and reminds him, for the heart may take admonition from one thing while remaining unaffected by another. Therefore, when he exposes himself to every possible means, those means together produce insight and a lasting lesson.

8 – Graves and death belong to the affairs of the Hereafter; hence the Prophet ﷺ said, “for they remind you of the Hereafter.”

Shaykh al-Islām said: Part of believing in Allah is to believe in everything the Prophet ﷺ has informed us about that will occur after death.

9 – His statement, “for they remind [you] of the Hereafter,” is the causal basis for the legislation of visiting graves. When such a rationale is spelled out, it yields three benefits:

First: It reassures the Muslim that this Sharīʿah commands nothing and forbids nothing except for a wise purpose; Allah’s rulings are founded on securing benefit and averting harm.

Second: Understanding Allah’s wisdom in His rulings brings ease, energy, eagerness to obey, and a drive to perfect one’s virtues.

Third: It allows analogy to be drawn from the stated ruling to another ruling not explicitly mentioned, due to their shared rationale, thereby enriching Islamic jurisprudence.

10 – As for ḥadith no. 482, it reports that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ cursed women who visit graves. A curse from the Lawgiver is attached only to a major sin, so women’s visiting of graves is deemed one of the major sins.

11 – The wisdom behind preventing women from visiting graves is their natural tenderness, emotional vulnerability, and limited endurance; it is feared that their visit might lead them to words or actions that go beyond the patience that is obligatory.

12 – Ibn al-Qayyim said in al-Hadi: It was part of the Prophet’s ﷺ practice that when he visited the graves of his Companions, he did so to pray for them, ask mercy for them, and seek forgiveness for them. This is the visitation he prescribed for his Ummah, legislated for them, and instructed them, when they visit, to say: “Peace be upon you…"