Meaning of Pilgrimage
This is according to Hojat-ol-Islam Muhammad Biabani, an instructor at the Islamic Seminary of Qom, who discussed the issue in an interview with IQNA. Following are excerpts from the interview:
The question is that people usually meet each other when they are alive, but what does it mean to meet and go on pilgrimage to the tombs of those who died centuries ago?
According to the teachings of Islam and verses of the Quran, no human ceases to exist when he dies, meaning that after his material body is decomposed, he still has another life.
Human is composed of two important parts: the body and the soul. The body grows in the world and its shape changes over the years and leaves the world either at an old age or sooner. According to Islamic teachings, death means the separation of these two parts (which is called “Tawaffa”) and not destruction.
Therefore, when one dies, his soul separates from his body and goes to the world of Barzakh. It is his body that dies and not the human as a whole and not the reality of human existence. He lives in Barzakh independently from his material body.
There is no definite answer to the question of whether human’s soul will live with another body or independently in the Hereafter. There are different viewpoints on this matter. The important point is that it cannot be said that human will end when he dies and we cannot have a relation with him because he is gone.
Apparently, we cannot have a visual and physical relation with a person who is dead, but our relation with his soul remains.
When one dies, God separates his soul from his body but because there is a close relation between the two, the soul cannot easily cut its relation with the body. The soul of the believers still surrounds their body until the body is put into the grave.
It is also true for Divine apostles. When the Holy Prophet (PBUH) passed away, his body was buried in Medina Mosque, but his pure soul has surrounded his body because of the unique degree of his faith and they are still connected. So, the souls of believers are connected to their buried bodies to the extent of their faith, and see and comprehend those who go to visit their graves.
