Imam Ahmad and the False Claim About Kissing the Grave

Compiled by: Abu Hamzah Salafi

This article is a scholarly examination of a false allegation in which it is attributed to Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal رحمه الله that he permitted touching or kissing the grave of the Prophet ﷺ or his pulpit.

Original Narration (Attributed Statement)​

① Arabic Text (النقل)​

3243 – سَأَلْتُهُ عَنِ الرَّجُلِ يَمَسُّ مِنْبَرَ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَيَتَبَرَّكُ بِمَسِّهِ وَيُقَبِّلُهُ وَيَفْعَلُ بِالْقَبْرِ مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ أَوْ نَحْوَ هَذَا يُرِيدُ بِذَلِكَ التَّقَرُّبَ إِلَى اللَّهِ جَلَّ وَعَزَّ فَقَالَ: لَا بَأْسَ بِذَلِكَ۔

Reference: العلل ومعرفة الرجال

② Translated Text​

Imam ʿAbdullāh ibn Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal رحمه الله said: I asked my father about a man who touches the pulpit of the Prophet ﷺ seeking blessing through touching it, kisses it, and does the same with the grave—intending thereby to draw closer to Allah, the Mighty and Majestic. He replied: “There is no harm in that.”

Reference: العلل ومعرفة الرجال 2/294، رقم 3243

Comprehensive Research Response (Assessment of Attribution)​

❖ This attribution is anomalous (shādh), rejected (marjūʿ), and not relied upon for fatwā, because more reliable transmitters from Imam Aḥmad—his elder son Ṣāliḥ and two trustworthy students (Abū Bakr al-Athram and Isḥāq ibn Manṣūr al-Marwazī)—have transmitted clear statements contrary to it. Later Ḥanbalī scholars also declared touching and kissing the grave to be an innovation and negated this attribution.

The evidences are as follows:

Explicit Texts of Negation (From Ḥanbalī Authorities)​

① Narration of Ṣāliḥ ibn Aḥmad (His Most Reliable Son)​

​

Arabic Text​

مسائل فی الزیارة
1340 – … وَلَا يَمَسُّ الْحَائِطَ وَيَضَعُ يَدَهُ عَلَى الرُّمَّانَةِ وَمَوْضِعِ الَّذِي جَلَسَ فِيهِ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ وَلَا يُقَبِّلُ الْحَائِطَ۔

Reference: مسائل الإمام أحمد، روایة صالح

Translation​

The one entering Madinah should not touch the wall of the grave, nor place his hand upon the rounded knob (rummānah) of the pulpit where the Prophet ﷺ would place his hand, nor on the place where he ﷺ sat, and he should not kiss the wall.

Assessment​

This is an explicit prohibition transmitted by Imam Aḥmad’s most reliable son. Therefore, the attributed permissibility is deemed weak and rejected.

② Narration of Isḥāq ibn Manṣūr al-Marwazī (Trustworthy Student)​

​

Arabic Text​

[1619] قلتُ: يَسْتَلِمُ الأركانَ كُلَّهَا؟
قال: لا، إلا اليماني والحجر. قال إسحاق: هكذا هو۔

Reference: مسائل الإمام أحمد وإسحاق بن راهویہ

Translation​

I asked: Should all corners (of the Kaʿbah) be touched during ṭawāf?
He replied: “No, only the Yemeni corner and the Black Stone.”
Isḥāq said: “That is the ruling.”

Assessment​

Touching and kissing are restricted to the two legislated symbols only. By implication, graves, pulpits, and other places are excluded.

③ Narration of Abū Bakr al-Athram (Trustworthy Student)​

​

Arabic Text​

ونقل الأثرم: قلتُ لأبي عبد الله: قبرُ النبي ﷺ يُمَسُّ ويُتَمَسَّحُ به؟
فقال: ما أعرفُ هذا. قلتُ: فالمنبر؟ قال: أما المنبر فنعم قد جاء فيه.
قيل له: إنهم يُلصِقون بطونَهم بجدار القبر.
وقيل له: رأيتُ من أهل العلم من أهل المدينة لا يَمَسُّون ويقومون ناحيةً فيُسلِّمون.
قال أبو عبد الله رحمه الله: نعم، وهكذا كان ابن عمر يفعل.

Reference: المسائل الفقهية للقاضي أبي يعلى

Translation & Point​

Regarding touching or rubbing against the grave, he said: “I do not know this” (meaning: it is not from the Sunnah).
He acknowledged reports concerning the pulpit.
He mentioned that the people of Madinah would not touch the grave but stand at a distance and offer salām, and that this was the practice of Ibn ʿUmar رضي الله عنهما.

Qāḍī Abū Yaʿlā stated:

وهذه الرواية تدل على أنه ليس بسنة وضع اليد على القبر۔

“These narrations indicate that placing the hand upon the grave is not Sunnah.”

④ Ibn Qudāmah al-Ḥanbalī​

​

Arabic Text​

(2749) ولا يُستحبُّ التمسحُ بحائطِ قبر النبي ﷺ ولا تقبيله۔

Reference: المغني لابن قدامة

Translation​

It is not recommended to rub against or kiss the wall of the Prophet’s ﷺ grave.

⑤ ʿAlā’ al-Dīn al-Mardāwī​

​

Arabic Text​

لا يُستحبُّ تمسُّحُهُ بقبره ﷺ على الصحيح من المذهب۔

Reference: الإنصاف

Translation​

According to the correct position of the madhhab, rubbing against the Prophet’s ﷺ grave is not recommended.

⑥ Sharaf al-Dīn al-Ḥajjāwī​

Arabic Text​

ولا يتمسح ولا يمسُّ قبرَ النبي ﷺ ولا حائطَه، ولا يُلصِقُ به صدرَه، ولا يقبِّلُه۔

Reference: الإقناع

Translation​

One should not rub against, touch, press one’s chest to, or kiss the Prophet’s ﷺ grave or its wall.

⑦ Manṣūr al-Buhūtī​

Arabic Text​

يُكره ذلك لِما فيه من إساءة الأدب والابتداع۔

Reference: كشاف القناع

Translation​

This is disliked due to containing disrespect and innovation.

⑧ Marʿī ibn Yūsuf al-Karmī​

Arabic Text​

وأما تقبيلُ القبور والتمسُّحُ بها فهو بدعةٌ باتفاق۔

Reference: شفاء الصدور

Translation​

As for kissing graves and rubbing against them, it is unanimously an innovation.

Supporting Responses​

① Fatāwā al-Hindiyyah (Ḥanafī Consensus)​

Arabic Text​

ولا يمسح القبر ولا يقبله فإن ذلك من عادة النصارى۔

Reference: الفتاوى الهندية

Translation​

The grave should neither be touched nor kissed, for this is from the customs of the Christians.

② Statement of Aḥmad Riḍā Khān Barelwī​

“It is more precautionary to prohibit the masses from kissing graves. Our scholars have stated that one should stand at least four hand-lengths away from the shrine of the pious. So how can kissing be allowed?”

Reference: فتاوی رضویہ 9/529

Agreed Position of the Ḥanbalī Scholars​

❖ The son of Imam Aḥmad (Ṣāliḥ), his trustworthy students (al-Athram and al-Marwazī), and later Ḥanbalī authorities (Ibn Qudāmah, al-Mardāwī, al-Buhūtī, al-Ḥajjāwī, al-Karmī, etc.) all affirm:

① Touching the grave
② Kissing it
③ Pressing one’s chest against it

— are innovations (bidʿah).

❖ The Sunnah is only to offer salām while standing respectfully.

Conclusion​

❖ The attribution to Imam Aḥmad permitting kissing or touching the grave or pulpit is anomalous and rejected.
❖ The established and relied-upon position of the Ḥanbalī scholars is prohibition.
❖ Even Ḥanafī and Barelwī sources affirm that kissing graves is impermissible and liken it to Christian practice.

Therefore, the agreed methodology of Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jamāʿah is:

✔ Touching graves
✔ Kissing them
✔ Pressing the chest against them

— are innovations and impermissible acts.

The Sunnah is only to stand before the grave and offer salām, as transmitted from the Companions and the Salaf.