What is the ruling on women visiting the grave of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)?
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The questioner : May Allah reward you with good. The means of communication says: What is the ruling on women visiting the grave of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)?
The Shaykh : Some scholars hold that it is permissible for women to visit the grave of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). They say that it is not actually a visit, because between the woman when she stands and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) there are barriers, multiple walls. So in reality, she has not visited him, even if she calls it a visit. For this reason, they permitted a woman to visit the grave of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).
Some scholars say that she does not visit the grave of the Prophet, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) cursed those who visit graves. And this is a visit by custom, even if it is not a visit in reality, it is a visit by custom.
Then we say: There is doubt in this matter. And as long as there is doubt in it, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Bulugh al-Maram 16:32.
Then we say to the woman: Rejoice. If you greet the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), even if you are at the farthest part of the mosque, or at the farthest place on earth, your greeting will reach him. There is no need for you to stand at the grave. And we also say that every believer greets the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) at least five times a day, or more? More, because some prayers contain two tashahhuds. So Zuhr, 'Asr, Maghrib, and 'Isha' each have two tashahhuds. That makes five and four, nine times a day that he greets the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) as an obligation. So there is no need for the woman to strain herself to stand at the grave of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) with the doubt involved.
And does the Muslim say when greeting the Prophet: "Peace be upon you, O Prophet," or "Peace be upon the Prophet"? It is reported in *Sahih al-Bukhari* from Abdullah ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said: But this is the independent legal reasoning (ijtihad) of Abdullah ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him), and not every one who exercises independent legal reasoning is correct. The evidence for this is that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) taught his Ummah, saying: Sunan an-Nasa'i 1171Sahih (Darussalam) until the Day of Resurrection, and he did not say: "Say that as long as I am alive."
Then, when the Companions in the time of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Peace be upon you," did they intend for the Messenger to hear it and for it to be a direct address?
The answer is: No, because they knew that the one at the end of the row would not be heard by the Messenger, and those in Makkah and in other lands would not be heard by the Messenger, even in his lifetime. So it is not a direct address. But Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "It came in the form of a direct address because of the strength of the person's mental presence when greeting the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him)" as if he is in front of him saying: "Peace be upon you."
And it is authentic from 'Umar in *Muwatta' Malik* that he said on the pulpit while reciting the tashahhud:Sunan an-Nasa'i 1171Sahih (Darussalam) And there is no doubt that 'Umar was more knowledgeable than Abdullah ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him), especially since he announced it publicly and no one among the people said that it was not so. And on this basis, the statement of Ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) is an opinion he held, but he was not correct in it, because the one who exercises independent legal reasoning may err or be correct. And Ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him), despite his knowledge and jurisprudence, is not infallible, and no one who speaks in the Shari'ah is free from error, ever, except the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). A man came to Ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) and asked Abu Musa al-Ash'ari (may Allah be pleased with him) for a ruling on a matter of inheritance, and we will tell you about it now and ask you about it so that we may know whether you rule according to the statement of Abu Musa or the statement of Ibn Mas'ud. A man died, leaving behind a daughter, a daughter of a son, and a full sister? Who will divide it for us? Be patient, who will divide it? There is only one person in the entire large gathering. Come forward?
The student: For the daughter is the half, and for the daughter of the son is the sixth to complete the two-thirds, and the rest.
The Shaykh : And the full sister, and what do we do with her? Rest, yes.
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : She receives the remainder as a residuary heir. May Allah reward you. This is the ruling of Abdullah ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him). Abu Musa al-Ash'ari said: But he (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Sunan Abi Dawud 2890Sahih (Al-Albani) Meaning, if I had agreed with him, I would have been misguided, and I am not among the guided ones. Did you understand? Did Abu Musa say it based on independent legal reasoning and was he correct, or not? Answer, everyone?
The student: He was not correct.
The Shaykh : He did not hit the mark, and the favor of Allah is given to whom He wills. Ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) hit the mark, relying on the ruling of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). So it does not mean that if Ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) errs in one matter, all his rulings are always wrong. Ibn Mas'ud was among the most knowledgeable of the Companions in jurisprudence and the most frequent in issuing rulings (may Allah be pleased with him).
The Shaykh : Some scholars hold that it is permissible for women to visit the grave of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). They say that it is not actually a visit, because between the woman when she stands and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) there are barriers, multiple walls. So in reality, she has not visited him, even if she calls it a visit. For this reason, they permitted a woman to visit the grave of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).
Some scholars say that she does not visit the grave of the Prophet, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) cursed those who visit graves. And this is a visit by custom, even if it is not a visit in reality, it is a visit by custom.
Then we say: There is doubt in this matter. And as long as there is doubt in it, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
So he, who saves himself from these doubtful things, saves his religion and his honor
من اتقى الشبهات فقد استبرأ لدينه وعرضهThen we say to the woman: Rejoice. If you greet the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), even if you are at the farthest part of the mosque, or at the farthest place on earth, your greeting will reach him. There is no need for you to stand at the grave. And we also say that every believer greets the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) at least five times a day, or more? More, because some prayers contain two tashahhuds. So Zuhr, 'Asr, Maghrib, and 'Isha' each have two tashahhuds. That makes five and four, nine times a day that he greets the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) as an obligation. So there is no need for the woman to strain herself to stand at the grave of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) with the doubt involved.
And does the Muslim say when greeting the Prophet: "Peace be upon you, O Prophet," or "Peace be upon the Prophet"? It is reported in *Sahih al-Bukhari* from Abdullah ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said:
We used to say in the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): "Peace be upon you, O Prophet," and after his death we say: "Peace be upon the Prophet."
كنا نقول في عهد النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم: السلام عليك أيها النبي وبعد موته نقول: السلام على النبيPeace be upon you, O Prophet
قولوا : السلام عليك أيها النبيThen, when the Companions in the time of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Peace be upon you," did they intend for the Messenger to hear it and for it to be a direct address?
The answer is: No, because they knew that the one at the end of the row would not be heard by the Messenger, and those in Makkah and in other lands would not be heard by the Messenger, even in his lifetime. So it is not a direct address. But Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "It came in the form of a direct address because of the strength of the person's mental presence when greeting the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him)" as if he is in front of him saying: "Peace be upon you."
And it is authentic from 'Umar in *Muwatta' Malik* that he said on the pulpit while reciting the tashahhud:
Peace be upon you, O Prophet, and the mercy of Allah
السلام عليك أيها النبي ورحمة اللهThe student: For the daughter is the half, and for the daughter of the son is the sixth to complete the two-thirds, and the rest.
The Shaykh : And the full sister, and what do we do with her? Rest, yes.
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : She receives the remainder as a residuary heir. May Allah reward you. This is the ruling of Abdullah ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him). Abu Musa al-Ash'ari said:
For the daughter is the half, and what remains is for the sister.
للبنت النصف وما بقي فللأختAnd go to Ibn Mas'ud, for he will agree with me.
وأتِ ابن مسعود فسيوافقني على ذلكI would then be in error and not be one of those who are rightly guided
لقد ضللت إذا وما أنا من المهتدينI will rule in this matter according to the ruling of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him): for the daughter is the half, for the daughter of the son is the sixth to complete the two-thirds, and what remains is for the sister.
لأقضين فيها بقضاء رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم للبنت النصف ولبنت الابن السدس تكملة الثلثين وما بقي فللأختThe student: He was not correct.
The Shaykh : He did not hit the mark, and the favor of Allah is given to whom He wills. Ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) hit the mark, relying on the ruling of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). So it does not mean that if Ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) errs in one matter, all his rulings are always wrong. Ibn Mas'ud was among the most knowledgeable of the Companions in jurisprudence and the most frequent in issuing rulings (may Allah be pleased with him).