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سنن ابن ماجه
Ibn Majah
كتاب الجنائزChapters: Regarding Funerals
بَابُ : مَا جَاءَ فِي زِيَارَةِ الْقُبُورِChapter: What was narrated concerning visiting the graves
Hadith 1571
اُردوEn
حَدَّثَنَا يُونُسُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْأَعْلَى ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ وَهْبٍ ، أَنْبَأَنَا ابْنُ جُرَيْجٍ ، عَنْ أَيُّوبَ بْنِ هَانِئٍ ، عَنْ مَسْرُوقِ بْنِ الْأَجْدَعِ ، عَنِ ابْنِ مَسْعُودٍ ، أَنّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ : " كُنْتُ نَهَيْتُكُمْ عَنْ زِيَارَةِ الْقُبُورِ فَزُورُوا الْقُبُورَ ، فَإِنَّهَا تُزَهِّدُ فِي الدُّنْيَا ، وَتُذَكِّرُ الْآخِرَةَ " .
It was narrated from Ibn Mas’ud that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, “I used to forbid you to visit the graves, but now visit them, for they will draw your attention away from this world and remind you of the Hereafter.”
Related hadith on this topic
Brief Explanation
1؎: At first, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam forbade the Muslims from visiting graves because the era of shirk (polytheism) was near; when faith had become firmly established in the hearts and there was no longer any fear of shirk, he granted permission for it. In the narration of Tirmidhi, it is mentioned that Allah Ta'ala also granted Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, permission to visit his mother's grave. Now this ruling is general—whether it is for both women and men, or specific only to men. The correct view is that women may also visit graves, because by visiting graves, they will attain the benefits of remembering death and the Hereafter, and developing disinterest in the world. However, in the hadith, there is a curse upon women who excessively visit graves; therefore, women are permitted to visit graves in a limited manner. In the present era, due to their ignorance, Muslims have treated graves and shrines in such a way that the original purpose and benefit of visiting graves has become obscured. Therefore, all Muslims should learn and observe the legal etiquettes of visiting graves, and visit graves in the correct, prescribed (masnun) manner.
Explanation & Benefits
Maulana Ataullah Sajid
Benefits and Issues:
➊
Our esteemed researcher has declared the mentioned narration weak in its chain of transmission, and has further written that, except for the phrase (فَإِنَّهَا تُزَهِّدُ فِي الدُّنْيَا), the rest of the hadith has supporting narrations in Sahih Muslim, as the first sentence is present in a hadith of Sahih Muslim. Its wording is as follows:
“I had forbidden you from visiting graves. So now visit them. And I had forbidden you from keeping the meat of sacrificial animals for more than three days. Now you may keep it for as long as you wish. ... etc.” (Sahih Muslim, al-Adahi, Chapter: Clarification of what was from the prohibition of eating the meat of sacrificial animals after three days at the beginning of Islam and clarification of the abrogation of this, permitting it for as long as one wishes, Hadith: 1976)
The wisdom of visiting graves is also mentioned in another authentic hadith. As is coming in Hadith 1572: “Visit the graves, for they remind you of death.” This sentence is also mentioned in a hadith of Sahih Muslim. See: (Sahih Muslim, al-Jana’iz, Chapter: The Prophet’s ﷺ seeking permission from his Lord, the Mighty and Majestic, to visit his mother’s grave, Hadith: 976)
Therefore, the mentioned narration, except for the phrase (فَإِنَّهَا تُزَهِّدُ فِي الدُّنْيَا), is actionable and authoritative due to its supporting narrations.
➋
Just as some previously revealed verses of the Noble Qur’an are abrogated by other verses revealed later, similarly, a previous hadith can also be abrogated by a subsequent hadith, as is explicitly mentioned in this narration.
➌
Earning a livelihood in a lawful manner in this world, and spending on oneself and one’s family without extravagance, pride, or arrogance, is permissible. However, greed for wealth and immersion in luxury and comfort make a person heedless of the Hereafter. To remedy this state of the heart, one should visit the graveyard, so that one remembers one’s own death and develops eagerness to prepare for the next world.
➊
Our esteemed researcher has declared the mentioned narration weak in its chain of transmission, and has further written that, except for the phrase (فَإِنَّهَا تُزَهِّدُ فِي الدُّنْيَا), the rest of the hadith has supporting narrations in Sahih Muslim, as the first sentence is present in a hadith of Sahih Muslim. Its wording is as follows:
“I had forbidden you from visiting graves. So now visit them. And I had forbidden you from keeping the meat of sacrificial animals for more than three days. Now you may keep it for as long as you wish. ... etc.” (Sahih Muslim, al-Adahi, Chapter: Clarification of what was from the prohibition of eating the meat of sacrificial animals after three days at the beginning of Islam and clarification of the abrogation of this, permitting it for as long as one wishes, Hadith: 1976)
The wisdom of visiting graves is also mentioned in another authentic hadith. As is coming in Hadith 1572: “Visit the graves, for they remind you of death.” This sentence is also mentioned in a hadith of Sahih Muslim. See: (Sahih Muslim, al-Jana’iz, Chapter: The Prophet’s ﷺ seeking permission from his Lord, the Mighty and Majestic, to visit his mother’s grave, Hadith: 976)
Therefore, the mentioned narration, except for the phrase (فَإِنَّهَا تُزَهِّدُ فِي الدُّنْيَا), is actionable and authoritative due to its supporting narrations.
➋
Just as some previously revealed verses of the Noble Qur’an are abrogated by other verses revealed later, similarly, a previous hadith can also be abrogated by a subsequent hadith, as is explicitly mentioned in this narration.
➌
Earning a livelihood in a lawful manner in this world, and spending on oneself and one’s family without extravagance, pride, or arrogance, is permissible. However, greed for wealth and immersion in luxury and comfort make a person heedless of the Hereafter. To remedy this state of the heart, one should visit the graveyard, so that one remembers one’s own death and develops eagerness to prepare for the next world.
Source: Commentary on Sunan Ibn Mājah by Mawlānā ‘Atā’ullāh Sājid, Page: 1571
Shaykh Safi ur-Rahman Mubarakpuri
Lexical Explanation:
«فَزُورُوهَا» is the imperative form derived from «زيارة». This permission was granted after prohibition.
«تُذَكَّرُ» is derived from «تذكير», meaning it serves as a reminder.
«تُزْهَّدُ» is derived from «تزهيد», meaning it makes one disinterested in the world and ascetic. This is the sole purpose and objective of visiting graves.
Benefits and Issues: This hadith establishes that visiting graves is permissible.
➋ In the beginning, the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) forbade it, but later granted permission, and the purpose of this is to remember the Hereafter and to supplicate for forgiveness and mercy for the deceased.
➌ There is no legitimacy in the pure Shariah for making vows and offerings at graves, or for holding festivals (urs) and the like.
«فَزُورُوهَا» is the imperative form derived from «زيارة». This permission was granted after prohibition.
«تُذَكَّرُ» is derived from «تذكير», meaning it serves as a reminder.
«تُزْهَّدُ» is derived from «تزهيد», meaning it makes one disinterested in the world and ascetic. This is the sole purpose and objective of visiting graves.
Benefits and Issues: This hadith establishes that visiting graves is permissible.
➋ In the beginning, the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) forbade it, but later granted permission, and the purpose of this is to remember the Hereafter and to supplicate for forgiveness and mercy for the deceased.
➌ There is no legitimacy in the pure Shariah for making vows and offerings at graves, or for holding festivals (urs) and the like.
Source: Bulugh al-Maram: Commentary by Safiur Rahman Mubarakpuri, Page: 472
