This excerpt is taken from the book of Sheikh al-Islam Imam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah have mercy on him, Al-Jawab al-Bahir fi Zuwar al-Maqabir, translated by Sheikh Ataullah Saqib.
Is visiting graves absolutely forbidden?
There is a difference of opinion regarding the visitation of graveyards.
One group of the Salaf believes that visiting graveyards is prohibited. According to them, the hadiths that abrogate the prohibition are neither well-known nor have they been narrated by Imam Bukhari. The hadith that Imam Bukhari narrated about visiting graves is based on the narration of a woman who was weeping at a grave.
Reference: (Sahih Bukhari, Book of Funerals: Chapter on Visiting Graves, Hadith 1383)
Ibn Battal narrates the statement of Al-Shu’bi:
”لولا أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم نهى عن زيارة القبور لزرت قبر ابني“
“If the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, had not forbidden it, I would have certainly visited my son’s grave.”
Nakha’i, may Allah have mercy on him, and Ibn Sirin said:
“The Salaf considered visiting graves to be disliked.”
Ibn Battal also says that when Imam Malik was asked about visiting graves, he replied:
“The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, initially forbade it but later permitted it.”
Now, if a person goes to visit graves and does not commit any innovation or the like, then there is no harm in it.
There is also a narration from Imam Malik that he considered visiting graves to be a very weak and feeble practice.
Reasons for Prohibition of Visiting Graves
Scholars agree that the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ initially prohibited visiting graves. There were several reasons for this, such as:
● It could lead a person to fall into polytheism.
● Engaging in wailing and lamenting there.
● Some people would go to the graveyard and boast to each other about the number of graves they had.
The Noble Verse:
أَلْهَاكُمُ التَّكَاثُرُ حَتَّىٰ زُرْتُمُ الْمَقَابِرَ
”The mutual rivalry for piling up of worldly things diverts you, until you visit the graves.“
Reference: (102-Al-Takathur:1-2)
In the exegesis of this verse, scholars have written that people used to boast about the number of graves of their family members.
Ibn Atiyyah also writes that:
This verse is a warning against excessive visiting of graves. That is, instead of worship and seeking knowledge, you have made visiting graves a pastime.
Conditional Permission for Visiting Graves
❀ The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:
كنت نهيتكم عن زيارة القبور فزوروها ولا تقولوا هجرا
"I had forbidden you from visiting graves. Now go and visit them, but do not say anything contrary to the Shariah there."
Reference: Sunan an-Nasa'i, Book of Funerals: Chapter on Visiting Graves (Hadith: 2035) Also found in Sahih Muslim, Book of Funerals: Chapter on the Prophet's Permission to Visit His Mother's Grave (Hadith: 977)
It is as if the prohibition by the Prophet, peace be upon him, was an explanation of the above verse. After some time, permission to visit graves was granted so that people could take admonition from it. The permission was not given so that people would fall into pride and vanity, build domes over graves, whitewash them, hold fairs there, or engage in singing and qawwali.
Our purpose proves that the scholars of the Ummah agree that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, forbade visiting graves and making nabidh (fermented drink) in vessels. However, there is a difference of opinion regarding its abrogation. Some scholars believe that this ruling was not abrogated because the hadiths of abrogation are not well-known. Therefore, Imam Bukhari did not mention the hadiths that refer to general abrogation. Other scholars say that it has been abrogated. Among those who accept abrogation, one group says it is permissible but not recommended. This is the position of Imam Malik and Imam Ahmad.
Explaining the reason, they say that when a prohibition is followed by an imperative form, it indicates permissibility, as in a sound hadith where the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:
كنت نهيتكم عن زيارة القبور فزوروها وكنت نهيتكم عن الانتباذ فى الأوعية فانتبذوا ولا تشربوا مسكرا
"I had forbidden you from visiting graves; now go and visit them. And I had forbidden making nabidh in vessels; now it is permitted. But remember, do not drink anything intoxicating."
Reference: Sahih Muslim, Book of Funerals: Chapter on the Prophet's Permission to Visit His Mother's Grave (Hadith: 977)
In one narration, these words are also reported:
فزوروها ولا تقولوا هجرا
"Now go and visit them, but do not say anything contrary to the Shariah there."
Reference: (Sunan an-Nasa'i, Book of Funerals: Chapter on Visiting Graves, Hadith 2035)
This hadith indicates that the prohibition of visiting graves was only because people used to perform un-Islamic acts there. Therefore, that path was closed. Similarly, initially, making nabidh in common vessels was prohibited because the effect of khamr (intoxicant) comes gradually, and the drinker unknowingly consumes wine.
