You stated that there are two conditions for women visiting graves: covering and taking a lesson. Is it permissible for a woman to travel to visit the grave of her father or her husband, given that there is a cemetery near her home?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : Shaykh, for example, you said that there are two conditions for women visiting graves: that she be properly covered, and that it be for the sake of admonition and lesson. But if a woman travels to visit the grave of her father or her husband, even though there is a cemetery near their home, is this permissible given the presence of the cemetery near their home?
The Shaykh : No, it is permissible, it is permissible, but...
The questioner : Specifying the grave of her husband.
The Shaykh : May Allah guide you, be patient. It is a matter of permissibility; it is permissible, but specifying the visit to her father or a relative, rather than visiting the cemetery in general, this specification, even though it is without a specific cause, indicates that this visit is not for the sake of remembering the Hereafter. The best that can be said about it is that it is motivated solely by emotion, not by knowledge or religion. Therefore, we say to those who travel to visit certain graves that are said to be the graves of awliya (close friends of Allah) and the righteous, whether this claim is true or not: why this visit? If the intention is to achieve the goal and wisdom we previously mentioned from the hadith of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), then this cemetery is right in front of you, and the lesson from these graves is sufficient. A person can imagine them and see them in a dream, and wake up in fear; the admonition from these graves is far greater than visiting the grave of a wali or a prophet, especially if it is decorated and adorned with grandeur. In that case, they submit in a way that should be reserved for Allah (Mighty and Majestic) alone. For this reason, we say that traveling to these graves is the greatest proof that they do not intend to achieve the goal mentioned in the authentic hadith. Have you been satisfied now?
The Shaykh : No, it is permissible, it is permissible, but...
The questioner : Specifying the grave of her husband.
The Shaykh : May Allah guide you, be patient. It is a matter of permissibility; it is permissible, but specifying the visit to her father or a relative, rather than visiting the cemetery in general, this specification, even though it is without a specific cause, indicates that this visit is not for the sake of remembering the Hereafter. The best that can be said about it is that it is motivated solely by emotion, not by knowledge or religion. Therefore, we say to those who travel to visit certain graves that are said to be the graves of awliya (close friends of Allah) and the righteous, whether this claim is true or not: why this visit? If the intention is to achieve the goal and wisdom we previously mentioned from the hadith of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), then this cemetery is right in front of you, and the lesson from these graves is sufficient. A person can imagine them and see them in a dream, and wake up in fear; the admonition from these graves is far greater than visiting the grave of a wali or a prophet, especially if it is decorated and adorned with grandeur. In that case, they submit in a way that should be reserved for Allah (Mighty and Majestic) alone. For this reason, we say that traveling to these graves is the greatest proof that they do not intend to achieve the goal mentioned in the authentic hadith. Have you been satisfied now?