What is the ruling on the relatives of the deceased lining up in the cemetery for condolences?

Question : In some cemeteries, when people finish burying the deceased, the relatives stand in a row in the cemetery, and people come to greet them. Is there a basis for this in the Shari'ah?

Answer : As for offering condolences, there is no doubt that it has a basis in the Shari'ah, and it is a recommended practice (sunnah). One offers condolences to the one who is affected by the calamity, and the one who offers them receives a great reward. As for their lining up, they say they do this to make it easier for people to find the one being consoled, because previously they would be scattered around the cemetery, and people would search for so-and-so or so-and-so. They said that this lining up is to facilitate reaching the one being consoled so that the one offering condolences is not tired by searching for them. But people go beyond this now; you find a person coming, for example, to shake hands with the one being consoled and kiss him, even though he is with him. This is what has no basis and is not needed.