Some Rulings Related to Visiting Graves
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Question:
From Iraq, a letter was sent by one of the sisters from there, saying: Umm Dawud asks and says: Does the deceased person know what is happening in his family's home, and does he see his family when they visit him in the cemetery? I am the mother of a martyr, and I cry a lot, and I visit him every Thursday in the cemetery, and I feed the poor, and I do not know how to recite the Qur'an because I do not know how to read, but I recite Surat al-Fatihah and some of the short surahs, and I do not pray, and I want to see my son in a dream, but I cannot, so what should I do?
Answer:
What is prescribed for you is to make du'a' for him if he died a Muslim and was martyred a Muslim: making du'a' for him, sending blessings upon him, and giving charity on his behalf. This benefits him greatly. As for visiting, you are not permitted to visit. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade women from visiting graves, and he said—(peace and blessings be upon him):Sunan Ibn Majah 1569Sahih (Darussalam) And he intended this for the men.
As for women, it is established from him: "Cursed are the women who visit graves." So it is obligatory for you not to visit him in the cemetery, but rather to make du'a' for him in your home, and in every place, for forgiveness and mercy, and to give charity on his behalf if you are able to give charity. And you are on the right path—(if Allah wills).
And as for visiting, no. You must also pray. You must fear Allah, and you must pray, for prayer is the pillar of Islam. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sunan Ibn Majah 1079Sahih (Darussalam) So prayer is the pillar of Islam, and its command is great. And Allah says about it, (Glorified and Exalted is He), in His great Book, the Qur'an: [al-Baqarah:238] meaning: the time [al-Baqarah:238] And He says, (Glorified and Exalted is He), in His great Book: [al-Nur:56].
So it is obligatory for you to establish prayer at its time: Zuhr four rak'ahs, 'Asr four rak'ahs, Maghrib three rak'ahs, 'Isha' four rak'ahs, and Fajr two rak'ahs. This is obligatory for you and for every Muslim. And whoever abandons it commits disbelief. There is no power and no strength except with Allah.
So it is obligatory for you to repent to Allah for what has passed, and to face your time with prayer, and maintaining the religion of Allah, and to ask the people of knowledge about what is difficult for you in your religion, or through this program by correspondence. And you will find—(if Allah wills)—in this program what is sufficient and satisfying.
And as for the deceased knowing the conditions of his family and knowing their news, there is no evidence for this. Some people have said it in some of their dreams, and they claimed that they see some of their deceased relatives, and that they inform them of some things that may happen. But this is not to be relied upon. Dreams are not to be relied upon for matters of the unseen. But the believer must strive to be kind to his deceased, whether they know it or not. He must strive to make du'a' for them, send blessings upon them, and give charity on their behalf. And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was asked:.
So making du'a' for the deceased, seeking forgiveness for him, sending blessings upon him, and giving charity on his behalf, all of this benefits him in his life and after his death. As for whether they know of the visitor, this is also a matter of consideration. It has come in some hadiths that he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Ibn 'Abd al-Barr and Ibn Abi al-Dunya narrated this with a good chain from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said: .
So the conclusion is: whether he knows you or not, whether the deceased knows the visitor or not, the important thing is that he visits him and makes du'a' for him. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sunan Ibn Majah 1569Sahih (Darussalam) So the important thing is that it benefits the living by helping them to remember the Hereafter and remember death, so that they prepare to meet Allah, and it benefits the deceased in that the visitor makes du'a' for him and sends blessings upon him.
So in visiting graves, there are benefits for both the living and the deceased. He visits them, greets them, and makes du'a' for them, then he leaves. He does not rub against their graves, nor does he pray at their graves, nor does he ask Allah by them. But he makes du'a' for them, saying: O Allah, forgive them. O Allah, have mercy on them. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) taught his Companions when they visited graves to say:Sunan Ibn Majah 1547Sahih (Darussalam) And in another hadith: He makes du'a' for them—(peace and blessings be upon him). Thus his Ummah follows his example, so they make du'a' for the deceased and ask Allah for them for forgiveness and well-being. And this is what is prescribed. And this is sufficient for the believer to do what Allah has prescribed, and to stand at the limit of the Shari'ah. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.
From Iraq, a letter was sent by one of the sisters from there, saying: Umm Dawud asks and says: Does the deceased person know what is happening in his family's home, and does he see his family when they visit him in the cemetery? I am the mother of a martyr, and I cry a lot, and I visit him every Thursday in the cemetery, and I feed the poor, and I do not know how to recite the Qur'an because I do not know how to read, but I recite Surat al-Fatihah and some of the short surahs, and I do not pray, and I want to see my son in a dream, but I cannot, so what should I do?
Answer:
What is prescribed for you is to make du'a' for him if he died a Muslim and was martyred a Muslim: making du'a' for him, sending blessings upon him, and giving charity on his behalf. This benefits him greatly. As for visiting, you are not permitted to visit. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade women from visiting graves, and he said—(peace and blessings be upon him):
Visit the graves, for they will remind you of the Hereafter.
زوروا القبور، فإنها تذكركم الآخرةAs for women, it is established from him: "Cursed are the women who visit graves." So it is obligatory for you not to visit him in the cemetery, but rather to make du'a' for him in your home, and in every place, for forgiveness and mercy, and to give charity on his behalf if you are able to give charity. And you are on the right path—(if Allah wills).
And as for visiting, no. You must also pray. You must fear Allah, and you must pray, for prayer is the pillar of Islam. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
The covenant that distinguishes between us and them is prayer; so whoever leaves it, he has committed Kufr.
العهد الذي بيننا وبينهم الصلاة؛ فمن تركها فقد كفرMaintain with care the [obligatory] prayers and [in particular] the middle prayer
حَافِظُوا عَلَى الصَّلَوَاتِ وَالصَّلاةِ الْوُسْطَىand stand before Allah, devoutly obedient.
وَقُومُوا لِلَّهِ قَانِتِينَAnd establish prayer and give zakah and obey the Messenger - that you may receive mercy.
وَأَقِيمُوا الصَّلاةَ وَآتُوا الزَّكَاةَ وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَSo it is obligatory for you to establish prayer at its time: Zuhr four rak'ahs, 'Asr four rak'ahs, Maghrib three rak'ahs, 'Isha' four rak'ahs, and Fajr two rak'ahs. This is obligatory for you and for every Muslim. And whoever abandons it commits disbelief. There is no power and no strength except with Allah.
So it is obligatory for you to repent to Allah for what has passed, and to face your time with prayer, and maintaining the religion of Allah, and to ask the people of knowledge about what is difficult for you in your religion, or through this program by correspondence. And you will find—(if Allah wills)—in this program what is sufficient and satisfying.
And as for the deceased knowing the conditions of his family and knowing their news, there is no evidence for this. Some people have said it in some of their dreams, and they claimed that they see some of their deceased relatives, and that they inform them of some things that may happen. But this is not to be relied upon. Dreams are not to be relied upon for matters of the unseen. But the believer must strive to be kind to his deceased, whether they know it or not. He must strive to make du'a' for them, send blessings upon them, and give charity on their behalf. And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was asked:
A man said to him: O Messenger of Allah, is there any good I can do for my parents after their death? He said: Yes, praying for them, seeking forgiveness for them, fulfilling their covenant after them—meaning their lawful bequests—and honoring their friends, and maintaining the ties of kinship that are not maintained except through them.
قال له رجل: يا رسول الله، هل بقي من بر أبوي شيء أبرهما به بعد وفاتهما؟ قال: نعم، الصلاة عليهما، والاستغفار لهما، وإنفاذ عهدهما من بعدهما -يعني: وصاياهما الشرعية- وإكرام صديقهما، وصلة الرحم التي لا توصل إلا بهماSo making du'a' for the deceased, seeking forgiveness for him, sending blessings upon him, and giving charity on his behalf, all of this benefits him in his life and after his death. As for whether they know of the visitor, this is also a matter of consideration. It has come in some hadiths that he (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
No servant visits a brother of his whom he knew in this world and greets him, but he knows him and returns his greeting.
ما من عبد يزور أخًا له كان يعرفه في الدنيا، فيسلم عليه إلا عرفه ورد عليه السلامNo man visits a brother of his whom he knew in this world and greets him, but he knows him and returns his greeting.
ما من رجل يزور أخًا له كان يعرفه في الدنيا فيسلم عليه؛ إلا عرفه ورد عليه السلامSo the conclusion is: whether he knows you or not, whether the deceased knows the visitor or not, the important thing is that he visits him and makes du'a' for him. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
Visit the graves, for they will remind you of the Hereafter.
زوروا القبور؛ فإنها تذكركم الآخرةSo in visiting graves, there are benefits for both the living and the deceased. He visits them, greets them, and makes du'a' for them, then he leaves. He does not rub against their graves, nor does he pray at their graves, nor does he ask Allah by them. But he makes du'a' for them, saying: O Allah, forgive them. O Allah, have mercy on them. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) taught his Companions when they visited graves to say:
As-salamu ‘alaykum ahlad-diyar minal-mu’minina wal- muslimin, wa inna insha’ Allah bikum lahiqun, nas’alul-laha lana wa lakumul-‘afiyah (Peace be upon you, O inhabitants of the abodes, believers and Muslims, and we will join you soon if Allah wills. We ask Allah for well-being for us and for you).
السلام عليكم أهل الديار من المؤمنين والمسلمين، وإنا إن شاء الله بكم لاحقون، نسأل الله لنا ولكم العافيةMay Allah have mercy on those of us who are early and those who are late. O Allah, forgive the people of al-Baqi' al-Gharqad.
يرحم الله المستقدمين منا والمستأخرين، اللهم اغفر لأهل بقيع الغرقدThe presenter: May Allah reward you with good.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.