What is the ruling on preaching in graveyards and making du'a for the deceased openly, with the people saying "Ameen" to the preacher's du'a?
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The questioner : He says:The questioner : What is the ruling on preaching in graveyards and making du'a for the deceased openly, with the people saying "Ameen" to the preacher's du'a?
The Shaykh : Yes, as for the first part, which is preaching in the graveyard, the Sunnah indicates that preaching in the graveyard is of two types:
The first type: speaking in a way that serves as a reminder, such as a man sitting and waiting for the people to finish the burial or the digging of the grave, and he talks to his companions about things that soften the hearts, especially matters related to death. This is what the Sunnah has come with, for the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) went out one day to al-Baqi' and reached the Companions before the grave was dug, so he sat down and began (peace and blessings be upon him) to talk to them about the state of a person at the time of death and at the time of burial. Likewise, he (peace and blessings be upon him) stood at the edge of his daughter's grave while she was being buried and said (peace and blessings be upon him):Sahih al-Bukhari 4945 So this kind of light reminder is permissible. However, standing up to preach to the people and remind them as if he were standing on a pulpit, this has no basis in the Sunnah, and it has not reached me until now that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) did it, or that any of the Companions did it. Such reminders are to be held in mosques or in schools or the like. This is what concerns the reminder at the time of burial. The second point?
The questioner : Du'a
The Shaykh : The second point: making du'a at the grave after the burial. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) commanded this, saying: But he did not make du'a such that the people would say "Ameen" to it; rather, he commanded them to make du'a, and each one makes du'a as he wishes. So you stand after the burial at the grave and say: O Allah, forgive him, O Allah, forgive him, O Allah, forgive him, O Allah, grant him steadfastness, O Allah, grant him steadfastness, O Allah, grant him steadfastness, and then you leave. As for making du'a in a group and saying "Ameen" to it, this is not from the Sunnah.
The questioner : May Allah grant you success.
The Shaykh : Yes, as for the first part, which is preaching in the graveyard, the Sunnah indicates that preaching in the graveyard is of two types:
The first type: speaking in a way that serves as a reminder, such as a man sitting and waiting for the people to finish the burial or the digging of the grave, and he talks to his companions about things that soften the hearts, especially matters related to death. This is what the Sunnah has come with, for the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) went out one day to al-Baqi' and reached the Companions before the grave was dug, so he sat down and began (peace and blessings be upon him) to talk to them about the state of a person at the time of death and at the time of burial. Likewise, he (peace and blessings be upon him) stood at the edge of his daughter's grave while she was being buried and said (peace and blessings be upon him):
There is none of you but has his place written for him in Paradise or in the Hell- Fire.
ما منكم من أحد إلا وقد كتب مقعده من الجنّة ومقعده من النارThe questioner : Du'a
The Shaykh : The second point: making du'a at the grave after the burial. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) commanded this, saying:
When he finished burying a dead person, he would stand over him and say: Seek forgiveness for your brother and ask for steadfastness for him, for he is now being questioned.
كان إذا فرغ من دفن ميت وقف عليه وقال: استغفروا لأخيكم واسألوا له التثبيت فإنه الآن يُسألThe questioner : May Allah grant you success.