The Ruling on Praying in Mosques Surrounding Graves
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Question:
Also, a Shaykh asks Your Eminence, Shaykh Abdulaziz, saying: We have mosques, and we find in some of them graves of the righteous, or the awliya (close friends of Allah), not inside the mosque, but near it, on the same courtyard and in the same enclosure. Please inform us if this is correct? May Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
As for mosques that are built over graves, one does not pray in them, nor are the dead buried in them; one does not pray in them. This is because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sahih Muslim 529 And he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Sahih Muslim 532 So any mosque built over a grave, or over graves, is forbidden to pray in. Rather, it must be demolished. It is obligatory upon the rulers of the Muslims, it is obligatory upon them to demolish it and remove it.
As for if the graves are placed in it—the mosque is standing, but graves are placed in it—then they are dug up and moved to the graveyards, and no graves remain in the mosques ever. This is the truth, and this is the religion of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) with which He sent His Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him).
As for if they are outside the mosque, to its right, or left, or behind it, or in front of it, beyond the walls, they do not harm. But moving them away from the mosques, if it is easy, is better. Otherwise, they do not harm, as long as they are outside the mosque, to the right, or left, or in front, or behind. The walls of the mosque, the enclosures of the mosque, have excluded them, so they do not harm the mosques. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good, and may He do you good.
Also, a Shaykh asks Your Eminence, Shaykh Abdulaziz, saying: We have mosques, and we find in some of them graves of the righteous, or the awliya (close friends of Allah), not inside the mosque, but near it, on the same courtyard and in the same enclosure. Please inform us if this is correct? May Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
As for mosques that are built over graves, one does not pray in them, nor are the dead buried in them; one does not pray in them. This is because the Prophet (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 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 ذلكAs for if the graves are placed in it—the mosque is standing, but graves are placed in it—then they are dug up and moved to the graveyards, and no graves remain in the mosques ever. This is the truth, and this is the religion of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) with which He sent His Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him).
As for if they are outside the mosque, to its right, or left, or behind it, or in front of it, beyond the walls, they do not harm. But moving them away from the mosques, if it is easy, is better. Otherwise, they do not harm, as long as they are outside the mosque, to the right, or left, or in front, or behind. The walls of the mosque, the enclosures of the mosque, have excluded them, so they do not harm the mosques. Yes.
The 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.