❀ Prohibition of Cementing, Writing, Building, or Raising a Grave ❀
Written by: Imran Ayyub Lahori
Narrated by Jābir رضي الله عنه:
"نَهَى النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَنْ يُجَصَّصَ الْقَبْرُ، وَأَنْ يُقْعَدَ عَلَيْهِ، وَأَنْ يُبْنَى عَلَيْهِ"
“The Prophet ﷺ forbade plastering the grave, sitting on it, and building structures over it.”
➤ Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 970, Kitāb al-Janāʾiz: Bāb al-Nahy ʿan Tajṣīṣ al-Qabr wa al-Bināʾ ʿalayhi
Also reported in:
Abū Dāwūd: 3225
Tirmidhī: 1052
Ibn Mājah: 1562
Nasāʾī: 4/86
Sharḥ Maʿānī al-Āthār: 1/515
Ḥākim: 1/370
Aḥmad: 3/399
❖ In Jāmiʿ al-Tirmidhī, the narration includes:
"وَأَنْ يُكْتَبَ عَلَيْهِ"
“And (the Prophet ﷺ) forbade writing on the grave.”
❖ In Sunan al-Nasāʾī, the addition is:
"أَوْ يُزَادَ عَلَيْهِ"
“Or that extra (mound of) soil be added over it.”
① Plastering or cementing the grave (تَجْصِيص) — Prohibited as it leads to glorification and distinction of graves.
② Building structures over graves — Prevents humility in burial and can lead to innovations.
③ Sitting on the grave — A form of disrespect to the deceased.
④ Writing on graves — Was not practiced by the Prophet ﷺ or his Companions. Writing names, poetry, or prayers is discouraged.
⑤ Adding excessive soil over the grave — Goes against the practice of moderate, plain graves.
✔ To preserve humility and equality among the deceased.
✔ To avoid glorification or veneration of graves that can lead to shirk (polytheism).
✔ To maintain simplicity, as was the practice of the Prophet ﷺ and his Companions.
✔ To prevent innovations in burial rituals that are not rooted in authentic Sunnah.
It is prohibited to:
All these actions are clearly forbidden in authentic ahadith.
وَاللّٰهُ أَعْلَمُ بِالصَّوَابِ
Written by: Imran Ayyub Lahori
✦ The Prophetic Instruction Regarding Graves
Narrated by Jābir رضي الله عنه:
"نَهَى النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَنْ يُجَصَّصَ الْقَبْرُ، وَأَنْ يُقْعَدَ عَلَيْهِ، وَأَنْ يُبْنَى عَلَيْهِ"
“The Prophet ﷺ forbade plastering the grave, sitting on it, and building structures over it.”
➤ Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 970, Kitāb al-Janāʾiz: Bāb al-Nahy ʿan Tajṣīṣ al-Qabr wa al-Bināʾ ʿalayhi
Also reported in:
Abū Dāwūd: 3225
Tirmidhī: 1052
Ibn Mājah: 1562
Nasāʾī: 4/86
Sharḥ Maʿānī al-Āthār: 1/515
Ḥākim: 1/370
Aḥmad: 3/399
✦ Additional Wordings in Various Narrations
❖ In Jāmiʿ al-Tirmidhī, the narration includes:
"وَأَنْ يُكْتَبَ عَلَيْهِ"
“And (the Prophet ﷺ) forbade writing on the grave.”
❖ In Sunan al-Nasāʾī, the addition is:
"أَوْ يُزَادَ عَلَيْهِ"
“Or that extra (mound of) soil be added over it.”
✦ Explanation of the Prohibited Actions
① Plastering or cementing the grave (تَجْصِيص) — Prohibited as it leads to glorification and distinction of graves.
② Building structures over graves — Prevents humility in burial and can lead to innovations.
③ Sitting on the grave — A form of disrespect to the deceased.
④ Writing on graves — Was not practiced by the Prophet ﷺ or his Companions. Writing names, poetry, or prayers is discouraged.
⑤ Adding excessive soil over the grave — Goes against the practice of moderate, plain graves.
✦ The Wisdom Behind These Prohibitions
✔ To preserve humility and equality among the deceased.
✔ To avoid glorification or veneration of graves that can lead to shirk (polytheism).
✔ To maintain simplicity, as was the practice of the Prophet ﷺ and his Companions.
✔ To prevent innovations in burial rituals that are not rooted in authentic Sunnah.
❖ Summary
It is prohibited to:- Cement or plaster the grave
- Build any structure on it
- Write upon it
- Sit over it
- Raise it excessively with additional soil
All these actions are clearly forbidden in authentic ahadith.
وَاللّٰهُ أَعْلَمُ بِالصَّوَابِ
