Majmu' al-Fatawa - Ibn Taimiya - (24/326)

Chapter on Visiting Graves

He was asked—may Allah have mercy on him:

What is prescribed concerning visiting graves?

He answered:

Visiting graves takes two forms: prescribed and innovated.

The prescribed form is like the funeral prayer: its purpose is to supplicate for the deceased, just as that is the purpose of offering the funeral prayer over him. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, would visit those buried in al-Baqīʿ and the martyrs of Uhud. He taught his Companions to say when visiting graves:

“Peace be upon you, inhabitants of this abode of believers. Allah willing, we shall join you. May Allah have mercy on those among us and you who have gone before and those who come after. We ask Allah for well-being for ourselves and for you. O Allah, do not deprive us of the reward on their account, do not subject us to trials after them, and forgive us and them.”

The same applies to every supplication for believers, whether prophets or others, such as invoking blessings and peace upon the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. As related in an authentic report, he said:

بَابُ زِيَارَةِ الْقُبُورِ سُئِلَ - رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ -: عَنْ الْمَشْرُوعِ فِي زِيَارَةِ الْقُبُورِ؟ . فَأَجَابَ: أَمَّا زِيَارَةُ الْقُبُورِ: فَهِيَ عَلَى وَجْهَيْنِ: شَرْعِيَّةٌ وَبِدْعِيَّةٌ. فَالشَّرْعِيَّةُ: مِثْلُ الصَّلَاةِ عَلَى الْجِنَازَةِ وَالْمَقْصُودُ بِهَا الدُّعَاءُ لِلْمَيِّتِ كَمَا يُقْصَدُ بِذَلِكَ الصَّلَاةُ عَلَى جِنَازَتِهِ. كَمَا كَانَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَزُورُ أَهْلَ الْبَقِيعِ وَيَزُورُ شُهَدَاءَ أُحُدٍ وَيُعَلِّمُ أَصْحَابَهُ إذَا زَارُوا الْقُبُورَ أَنْ يَقُولُوا: {السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ دَارَ قَوْمٍ مُؤْمِنِينَ وَإِنَّا إنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ بِكُمْ لَاحِقُونَ يَرْحَمُ اللَّهُ الْمُسْتَقْدِمِينَ مِنَّا وَمِنْكُمْ وَالْمُسْتَأْخِرِين نَسْأَلُ اللَّهَ لَنَا وَلَكُمْ الْعَافِيَةَ، اللَّهُمَّ لَا تَحْرِمْنَا أَجْرَهُمْ وَلَا تَفْتِنَّا بَعْدَهُمْ وَاغْفِرْ لَنَا وَلَهُمْ} . وَهَكَذَا كُلُّ مَا فِيهِ دُعَاءٌ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ مِنْ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ وَغَيْرِهِمْ: كَالصَّلَاةِ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَالسَّلَامِ. كَمَا فِي الصَّحِيحِ عَنْهُ أَنَّهُ قَالَ: