Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Dear Q&A

Could you please advise for the following:

Whether women are allowed to visit muslim graves - if the answer is no - why?

Are women allowed to be present at funerals i.e. burying of the dead at grave yards Are we as muslims buried in a certain direction in the grave yard i.e facing qibla?

Sister Tabassum

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Answer:

Women graveyards burial funeral

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Your Question:- Whether women are allowed to visit muslim graves - if the answer is no - why?

There is absolutely no harm in Islam if a believing woman wishes to occasionally visit the grave of her parents or loved ones.

Hadrat Abdallah ibn Abi Mulaikah (r.a.) said, "Once Aishah (the wife of the Prophet (saws)) returned after visiting the graveyard. I asked, 'O Mother of the Believers, where have you been?' She said: 'I went out to visit the grave of my brother Abd ar-Rahman.' I asked her: 'Didn't the Messenger of Allah (saws) prohibit visiting graves?' She said, 'Yes, he did forbid visiting graves during the early days (of Islam), but later on he ordered us to visit them'."

Related by Al-Hakim and Al-Baihaqi.

The purpose of visiting graves is to remember the Hereafter, which is something that both men and women need. Men are by no means more in need of this reminder than women. Thus provided the woman does not violate the rights of her husband, or her duties towards her house and her children, and she does not violate any of the guidelines of Shariah in her dressing and adornment and speech, there is absolutely no harm if the believing woman occasionally visits the graveyards, if she wishes to do so.

The Messenger of Allah (saws) said: “, "May Allah curse the women who are frequent visitors of the graves."

Related by Ahmad and Tirmidhi.

Al-Qurtubi explains the implications of the above hadith: "The curse mentioned in this hadith applies only to those women who visit graves ‘frequently’. The reason for this curse lies perhaps in the fact that it involves infringement of the rights of the husband, and leads to adornment and exhibition of their beauty to strangers, and shouting, yelling, and other similar things." It may be said that, "If no such harm is feared from women visiting graves, then there is no valid reason for preventing them from visiting graves, for indeed remembrance of death is something that both men and women equally need."

Most of the scholars in Islam hold it permissible for the women to visit the graves occasionally; but hold it forbidden for the women to visit the graves frequently as stated by the Messenger of Allah (saws).

Your Question: - Are women allowed to be present at funerals i.e. burying of the dead at grave yards

The majority of the scholars of all the major thoughts of school in Islam are unanimous in their opinion that it is severely disliked for a believing woman to follow a funeral procession, but they do not consider it unlawful or a prohibition.

Fiqh-us-Sunnah Fiqh 4.59

Umm 'Atiyah reported: "We were forbidden to accompany funeral processions, but this prohibition was not mandatory for us."

Related by Ahmad, Bukhari, Muslim & Ibn Majah.

Muhammad ibn Al-Hanafiyyah reported that 'Ali said: "The Prophet (saws) went out and saw a group of women sitting outside. When he (saws) asked them why they were sitting there, they told him that they were waiting for the funeral procession. He (saws) asked them: 'Are you going to wash the body?' They said: 'No.' The Prophet (saws) asked them: 'Are you going to carry the coffin?' They said: 'No.' He (saws) asked them: 'Will you place the body in the grave?' They said: 'No.' At this he (saws) said to them: 'Then go back to your homes with your sins and without gaining any reward."

Related by Ibn Majah and Al-Hakim.

Ibn Mas'ud, Ibn 'Umar, Abu Amamah, 'Aishah, Masruq, Al-Hasan, An-Nakh'i, Awza'i, Ishaq, and the Hanafi, Shafi'i and Hanbali schools all disapprove the participation of women in funeral processions. According to Imam Malik of the Maliki school of thought, it is not disliked for an old woman to leave her home to attend a funeral. In his opinion, a young woman afflicted by the death of a dear one may also accompany a funeral procession without any disapproval, provided she is well covered and her presence does not cause any temptation.

The scholars who opine that it is permissible for a woman to accompany a funeral cite this narration as their evidence:

Narrated by Shu'bah on the authority of Waki', who in turn narrated it from Hisham ibn 'Urwah, who heard it from Wahab ibn Kaysan, who heard it from Muhammad ibn 'Amr ibn 'Ata who reported it from Abu Hurairah that once when the Prophet (saws) attended a funeral, 'Umar saw a woman there and yelled at her. The Prophet (saws) said: "Leave her, O 'Umar! Verily her eyes shed tears, the soul feels the pangs, and the promised Hour is near."

And Allah Alone Knows Best.

Your Question:- Are we as muslims buried in a certain direction in the grave yard i.e facing qibla?

Fiqh us-Sunnah Fiqh 4.16

Lay the dying person so that the ‘qibla’ is on his right side. To this effect it is recorded that Abu Qatadah said: "Upon arrival in Madinah, the Prophet (saws) enquired about a person called al-Bara ibn Ma'rur. The people told the Prophet (saws) that he had died, and had willed one-third of his property to the Prophet (saws), and that his face be turned toward the Ka'bah at the time of his death. Hearing this (that the deceased wished his face be turned towards the ‘Kaaba’), the Prophet (saws) said: 'He has been true to his ‘fitrah’ (innate nature). I return the one-third of his property to his children.' Then the Prophet (saws) left and offered a funeral prayer for him.

Narrated by Al-Baihaqi and Al-Hakim.

Ahmad reported that Fatimah (r.a.), the daughter of the Prophet (saws) at the time of her death, turned her face toward the Ka'bah, and placed her right hand under her head. This is the sleeping position recommended by the Prophet (saws), and also in a grave, a dead body should also be placed in the same position.

A report recorded from Ash-Shafi'i says: ‘The body of the deceased should be laid flat on his back with his feet toward the Ka'bah, and his face raised a little, facing it.’ The majority of scholars, however favor the first position (with the ‘qibla’ on one’s right and the face turned towards it) and hold it to be preferable.

In light of the above guidance of the Messenger of Allah (saws) it is preferred that the body of a dying person be laid in a position whereby the ‘Qibla’ to their right, and to turn their face towards it. The absolute majority of the scholars hold it preferable that one is also buried in the same position, ie. with the ‘Qibla’ to the right and the face of the deceased turned towards it.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan