Regarding the mosque that has a grave inside it, is prayer permissible in it or not?
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The questioner : Regarding the mosque that has a grave inside it, is prayer permissible in it or not?
The Shaykh : A mosque that contains a grave is not free from one of two situations. The first situation is that the grave existed before the mosque, meaning the mosque was built over the grave. In this case, prayer is not permissible in this mosque, and it is obligatory to demolish this mosque. This is because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sunan an-Nasa'i 703Sahih (Darussalam) Also, this is a means to shirk (associating partners with Allah) with the occupant of this grave, and to worshipping him instead of Allah.
As for the second situation, it is that the mosque existed before the grave, meaning we bring a deceased person and bury him in this mosque. In this case, it is obligatory to dig up this grave and bury the deceased in the place where people are buried. It is not permissible to leave it in the mosque under any circumstances. As for prayer in this mosque, it is permissible because the mosque existed before the grave. However, the grave should not be in front of the worshippers; rather, it should be behind them, to their right, or to their left. As for it being in the direction of their qiblah (direction of prayer), it has been established in "Sahih Muslim" in the hadith of Abu Murthad al-Ghanawi that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sunan an-Nasa'i 760Sahih (Darussalam) Yes.
The questioner : May Allah reward you, O honorable Shaykh, and may Allah bless you and your knowledge, and benefit the Muslims through you.
The Shaykh : A mosque that contains a grave is not free from one of two situations. The first situation is that the grave existed before the mosque, meaning the mosque was built over the grave. In this case, prayer is not permissible in this mosque, and it is obligatory to demolish this mosque. This is because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
May Allah curse the Jews and Christians, for they took the graves of their Prophets as places of worship.
لعنة الله على اليهود والنصارى اتخذوا قبور أنبيائهم مساجدAs for the second situation, it is that the mosque existed before the grave, meaning we bring a deceased person and bury him in this mosque. In this case, it is obligatory to dig up this grave and bury the deceased in the place where people are buried. It is not permissible to leave it in the mosque under any circumstances. As for prayer in this mosque, it is permissible because the mosque existed before the grave. However, the grave should not be in front of the worshippers; rather, it should be behind them, to their right, or to their left. As for it being in the direction of their qiblah (direction of prayer), it has been established in "Sahih Muslim" in the hadith of Abu Murthad al-Ghanawi that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
Do not pray toward graves and do not sit on them.
لا تصلوا إلى القبور ولا تجلسوا عليهاThe questioner : May Allah reward you, O honorable Shaykh, and may Allah bless you and your knowledge, and benefit the Muslims through you.