Is it permissible for a woman to visit graves if it is solely for the sake of taking a lesson?

The questioner : Is it permissible for women to visit graves if it is solely for the sake of taking a lesson?

The Shaykh : Yes, that is a condition. The other condition, which is a general one, is that they must be covered and wearing the jilbab prescribed by the Shari'ah.

The questioner: Yes.

The Shaykh : They should say the salam, remember the lesson from the dead, and then return to their homes. In this case, there is no difference between women and men. This is because the prohibition of visiting graves in the early days of Islam was a general prohibition that included both men and women. Then, once tawhid (the oneness of Allah) became firmly established among these Muslims, both men and women, permission was granted to them all, both men and women. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) combined a reference to these two matters in a single hadith; that is, he indicated that the prohibition was directed generally to women and men, and he also indicated that the permission was directed to women and men. This is his statement (peace and blessings be upon him), as found in Sahih Muslim: , To whom is this address directed? To the Muslims in general, women and men. To whom is this address directed? To those who were previously prohibited; that is, women and men. This is confirmed by the 'illah (operative cause) with which the Messenger (peace be upon him) explained the permission to visit after the prohibition: . Thus, just as men need to engage in a lawful means to remember the Hereafter, women are like men in this regard, if not even more deserving of adopting such a means that reminds them of the Hereafter.
The Shaykh : As for the well-known hadith: , this hadith is narrated in two wordings. The first wording is this: , and it is weak. The other wording is: ; that is, those who visit frequently. This frequent visiting usually does not serve the purpose for which the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) permitted visiting for both sexes, which is to remember the Hereafter. This frequent visiting, as we observe it in many occasions such as the festivals, the middle of Sha'ban, and the like, involves them sitting around the grave and turning that place into a cafe where they discuss various matters while sitting. Therefore, the hadith is valid with the wording: . The meaning of this does not contradict the general permission; rather, it specifies it and clarifies that the visit intended to remember the Hereafter is prescribed, but frequenting and exaggerating in this is prohibited.
The Shaykh : This is the answer to what you asked.