spending the night at a frontier post to defend it, keeping watch overnight in the cause of Allah, or staying with a scholar or righteous man from whom one benefits, and the like. But requiring a Muslim to remain stationed every night at a particular location without any religious benefit is not part of the religion. Indeed, even if the overnight stay were occasional and this practice were prescribed there, it would still not be part of the religion. If someone imposes this condition upon him and establishes an endowment to support him for that purpose, there is no doubt that such a condition is invalid and ceases to be binding.

Moreover, designating a particular place for the five daily prayers, Quran recitation, or dedicating the reward of that recitation—other than a place designated by the Lawgiver—is likewise not prescribed, by scholarly agreement. Even if someone vows to pray, recite the Quran, or observe a devotional retreat in a particular mosque other than the three mosques, that particular location does not become binding upon him. He may perform these acts elsewhere. Scholars do, however, hold two opinions on whether expiation is required for not adhering to the specified location.

Scholars also hold two opinions on whether the reward of physical acts of worship, such as Quran recitation, prayer, and fasting, reaches the deceased. The sounder view is that it does. However, no scholar has said that one location is superior to another in this respect.

Nor has any of the leading scholars of the Muslim community ever said that prayer or Quran recitation beside a grave is better than elsewhere. Rather, they have differed over whether reciting the Quran beside a grave is disliked. Abū Hanīfa, Mālik, Imam Ahmad—according to one of the two reports from him—and various groups among the early generations considered it disliked, while another group permitted it