What is the ruling on people offering condolences to the bereaved by lining up in a single row in al-Baqi' (mentioning the innovations in condolences)?
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The questioner : Your Eminence, we see that many people have become accustomed to offering condolences in al-Baqi', where the bearers of the funeral line up near the coffin and then begin by greeting them with condolences. Please give us a ruling, and may Allah reward you.
The Shaykh : This is not the justice of the Salaf, nor was it the practice of the Salaf to expose themselves to people's condolences, neither by lining up nor by sitting in their homes. The way of the Salaf was that when they saw a man affected by a calamity, they would speak to him and say to him, "This is the decree of Allah, Mighty and Majestic. Be patient and seek reward. Indeed, to Allah belongs what He takes and to Him belongs what He leaves. And everything with Him is by a specified term." This was the custom of the Salaf; they did not shake hands when offering condolences, nor did they accept one another's greetings, nor did they line up, nor did they open their homes to people. And there is no doubt that the end of this Ummah will not be set right except by what set right its beginning. So let the Muslims return to what the righteous Salaf were upon. But, unfortunately, the matter has become a reprehensible thing in some countries, where they open the doors, turn on the electricity, and line up the chairs. People come in and go out. And they bring a reciter who recites in a way that yields no benefit, because the reciter they bring comes for a fee. And the one who recites for a fee has no share in the Hereafter and no reward. So his recitation goes to waste, benefiting neither him nor the deceased. And if this reciter is given something from the money of the estate, and there are minor children in the estate, that is an injustice to the minors. And if he is given from the estate while the deceased has a debt, that is a crime against the deceased and against the creditors. However, the lining up of people in the cemetery is claimed by them to be done to facilitate condolences for the condolers, because if they are all together and a person passes by them and offers condolences, or stands among them and offers condolences, it is easier than if he had to pick them out one by one, each in a different place. So the matter of standing is easy. But what is reprehensible is for people to open their doors to the condolers so that they come and offer condolences, especially if they prepare food and feed them. Yes.
The Shaykh : This is not the justice of the Salaf, nor was it the practice of the Salaf to expose themselves to people's condolences, neither by lining up nor by sitting in their homes. The way of the Salaf was that when they saw a man affected by a calamity, they would speak to him and say to him, "This is the decree of Allah, Mighty and Majestic. Be patient and seek reward. Indeed, to Allah belongs what He takes and to Him belongs what He leaves. And everything with Him is by a specified term." This was the custom of the Salaf; they did not shake hands when offering condolences, nor did they accept one another's greetings, nor did they line up, nor did they open their homes to people. And there is no doubt that the end of this Ummah will not be set right except by what set right its beginning. So let the Muslims return to what the righteous Salaf were upon. But, unfortunately, the matter has become a reprehensible thing in some countries, where they open the doors, turn on the electricity, and line up the chairs. People come in and go out. And they bring a reciter who recites in a way that yields no benefit, because the reciter they bring comes for a fee. And the one who recites for a fee has no share in the Hereafter and no reward. So his recitation goes to waste, benefiting neither him nor the deceased. And if this reciter is given something from the money of the estate, and there are minor children in the estate, that is an injustice to the minors. And if he is given from the estate while the deceased has a debt, that is a crime against the deceased and against the creditors. However, the lining up of people in the cemetery is claimed by them to be done to facilitate condolences for the condolers, because if they are all together and a person passes by them and offers condolences, or stands among them and offers condolences, it is easier than if he had to pick them out one by one, each in a different place. So the matter of standing is easy. But what is reprehensible is for people to open their doors to the condolers so that they come and offer condolences, especially if they prepare food and feed them. Yes.