Visiting graves and traveling to them
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Fatwa number ( 8084 )
Q: I read in the book *Fiqh on the Four Schools of Jurisprudence*, by Abd al-Rahman al-Jaziri , the following: “Visiting graves is a recommended practice for taking a lesson and remembering the Hereafter, and it becomes more emphasized on Friday, the day before it, and the day after it, according to the Hanafis and the Malikis , while the Hanbalis and the Shafi'is differed, stating: There is no difference in visiting between the graves being near or far, and the Hanbalis differed, rather it is recommended to travel to visit the dead, especially the graves of the righteous, as for visiting the grave of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), it is among the greatest acts of drawing near to Allah.” This is on page (540), Volume 1. My question here, may Allah reward you with good: 1 - What is the source for mentioning specific days for visiting graves? 2 - What is the merit of the statement: Rather it is recommended to travel to visit the dead, especially the righteous, perhaps this is what some people use as evidence for the question about
the graves. Does this have a source in the Shari'ah and in the narrations? 3 - What is the reality of the statement that there is no difference in visiting between the graves being near or far? It seems this statement contains evidence for traveling
A: First: Visiting graves is prescribed; for taking a lesson, remembering the Hereafter, and asking Allah for forgiveness, mercy, and well-being for them, not for supplicating to the dead and asking them to benefit the one who asked them, or to remove a calamity from him, or any other harm, for this is shirk (associating partners with Allah), and there is no difference in that between the righteous and others among the believers and Muslims. Second: There is no difference in visiting graves between Friday and other days of the week, because it is not established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he specified a day of the week in which graves are visited, so specifying a day for visiting them is an innovated bid'ah (religious innovation), and it is established from him (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said:Sahih Muslim 1718a . Third: It is not permissible to travel to visit any of the graves, whether it is the grave of a prophet, a wali (close friend of Allah), or anyone else; due to the prohibition of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) of that by his saying: Bulugh al-Maram 5:58 narrated by Ahmad and al-Bukhari and Muslim and Abu Dawud and al-Nasa'i and Ibn Majah . Accordingly, it is not permissible to travel to visit the grave of our Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), but rather
one travels to pray in his mosque (peace and blessings be upon him), but it is prescribed for the one who visits his mosque (peace and blessings be upon him) to greet him, (peace and blessings be upon him), and his two companions: Abu Bakr , and 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both), as it is prescribed for him to visit the graves of al-Baqi' and the martyrs in Uhud to greet them and supplicate for them, and it is prescribed for the visitor also to visit the mosque of Quba' and pray in it; due to the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): and because he (peace and blessings be upon him) used to visit the mosque of Quba' every Saturday and pray in it. One also travels to pray in the al-Masjid al-Haram and for Hajj and for 'Umrah and to al-Masjid al-Aqsa to pray in it. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad and his family and his companions.
Q: I read in the book *Fiqh on the Four Schools of Jurisprudence*, by Abd al-Rahman al-Jaziri , the following: “Visiting graves is a recommended practice for taking a lesson and remembering the Hereafter, and it becomes more emphasized on Friday, the day before it, and the day after it, according to the Hanafis and the Malikis , while the Hanbalis and the Shafi'is differed, stating: There is no difference in visiting between the graves being near or far, and the Hanbalis differed, rather it is recommended to travel to visit the dead, especially the graves of the righteous, as for visiting the grave of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), it is among the greatest acts of drawing near to Allah.” This is on page (540), Volume 1. My question here, may Allah reward you with good: 1 - What is the source for mentioning specific days for visiting graves? 2 - What is the merit of the statement: Rather it is recommended to travel to visit the dead, especially the righteous, perhaps this is what some people use as evidence for the question about
the graves. Does this have a source in the Shari'ah and in the narrations? 3 - What is the reality of the statement that there is no difference in visiting between the graves being near or far? It seems this statement contains evidence for traveling
A: First: Visiting graves is prescribed; for taking a lesson, remembering the Hereafter, and asking Allah for forgiveness, mercy, and well-being for them, not for supplicating to the dead and asking them to benefit the one who asked them, or to remove a calamity from him, or any other harm, for this is shirk (associating partners with Allah), and there is no difference in that between the righteous and others among the believers and Muslims. Second: There is no difference in visiting graves between Friday and other days of the week, because it is not established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he specified a day of the week in which graves are visited, so specifying a day for visiting them is an innovated bid'ah (religious innovation), and it is established from him (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said:
'A'isha reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: He who innovates things in our affairs for which there is no valid (reason) (commits sin) and these are to be rejected.
من أحدث في أمرنا هذا ما ليس منه فهو ردOne should not undertake journeys except to three mosques: al-Masque al-Haram (in Makkah ), the Aqsa mosque, or this mosque (in Madinah).
لا تشد الرحال إلا إلى ثلاثة مساجد: المسجد الحرام ، ومسجدي هذا، والمسجد الأقصىone travels to pray in his mosque (peace and blessings be upon him), but it is prescribed for the one who visits his mosque (peace and blessings be upon him) to greet him, (peace and blessings be upon him), and his two companions: Abu Bakr , and 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both), as it is prescribed for him to visit the graves of al-Baqi' and the martyrs in Uhud to greet them and supplicate for them, and it is prescribed for the visitor also to visit the mosque of Quba' and pray in it; due to the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):
Whoever purifies himself in his home and then visits the mosque of Quba' and prays two rak'ahs in it, it is like an 'Umrah
من تطهر في بيته ثم زار مسجد قباء وصلى فيه ركعتين كان كعمرة
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.