Warning Against Praying Toward Graves
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Question:
From the Blue Sudan, a message was sent by a listener, a friend from the village of al-Zarq, who says: We pray the festival prayer outside the village, along with a group from the neighboring villages, but we pray behind the graves, which are a distance of ten to fifteen meters away. We heard through your program that praying over graves is not permissible, and at that moment we split into two groups: one group behind the graves, and a group that left the graves on the right. We ask Your Eminence for the answer and detail on this issue, which divided our unity after a good and large group.
Answer:
It is obligatory for you, and for other Muslims, not to pray toward the graves, and that the prayer be far from the graves, in a place far from the graves, with no graves in your qiblah; because it is established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said:Sunan an-Nasa'i 760Sahih (Darussalam) narrated by Muslim in the Sahih, and he said -may peace and blessings be upon him-: Sahih Muslim 532 also narrated by Muslim. So it is not permissible to pray toward the graves, nor to make mosques where one prays between them.
But if there is a barrier between you and the graves, a wall that prevents you from them, then the prayer is valid, or if there is a dwelling house between you and them, or something that prevents from them, like a valley between you and them, a wadi of the flood, or something similar. But being far from them is safer, having them on your right or left; this is the sound path. Do not place them in front of you unless there is a barrier between you and them that distances you from them and does not give the impression that you are praying toward them, out of reverence for them. Be far from them, a barrier, a wall. And if it is a wall other than the wall of the graveyard, that is safer and better, or a valley between you. This distances you from the suspicion of facing them. But in any case, if you are far from them, or to their right, or left, or in front of them, behind you, it does not harm you, if the land is not part of the graveyard and not inside the graveyard. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good. Is it sufficient that it is fifteen meters away from them, as he said?
The Shaykh: This may not be sufficient; because if the facing is not covered in front of them, the facing may occur thereby, and it may be thought that they intended to face them, so being far from them is safer.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh: Because the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) commanded leaving doubtful matters. He said:Sunan an-Nasa'i 5711Sahih (Darussalam) And he said -may peace and blessings be upon him-: Bulugh al-Maram 16:32 -May Allah send blessings and peace upon him- So being far from them is safer, having them on the right, or left, or behind them, or a covering wall between them and the graves. And if it is a wall other than their wall, like a courtyard wall, or a house wall, or a standing house; this is further from the suspicion.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good, and may He do you good.
From the Blue Sudan, a message was sent by a listener, a friend from the village of al-Zarq, who says: We pray the festival prayer outside the village, along with a group from the neighboring villages, but we pray behind the graves, which are a distance of ten to fifteen meters away. We heard through your program that praying over graves is not permissible, and at that moment we split into two groups: one group behind the graves, and a group that left the graves on the right. We ask Your Eminence for the answer and detail on this issue, which divided our unity after a good and large group.
Answer:
It is obligatory for you, and for other Muslims, not to pray toward the graves, and that the prayer be far from the graves, in a place far from the graves, with no graves in your qiblah; because it is established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said:
Do not pray toward graves and do not sit on them.
لا تصلوا إلى القبور، ولا تجلسوا عليهاBeware 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 ذلكBut if there is a barrier between you and the graves, a wall that prevents you from them, then the prayer is valid, or if there is a dwelling house between you and them, or something that prevents from them, like a valley between you and them, a wadi of the flood, or something similar. But being far from them is safer, having them on your right or left; this is the sound path. Do not place them in front of you unless there is a barrier between you and them that distances you from them and does not give the impression that you are praying toward them, out of reverence for them. Be far from them, a barrier, a wall. And if it is a wall other than the wall of the graveyard, that is safer and better, or a valley between you. This distances you from the suspicion of facing them. But in any case, if you are far from them, or to their right, or left, or in front of them, behind you, it does not harm you, if the land is not part of the graveyard and not inside the graveyard. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good. Is it sufficient that it is fifteen meters away from them, as he said?
The Shaykh: This may not be sufficient; because if the facing is not covered in front of them, the facing may occur thereby, and it may be thought that they intended to face them, so being far from them is safer.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh: Because the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) commanded leaving doubtful matters. He said:
Leave that which makes you doubt for that which does not make you doubt.
دع ما يريبك إلى ما لا يريبكSo he, who saves himself from these doubtful things, saves his religion and his honor
من اتقى الشبهات؛ فقد استبرأ لدينه وعرضهThe presenter: May Allah reward you with good, and may He do you good.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.