What is the ruling on the customary sermon at the grave?
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The questioner : May Allah reward you, O Shaykh. The customary sermon at the grave.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : What is the ruling on the customary sermon at the grave?
The Shaykh : What I see is that the customary sermon at the grave is contrary to the Sunnah. The customary sermon at the grave is contrary to the Sunnah because it was not the practice of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), who was the most sincere of creation toward creation and the most eager to convey the truth.
We do not know that the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) ever stood at a grave and preached as a preacher speaks. What occurred from him were words, such as when they reached the grave and it had not yet been dug, so he (peace and blessings be upon him) sat down and the people sat around him. He used to scratch the ground with his belt and tell them what happens at death. This is one instance, and it was not a sermon. He did not stand as a preacher among the people, preaching to them and speaking with them. That is not in it.
The second instance: when he was standing at the edge of the grave, he (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sahih al-Bukhari 4949.
As for making this a custom, where whenever a dead person is buried, one of the people stands as a preacher and speaks, this is absolutely not the custom of the Salaf. One should return to the Sunnah in this matter.
I fear that this is an act of excessive strictness, because the occasion is truly one of humility and tranquility, not one of stirring up emotions.
The places for sermons are the pulpits and the mosques, as the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) used to do. It is not possible to argue from the specific to the general. That is, if someone said: We will take the hadith of Ali when he stood at the edge of the grave, and the other hadith when he sat while they were waiting for the grave to be dug and he spoke to them. If someone said: We want to make this a principle in this issue, we would say: This principle is not valid. Because if it were a principle in this issue, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would have used it during his lifetime. So when he left it, his leaving it is the Sunnah. Yes. Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah.
The questioner : Peace be upon you and Allah’s mercy.
The Shaykh : If the general is mentioned first, the specific is dropped. They can pray the midday prayer with us if it is possible, if there is still half an hour left. Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : What is the ruling on the customary sermon at the grave?
The Shaykh : What I see is that the customary sermon at the grave is contrary to the Sunnah. The customary sermon at the grave is contrary to the Sunnah because it was not the practice of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), who was the most sincere of creation toward creation and the most eager to convey the truth.
We do not know that the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) ever stood at a grave and preached as a preacher speaks. What occurred from him were words, such as when they reached the grave and it had not yet been dug, so he (peace and blessings be upon him) sat down and the people sat around him. He used to scratch the ground with his belt and tell them what happens at death. This is one instance, and it was not a sermon. He did not stand as a preacher among the people, preaching to them and speaking with them. That is not in it.
The second instance: when he was standing at the edge of the grave, he (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
There is none among you but has his place written for him either in the Hell Fire or in Paradise." They said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! Shall we not depend upon what has been written for us and give up deeds? He said, "Carry on doing (good) deeds, for everybody will find easy to do such deeds as will lead him to his destined place for which he has been created.
ما منكم من أحد إلا وقد كتب مقعده من الجنة أو النار فقالوا : يا رسول الله أفلا ندع العمل ونتكل ؟ قال : اعملوا فكل ميسر لما خلق لهAs for making this a custom, where whenever a dead person is buried, one of the people stands as a preacher and speaks, this is absolutely not the custom of the Salaf. One should return to the Sunnah in this matter.
I fear that this is an act of excessive strictness, because the occasion is truly one of humility and tranquility, not one of stirring up emotions.
The places for sermons are the pulpits and the mosques, as the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) used to do. It is not possible to argue from the specific to the general. That is, if someone said: We will take the hadith of Ali when he stood at the edge of the grave, and the other hadith when he sat while they were waiting for the grave to be dug and he spoke to them. If someone said: We want to make this a principle in this issue, we would say: This principle is not valid. Because if it were a principle in this issue, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would have used it during his lifetime. So when he left it, his leaving it is the Sunnah. Yes. Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah.
The questioner : Peace be upon you and Allah’s mercy.
The Shaykh : If the general is mentioned first, the specific is dropped. They can pray the midday prayer with us if it is possible, if there is still half an hour left. Yes.