Khutbah Cave

The reason Muslims are encouraged to visit the graveyards is to be reminded of the Hereafter. By seeing the graves it reminds us of what is destined to come to us – it is a reminder that life is too short and we should not forget our ultimate destination. When visiting a cemetery we do not know whether the ground underneath is one of the gardens of Paradise or a pit from Hell. Visiting the graves prevents over-ambitiousness for worldly life and encourages one to do good deeds. Prophet PBUH forbade people to visit the grave at the dawn of Islam because people were new to Islam and He PBUH feared that if he allowed them to go to graveyards people might return to shirk practices. When the traces of ignorance were lost and Islam got stronger, He PBUH then allowed Muslims to visit the graves. Prophet PBUH said, “I had prohibited you from visiting the graves, but now I encourage you to visit them, because they are a reminder of the Hereafter” [Muslim].  Generally, visiting graves is mustahab (recommended) for men and permissible for women as long as they do not cry out, wail or behave hysterically.

• How to supplicate: When making the Dua, one should not face the grave; rather face the direction of the Kabah (Qibla) and ask for forgiveness of the deceased sins from Allah. Dua for forgiveness is a form of Ibadat and should only be asked from Allah; that is why we are required to face the Qibla. It is recommended for the one who wants to visit graves to offer two Rakat Nafl prayer at home before leaving the house and then convey its rewards to the dead person. Recitation of Ayat-ul-Kursi and giving it as Hadiya to the deceased one gives them light (noor) in their grave.

• How to approach the grave: When visiting the graves reach the head side of the dead by passing from the foot side. It is recommended to greet the occupants of the graves with ‘Asalamualikum' while facing the grave and salute them by saying the words that the Prophet PBUH used to teach his companions. When Prophet PBUH visited the graves, He would stand towards the head of the deceased and say a general supplication: “Peace be upon the inhabitants of the graves, believers and Muslims. May Allah have mercy upon those who have gone ahead of us and those who come later on, and verily we will (InshaAllah) join you”. It is believed that the deceased person in the grave is never more comforted than when those that he\she loved in the world pay him\her a visit (Allah knows best).

• What is forbidden: Any activity which undermines the perfection of Tawheed (the oneness of Allah) which might lead to ‘shirk’ is forbidden when visiting a grave. The shirk activities are: worshipping the dead, praying to it as one is praying to Allah, asking for their help, encircling around it, slaughtering animals on the graves, build a mosque on it, and so on. Also, wailing and crying loud is not permitted in the cemetery. Prophet PBUH said, “The deceased is punished because of the weeping of some of his relatives” [Bukhari].

• Rewards that continue to reach a deceased: Any good deed that a Muslim starts during his\her lifetime that continues to benefit others after he\she departs from this world, will earn them rewards even after they are dead. Allah SWT says, “We record that (deeds) which they have put forward and their traces (that which they have left behind)" [36:12].   Prophet PBUH said, "When a person dies, all of his deeds are terminated except for three types: “1) an ongoing Sadaqah 2) knowledge from which others benefit 3) a righteous child who makes dua for him" [Muslim].    The Ahadith indicates that a righteous child benefits the deceased parents. If children are brought up according to the teachings of Islam they would grow up and follow their parent's teachings and do righteous deeds, this will earn parents rewards. It is reported that a man asked Prophet PBUH, "My mother had a sudden death, and did not have chance to bequeath anything. Had she been able to do, I think she would have given Sadaqah. Would she or I get any rewards if I give sadaqah on her behalf?" He PBUH replied, "Yes! So give sadaqah on her behalf" [Bukhari]. Among the examples of an ongoing sadaqah are: if someone builds a mosque where people would pray, build a well from where people continue to take water, distribute Quran to a mosque that people would continue to read, and etc....