The Ruling on Visiting Graves and Traveling Specifically to Them
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
There is a man who cites the hadith of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him): (I used to forbid you from visiting graves, but now visit them, for they remind you of the Hereafter) as evidence for the permissibility of traveling specifically to graves, and that it is even more permissible to travel specifically to the grave of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) due to the generality of his statement: (But now visit them) and that there is no basis for citing the hadith: (Do not travel specifically except to three mosques) to prohibit traveling specifically to graves. What is your opinion? May Allah reward you with good.
Our statement in this matter: It is obligatory for the believer not to cite some texts while neglecting others. The Islamic Shari'ah was revealed by One to One messenger, revealed by Allah (Mighty and Majestic) to Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). Therefore, we must gather the texts together,So we say: It is established that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: (I used to forbid you from visiting graves, but now visit them, for they remind you of death -And in a wording: they remind you of the Hereafter.) This is established, and it is general (visit them) The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not specify a place over another, nor a male over a female.
However, it is known that general or absolute texts are interpreted according to specific or restricted texts.For example: A woman does not visit graves, even though the apparent meaning of this text includes women in that, but she does not visit;Because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): (The Prophet cursed those who visit graves) Therefore, it is excluded that it is not permissible for a woman to visit a grave, whatever it may be, even if it is the grave of her father, mother, or sister, for that is forbidden for her. In fact, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) cursed those who visit graves. Consequently, a woman's visiting of graves is among the major sins. Also excluded from this is what requires traveling specifically; this is because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) addressed the people of Madinah, who could visit al-Baqi' without traveling specifically, and those similar to them are included, whose visitation does not require traveling specifically. It is not reported from the Companions, the Tabi'un, or the Imams that they traveled specifically to visit the grave of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), despite their intense love for the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), their intense love for good and desire for it, and the ease of matters for them in some circumstances. And since that was not the practice of the Salaf, we do not deviate from their path.
And as for His saying: This hadith: (Do not travel specifically except to three mosques) is a matter of disagreement among scholars. Does it indicate the prohibition of traveling specifically to any place except the three mosques, as chosen by some scholars,And they said: The intended meaning is the prohibition of traveling specifically to any place. It is known that the one who travels specifically to a cemetery does not connect with the deceased, speak to him, or keep him company, but rather visits the place where this deceased is buried, wherever that may be. He wants the location of the grave, not to enter the grave or to bring the deceased out to him.And some of the scholars said: This is a prohibition of traveling specifically to mosques other than the three mosques, and it has no relation to traveling specifically to visit graves.
And we say: Suppose that the intended meaning of the one with prayer and blessings upon him is this, but did any of his Companions or any of the Imams of the Ummah travel specifically to visit the grave of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)? There is absolutely no such instance. And if there is no such instance, we have in them a model to follow.So we say: Do not travel specifically to visit the grave of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). However, traveling specifically to Madinah for prayer in al-Masjid al-Nabawi is permissible; because prayer in it is better than a thousand prayers in any other place except al-Masjid al-Haram.
Our statement in this matter: It is obligatory for the believer not to cite some texts while neglecting others. The Islamic Shari'ah was revealed by One to One messenger, revealed by Allah (Mighty and Majestic) to Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). Therefore, we must gather the texts together,So we say: It is established that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: (I used to forbid you from visiting graves, but now visit them, for they remind you of death -And in a wording: they remind you of the Hereafter.) This is established, and it is general (visit them) The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not specify a place over another, nor a male over a female.
However, it is known that general or absolute texts are interpreted according to specific or restricted texts.For example: A woman does not visit graves, even though the apparent meaning of this text includes women in that, but she does not visit;Because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): (The Prophet cursed those who visit graves) Therefore, it is excluded that it is not permissible for a woman to visit a grave, whatever it may be, even if it is the grave of her father, mother, or sister, for that is forbidden for her. In fact, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) cursed those who visit graves. Consequently, a woman's visiting of graves is among the major sins. Also excluded from this is what requires traveling specifically; this is because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) addressed the people of Madinah, who could visit al-Baqi' without traveling specifically, and those similar to them are included, whose visitation does not require traveling specifically. It is not reported from the Companions, the Tabi'un, or the Imams that they traveled specifically to visit the grave of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), despite their intense love for the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), their intense love for good and desire for it, and the ease of matters for them in some circumstances. And since that was not the practice of the Salaf, we do not deviate from their path.
And as for His saying: This hadith: (Do not travel specifically except to three mosques) is a matter of disagreement among scholars. Does it indicate the prohibition of traveling specifically to any place except the three mosques, as chosen by some scholars,And they said: The intended meaning is the prohibition of traveling specifically to any place. It is known that the one who travels specifically to a cemetery does not connect with the deceased, speak to him, or keep him company, but rather visits the place where this deceased is buried, wherever that may be. He wants the location of the grave, not to enter the grave or to bring the deceased out to him.And some of the scholars said: This is a prohibition of traveling specifically to mosques other than the three mosques, and it has no relation to traveling specifically to visit graves.
And we say: Suppose that the intended meaning of the one with prayer and blessings upon him is this, but did any of his Companions or any of the Imams of the Ummah travel specifically to visit the grave of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)? There is absolutely no such instance. And if there is no such instance, we have in them a model to follow.So we say: Do not travel specifically to visit the grave of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). However, traveling specifically to Madinah for prayer in al-Masjid al-Nabawi is permissible; because prayer in it is better than a thousand prayers in any other place except al-Masjid al-Haram.