Visiting the Graveyard – Islamic Rulings
This excerpt is taken from the book Ṣaḥīḥ Ṣalāh al-Nabawī ﷺ, published by Maktabah Dār al-Andalus, authored by Shaykh ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ʿAzīz.◈ The Importance of Visiting the Graveyard
❀ The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:زوروا القبور فإنها تذكركم الآخرة
“Visit the graves, for they remind you of the Hereafter.”
Reference: Sunan Ibn Mājah, Book of Funerals, 1569 – Ṣaḥīḥ
◈ Women Visiting the Graveyard
❀ Women are permitted to visit the graveyard.The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
فإن جبريل أتاني …. فقال إن ربك يأمرك أن تأتي أهل البقيع فتستغفر لهم
“Jibrīl came to me and said: Indeed your Lord commands you to go to the people of al-Baqīʿ and seek forgiveness for them.”
Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Book of Funerals, 974/103
❀ Sayyidah ʿĀ’ishah رضي الله عنها said:
“I asked: If I go to the graveyard, how should I supplicate for them?” So the Prophet ﷺ taught her the supplication.
❀ ʿAbdullāh ibn Abī Mulaykah رضي الله عنه reported:
“ʿĀ’ishah رضي الله عنها was once returning from the graveyard. I asked, ‘O Mother of the Believers, where are you coming from?’ She replied, ‘From the grave of my brother ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Abī Bakr رضي الله عنه.’ I said, ‘Did not the Messenger of Allah ﷺ forbid this?’ She replied, ‘Yes, he forbade it, then he permitted it.’”
Reference: Mustadrak al-Ḥākim 1/376, 1392 – Ṣaḥīḥ
❀ However, women should not frequently visit graves.
Abū Hurayrah رضي الله عنه narrated:
“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ cursed women who frequently visit graves.”
Reference: Sunan al-Tirmidhī, 1056 – Ḥasan
❀ Women going to graveyards on the 10th of Muḥarram (ʿĀshūrā’) adorned and beautified is incorrect, as it defeats the purpose of visiting and involves lack of modesty.
◈ Actions to Perform in the Graveyard
① One should visit to remove heedlessness of the heart and remember death and the Hereafter.② Upon entering the graveyard, one may recite any of the following supplications:
✔ Supplication 1
السَّلَامُ عَلَىٰ أَهْلِ الدِّيَارِ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُسْلِمِينَ وَيَرْحَمُ اللَّهُ الْمُسْتَقْدِمِينَ مِنَّا وَالْمُسْتَأْخِرِينَ وَإِنَّا إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ بِكُمْ لَلَاحِقُونَ“Peace be upon the inhabitants of these dwellings, believers and Muslims. May Allah have mercy upon those who have preceded us and those who follow. Indeed, we will, if Allah wills, join you.”
Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, 974/103
✔ Supplication 2
السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ دَارَ قَوْمٍ مُؤْمِنِينَ وَآتَاكُمْ مَا تُوعَدُونَ غَدًا مُؤَجَّلُونَ وَإِنَّا إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ بِكُمْ لَاحِقُونَ“Peace be upon you, abode of believing people. You have received what you were promised. Tomorrow you are deferred, and we too, if Allah wills, shall join you.”
Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, 974
✔ Supplication 3
السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ أَهْلَ الدِّيَارِ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُسْلِمِينَ وَإِنَّا إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ بِكُمْ لَاحِقُونَ أَسْأَلُ اللَّهَ لَنَا وَلَكُمُ الْعَافِيَةَ“Peace be upon you, O inhabitants of the graves, believers and Muslims. We too, if Allah wills, shall join you. I ask Allah for well-being for us and for you.”
Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, 975
③ Raising the hands to supplicate at the grave is permissible.
Sayyidah ʿĀ’ishah رضي الله عنها said:
جاء البقيع فقام فاطال القيام ثم رفع يديه
“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ came to al-Baqīʿ, stood for a long time, then raised his hands in supplication.”
Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, 974/103
④ Elevated graves should be leveled to approximately a handspan.
ʿAlī رضي الله عنه said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ commanded him:
أن لا تدع تمثالا إلا طمسته ولا قبرا مشرفا إلا سويته
“Do not leave any image without erasing it, and do not leave any raised grave without leveling it.”
Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, 969
Prohibited Actions in the Graveyard
❀ Visiting graves to seek the pleasure of the deceased is ḥarām.
Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 1189; Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 1397
❀ Walking in the graveyard wearing shoes is not permissible, except in necessity.
Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 1338; Sunan Abū Dāwūd 3230 – Ḥasan
❀ Sitting on graves.
Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 972
❀ Stepping on graves or urinating in the graveyard.
Reference: Muṣannaf Ibn Abī Shaybah 3/219 – Ṣaḥīḥ
❀ Building mosques over graves.
Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 434; Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 531
❀ Praying in the graveyard.
Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 972
❀ Reciting the Qur’an in the graveyard.
Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 780
❀ Slaughtering animals near graves.
Reference: Sunan Abū Dāwūd 3222 – Ṣaḥīḥ
❀ Placing soil from elsewhere on the grave without reason or placing name plaques.
Reference: Sunan Abū Dāwūd 3225–3226 – Ṣaḥīḥ
❀ Constructing permanent structures (domes, buildings) over graves and residing there.
Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 970
⚠ Funeral Customs and Innovations
❀ Reciting Sūrah Yā-Sīn near a dying person.❀ Turning the dying person’s bed toward the Qiblah (not proven from authentic ḥadīth).
Reference: Irwā’ al-Ghalīl 3/150, 688
❀ Washing the shroud with Zamzam water.
❀ Writing the Kalimah, Qur’anic verses, names of Ahl al-Bayt or supplications on the shroud.
❀ Preparing one’s grave during lifetime.
❀ Wearing black clothes to express grief.
❀ Leaving someone overnight in a prepared grave before burial.
❀ Chanting kalimah loudly with the funeral procession (silence is prescribed).
❀ Carrying fire with the funeral or lighting candles at graves.
❀ Calling the adhān at the grave.
❀ Stepping back seventy steps after burial for supplication.
❀ Fixing a specific place to sit for condolences.
❀ Holding annual festivals (‘urs) at graves — this is shirk. If it were permissible, the Companions رضي الله عنهم would have held gatherings at the grave of the Prophet ﷺ, and none was more honored than him.
