to them just as he had to men, and understood his words, may Allah bless him and grant him peace,

“So visit them, for they remind you of the Hereafter,”

as an address applying generally to both men and women.

The correct view, however, is that women were not included in the permission to visit graves, for several reasons.

First: his words, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, “So visit them,” employ a masculine form. By its linguistic designation, the masculine form applies only to men, though it may also include women by using the masculine form for both sexes. There are, however, two views on this. According to one, such inclusion requires separate evidence; on this view, including women in this address requires separate evidence. According to the other, an unqualified masculine form is understood to include both sexes. On this view, women’s inclusion would rest on a weak basis of general applicability. A general statement cannot override the widely transmitted specific evidence prohibiting women from visiting graves, as we shall explain, if Allah Most High wills. Indeed, according to the majority of scholars, it cannot even abrogate that evidence, even if the specific text is known to have preceded the general one.

The second reason is this: if women were included in the address, visiting graves would be recommended for them, just as it is recommended for men according to the majority. This is because the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, gave a reason that entails its being recommended, namely his words:

“For they remind you of the Hereafter.”

For this same reason, it is permissible to visit the graves of polytheists. As recorded in the authentic collection, the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, visited his mother’s grave and said:

“I asked my Lord for permission to seek forgiveness for my mother, but He did not grant me permission. I asked Him for permission to visit her grave, and He granted me permission. So visit graves, for they remind you of the Hereafter.”