What is the ruling on a mother’s bequest to be buried in a specific place, when her son did not carry it out and she began appearing to him in dreams?
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The questioner : Peace be upon you and Allah's mercy.
The Shaykh : And upon you be peace and the mercy of Allah.
The questioner : Here, O Shaykh, a woman bequeathed that she be buried in a specific spot, but the bequest was not carried out. Her son asks, saying: She appears to him in his dreams frequently, and she also appeared to his father. It has now been a year since they buried her. He asks: Is this considered disobedience? And is it permissible to dig up the grave and return her to the place she bequeathed to be buried in?
The Shaykh : It is not obligatory to carry out a bequest if the deceased bequeathed that he be buried in a specific place only; rather, he is buried with the Muslims, and all the earth is equal. The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), when one of them died in any place, buried him there. So this bequest is not obligatory to carry out. And the fact that she appears to him in his dreams is because he was thinking about her, and it is known that if a person thinks about something, he may see it in a dream.
Therefore, the people say: "The dreams of the people of Najd are the talk of their hearts".
The questioner : Does this fall under carrying out a bequest?
The Shaykh : This is never obligatory to carry out, because it has no intended religious purpose.
The Shaykh : And upon you be peace and the mercy of Allah.
The questioner : Here, O Shaykh, a woman bequeathed that she be buried in a specific spot, but the bequest was not carried out. Her son asks, saying: She appears to him in his dreams frequently, and she also appeared to his father. It has now been a year since they buried her. He asks: Is this considered disobedience? And is it permissible to dig up the grave and return her to the place she bequeathed to be buried in?
The Shaykh : It is not obligatory to carry out a bequest if the deceased bequeathed that he be buried in a specific place only; rather, he is buried with the Muslims, and all the earth is equal. The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), when one of them died in any place, buried him there. So this bequest is not obligatory to carry out. And the fact that she appears to him in his dreams is because he was thinking about her, and it is known that if a person thinks about something, he may see it in a dream.
Therefore, the people say: "The dreams of the people of Najd are the talk of their hearts".
The questioner : Does this fall under carrying out a bequest?
The Shaykh : This is never obligatory to carry out, because it has no intended religious purpose.