create the earth and humankind. Turbah also denotes any ground on which one prostrates oneself for prayer. Clean dirt or dust can serve as a substitute for someone who is performing ablutions in the absence of clean water, a practice known as tayammum. Turbah is also used in connection with funerals because of death's association with dust: a dead body eventually turns to earth after death. Turba (or in Turkish) is an Islamic funerary building in a variety of contexts. Sunni views Many Sunnis reject the use of Turbah as bidah (innovation), noting that according to them neither Muhammad nor his companions ever carried a clay tablet (or any other small item) on which to place their foreheads while in prostration. They also note that many Turbah used by Shia have inscribed invocations to their revered figures, such as 'Ya Hussein' (O Hussein), or 'Ya Zahra' which may be seen by them as Shirk (associating partners with God). In Majmoo' al-Fatawa (Compilation of Fatawa), Ibn Taymiyyah, issued a fatwa that prayer on a Turbah from the site of Imam Husayn's martyrdom (Karbala) is an innovation. References External links In a nutshell: Why do the Shi'ah prostrate on Turbah? Turbah Salah Shia Islam Salah terminology