Ibn Majah

Benefits and Issues:
➊
Our esteemed researcher has declared the mentioned narration to be weak in its chain of transmission. Furthermore, he has written that it has supporting evidences (shawahid). And this same narration is reported in Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah (3/338/339) from ‘Uqbah ibn ‘Amir radi Allahu anhu in a mawquf form, but in ruling it is considered marfu‘. Meanwhile, other researchers have declared the mentioned narration to be authentic. For details, see: (al-Irwa’ by al-Albani, no. 63, and Sunan Ibn Majah by Dr. Bashar ‘Awwad, hadith: 1567). In conclusion, despite the mentioned narration being weak in its chain, due to other supporting evidences, it is acceptable for practice and as proof.

➋
Relieving oneself in graves is a very evil act.

➌
Some scholars have taken the prohibition of sitting on the grave to mean simply sitting on it, while others have interpreted it as sitting by climbing onto the grave, just as we sit on an elevated place. Because this results in disrespect to the deceased.

➍
Just as no one likes to walk on fire or on a sword, similarly, one should strictly avoid stepping on a Muslim’s grave. It is unfortunate that nowadays Muslims do not care about this at all and make pathways over graves.

➎
One meaning of sitting on graves is also explained as sitting as a caretaker (mujawir) at the grave. This act too, in light of other evidences, is prohibited.

➏
The literal translation of the last sentence of the hadith is: “I do not care whether I relieve myself between the graves or in the marketplace.” Its meaning is that if I were forced to do one of these two evil acts, then in my view both acts would be equal. Or it can be said this way: if someone does not feel ashamed to relieve himself in a graveyard, then he should not feel ashamed to do so in the marketplace either. If he cannot sit naked in front of everyone in the marketplace, then it is equally necessary for him to feel the same level of shame in the graveyard.