Question 886: Is it forbidden to step on a grave?

381 13 Feb 2021
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Answer

✅Answer: Please pay attention to the following narrations:

1 مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ قَالَ: قَالَ أَبُو الْحَسَنِ مُوسَى بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ إِذَا دَخَلْتَ الْمَقَابِرَ فَطَأِ الْقُبُورَ فَمَنْ كَانَ مُؤْمِناً اسْتَرْوَحَ إِلَى ذَلِكَ وَ مَنْ كَانَ مُنَافِقاً وَجَدَ أَلَمَهُ.

📚 Al-Faqih, Vol. 1, p. 231

Imam Kadhim, peace be upon him, said: When you enter a cemetery, step on the graves, for a believer will find peace and comfort in this, while a hypocrite will feel its pain!

2 عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ جَعْفَرٍ قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ أَبَا الْحَسَنِ مُوسَى عَنِ الْبِنَاءِ عَلَى الْقَبْرِ وَ الْجُلُوسِ عَلَيْهِ هَلْ يَصْلُحُ قَالَ لَا يَصْلُحُ الْبِنَاءُ عَلَيْهِ وَ لَا الْجُلُوسُ وَ لَا تَجْصِيصُهُ وَ لَا تَطْيِينُهُ.

📚 Al-Tahdheeb, Vol. 1, p. 461

Ali ibn Ja'far said: I asked Musa ibn Ja'far, peace be upon him, about building on a grave and sitting on it, whether it is permissible and correct? He said: It is not permissible or correct to build on a grave, or to sit on it, or to plaster or mud-plaster it!

3 عَنْ يُونُسَ بْنِ ظَبْيَانَ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ قَالَ: نَهَى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ أَنْ يُصَلَّى عَلَى قَبْرٍ أَوْ يُقْعَدَ عَلَيْهِ أَوْ يُبْنَى عَلَيْهِ.

📚 Al-Tahdheeb, Vol. 1, p. 461

Imam Sadiq, peace be upon him, said: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, forbade praying on a grave, or sitting on it, or building on it!

✅It is clear from the above narrations that stepping on graves is not a problem and even brings peace and comfort to the deceased if they were a believer, but sitting on a grave is forbidden.

Stepping on graves

Forbidden from sitting on a grave

اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَی مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ عَجِّلْ لِوَلِیِّکَ الْفَرَجَ وَ الْعَافِیَةَ وَ النَّصْرَ