Regarding the temporal innovation you mentioned, which is visiting graves on the day of the festival, one might say that on this day, which is the day of the festival, people are free
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The questioner : Regarding the temporal innovation you mentioned, which is visiting graves on the day of the festival, one might say that on this day, which is the day of the festival, people are free from their work and remember their relatives and visit the living, and therefore they include the dead in the visit?
The Shaykh : We say in response to this that it is not the case that all times are busy except the day of the festival. On Friday there is free time, and on Thursday there is free time, especially for employees. Moreover, the day of the festival is not what drives people to do this; it is not the free time.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Rather, what drives them is their belief that going out to the cemetery on this day is equivalent to visiting among the living and exchanging festival greetings. This is why some of them say to others, "Did you not go to greet your dead?" This is what is known among them.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : They believe that visiting on the day of the festival itself has a special quality.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : They do not say it is because we are free. In fact, free time is not tied to a specific time. A person may be free on a day other than the festival, and may be busy on the day of the festival.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes, indeed.
The Shaykh : We say in response to this that it is not the case that all times are busy except the day of the festival. On Friday there is free time, and on Thursday there is free time, especially for employees. Moreover, the day of the festival is not what drives people to do this; it is not the free time.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Rather, what drives them is their belief that going out to the cemetery on this day is equivalent to visiting among the living and exchanging festival greetings. This is why some of them say to others, "Did you not go to greet your dead?" This is what is known among them.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : They believe that visiting on the day of the festival itself has a special quality.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : They do not say it is because we are free. In fact, free time is not tied to a specific time. A person may be free on a day other than the festival, and may be busy on the day of the festival.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes, indeed.