Bukhari

Hadith Commentary:
(1)
The purpose of Imam Bukhari rahimahullah with this chapter heading and the presented ahadith is to provide information regarding the blessed grave of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam: whether it was musannam, i.e., raised above the ground like the hump of a camel, or musattah, i.e., level with the ground; likewise, whether it was prominent or not prominent, and also, what is the ruling on making a grave inside a house? In this regard, a few fundamental points are as follows:
Those among the Muslims who pass away should be buried in the graveyard so that they may benefit from the prayers of visitors; burying in houses is not preferred in the Shari‘ah, because there is an injunction to perform supererogatory prayers (nawafil) and the like in houses, whereas it is prohibited to pray at the locations of graves.
The fact that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam was buried in a house was a particularity specific to him, because the rule is that a Prophet is buried where he passes away. Thus, in the hadith it is mentioned that when the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam passed away, there was a difference of opinion regarding his burial.
Someone suggested that he be buried in the mosque.
Someone said that he should be buried in the Muslims’ graveyard.
Abu Bakr radi Allahu anhu said: I heard the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam say that a Prophet is buried where he passes away. Then he was buried at the place of his bed.
(Sunan Ibn Majah, Al-Jana’iz, Hadith: 1628)
In the narration of Tirmidhi, it is stated that Allah, the Exalted, causes His Prophet to pass away at the very place where Allah intends for him to be buried.
(Jami‘ at-Tirmidhi, Al-Jana’iz, Hadith: 1018)
Thus, Imam Bukhari rahimahullah, in the first hadith, has determined the place of burial of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam.
In the second hadith, he has clarified the concern due to which he was buried within the four walls of the house and his blessed grave was not made public.
That concern was that, lest the people of Islam, like the Jews and Christians, make his blessed grave a place of worship.
The Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: Do not make my grave an ‘Eid.
(Musnad Ahmad: 367/2)
By ‘Eid is meant going to the grave at fixed times and well-known seasons for worship.
To prevent these dangers, the blessed grave of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam was made within the four walls of the house.
The purpose of the second hadith is to clarify this concern.
In the third hadith, there is clarification regarding his grave that it was like a hump, not flat with the ground.
In another narration, Imam Qasim says: I saw the graves of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, Abu Bakr, and ‘Umar radi Allahu anhum; they were neither elevated nor level with the ground.
(Al-Mustadrak lil-Hakim: 369/1)
The blessed grave of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam was made one handspan above the ground. (As-Sunan al-Kubra lil-Bayhaqi: 410/3)
Therefore, the soil that comes out from the grave should be put back on the grave itself; adding extra soil will make the grave higher, and this is also prohibited in the hadith.
(As-Sunan an-Nasa’i, Al-Jana’iz, Hadith: 2030)
(2)
Hafiz Ibn Hajar rahimahullah has explained the reason for the wall collapsing: the Umayyad caliph Walid ibn ‘Abd al-Malik, in 88 AH, planned the expansion of the Prophet’s Mosque.
In this connection, he purchased the chambers (hujurat) of the Mothers of the Believers so that they could be included in the mosque. Accordingly, he wrote to his governor in Madinah, ‘Umar ibn ‘Abd al-‘Aziz rahimahullah, to demolish these chambers and expand the mosque.
‘Umar ibn ‘Abd al-‘Aziz rahimahullah, under his supervision, ordered them to be demolished.
When the construction around the chamber of ‘A’ishah radi Allahu anha was completed, he ordered the demolition of the chamber of ‘A’ishah radi Allahu anha, in which the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, Abu Bakr, and ‘Umar radi Allahu anhum were buried.
After the chamber was demolished, the graves became exposed and the pebbles and sand that had been placed on them were moved to one side.
During this time, the incident of bare feet occurred, which is mentioned in the aforementioned hadith.
He ordered his servant, Mazahim, to repair the graves.
Raja’ ibn Haywah says: Next to the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam is the grave of Abu Bakr, and next to Abu Bakr is the grave of ‘Umar radi Allahu anhum.
In some narrations, it is mentioned that Abu Bakr radi Allahu anhu is on the right side of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam and ‘Umar radi Allahu anhu is on his left side.
The chain of this narration is extremely weak.
It can be interpreted, but this is not correct.
(Fath al-Bari: 326/3)

Hadith Footnote:
Most likely, it was due to the blessing of this noble supplication of yours that the blessed grave has now been completely roofed and sealed off.
How great a miracle it is that, today, in the entire world, only the grave of the one true final Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) is preserved, and that too in such a state that no kind of worship or ritual is performed there.
(sallallahu alayhi wa sallam)

Hadith Commentary:
There are two forms of making graves into places of prostration:
➊ Prostrating directly to the graves.
➋ Placing the grave between oneself and the qiblah while performing prayer.
The Jews used to adopt both of these forms.
The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) feared that his grave might be made into a place of prostration.
It is due to the blessing of this concern that the grave of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) was enclosed with a roof.
How great a miracle it is that, today, in the entire universe, only the grave of the one true and final Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) is preserved, and even then, no kind of worship is performed there.
And Allah is the One whose help is sought.

Hadith Commentary:
That is, they themselves began to worship graves, or by building mosques and churches over graves, they started worshipping God there.
Thus, the relevance to the chapter is established.
Imam Ibn al-Qayyim said: Those who gather at graves at fixed times are also, in effect, making the grave a mosque.
In another hadith it is stated: “Do not make my grave an ‘Eid,” meaning, do not turn it into a festival or gathering place like ‘Eid.
Those who do so are also followers of those Jews and Christians upon whom the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) invoked curse.
Alas! In our times, grave-worship has become so widespread that these so-called Muslims do not feel the slightest shame before Allah and His Messenger; they build such solid and magnificent structures over graves that, upon seeing them, one might mistake them for mosques.
Whereas the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) strictly forbade such constructions over graves.
Ali (radi Allahu anhu) said to Abu’l-Hayyaj al-Asadi:
“I am sending you for the same purpose for which the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) sent me: Do not leave any image without obliterating it, nor any elevated grave without leveling it.”
Narrated by the group except al-Bukhari and Ibn Majah.
That is, shall I not send you for the same service for which the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) sent me?
That is, do not leave any idol without erasing it, and do not leave any high grave without leveling it.
From this hadith, it is understood that excessively raising and elevating graves is also disliked by the Lawgiver.
Allamah Shawkani (rahimahullah) says:
“In it is that the Sunnah is that the grave should not be raised much above the prescribed limit, without distinction between one who is virtuous and one who is not. And it is apparent that raising graves beyond the permitted amount is unlawful.”
That is, the Sunnah is that a grave should not be made higher than the legal limit, whether it belongs to a learned scholar, a Sufi, or anyone else, and it is clear that raising graves beyond the legal permission is unlawful.
Further, the Allamah says:
“And among the raising of graves that falls under this hadith most primarily are the domes and constructed shrines built over graves. This is also included in taking graves as mosques, and the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) cursed the one who does this, as will come. And how many evils have spread from the embellishment and construction of graves that Islam weeps over today! Among them is the belief of the ignorant regarding these graves, similar to the belief of the disbelievers regarding idols:
And this has become so great that they think these graves have the power to bring benefit and repel harm, so they make them a destination for seeking the fulfillment of needs and a refuge for the success of requests, and they ask from them what the servants should ask from their Lord. They travel to them, rub themselves against them, and seek help from them. In short, they have not left anything that the people of ignorance used to do with idols except that they have done it with these graves. Indeed, to Allah we belong and to Him we return. And despite this heinous evil and dreadful disbelief, you do not find anyone who becomes angry for Allah’s sake or is zealous for the pure religion—not a scholar, nor a student, nor a leader, nor a minister, nor a king. And we have received such reports that leave no doubt that many of these grave-worshippers, or most of them, if an oath is demanded from them by their adversary, they swear falsely by Allah; but if it is said to them afterward, ‘Swear by your Shaykh and your believed-in saint so-and-so,’ they stammer, hesitate, refuse, and admit the truth. And this is among the clearest proofs that their shirk has surpassed the shirk of those who say: ‘He (Allah) is the second of two or the third of three.’ So, O scholars of the religion and O kings of the Muslims, what calamity for Islam is greater than disbelief, and what affliction for this religion is more harmful than the worship of other than Allah? And what disaster can befall the Muslims greater than this disaster? And what evil is there that must be denounced if the denunciation of this manifest shirk is not obligatory?
Indeed, you would have been heard if you had called to someone alive,
But there is no life in those whom you call.
If you blew into fire, it would have flared up,
But you are blowing into ashes, which can never be kindled.”
(Nayl al-Awtar, vol. 4, p. 90)
That is, the structures, domes, and shrines built over the graves of the elders—all of these fall under this hadith and are absolutely impermissible.
This is precisely what is meant by taking graves as mosques, upon which the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) invoked curse, and from the solidification and embellishment of these graves, such evils have arisen that today Islam is weeping over them.
Among these, for example, is that ignorant people hold the same beliefs about such shrines as the disbelievers held about idols, and even more.
Such ignorant people consider the occupants of these graves as those who can bring benefit and avert harm.
Therefore, they seek their needs from them,
Present their wishes before them, and supplicate to them in the same way that servants should supplicate to Allah.
They travel to these shrines, tie up their mounts for the journey, rub themselves against the graves, and seek help from them.
In short, everything that was done with idols in the age of ignorance is now being done with these graves.
Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji‘un.
And despite this manifest and worst disbelief, we do not find a single servant of Allah who becomes angry for Allah’s sake or feels any zeal for the pure religion.
Whether scholars or students, leaders or ministers or kings, all have adopted silence on this matter.
It has even been heard that these grave-worshippers, in front of their adversaries, swear false oaths by Allah,
But when it comes to swearing falsely by their pirs and shaykhs, their tongues falter.
This shows that their shirk has surpassed even those who believe in two or three gods.
So, O scholars of the religion and O kings of the Muslims! What calamity for Islam can be greater than such disbelief, and what harm to the religion of Islam can be greater than the worship of other than Allah? And what greater disaster can befall the Muslims? And if a voice of rejection cannot be raised against this manifest shirk, then for what sin will tongues ever be opened?
A poet has truly said:
“If you had called to the living, you would have been heard,
But those whom you call are utterly devoid of life.
If you blew into fire, it would have flared up,
But you are blowing into ashes, which can never be kindled.”
In summary, such graves, shrines, and the festivals, qawwali gatherings, fairs, singing, and music held at them are absolutely unlawful, shirk, and disbelief.
May Allah protect every Muslim from manifest and hidden shirk.
Ameen.
Under the hadith of Ali (radi Allahu anhu), Hujjat al-Hind Shah Waliullah (rahimahullah) says:
“And it is forbidden to plaster the grave, to build upon it, and to sit on it. And he (the Prophet, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said: Do not pray towards them, because this is a means for people to begin worshipping graves, and to excessively venerate them beyond what is their due, thereby altering their religion as the People of the Book did. This is the meaning of his (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) statement: ‘May Allah curse the Jews and Christians; they took the graves of their prophets as places of prostration.’”
(Hujjat Allah al-Baligha, vol. 2, p. 126, Karachi)
And it is forbidden to solidify the grave, to build structures over it, and to sit on it, and it is also said: Do not pray facing graves, because this leads people to worship graves, and to venerate them to an extent they do not deserve.
Thus, people alter their religion, just as the People of the Book did.
Accordingly, the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “May Allah curse the Jews and Christians; they took the graves of their prophets as places of prostration.”
Therefore, the truth is that one should adopt moderation:
Neither should one venerate the dead to such an extent that it becomes shirk, nor should one insult or show enmity towards them, for after death, all matters concerning the deceased are now referred to Allah.

Hadith Commentary:
The implication of this hadith is that making a grave a place of prostration is prohibited, while the essence of the chapter heading is that building a mosque upon a grave is forbidden. There is a distinction between these two, but both concepts are inseparably linked, so the distinction holds no real significance.

The noble statement of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) is: “Do not make my grave an ‘Eid.”
(Sunan Abi Dawud, Manasik, Hadith: 2042)

By making it an ‘Eid is meant going to the grave at specific times and well-known seasons for worship, and creating an atmosphere akin to a festival there.

In view of this danger, the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) was buried in the house of Aisha (radi Allahu anha), and his grave was not left open. When the mosque was expanded and the noble chamber (hujrah sharifah) was included in the mosque, the noble chamber was constructed in a triangular, that is, a three-cornered shape, so that in the event of facing it, prostration would not be directed toward the grave.

Since the grave of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) is superior to all the graves on the face of the earth, and when making it an ‘Eid has been prohibited, then making any other grave an ‘Eid is, a fortiori, even more strictly forbidden. However, it is unfortunate that today’s so-called Muslims are openly opposing this Prophetic command.

A‘adhana Allah minhu (May Allah protect us from it).

Thanks be to Allah that the Saudi government has, until now, maintained control over this matter.

Zadahallahu ‘izzan wa sharafan (May Allah increase it in honor and nobility).

Hadith Commentary:
Vocabulary of the Hadith:
Khashiya:
This word has been recited both in the passive (majhool) and active (ma’roof) forms.
In the passive form, the deputies (na’ib) would be the Companions (radi Allahu anhum), and in the active form, the doer (fa’il) would be the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam).
By the command of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), the grave was not made in an open place.

That is, performing prayer towards their graves or constructing a place of worship over them, because this is either the worship of the grave itself or resemblance to those who worship graves. And it is possible that in this manner, gradually, actual worship of the grave may begin, just as is happening nowadays with the graves of the righteous. (See also, Hadith: 2045)