Prohibition of Praying in Graveyards: Evidences from Hadith and Consensus
Source: Fatāwā Amonpuri by Shaykh Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Amonpuri
Question:
What is the ruling on performing prayer in a graveyard?
Answer:
It is not permissible to pray in graveyards. This has been clearly prohibited, as praying near graves can lead to grave-worship and shirk. Multiple mutawātir ahadith establish this prohibition.
Imām al-Bukhārī رحمه الله included this under:
باب كراهية الصلاة في المقابر — “Chapter: Dislike of praying in graveyards.”
Most scholars — including Imām Aḥmad, Imām al-Shāfiʿī, Imām Isḥāq ibn Rāhwayh, and Ḥanafī scholars — held that praying in graveyards is not permissible. Some Mālikī scholars allowed it, but the correct and strongest view, supported by the generality of ahadith, is that praying in graveyards is forbidden and invalid.
Wallāhu aʿlam.
Source: Fatāwā Amonpuri by Shaykh Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Amonpuri
Question:
What is the ruling on performing prayer in a graveyard?
Answer:
It is not permissible to pray in graveyards. This has been clearly prohibited, as praying near graves can lead to grave-worship and shirk. Multiple mutawātir ahadith establish this prohibition.
- ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿUmar رضي الله عنهما narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said:
اجعلوا في بيوتكم من صلاتكم، ولا تتخذوها قبورا
“Offer some of your prayers in your houses, and do not make them like graveyards.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 432, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 777)
Imām al-Bukhārī رحمه الله included this under:
باب كراهية الصلاة في المقابر — “Chapter: Dislike of praying in graveyards.”
- Abū Marthad al-Ghanawī رضي الله عنه narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said:
لا تصلوا إلى القبور
“Do not pray facing graves.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 972) - Abū Hurayrah رضي الله عنه reported that the Prophet ﷺ said:
لا تجعلوا بيوتكم قبورا، ولا تجعلوا قبري عيدا، وصلوا علي؛ فإن صلاتكم تبلغني حيث كنتم
“Do not make your houses like graveyards, nor make my grave a festival. Send blessings upon me, for your salutation reaches me wherever you are.”
(Musnad Aḥmad 2/367; Sunan Abī Dāwūd 2042 — chain ḥasan) - ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb رضي الله عنه once saw a man praying towards a grave and forbade him.
(Muṣannaf Ibn Abī Shaybah 7576 — ṣaḥīḥ chain)
Scholarly Statements
- Imām Ibn al-Mundhir رحمه الله: “This hadith is clear proof that praying in a graveyard is not permissible.” (al-Awsat 5/417)
- Imām al-Nawawī رحمه الله: Based on the hadith of Abū Marthad, some scholars even considered praying in graveyards to be ḥarām. (al-Majmūʿ 3/158)
- Imām Ibn Ḥazm رحمه الله: “It is not permissible to pray in any graveyard — Muslim or non-Muslim — nor towards a grave, nor upon it, even if it is the grave of a prophet or a righteous man.” (al-Muḥallā 2/345)
- Shaykh al-Islām Ibn Taymiyyah رحمه الله:
- “The Imams of the religion are agreed that prayer near graves is prohibited.” (Majmūʿ al-Fatāwā 27/489)
- “Prayer in or towards graveyards is invalid; this prohibition exists to block the means leading to shirk.” (al-Fatāwā al-Kubrā 5/327)
- “The well-known position with us is that it is ḥarām and invalid without doubt.” (Iqtidaʾ al-Ṣirāṭ al-Mustaqīm 2/195)
Conclusion
Most scholars — including Imām Aḥmad, Imām al-Shāfiʿī, Imām Isḥāq ibn Rāhwayh, and Ḥanafī scholars — held that praying in graveyards is not permissible. Some Mālikī scholars allowed it, but the correct and strongest view, supported by the generality of ahadith, is that praying in graveyards is forbidden and invalid.
Wallāhu aʿlam.
