Ways of The Prophet (S.A.W)

Visiting the graves

Visiting the graves (for admonition and understanding the inevitability of death) is mustahab (commendable) for men. It is better that graveyards are visited once a week and for this purpose friday is much better. For visiting the graves of pious men, travelling is also permissible, provided nothing is done contrary to Shari’ah, as is being done these days on the anniversaries  of the Auliya.

Visiting the graves off and on is mustahab. Some times visiting graveyards on l5th of Sha’ban is established from the Prophet’s sunnah.

While visiting the graveyard one should recite:

“Peace be upon you, O people of the graves, May ALLAH pardon you and pardon us. You are our forerunners and we are in your footsteps.”

Then one should recite whatever he remembers, e.g., Surah Fatihah (1), Ayatul Kursi Throne verse (ii1255), Surah Yaseen (xxxvi), Surah Mulk (Lxvii), Surah Takasur (cii), and Surah Ikhlas (cxii), seven or eleven times, as may be convenient, and beseech ALLAH to give the reward for this to the person in the grave. The purpose of the Prophet’s noble custom of visiting the graves was to invoke the mercy of ALLAH and His pardon for the dead. A visit for this purpose and not involving any innovation or objectionable practice is masnun and mustahabb. [Madarijun Nubuwah]

Hadrat Abdullah lbn Masud (Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anhu) narrated ALLAH’s Messenger (Sallallahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) as saying, “I forbade you to visit graves, but you may now visit them, for they produce abstinence in this world and act as a reminder of the next.”

Hadrat lbn Abas (Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anhu) narrated that when ALLAH’s Messenger (Sallallahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) passed by some graves in Madinah he turned his face toward them and said:

“Peace be upon you, O inhabitants of the graves. May ALLAH pardon you and pardon us. You are our forerunners and we are in you footsteps.”