But the niqaab isn't...
(and I don't believe the hijaab is but the niqaab is not compulsory in all sects I believe although Islamqa says it is)
Not him - he follows Wahhabism and Wahabis place a strong emphasis on
absolute monotheism and reject practices such as the visitation of graves of Muslim prophets, their families or sahaba and leaders.
In 1801 and 1802, the Saudi Wahhabis under Abdul Aziz ibn Muhammad ibn Saud attacked and captured the holy
Shia cities of
Karbala and
Najaf in Iraq and destroyed the tombs of
Husayn ibn Ali who is the grandson of Muhammad, and
Ali (Ali bin Abu Talib), the son-in-law of Muhammad. In 1803 and 1804 the Saudis captured Mecca and Madinah and demolished various tombs of
Ahl al-Bayt and
Sahabah, ancient monuments, ruins according to Wahhabis, they "removed a number of what were seen as sources or possible gateways to polytheism or
shirk" - such as the tomb of
Fatimah, the daughter of Muhammad. In 1998 the Saudis bulldozed and poured gasoline over the grave of
Aminah bint Wahb, the mother of Muhammad, causing resentment throughout the Muslim World.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WahhabismNot arguing. Yes I am Shia. No I am not rejecting evidence as long as it's not coming from extremists groups and is coming from reliable sources such as Imam Ridha who has said that the term for hands was in fact metaphorical and he is an Imam, successor to the prophet, infallible, therefore his word trumps any fallible scholar.