Is visiting graves done with the intention of seeking forgiveness for them only?
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The questioner : Shaykh, may Allah bless you, regarding visiting graves, there is a hadith... The ruling is that a person intends, meaning, visiting graves to seek forgiveness, for seeking forgiveness, meaning the visit is for seeking forgiveness only. A person goes to the grave and seeks forgiveness for its owner.
The Shaykh : And how?
The questioner : When a person visits a grave, he goes to it with the intention of seeking forgiveness.
The Shaykh : He goes to it with the intention of obeying the command of the Messenger.
The questioner : Yes, obeying the Messenger and seeking forgiveness for him.
The Shaykh : Because he said:Sunan Ibn Majah 1569Sahih (Darussalam).
The questioner : And seek forgiveness for them.
The Shaykh : And let him remember the Hereafter.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : And greet them with the known salam.
The questioner : And seek forgiveness for them?
The Shaykh : And seek forgiveness for them, he says:Sunan Ibn Majah 1546Da’if (Darussalam).
The questioner : What about the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) visiting his mother's grave?
The Shaykh : His mother?
The questioner : Allah permitted the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to visit his mother's grave, what is the point?
The Shaykh : Without seeking forgiveness.
The questioner : What is the benefit?
The Shaykh : Yes, the benefit is taking a lesson, and for this reason the scholars said: it is permissible to visit the grave of a disbeliever for the sake of taking a lesson.
The questioner : Well, there is another hadith that says, the meaning of the hadith is: meaning passing by quickly, because it is a place of punishment.
The Shaykh : By Allah, I do not know, it is passing by with generosity, you see, it is not passing by quickly with generosity, the generous one slows down to benefit people and feed them.
The questioner : No, passing by quickly, the meaning of the hadith, if I said the meaning of the hadith, I do not recall its wording.
The Shaykh : No, the Messenger instructed a man that he should not pass by the grave of an Amiri or a Qurashi without warning him of the Fire.
The questioner : What is the place of this, meaning a person goes to visit the graves of polytheists.
The Shaykh : If it is for taking a lesson, meaning suppose this disbeliever, for example, was highly respected in his people, a leader in his people, and then afterwards he is under the ground,
The questioner : Meaning if we go, is there nothing wrong?
The Shaykh : For taking a lesson, that is the condition, but I fear that you go for taking a lesson and his companions think that it is a way of honoring him, so a door of evil opens for us, yes.
The Shaykh : And how?
The questioner : When a person visits a grave, he goes to it with the intention of seeking forgiveness.
The Shaykh : He goes to it with the intention of obeying the command of the Messenger.
The questioner : Yes, obeying the Messenger and seeking forgiveness for him.
The Shaykh : Because he said:
Visit the graves, for they will remind you of the Hereafter.
زوروا القبور فإنها تذكر الآخرةThe questioner : And seek forgiveness for them.
The Shaykh : And let him remember the Hereafter.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : And greet them with the known salam.
The questioner : And seek forgiveness for them?
The Shaykh : And seek forgiveness for them, he says:
O Allah, do not deprive us of their reward and do not put us to trial after them
اللهم لا تحرمنا أجرهم ولا تفتنا بعدهم واغفر لنا ولهمThe questioner : What about the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) visiting his mother's grave?
The Shaykh : His mother?
The questioner : Allah permitted the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to visit his mother's grave, what is the point?
The Shaykh : Without seeking forgiveness.
The questioner : What is the benefit?
The Shaykh : Yes, the benefit is taking a lesson, and for this reason the scholars said: it is permissible to visit the grave of a disbeliever for the sake of taking a lesson.
The questioner : Well, there is another hadith that says, the meaning of the hadith is:
Pass by the graves of disbelievers and polytheists with generosity.
مروا على قبور الكفار والمشركين مرور الكرامThe Shaykh : By Allah, I do not know, it is passing by with generosity, you see, it is not passing by quickly with generosity, the generous one slows down to benefit people and feed them.
The questioner : No, passing by quickly, the meaning of the hadith, if I said the meaning of the hadith, I do not recall its wording.
The Shaykh : No, the Messenger instructed a man that he should not pass by the grave of an Amiri or a Qurashi without warning him of the Fire.
The questioner : What is the place of this, meaning a person goes to visit the graves of polytheists.
The Shaykh : If it is for taking a lesson, meaning suppose this disbeliever, for example, was highly respected in his people, a leader in his people, and then afterwards he is under the ground,
The questioner : Meaning if we go, is there nothing wrong?
The Shaykh : For taking a lesson, that is the condition, but I fear that you go for taking a lesson and his companions think that it is a way of honoring him, so a door of evil opens for us, yes.