Is it permissible for a man to will his children to bury him in al-Baqi' or in Makkah?
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The questioner : In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
The honorable Shaykh, I have decided and written in my will to my children that if I die, that they should pray...
The Shaykh : ...ha ha, very well.
The questioner : ...that they should pray for me in the Sacred Mosque or the Prophet's Mosque, and bury me in al-Baqi' or in Makkah. Is there any problem with that?
The Shaykh : Yes, I do not think you should will this, and it is not obligatory for your children to fulfill this will, because if you will this, you will subject them to severe hardship and burden them with money, and you will open doors for people that should remain closed. Because people, out of their emotions, when they hear that so-and-so willed that he be prayed for in the Sacred Mosque and buried in al-Baqi', they will rush to do the same, and this will lead to matters with undesirable consequences that only Allah knows. So do not will this. The earth of Allah is one, and everyone on earth will be resurrected on the Day of Resurrection from their place to the gathering place, and no one will differ. And being buried in Makkah or in al-Baqi' does not benefit you in any way. Yes, if you are close to Makkah, as if you were in al-Sharai' for example, or in Jeddah, it might be said: there is nothing wrong with this, because it is close and does not burden them, nor does it require people to follow this example. But if you are far away, do not will this, and your guardians are not required to fulfill this will.
The questioner : The second question.
The Shaykh : No, one question on this, let it remain until yes.
The questioner : Your Eminence, the Shaykh.
The honorable Shaykh, I have decided and written in my will to my children that if I die, that they should pray...
The Shaykh : ...ha ha, very well.
The questioner : ...that they should pray for me in the Sacred Mosque or the Prophet's Mosque, and bury me in al-Baqi' or in Makkah. Is there any problem with that?
The Shaykh : Yes, I do not think you should will this, and it is not obligatory for your children to fulfill this will, because if you will this, you will subject them to severe hardship and burden them with money, and you will open doors for people that should remain closed. Because people, out of their emotions, when they hear that so-and-so willed that he be prayed for in the Sacred Mosque and buried in al-Baqi', they will rush to do the same, and this will lead to matters with undesirable consequences that only Allah knows. So do not will this. The earth of Allah is one, and everyone on earth will be resurrected on the Day of Resurrection from their place to the gathering place, and no one will differ. And being buried in Makkah or in al-Baqi' does not benefit you in any way. Yes, if you are close to Makkah, as if you were in al-Sharai' for example, or in Jeddah, it might be said: there is nothing wrong with this, because it is close and does not burden them, nor does it require people to follow this example. But if you are far away, do not will this, and your guardians are not required to fulfill this will.
The questioner : The second question.
The Shaykh : No, one question on this, let it remain until yes.
The questioner : Your Eminence, the Shaykh.