Ruling on Visiting Graves on the Day of Eid and the Mixing of Men and Women There

This message reached us from Iraq from its sender (Sh. A. S.), who says: We see some people, especially in rural areas, going to the graveyards on the days of the festivals. There, men and women gather, and they perform the dabkah dance and sing songs. Some carry recorders and cameras to capture the voices and images of the women. What is the ruling on this? May Allah reward you. Of course, he is describing the situation in his country.
Answer: As for visiting graves on the days of the festivals, I do not know of any basis for it. Visiting graves is a recommended practice (sunnah), and it has no fixed limit or specific time. Rather, they are visited at night and day, on the festival and on other days, as there is no limited time for it. However, specifying the visit for the days of the festival or a specific day has no basis. But whenever the visit is facilitated, it is prescribed (mashru') at night or day, on any day; because it reminds one of the Hereafter, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) taught his companions that when they visited the graves, they should say: -and in another wording: . So the recommended practice (sunnah) is to visit the graves and to supplicate for their inhabitants for forgiveness and mercy. This is the recommended practice (sunnah). In visiting them, there is a reminder for the believer; he remembers death, and he remembers the Hereafter, and he prepares to meet Allah (Mighty and Majestic). And this is specifically for men. As for women, it is not prescribed (mashru') for them to visit graves; rather, they are prohibited from doing so.
As for the gathering of women and men at the graves and engaging in songs and the like, this is not permissible. The mixing of men and women is absolutely not permissible, neither at the graves nor elsewhere; because this causes fitnah (trial, discord or temptation) and evil. Likewise, their presence at the graves or elsewhere with songs and musical instruments is an abomination (munkar), whether it is at the graves or in another place. This is not permissible. Likewise, photographing women, and photographing them in this state or in any state, photographing women who are uncovered or nearly naked, all of this is fitnah (trial, discord or temptation). Or photographing their faces, all of this is not permissible. Rather, one must be cautious of it; because this photography leads to much evil, and perhaps so-and-so and so-and-so would be photographed and fitnah (trial, discord or temptation) would occur because of it.
So the conclusion is that this is absolutely not permissible, neither at the graves nor elsewhere. It is not permissible for women to go out to the graveyards with songs and musical instruments, nor for men either. All of this is an abomination (munkar) from which one must be cautious, and one must advise one another regarding it.