There are some customs prevalent in our society, including reciting the Qur'an at graves and also reciting al-Fatihah. What is the ruling on these actions?
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The questioner : I have some questions. There are some matters and customs that are prevalent, for example, not limited to: reciting the Qur'an at graves, and also reciting al-Fatihah?
The Shaykh : This is a religious innovation, I mean: reciting the Qur'an at graves. The evidence for this is that it was not done in the time of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), nor in the time of the Rightly Guided Caliphs. It is well known that reciting the Qur'an is a great act of worship for the reciter, with ten good deeds for every letter. Therefore, one does not restrict recitation to a specific place unless it is established by the Book and the Sunnah that it is prescribed to designate that place for the Qur'an. Likewise, reciting al-Fatihah is not prescribed except in what Allah the Exalted has prescribed it for, such as prayer, for example, or reciting for the sick. As for reciting it for everything, and saying "al-Fatihah," or starting celebrations with it, or the like, this is a religious innovation. What is prescribed for the visitor of graves is to greet the people of the graves with what came in the Sunnah: As for reciting the Qur'an for them, they do not benefit from it, and it is a religious innovation.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : This is a religious innovation, I mean: reciting the Qur'an at graves. The evidence for this is that it was not done in the time of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), nor in the time of the Rightly Guided Caliphs. It is well known that reciting the Qur'an is a great act of worship for the reciter, with ten good deeds for every letter. Therefore, one does not restrict recitation to a specific place unless it is established by the Book and the Sunnah that it is prescribed to designate that place for the Qur'an. Likewise, reciting al-Fatihah is not prescribed except in what Allah the Exalted has prescribed it for, such as prayer, for example, or reciting for the sick. As for reciting it for everything, and saying "al-Fatihah," or starting celebrations with it, or the like, this is a religious innovation. What is prescribed for the visitor of graves is to greet the people of the graves with what came in the Sunnah:
Peace be upon you, abode of a people of believers, and we, if Allah wills, are to follow you. May Allah have mercy on those of you who have gone before and those who come after. We ask Allah for well-being for us and for you. O Allah, do not deprive us of their reward, and do not test us after them, and forgive us and them.
السلام عليكم دار قوم مؤمنين، وإنا إن شاء الله بكم لاحقون، يرحم الله المستقدمين منكم والمستأخرين، نسأل الله لنا ولكم العافية، اللهم لا تحرمنا أجرهم، ولا تفتنا بعدهم، واغفر لنا ولهمThe questioner : May Allah reward you with good.