The work "al-Mudawannah" is a core book of Maaliki fiqh and it is a compilation of the sayings of Imaam Malik bin Anas as narrated from Sahnoon bin Sa'eed bin from Abd al-Rahman bin al-Qaasim from Imaam Malik bin Anas. We are using a 1323H print, printed by Matba'ah al-Sa'aadah, Egypt. We will see from this citation (and many others to come) that the early Maliki Scholars are in opposition to the Sufi grave-worshipppers of our time who have constructed their deen of saint-worship and soliciting aid, rescue and benefit from the dead upon whims and fancies. There occurs the saying of Imaam Maalik (1/89):

Regarding Plastering of the Graves

(He said) And Malik said, "I detest plastering of the graves, constructing over them and this stone that is placed over them" ... Bakr bin Sawaadah said, "If there are graves, they should be level with the earth" Abu Zam'ah al-Balwaa, companion of the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) that he (Abu Zam'ah) ordered this (levelling) be done with his grave when he dies. Sahnoon said, "These narrations are regarding levelling them, then what about the one who desire to build over them?"

Comment

Shaykh Muhammad bin Abd al-Wahhaab did nothing more than to order the destruction of what the people had constructed of tombs and the likes over the graves and which became attractions where people flocked and began to invoke (for benefit, rescue and aid) and solicit intercession from those within the graves, making the physical graves (and the plastering and constructions) as focal points for directing their worship to the one in the grave. And no grave-worshipper ever intended worship of the grave itself, rather he sought the inhabitant of the grave with his worship with the physical elements of grave simply being that which allows him somewhere to place a focus for that worship. And the Messenger (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) severely warned against taking the graves as places for worshipping Allaah(!), how then when they are made places of worship for those in the graves! For this reason, we find the command in the Sunnah to level every raised grave and the Messenger (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) sent some of his Companions with this task.