The ruling on praying in a mosque whose mihrab is built over graves
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Question:
The listener (A. M. Al-Abadi) from Yafi' and residing in Jeddah sent a question asking: Is it permissible to pray in a mosque whose mihrab is built over two old graves?
Answer:
It is not permissible to build a mosque over graves, whether the mihrab or anything else. The two graves must be separated from the mosque and be outside the mosque, and the imam's place must be inside the mosque. It is not permissible to pray in this mihrab; rather, this mihrab must be demolished and removed, and the two graves must be outside the mosque. This is because the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) cursed the Jews and the Christians, saying:Sunan an-Nasa'i 2046Sahih (Darussalam), and he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Sahih Muslim 532.
The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade making mosques over graves and forbade praying at them. Praying at them is making them into mosques.
So, for example, if it is established that this mosque's mihrab is over the two graves, the mihrab is demolished and the two graves are placed outside the mosque, or the two graves are dug up and their remains are moved to the cemetery. If they are dug up and removed, and the mihrab is in their place, there is no harm in that. It is established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he built his mosque in a place that had graves, ruins, and date palms. The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered that the graves of the polytheists be dug up, the ruins be leveled, and the date palms be cut down, and then he (peace and blessings be upon him) built his mosque.
If there is a need for a place that has graves, the graves are dug up and their remains are moved to the public cemetery or another place, and the mosque is built when there is a need to dig up the graves, especially if they are the graves of non-Muslims, the graves of polytheists, which are dug up. As for the graves of Muslims, they are not dug up; a suitable place without graves is sought, and the mosque is built there. However, if there is a need to dig up some graves to expand the mosque, because its location is suitable and there is no more suitable place, and there is a need to dig up some graves, there is no objection to digging them up and moving their remains to a suitable place, to a public cemetery, to expand the mosque. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.
The listener (A. M. Al-Abadi) from Yafi' and residing in Jeddah sent a question asking: Is it permissible to pray in a mosque whose mihrab is built over two old graves?
Answer:
It is not permissible to build a mosque over graves, whether the mihrab or anything else. The two graves must be separated from the mosque and be outside the mosque, and the imam's place must be inside the mosque. It is not permissible to pray in this mihrab; rather, this mihrab must be demolished and removed, and the two graves must be outside the mosque. This is because the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) cursed the Jews and the Christians, saying:
take the graves of their prophets as Masjids
اتخذوا قبور أنبيائهم مساجدBeware of those who preceded you and used to take the graves of their prophets and righteous men as places of worship, but you must not take graves as mosques; I forbid you to do that.
ألا وإن من كان قبلكم كانوا يتخذون قبور أنبيائهم وصالحيهم مساجد ألا فلا تتخذوا القبور مساجد فإني أنهاكم عن ذلكThe Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade making mosques over graves and forbade praying at them. Praying at them is making them into mosques.
So, for example, if it is established that this mosque's mihrab is over the two graves, the mihrab is demolished and the two graves are placed outside the mosque, or the two graves are dug up and their remains are moved to the cemetery. If they are dug up and removed, and the mihrab is in their place, there is no harm in that. It is established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he built his mosque in a place that had graves, ruins, and date palms. The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered that the graves of the polytheists be dug up, the ruins be leveled, and the date palms be cut down, and then he (peace and blessings be upon him) built his mosque.
If there is a need for a place that has graves, the graves are dug up and their remains are moved to the public cemetery or another place, and the mosque is built when there is a need to dig up the graves, especially if they are the graves of non-Muslims, the graves of polytheists, which are dug up. As for the graves of Muslims, they are not dug up; a suitable place without graves is sought, and the mosque is built there. However, if there is a need to dig up some graves to expand the mosque, because its location is suitable and there is no more suitable place, and there is a need to dig up some graves, there is no objection to digging them up and moving their remains to a suitable place, to a public cemetery, to expand the mosque. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.