and mausoleum. Station of Raasul Husain and grave of divine presence Zaynab in Egypt as quoted has dome and mausoleum. While there are little Shiite in Egypt, a large number of Sunnites make pilgrimage to that holy mausoleum and also Holy shrine of the divine presence Zaynab in Syria. Graves of Infallible Imams in Baqi’ have had courtyard. Graves of Ibni Abbas and the Prophet’s Ancestor, Abdulmuttalib, Abootalib and Khadijah in Abootalib cemetery in Mecca have had monument. Generally in Egypt, Arabia, Iraq, Turkey, Iran and all Islamic territories, graves have been honored and had sunshade, monument, dome and mausoleum. So Muslims didn’t believe in illegality and nonexistence of monument for graves, but also they honored graves of The Prophets and Saint Imams, put some signs on them and constructed monument.
In Islamic territories, Islamic scholars connived at this affair about thirteen hundred years and they didn’t prohibit a vice in the level of idolatry and polytheism. If this affair (construction for graves) was illegal, why the second caliph regarding his severity as soon as his arrival (like Wahhabites) didn’t destroy dome and mausoleum of The Prophets while conquered Jerusalem and Damascus? (2)

Refrence:

1. Alfiqh ‘alalmadhahibil arba’i ,p,1 and 536
2. Tabarruk wa qoboor,pp.11-12
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Ref: www.makarem.ir