Ruling on praying in a mosque that contains a shrine
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Question:
We have a mosque with a shrine in it, and we do not know whether the mosque was built over the grave or whether the mosque was built first. We have built a wall to separate the grave from the mosque because we do not have the funds to build another mosque; knowing that the partition wall is built within the boundaries of the mosque, is this action permissible? Please issue a ruling for us, may Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
It is obligatory to dig up the grave, remove the remains, and bury them in the public cemetery, if the deceased was buried in the mosque after the mosque was built. In that case, the grave is dug up, the remains are taken out, and placed in the public cemeteries, like other graves. It is not permissible to bury the dead in mosques, because the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sahih Muslim 529 and he informed that when a righteous man dies among the Jews and Christians, they build a mosque over his grave and paint those images in it. He said: Sahih al-Bukhari 1341 So, if there is a mosque in which a grave has been placed, it is obligatory to remove the remains of the grave and place them in a specific grave in the public cemetery, so that it is removed and so that there are no graves in the mosques.
As for the case where the grave is the older one and the mosque was built over the grave, the mosque is demolished and they seek another mosque by having a mosque built for them in another location, and they do not build in this location. They build their mosque in another location, for the earth of Allah is vast. The Messenger prohibited building over graves, praying on them, plastering them, and sitting on them. The Messenger prohibited this; one does not build over graves, nor sit on them, nor plaster them, because this is a means to shirk (associating partners with Allah). He said:Sunan an-Nasa'i 760Sahih (Darussalam) This is how he (peace and blessings be upon him) said it.
So, if the mosque was built over the grave, the mosque is demolished and they build in another location that has no graves. And if the grave is a recent addition in the mosque, it is dug up and placed in the location of graves, so that it is not exaggerated over and so that no one is led astray by it. We ask Allah for well-being, and we ask Allah to guide the Muslims.
We have a mosque with a shrine in it, and we do not know whether the mosque was built over the grave or whether the mosque was built first. We have built a wall to separate the grave from the mosque because we do not have the funds to build another mosque; knowing that the partition wall is built within the boundaries of the mosque, is this action permissible? Please issue a ruling for us, may Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
It is obligatory to dig up the grave, remove the remains, and bury them in the public cemetery, if the deceased was buried in the mosque after the mosque was built. In that case, the grave is dug up, the remains are taken out, and placed in the public cemeteries, like other graves. It is not permissible to bury the dead in mosques, because the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
Allah cursed the Jews and the Christians that they took the graves of their prophets as mosques
لعن الله اليهود والنصارى اتخذوا قبور أنبيائهم مساجدThose are the worst creatures in the Sight of Allah.
أولئك شرار الخلق عند اللهAs for the case where the grave is the older one and the mosque was built over the grave, the mosque is demolished and they seek another mosque by having a mosque built for them in another location, and they do not build in this location. They build their mosque in another location, for the earth of Allah is vast. The Messenger prohibited building over graves, praying on them, plastering them, and sitting on them. The Messenger prohibited this; one does not build over graves, nor sit on them, nor plaster them, because this is a means to shirk (associating partners with Allah). He said:
Do not pray toward graves and do not sit on them.
لا تصلوا إلى القبور ولا تجلسوا عليهاSo, if the mosque was built over the grave, the mosque is demolished and they build in another location that has no graves. And if the grave is a recent addition in the mosque, it is dug up and placed in the location of graves, so that it is not exaggerated over and so that no one is led astray by it. We ask Allah for well-being, and we ask Allah to guide the Muslims.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.
