✖ Prohibition of Sitting on Graves and Cursing the Deceased in Islam
✍ Written by: Imran Ayyub Lahori
Islam strictly prohibits showing disrespect to graves and the deceased. Two major forbidden acts in this regard are:
Hazrat Jabir (رضي الله عنه) narrated:
نهى رسول الله أن يقعد عليه
"The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) forbade sitting on the grave."
Muslim: 970
Ahmad: 3/399
Another narration states:
لا تجلسوا على القبور...
"Do not sit on graves..."
Muslim: 3/26
Yet another Hadith mentions:
نهى أن توطأ القبور
"The Prophet (ﷺ) forbade stepping or walking over graves."
Tirmidhi: 1052
Muslim: 970
Hazrat Abu Hurairah (رضي الله عنه) narrated:
لَأَنْ يَجْلِسَ أَحَدُكُمْ عَلَى جَمْرَةٍ فَتُحْرِقَ ثِيَابَهُ فَتُخَلِّصَ إِلَى جِلْدِهِ خَيْرٌ لَهُ مِنْ أَنْ يَجْلِسَ عَلَى قَبْرٍ
"It is better for one of you to sit on a burning coal that burns his clothes and reaches his skin than to sit on a grave."
Muslim: 971
Abu Dawood: 3228
Nasa’i: 2044
Ibn Majah: 1566
Bayhaqi: 4/79
Ahmad: 2/311
✔ Majority (Jumhūr): Sitting on graves is Ḥarām
Nayl al-Awtar: 3/34
✘ Imam Shafi‘i & Imam Abu Hanifah (رحمهما الله): Considered it Makruh (disliked)
Al-Athar by Imam Muhammad: p. 45
Ahkam al-Janaiz: p. 268
✔ Shaykh Albani (رحمه الله): Strongly affirmed its prohibition (Ḥarām)
Ahkam al-Janaiz: p. 268
✔ Imam San‘ani (رحمه الله): This Hadith indicates absolute prohibition
Subul al-Salam: 2/786
Hazrat ‘Aishah (رضي الله عنها) narrated:
لا تسبوا الأموات فإنهم قد أفضوا إلى ما قدموا
"Do not curse the dead, for they have reached what they sent forth (i.e., their deeds)."
Bukhari: 1393, 6516
Nasa’i: 4/35
Ahmad: 6/180
Darimi: 2/239
Ibn Hibban: 3021
Another narration says:
فَتُؤْذُوا الْأَحْيَاءَ
"You cause harm to the living by doing so"
(i.e., because of their emotional connection to the deceased)
Sahih: Sahih Tirmidhi: 1614
Tirmidhi: 1982
Ahmad: 4/252
Tabarani al-Kabir: 1013
Sitting, stepping, or reclining on graves is a clear act of disrespect and prohibited in authentic Sunnah.
Cursing or insulting the deceased is also forbidden, as it serves no purpose and causes emotional harm to the living relatives.
✍ Written by: Imran Ayyub Lahori
❖ Sitting on Graves and Insulting the Dead Is Ḥarām (Forbidden)
Islam strictly prohibits showing disrespect to graves and the deceased. Two major forbidden acts in this regard are:
✦ ① Prohibition of Sitting on Graves
● Clear Prohibition from the Prophet (ﷺ):
Hazrat Jabir (رضي الله عنه) narrated:
نهى رسول الله أن يقعد عليه
"The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) forbade sitting on the grave."
Muslim: 970 Ahmad: 3/399Another narration states:
لا تجلسوا على القبور...
"Do not sit on graves..."
Muslim: 3/26Yet another Hadith mentions:
نهى أن توطأ القبور
"The Prophet (ﷺ) forbade stepping or walking over graves."
Tirmidhi: 1052 Muslim: 970● Severe Warning
Hazrat Abu Hurairah (رضي الله عنه) narrated:
لَأَنْ يَجْلِسَ أَحَدُكُمْ عَلَى جَمْرَةٍ فَتُحْرِقَ ثِيَابَهُ فَتُخَلِّصَ إِلَى جِلْدِهِ خَيْرٌ لَهُ مِنْ أَنْ يَجْلِسَ عَلَى قَبْرٍ
"It is better for one of you to sit on a burning coal that burns his clothes and reaches his skin than to sit on a grave."
Muslim: 971 Abu Dawood: 3228 Nasa’i: 2044 Ibn Majah: 1566 Bayhaqi: 4/79 Ahmad: 2/311✔ Majority (Jumhūr): Sitting on graves is Ḥarām
Nayl al-Awtar: 3/34✘ Imam Shafi‘i & Imam Abu Hanifah (رحمهما الله): Considered it Makruh (disliked)
Al-Athar by Imam Muhammad: p. 45 Ahkam al-Janaiz: p. 268✔ Shaykh Albani (رحمه الله): Strongly affirmed its prohibition (Ḥarām)
Ahkam al-Janaiz: p. 268✔ Imam San‘ani (رحمه الله): This Hadith indicates absolute prohibition
Subul al-Salam: 2/786✦ ② Prohibition of Cursing the Deceased
Hazrat ‘Aishah (رضي الله عنها) narrated:
لا تسبوا الأموات فإنهم قد أفضوا إلى ما قدموا
"Do not curse the dead, for they have reached what they sent forth (i.e., their deeds)."
Bukhari: 1393, 6516 Nasa’i: 4/35 Ahmad: 6/180 Darimi: 2/239 Ibn Hibban: 3021● Hurting the Living Through the Dead
Another narration says:
فَتُؤْذُوا الْأَحْيَاءَ
"You cause harm to the living by doing so"
(i.e., because of their emotional connection to the deceased)
Sahih: Sahih Tirmidhi: 1614 Tirmidhi: 1982 Ahmad: 4/252 Tabarani al-Kabir: 1013✔ Key Points:
Sitting, stepping, or reclining on graves is a clear act of disrespect and prohibited in authentic Sunnah. Cursing or insulting the deceased is also forbidden, as it serves no purpose and causes emotional harm to the living relatives.