Allama Shabeer Ahmed Uthmani rematullah alayh is one of the luminaries of last century who

excelled and championed in Islamic Academics. He wrote exemplary works like Tafseer
Uthmni and Fathul Mulhim Sharah Sahih Muslim, whose brilliance is open for intellectuals of
this field.
In 1927 after Ibn Sad had taken over Madinah, he started to cleanse the area from all forms of
practices which he deemed contrary to Shariah. Ibn Sad was a Hambal in fiqh and followed a
very stringent interpretation of the classical texts with the consultation of Ulama of Najd. He
deemed that all buildings built over graves were directly responsible for the Shirk and Kufr of
people who come and prostrate at these places. Hence he took measures to remove all these
structures on the graves. In doing so, he made no distinction between the graves that belonged to
Sahaba or Azwaj of Nabi salallhu alayhi wasallam. According to his orders all structures were
to be demolished.
If the treatment continued, the same logic also demanded that the green dome over the resting
place of Nabi salallhu alayhi wasallam be removed as well. Such concerns caused a sudden
uproar all over the Ummah and Ibn Sad sensed the increasing tension among the muslims
against his regime in Hijz.
Ibn Sad, in his effort to deal with the intense situations called for a conference of leading
Ulama from different parts of the Muslim world to discuss the matter. India being one of the
bigger countries was asked to send a delegation of Ulama. Jamiatul Ulama Hind sent Allama
Shabeer Ahmed Uthmani, Mufti Kifayatullah Saheb Dehelvi and Maulana Abdul Haleem Sadiq
Saheb rehmatullah alayhim, while Khilafat Committee sent Maulana Muhammad Ali Jawhar,
Maulana Shawkat Ali and Maulana Sayed Suleman Nadwi rehmatullah alayhim.[1]
The delegation reached Makkah Mukarrama in May 1927. Allama Shabeer Ahmed Uthmani
rahmatullah alayh gave numerous talks presence of Ulama of Najd. Ibn Sad was impressed by
the in depth knowledge and faqahat of Ulama from Hind, and acknowledged at occasions of his
happiness on having met them.
In the limited historical books we have access to, we can conclusively state that this delegation
did tackle the issue of taking blessing from special places. They also implored Ibn Sad not to
show obsession in obliterating these sites as that would cause undue unrest and opposition
against his regime. Allama Shabeer Ahmed Uthmani rahmatullah alayh established that the while
building on the graves is not permissible, but a radical approach towards destruction of these
sites was counterproductive and against wisdom. While all these angles to the arguments were
discussed, the books do not make any mention of the Green Dome.
And Allah Tala Knows Best
Mawlana Faisal bin Abdul Hameed
Student, Darul Iftaa
Canada

Checked and Approved by,

Mufti Ebrahim Desai.
www.daruliftaa.net
References :
Hayt Uthmn
Kamalt Uthmn
Malfuzt Muhaddith Kashmrhttp://www.haqforum.com/vb/showthread.php?17371-DarulUloom-Deoband-saved-the-Prophet-s-green-dome

[1] Hazrat Maulana Ahmad Ridh Saheb Bijnaur rehmatullah alayh gives a slightly different
account of the delegation. He quotes a malfz from Allama Shabeer Ahmed rehmatullah alayh
and says that from the side of Jamiatul Ulama Mufti Kifayatullah rahmatullah alayh and myself
were appointed as delegation members while Maulana Ahmad Sad and Maulvi Abdul Haleem
rahmatullahuma alayh came along as secretaries. Syed Sulam Nadwi rahmatullah alayh was
representing Khilafat Committee. (Malfuzt Muhaddith Kashmir Pg 184)