Visiting The Graveyard On The Night Of The 15Th Of Sha’Ban

[ummtaalib]

By Shaykh al-Hadith Mawlana Fadl al-Rahman al-A’zami

Translated by Hafiz Muhammad Karolia

 

 

 

The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) awakening during the night [of the 15th of Sha'ban] and visiting the graveyard is recorded in some [of the previously mentioned] ahadith. However, visiting of the graveyard is not a special characteristic of this night. Instead, it is proven from another authentic narration that Allah’s Messenger (Allah bless him and grant him peace) would visit the graveyard during the last portion of every night.

 

Sayyidatuna ‘A’isha (Allah be pleased with her) narrates that whenever it was her turn for the Messenger (Allah bless him and grant him peace) to spend the night with, he would visit Baqi’ (the graveyard of Madinah) and would say:

 

السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكُمْ دَارَ قَوْمٍ مُؤْمِنِينَ وَأَتَاكُمْ مَا تُوعَدُونَ غَدًا مُؤَجَّلُونَ وَإِنَّا إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ بِكُمْ لاَحِقُونَ اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لأَهْلِ بَقِيعِ الْغَرْقَدِ

 

Peace be upon you oh dwellers of the Muslim graveyard. Death, which was promised to you has indeed befallen you. You are already journeying towards tomorrow (the Hereafter). Verily, if Allah wills, we will also join you. O Allah, forgive the inmates of Baqi’. (Sahih Muslim, hadith 2126)

 

Imam al-Nawawi (Allah have mercy on him) writes “From this it is learnt that visiting the graveyard, greeting its inmates and making du’a of forgiveness and mercy for them is mustahab (desirable).” (Sharh Sahih Muslim, 1:313)

 

There is another hadith in Sahih Muslim wherein ‘A’isha (Allah be pleased with her) explains a similar subject matter as was seen in the narration concerning the night of Bara’at (15th night of Sha’ban). (It is a generally accepted fact that all the ahadith in Sahih Muslim are authentic.)

 

She says: “Allah’s Messenger (Allah bless him and grant him peace) once entered my room when it was my turn for him to spend the night with. He placed his sheet aside, removed his sandals and kept them at his feet. He spread the edge of his shawl over the bedding and lay down. He lay still until he thought I had fallen asleep. He then took his sheet slowly, wore his shoes and gently opened the door, and (as he left), closed the door very gently. I also dressed, donned my veil and left behind him. He went to Baqi’ where he remained standing for a long time. He thereafter raised and dropped his hands thrice and returned. I also returned. He was walking fast and I did the same in order not to be detected. I· hastened my pace in conformance to his and thus reached home before him. Just as I lay down, he entered the room. He asked: A’isha, why are you breathing so heavily? I replied that there was nothing to it. He said: Tell me otherwise Allah will inform me. I replied: May my parents be sacrificed for thee and then related the entire incident to him. He asked: Are you the same person I saw in the distance? I replied in the affirmative. He gave me a slight push with his fist in my chest, the effect of which I felt, and he asked once again: Did you think that Allah and His Messenger (Allah bless him and grant him peace) would oppress you? I replied: No matter how much people try to hide something from you, then too Allah informs you. The Messenger (Allah bless him and grant him peace) then said to me Jibril (Allah’s peace be upon him) came to me. He called me and he concealed it from you. I responded to his call, but I too concealed it from you (for he did not come to you), as you were not fully dressed. I thought that you had fallen asleep and did not desire to awaken you. Besides, I feared that you would become scared. Jibril said to me: Your Lord commands you to visit the inmates of Baqi’ and make du’a for their forgiveness. ‘A’isha questioned the Messenger (Allah bless him and grant him peace) as to what he recited there. He replied: Say the following du’a:

السَّلاَمُ عَلَى أَهْلِ الدِّيَارِ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُسْلِمِينَ وَيَرْحَمُ اللَّهُ الْمُسْتَقْدِمِينَ مِنَّا وَالْمُسْتَأْخِرِينَ وَإِنَّا إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ بِكُمْ لَلاَحِقُونَ ‏

 

Peace be upon the believing (mu’min) Inhabitants of the home and may Allah shower mercy upon the deceased amongst us and those whose death still awaits them. And verily, if Allah wills, we will soon join you. (Sahih Muslim, hadith 2127)

 

There is no specific reference in this hadith to the night of Bara’at or any other night. Furthermore, it is understood from the previous hadith that whenever it was ‘A’isha’s turn for the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) to spend the night with, he would visit the graveyard. Thus a wide and general application of this practice is understood. Aside from visiting the graveyard on the night of Bara’at, we should ponder as to what extent our practice conforms to the authentic ahadith of Allah’s Messenger (Allah bless him and grant him peace). Are we following a norm, or are our actions truly spurred by an intention to follow the Sunnah? The turn of ‘A’isha (Allah be pleased with her) occurred once every week. It can thus be concluded from the above narrations that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) would visit the graveyard a minimum of once a week.

 

Buraydah al-Aslami (Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: “I originally prohibited you from visiting the graves, however I now advise you to visit the graves.” Another hadith on the topic adds that this will cause you to remember death. (Sahih Muslim)

 

This hadith does not restrict the visit to either day or night. We should therefore visit the graveyard whenever we have an opportunity. Remember death and make du’a for the forgiveness of the deceased. We should not suffice with visiting the graveyard on the night of Bara’at and thereafter neglect this virtuous act during the rest of the year. In the hadith, no specific day e.g. Friday, Thursday, etc., has been reserved for the visiting of the graves. We should therefore abstain from giving any particular day significance for this practice.

 

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