The Ruling on Praying in Mosques Built over Graves

Question:
We return at the beginning of this episode to a message sent to the program from Yemen, Hadramawt. Its sender is one of the brothers from there. We presented some of his questions in a previous meeting, and in this meeting he asks Shaykh Salih, and indeed he discusses and says: We hear that the correct opinion among the scholars is that prayer in a place containing a grave is invalid and not permissible. The evidence is his saying (peace and blessings be upon him) the hadith. Perhaps there are other proofs. The question is: How is this hadith to be understood? And where is the proof for the invalidity of the prayer? Second, what is the evidence of those who say the prayer is valid but its performer sins? May Allah reward you with good.

Answer:
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and all his Companions. As for prayer in mosques built over graves, it is not valid, as established by the scholars of research among the people of knowledge, acting in accordance with his saying (peace and blessings be upon him) and his saying (peace and blessings be upon him) mosques, warning of those who built them. The reason for the invalidity of the prayer from these proofs is that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade prayer at graves, and prohibition implies invalidity, as established by the scholars of usul al-fiqh. Prohibition implies invalidity. So how can a prayer be valid when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade it and cursed those who do it? How can it be valid with this? As for those who say it is valid with sin, I do not know of any evidence for them.