Visiting The Graves (2/2)

Recitation of Qur’an:  There is no basis for the recitation of Qur’an in the graveyard.  Neither the Fatihah (First Chapter) nor any other chapter of the Qur’an should be read near the graves.

Aboo Hurayrah reported that Allah’s Messenger (Peace be upon him) said, “Don’t make your houses graveyards, for surely Satan flees from the house in which the chapter al-Baqarah [1] is read.”[2]

Raising the Hands in Du‘aa:  The hands may be raised during supplications for the dead in the graveyard.

‘Aa’ishah said: One night, Allah’s Messenger (Peace be upon him) went out of the house and I sent Bareerah[3] after him to find out where he went.  Bareerah returned to me and informed me that he had gone to Baqee’ graveyard, stood near its beginning with his hands raised, then he left.  When I got up the next morning, I asked Allah’s Messenger where he had gone the previous night and he replied, “I was sent to the inhabitants of Baqee’ to pray for them.” [4]

Facing the Qiblah: During supplications for the dead, the grave should not be faced due to the general prohibition against prayer towards the graves. The supplicant should, instead, face Makkah when praying for the dead.

Aboo Marthad al-Ghanawee quoted Allah’s Messenger (Peace be upon him) as saying, “Don’t pray towards graves, nor sit on them.” [5]

Since supplication (du’aa) is the essence of formal prayer, the ruling regarding the direction of prayer applies to both.

An-Nu‘maan ibn Basheer related that the Prophet (Peace be upon him) said, “Supplication is worship.”   Then he recited:  “Your Lord said: Call on Me and I will answer you. [6]” [7]

Walking Between the Graves:  Shoes and sandals should be removed by those walking between the graves.

Basheer, [8] the freed slave of Allah’s Messenger (Peace be upon him) said:  While I was walking with the Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him), he passed by the graves of the pagans and said three times,  “They preceded a time of abundant good.”  Then he passed by the graves of the Muslims and said, “They got abundant good.” Allah’s Messenger (Peace be upon him) then saw a man walking among the graves wearing sandals, so he called out, “O you wearing sandals, beware. Remove your sandals.”  The man looked around and when he recognized Allah’s Messenger (Peace be upon him), he took off his sandals and threw them away. [9]

Annual Visits to Graves:  Visiting graves on the anniversary of the person’s death, or at special annual festivals to perform worship at the graves of those designated as saints is all forbidden.

Aboo Hurayrah narrated that Allah’s Messenger (Peace be upon him) said, “Don’t make your houses graveyards, nor make my grave a place of celebration [10], and ask Allah’s blessing for me, because it will reach me wherever you may be.” [11]

Travel to Visit Graves:  Setting out on journeys to visit graves was specifically forbidden by the Prophet (Peace be upon him).   This practise forms the basis of idolatrous pilgrimages in other religions.

Aboo Hurayrah quoted the Prophet (Peace be upon him) as saying, “Don’t travel except to three masjids: al-Masjid al-Haraam (Makkah), Masjid ar-Rasool (Madeenah) and Masjid al-Aqsaa (Jerusalem).” [12]

While returning from a trip, Aboo Basrah al-Ghifaaree met Aboo Hurayrah and the latter asked him where he was coming from. Aboo Basrah replied that he was coming back from at-Toor where he had made prayer. Aboo Hurayrah said, “If only I had caught you before you had set out, for I heard Allah’s Messenger say: ‘Don’t travel to other than three masjids...’ ”[13]

Aboo Qaz‘ah also related that he had wanted to go to at-Toor, but when he asked Ibn ‘Umar about it, he quoted the Prophet’s prohibition of travel to other than the three masjids. [14]

Planting Twigs on Graves:  It is not permissible to plant any flowers or twigs on the grave.  The placing of wreaths and flowers is a non-Muslim ritual.  The companions of the Prophet and the early generation of Muslim scholars did not practise this ritual.  It is, however, authentically narrated that the Prophet did, on one single occasion, stick a palm leaf in a grave.

Ibn ‘Abbaas reported that the Prophet (Peace be upon him) once passed by the graves of two people who were being punished in their graves and said, “They are not being punished for a major sin.  One didn’t used to protect himself from the splatter of urine and the other used to spread rumors.”  He then took a green leaf of a date palm tree, split it into two pieces, and planted one on each grave.   The people asked, “O Messenger of Allah!  Why have you done this?”  He replied, “Perhaps it will reduce their punishment as long as it remains green.”[15]

In Jaabir’s narration the Prophet (Peace be upon him) said: “I passed by two graves whose occupants were being tormented. I wished to make intercession for them so that they may be relieved as long as these two twigs remain fresh.”[16]

Planting leaves in a grave was an act unique to the Prophet (Peace be upon him), consequently, none of his early followers repeated it. Al-Khattaabee said the following regarding this hadeeth: “It represents the [principle that the] actions of the Prophet (Peace be upon him) are blessed and that his supplication for a lessening of their punishment is special to Allah.  He also chose the period of freshness of the leaf to be [the length of] the period of his request for a reduction [in their punishment].  This does not mean that a fresh leaf has any superiority over a dry leaf.   It is now the custom among the masses in many countries to plant palm leaves in the graves of their dead.  However, what they are doing cannot be based on the Prophet’s act.”  Ahmad Shaakir in his commentary on Sunan at-Tirmithee said, “Al-Khattaabee spoke the truth.  And, since then, the masses have been even more enthusiastic in doing this practice which has no valid basis in Islam.  They imitated the Christians so much, especially in Egypt, that they now put flowers on the graves.  They exchange them as presents among themselves.  Some people put them on the graves of their relatives and friends as greetings to them and as a courtesy to their living relatives.  So much so that this custom has become similar to the international etiquettes of courtesy.  Thus, whenever Muslim personalities visit a European country, they go the the graves of its former leaders or the grave of the ‘unknown soldier’ and lay fresh and artificial wreaths of flowers on them.”

This practice is an innovation in the religion (bid‘ah) which should be avoided.  All such innovations are cursed.  Ibn ‘Umar was reported to have said, in this regard:  “Every innovation is misguidance, even if people consider them to be good.”[17]