LEGAL MANNERS OF VISITING GRAVES
All praises and thanks are due to Alláh, the All-Rich, Worthy of all praise. He starts the creation and resurrects them. He is the Owner of the Glorious Throne, Who does what He wills, Whose knowledge encompasses all things and He is the Witness over all things. I thank, praise and invoke Him for more of His bounties and favors. I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Alláh Alone, without partners, rivals or equals. I bear witness that our Prophet Muhammad(pbuh) is His slave, Messenger and intimate friend, and the best caller to Imán and Tauhid. May Alláh’s peace and blessings be on Muhammad, his progeny, Companions and all those who followed them with excellence until the Day of Judgment.
Alláh the Exalted and Most Honored said:
“Say (O Muhammad(pbuh) to mankind): “Ifyou (really) love Alláh, then follow me (i.e., accept Islámic Monotheism, follow the Qurán and the Sunnah) , Alláh will love you and forgive you your sins. And Alláh is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” (3:31)
Also, Abdullah bin Mas’ud narrated that the Messenger of Alláh(pbuh) said:
“I had disallowed you from visiting graves. Now, visit graves, for they discourage you from (excessively) indulging in this life and remind of the Hereafter.”
Dear Muslims! The Messenger of Alláh(pbuh) had disallowed men and women from visiting graves in the beginning of Islam, because they were not far away from the time of Shirk, during which they used to revere graves and the dead buried in them. During the time of Jahiliyyah, the Arabs used to revere stones, trees, the graves of Prophets and righteous people, and so forth. Those who were new to Islam and not far from the time of Shirk with all its evil practices that resided in their hearts and that they were raised performing, feared that a residue of the practices of Jahiliyyah might have remained in their hearts. It was proper then that enough time was given so that Imán and Tauhid became firmly established in their hearts and the time and practices of Shirk faded away gradually. To support this, we should state that sorne new Muslims, who were not far from the time of Shirk, requested the Prophet :i to appoint a tree for them to revere and hang their weapons on for blessings, just because they saw sorne Mushrik do so. They thought that this practice was allowed in Islam and that it would benefit them and bring them closer to Alláh, Truth and falsehood were confused for them because practices of Jahiliyyah were still fresh in their minds.
The Messenger(pbuh) was most eager to dissipate the remains of Shirk, rid the hearts of its practices and close all doors that lead to it. He forbade visiting graves in the beginning of Islam for fear of Fitnah for new Muslims (subjecting them to trials in religion and life) and to draw them away from Shirk and its practices. When Islam became prominent and Tauhid firmly resided in their hearts, he allowed visiting graves because there are various benefits from visiting them. For instance, among the wisdom of visiting graves, is that the Prophet(pbuh) said:
“I had disallowed you from visiting graves. Now, visit graves, for they discourage you from (excessively) indulging in this life and remind of the Hereafter.”
Therefore, visiting graves reminds one of death and the Hereafter, belittles the significance of this life and entails invoking Alláh for forgiveness and mercy for the dead. The Messenger(pbuh) used to visit graves, invoke Alláh for the benefit of dead Muslims and greet them with the Salam (greeting of peace). He would cry and cause those around him to cry. He also taught us how we should visit the graves of our Muslim brethren and what to say when we do. For instance, he used to recite this Du ‘á’ when he visited graves:
“Peace be upon you, O believing and Muslim residents of these graves., We, Alláh willing, will soon follow you. We ask Alláh for the well-being of us and you.”
The Prophet(pbuh) did not travel for the purpose of visiting graves, nor did he allow us to do so. Instead, he disallowed this practice when he said:
“Travelling is only allowed for three Mosques: Al-Masjid Al Haram (at Makkah), this Mosque of mine (in Al-Madinah) and Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa (in Jerusalem).”
Hence, those who wish to visit the Prophet’s mosque in Al-Madinah should intend to visit the mosque and not the grave, so that this act is acceptable with Alláh and Islamically legislated. When one visits the Prophet’s mosque, he could visit the Prophet’s grave, greet him with the Salam and observe respect, quiet and good manners during this visit. He should then greet his two Companions in this life and the Hereafter: Abu Bakr As-Siddiq and ‘Umar Al-Faruq. One should then depart from the Prophet’s gravesite.
There are no preferred times, days or months to visit graves or any of the three Mosques. Rather, Muslims are allowed to visit them any time they wish, for this is the guidance of the Messenger of Alláh(pbuh) and this is the Sunnah he taught uso Yet, ignorance and abandoning the Sunnah have become so rampant, that many people fall into misguidance regarding visiting graves of righteous people. They turn visiting graves into sessions of invoking the dead and seeking their help! They do not distinguish between what the Prophet(pbuh) allowed for his Ummah and what he disallowed for them. But, Alláh has ordained on us to obey His Prophet(pbuh) and follow his Sunnah. The Prophet(pbuh) showed us, in statement and practice, the manners of visiting graves and explained the wisdom behind legislating it. Therefore, let our visiting graves be what it should be: a reminder and good advice for uso Let us invoke Alláh for forgiveness and merey for our deceased Muslim brothers and sisters, for surely, the grave is where they will be needing Du’a to Alláh from us, for their benefit. In the grave, one’s chances to collect more good deeds will come to an abrupt end, and they will be in dire need for the Du ‘á’ of their living brethren to Alláh to grant them His Pardon and Mercy.
As for women, they are not allowed to visit graves or follow funeral processions. The Prophet(pbuh) emphasized this ruling when he cursed those women, whose habit was to visit graves,
“May Alláh curse those (women) who visit graves and those who build Mosques and erect lamps (lights) around them.”
The Prophet(pbuh) disallowed women from visiting graves because of their emotional weakness and impatience. He did this fearing Fitnah (trials in religion) for them and because they panic easily. In these respects, they are surely weaker than meno The Prophet(pbuh) said to some women whom he saw going to visit graves:
“Go back, eaming a sin rather than a reward, for verily, you cause Fitnah to the living and bother the dead.”
“If you reached the graveyard with them, you would not enter Paradise.”
Therefore, fear Alláh, O Alláh’s slaves, follow the guidance of His Messenger(pbuh) and obey Him and His Messenger so that you earn His Mercy. May Alláh direct us all, and you, to the blessings of the Glorious Qur’ án and benefit us all, and you, in whatever is in it of the Áyat and Wise Dhikr. I say this and ask Alláh the Great, the Most Honored for forgiveness for me, you and all Muslims for every sin, so invoke Him for forgiveness, for He is the Most Forgiving, the Most Merciful.
Comments
John Doe
23/3/2019Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.
John Doe
23/3/2019Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.
John Doe
23/3/2019Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.