Taken from: Fatawa Ameenpuri by Shaykh Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Ameenpuri
Is it recommended (mustahabb) to create a side niche grave (لحد)?
Creating a side niche grave (لحد) is recommended (mustahabb).
❖ Sayyiduna Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas (رضي الله عنه) said:
لحدا لي وارموا عليه باللبن كما فعل برسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم
Prepare a side niche grave (lahd) for me and place bricks over it, just as was done for the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
(Sahih Muslim: 966)
❖ Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Abbas (رضي الله عنهما) narrated:
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was lowered into his grave by Sayyiduna Abbas (رضي الله عنه), Sayyiduna Ali (رضي الله عنه), and Sayyiduna Fadl (رضي الله عنه).
An Ansari man, who used to dig side niche graves (lahd) for the martyrs, had dug the grave of the Prophet ﷺ.
(Al-Muntaqa by Ibn al-Jarud: 547, Sharh Mushkil al-Athar by al-Tahawi: 2843, Musnad al-Bazzar: 855 – with a Hasan chain)
✔ This narration has also been authenticated by Imam Ibn Hibban (رحمه الله) in his Sahih (Hadith no. 6633).
Based on the authentic narrations, it is recommended to construct a side niche grave (لحد), as this was the method used for the burial of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, and his noble companions also preferred this method for themselves.
❖ Question:
Is it recommended (mustahabb) to create a side niche grave (لحد)?
❖ Answer:
Creating a side niche grave (لحد) is recommended (mustahabb).
✿ Evidence from the Hadith:
❖ Sayyiduna Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas (رضي الله عنه) said:
لحدا لي وارموا عليه باللبن كما فعل برسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم
Prepare a side niche grave (lahd) for me and place bricks over it, just as was done for the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
(Sahih Muslim: 966)
❖ Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Abbas (رضي الله عنهما) narrated:
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was lowered into his grave by Sayyiduna Abbas (رضي الله عنه), Sayyiduna Ali (رضي الله عنه), and Sayyiduna Fadl (رضي الله عنه).
An Ansari man, who used to dig side niche graves (lahd) for the martyrs, had dug the grave of the Prophet ﷺ.
(Al-Muntaqa by Ibn al-Jarud: 547, Sharh Mushkil al-Athar by al-Tahawi: 2843, Musnad al-Bazzar: 855 – with a Hasan chain)
✔ This narration has also been authenticated by Imam Ibn Hibban (رحمه الله) in his Sahih (Hadith no. 6633).
Conclusion:
Based on the authentic narrations, it is recommended to construct a side niche grave (لحد), as this was the method used for the burial of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, and his noble companions also preferred this method for themselves.
