Some people, when one of them dies and is at his grave
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The questioner : Some people among us, when one of them dies and is at his grave, pour cement on the grave and write the date, the name, and the age on top of the grave. Is this action permissible or not? Please issue a ruling for us; may Allah reward you?
The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and I send prayers and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and his Companions, and upon those who follow them with excellence until the Day of Judgment. The answer to this question requires an introduction, which is that the cemetery is the abode of the dead, not a house for the living to be decorated and built up, with cement poured on it and eulogistic and commemorative words written on it. Rather, it is the abode of the dead, and it must remain as it is so that those who pass by may take a lesson from it. It is established in the authentic hadith of Buraydah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Musnad Ahmad 1236, 1237Sahih, because of corroborating evidence; this is a da'eef isnad because of the weakness of Ali bin Zaid and Rabee'ah bin an-Nabighah and his father are unknown], Sahih because of corroborating eviden (Darussalam) And if we open the door for people to decorate the graves, build them up, and write on them, the cemeteries will become a place for boasting and will no longer be a place of reflection for the living.
Therefore, it is established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he forbade plastering the grave, building on it, writing on it, and sitting on it. He (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade the matters that involve exaggeration in graves, such as building and writing, and the like. He also forbade the matters that involve disrespect to the graves and their occupants, such as sitting on the grave.
It should also be known that the people of the cemeteries are held accountable for their deeds. One of them hopes that there is a single good deed in the scale of his good deeds or in his book of good deeds, as came in the hadith:.
The people of the graves do not possess the ability to bring benefit or harm to themselves, nor do they possess the ability to bring benefit or harm to others, even more so. Even if they are among the righteous servants of Allah and His close friends, they do not possess the ability to bring benefit or harm to anyone. Rather, they are in need of others to make du'a for them and ask Allah for their forgiveness and salvation from the Fire.
Based on this introduction, it becomes clear to the questioner the ruling on what he asked about, which is pouring cement on the grave and writing the name on it, the date of death and birth, and perhaps writing what deeds this deceased person did in his life or otherwise. All of this falls within what the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade, either by wording or by meaning.
Therefore, from this pulpit, I offer advice to my Muslim brothers everywhere, to everyone who hears or is conveyed my words, to fear Allah (Mighty and Majestic) regarding the people of the graves, and to let the graves of the Muslims remain as they were in the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), his Rightly Guided Caliphs, and his satisfied Companions.
As for boasting with them, pouring cement on them, or erecting long stones on the grave so that it is prominent and distinct from the other graves, this is contrary to the guidance of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).
Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) said to Abu al-Hayyaj al-Asadi: "Shall I not send you with what the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) sent me with? Do not leave any statue but that you erase it, and do not leave any raised grave but that you level it" There is no doubt that the end of this Ummah will not be rectified except by what rectified its beginning, which is adhering to the guidance of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and the guidance of his Rightly Guided Caliphs. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.
The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and I send prayers and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and his Companions, and upon those who follow them with excellence until the Day of Judgment. The answer to this question requires an introduction, which is that the cemetery is the abode of the dead, not a house for the living to be decorated and built up, with cement poured on it and eulogistic and commemorative words written on it. Rather, it is the abode of the dead, and it must remain as it is so that those who pass by may take a lesson from it. It is established in the authentic hadith of Buraydah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
I used to forbid you to visit the graves, but now visit them, for they remind you of the Hereafter.
كنت نهيتكم عن زيارة القبور فزوروها فإنها تذكركم الأخرةTherefore, it is established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he forbade plastering the grave, building on it, writing on it, and sitting on it. He (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade the matters that involve exaggeration in graves, such as building and writing, and the like. He also forbade the matters that involve disrespect to the graves and their occupants, such as sitting on the grave.
It should also be known that the people of the cemeteries are held accountable for their deeds. One of them hopes that there is a single good deed in the scale of his good deeds or in his book of good deeds, as came in the hadith:
No one dies but that he regrets. If he was a doer of good, he regrets that he did not increase in it. If he was a doer of evil, he regrets that he did not seek forgiveness.
ما من ميت يموت إلا ندم إن كان محسناً ندم ألا يكون ازداد، وإن كان مسيئاً ندم ألا يكون استعتبThe people of the graves do not possess the ability to bring benefit or harm to themselves, nor do they possess the ability to bring benefit or harm to others, even more so. Even if they are among the righteous servants of Allah and His close friends, they do not possess the ability to bring benefit or harm to anyone. Rather, they are in need of others to make du'a for them and ask Allah for their forgiveness and salvation from the Fire.
Based on this introduction, it becomes clear to the questioner the ruling on what he asked about, which is pouring cement on the grave and writing the name on it, the date of death and birth, and perhaps writing what deeds this deceased person did in his life or otherwise. All of this falls within what the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade, either by wording or by meaning.
Therefore, from this pulpit, I offer advice to my Muslim brothers everywhere, to everyone who hears or is conveyed my words, to fear Allah (Mighty and Majestic) regarding the people of the graves, and to let the graves of the Muslims remain as they were in the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), his Rightly Guided Caliphs, and his satisfied Companions.
As for boasting with them, pouring cement on them, or erecting long stones on the grave so that it is prominent and distinct from the other graves, this is contrary to the guidance of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).
Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) said to Abu al-Hayyaj al-Asadi: "Shall I not send you with what the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) sent me with? Do not leave any statue but that you erase it, and do not leave any raised grave but that you level it" There is no doubt that the end of this Ummah will not be rectified except by what rectified its beginning, which is adhering to the guidance of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and the guidance of his Rightly Guided Caliphs. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.