What Should be Done After The Burial

“O Allah! This is Your servant who has come to You as a guest; and You are the Best One (to entertain the guest). So, forgive him and make his entrance spacious.”

Among them Ibn Mas’ud, may Allah be pleased with him.

«لَا تَجْلِسُوا عَلَى الْقُبُورِ، وَلَا تُصَلُّوا إِلَيْهَا»

Do not sit on the graves, and do not perform Salah at them. (Muslim)

And his saying:

لأَنْ يَجْلِسَ أَحَدُكُمْ عَلَى جَمْرَةٍ فَتُحْرِقَ ثِيَابَهُ فَتَخْلُصَ إِلَى جِلْدِهِ خَيْرٌ لَهُ مِنْ أَنْ يَجْلِسَ عَلَى قَبْرٍ

It is better for anyone of you to sit on a brand that burns his clothing through to his skin than to sit on a grace. (Muslim)

2:Leveling the Earth over the Grave:

It is necessary to level the earth over the grave, since the Messenger of Allah ﷺcommanded that. Yet, raising the grave about a hand span form the earth is permissible. The majority of the scholars consider it recommended because the grave of the Prophet ﷺ was raised in this manner.

There is no harm in placing, an indicator over the grave so it may be known who its inhabitant is, be it a stone or otherwise. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ marked the grave of ‘Uthman bin Madh’un with a rock and said:

«أَتَعْلَمُ بِهَا قَبْرَ أَخِي، وَأَدْفِنُ إِلَيْهِ مَنْ مَاتَ مِنْ أَهْليِ»

To distinguish the grave of my brother and to bury the deceased of my family.

3:Plastering or constructing over the Grave is Unlawful:

It is unlawful to plaster over or build over a grave, since it is recorded by Muslim that the Prophet ﷺforbade doing so.

4:Sitting on the Grave is Disliked:

It is disliked for a Muslim to sit on the grave of the Muslim brother or step on it with his feet because of the saying of the Messenger of Allahﷺ :

5:It is Unlawful to Build Masjids over Grave:

It is unlawful to build Masjids over graves and to place torches upon them to illuminate them.

The Messenger of Allah ﷺsaid:

«لَعَنَ اللهُ زُوَّارَاتِ الْقُبُورِ وَالْمُتَّخِذِاتِ عَلَيْهَا الْمَسَاجِدَ وَالسُّرُجَ»

Allah’s curse be upon the women that (frequently) visit the graves and illuminate them. (At-Tirmithi and Al-Hakim)

The Messenger of Allah ﷺsaid:

«لَعَنَ اللهُ الْيَهُودَ اِتَّخَذُوا قُبُورَ أَنْبِيَائِهِمْ مَسَاجِدَ»

Allah’s curse be upon Jews, they took the graves of their Prophets as Masjid. (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

6:Exhuming and Relocating the Remains is Unlawful:

To exhume the grave and relocate the remains of the deceased is prohibited, except for an urgent need, such as burying him without bathing him first, etc. It is also disliked to transport from one country to another the deceased who has not been buried, except to one of the tow sacred places; Makkah or Al-Madinah, and similarly to

7:Condolence is desirable:

It is recommended to console the family of the deceased, men or women, before the burial or after it up to three days: Exceptions to this are the case of one who was far away or not present during this period, then it may be delayed.

The Messenger of Allah ﷺsaid:

مَا مِنْ مُؤْمِنٍ يُعَزِّي أَخَاهُ بِمُصِيبَةٍ، إِلاَّ كَسَاهُ اللَّهُ سُبْحَانَهُ مِنْ حُلَلِ الْكَرَامَةِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ

There is no believer who consoles his brother for any suffering, except that Allah the Almighty clothes him with a garment of dignity on the Day of Judgement. (Ibn Majah)

8:The Meaning of condolence:

Condolence is to condole the family of the deceased by encouraging them to be patient and mentioning what will alleviate their grief and the effects of the disaster in any from. It is narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺsent a messenger to his daughter, may Allah be pleased with her, when she had informed him of the death of her son.

« إِنَّ لِلَّهِ مَا أَخَذَ وَلَهُ مَا أَعْطَى وَكُلٌّ عِنْدَهُ بِأَجَلٍ مُسَمًّى فَلْتَصْبِرْ وَلْتَحْتَسِبْ»

Indeed, what Allah has taken is His and what Allah has given is His. Each thing with Him as a predetermined term. So be patient and hope for reward (from Allah). (Al-Bukhari)

One of the righteous predecessors consoled a man for the death of his son, saying:

“From so-and-so to so-and-so. Peace be upon you. I praise Allah, there is none worthy of worship except Him. To proceed: May Allah reward you abundantly, grant you patience, and inspire both us and you gratitude; since and souls, wealth, and families are gifts from Allah and entrusted by Him to us. May grant you pleasure and great reward through his passing. Praise, mercy and guidance, are yours if you maintain hope in Allah. So be patient, do not let your anguish foil your reward and cause you to regret. And know that anguish neither restores the dead nor repels grief. And know also that what is preordained will come to pass. And peace be upon you.”

It is sufficient to console with some words like these.

«أَعْظَمَ اللهُ أَجْرَكَ ، وَأَحْسَنَ عَزَاكَ وَغَفَر لِـمَيِّتِكَ»

A’dhamal-laahu ajrak, wa ahsana ‘azaaka wa ghafara limayitik.

“May Allah reward you abundantly, and console you and forgive your deceased.”

The one being consoled may say:

«آمِينَ، آجَرَكَ اللهُ، وَلَا آرَاكَ مَكْرُوهًا»

Aameen, aajarakal-laahu, wa laa araaka makruuhaa.

“Ameen, may Allah reward you bountifully, and may He remove any evil from you.”

9:Innovations Related to Consoling:

Of the deeds which should be shunned is the innovation of people gathering, out of ignorance, in homes and holding banquets, spending money as a form of boasting and haughtimess when giving condolence.

The righteous predecessors would not gather in homes for condolences, but they would console each other at the graveyards or when they randomly meet each other. There is no harm. If one goes to his brother’s house to console him if he could not console him in the graveyard or in the street. The innovated deed is that of the people gathering at a specific place for such occasion.

10:Doing Whatever Good One is Able for the Family of the Deceased:

Ti is recommended that the neighbors or near relatives prepare food for the family of the deceased .

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

«اِصْنَعُوا لِآلِ جَعْفَرٍ طَعَامًا، فَإِنَّهُ قَدْ أَتَاهُمْ أَمْرٌ يَشْغُلُهُمْ»

Prepare food for the family of Ja’far ;since they have enough preoccupation. (Ahmad, At-Tirmithi and Al-Hakim)

As for the practice of the family of the deceased preparing food for other, this disliked, since it merely doubles their suffering. In case one whose entertainment is necessary, the relatives of the deceased and the neighbors can entertain them instead of the family of the deceased.

11:Giving Charity on Behalf of the Deceased:

Giving charity on behalf of the deceased is desirable. Muslim recorded that Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that a man said: “O Messenger of Allah! My father has died and left wealth but he did not leave a will. Does what I pay of charity atone (his sins) ?”

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

«نَعَمْ»

((Yes.))

When the mother of Sa’d bin ‘Ubadah, may Allah be pleased with them, died, Sa’d said to the Prophet: “O Messenger Allah My mother had died, may I pay charity for her?”

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

«نَعَمْ»

((Yes))

He then asked: “Which charity is the best?”

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

«سُقِيَ الْـمَاءُ»

Providing water to drink. (Ahmad and An-Nasa’I)

12:Recitation of the Noble Qur’an for the Deceased:

There is no harm if the Muslim, while in the Masjid or in his home, recites some Qur’an. When he finishes his recitation, he asks for Allah’s forgiveness and mercy for the deceased, appealing to Allah by his recitation.

As for people assembling in the house of the deceased to recite, and saying, “We have endowed the reward of our recitation to the deceased.” This is an evil innovation that must be avoided. We have this opportunity to invite our Muslims brothers to refrain form it since it was never done by our righteous predecessors. None of the earlier virtuous generations before us reported, and any act that was not done by the pioneers of this nation, will never in anyway be a religious practice for the coming generations.

13:Regulations for Visiting the Graves:

Visiting the grave is recommended because it reminds the Muslim of the Hereafter, and benefits the deceased with supplications and seeking forgiveness.

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

«كُنْتُ نُهِيتُكُمْ عَنْ زِيَارَةِ الْقُبُورِ فَزُورُوهَا فَإِنَّهَا تُذَكِّرُكُمُ الْآخِرَةِ»

I had prohibited you from visiting the graves, (now) , visit them; since this reminds you of the Hereafter. (Muslim)

In case where the grave or the deceased is far away, and it would be necessary for a visitor to prepare for it traveling specifically to it, then in this case it becomes unlawful.

The Messenger of Allah ﷺsaid:

لَا تُشَدُّ الرِّحَالُ إِلاَّ إِلَى ثَلاَثَةِ مَسَاجِدَ: الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ وَمَسْجِدِيهَذَا، وَمَسْجِدِ الأَقْصَى

No journey should be taken to any Masjid other then three Masjids : Masjid Al-Haram, this Masjid of mine, and Masjid Al-Aqsa. (Al-Bukhari and Muslims)

14:What the visitor should say:

The Muslim should say what the Messenger of Allah ﷺused to say when visiting Al-Baqi’ (the graveyard of Al-Mudinah):
السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكُمْ أَهْلَ الدِّيَارِ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُسْلِمِينَ، وَإِنَّا إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ

بِكُمْ لاَحِقُون أَنْتُمْ فَرَطْنَا وَنَحْنُ لَكُمْ تَبَعٌ، نَسْأَلُ اللَّهَ لَنَا وَلَكُمُ الْعَافِيَةَ

اللَّهُمّ اغْفِرْ لَـهُمْ، اَللَّهُمَّ ارْحَمْهُمْ

Aa-Salaamu ‘alaykum ahlad-diyaari minal-mu’mineen wal-muslimeen. Wa innaa in shaa’ Allaahi bikum laahiquoon. Antum faratunaa wa nahnu lakum taba’un. Nasaalul-laaha lanaa wa lakumul-‘aafiyah. Allaahumma-ghfirlahum, Allaahumma-rhamhum.

Pace be upon you, dwellers of these graves of the Muslims and the believers. We will join you when Allah wills. You are our pioneers and we will be your followers. We ask Allah’s forgiveness for us and for you. O Allah! Forgive them and have mercy on them (Muslim)

15:The Ruling on Women visiting Graves:

There is no difference of opinion among the people of knowledge regarding the prohibition of women frequently returning to graves for the purpose of visiting them. This is because of the Prophet’s saying:

«لَعَنَ اللهُ زَوَّارَاتِ الْقُبُورِ»

May Allah curse the women who visit the graves.

As for infrequent visiting, some scholars disliked it, and others permit it basing their view on what has been authentically narrated that ‘A’ ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, visited her brother’s (‘Abdur-Rahman’s ) grave. When she was asked about it she said: “Yes, the Messenger had prohibited visiting of the graves, later, he permitted it.” (Al-hakim and Al-baithaqi)

The scholars who have permitted women to visit graves stipulated that she should not commit any wrongs such as wailing over the grave, crying, going there improperly dressed, or imploring the deceased for anything as done by many ignorant women in more than one place and time.