Dua For Graveyard – Cemetery
In Islam, we are encouraged to visit graveyards and ask forgiveness for our departed relatives and all Muslims by the dua for graveyard. In the beginning, Prophet Muhammad (SAW) forbade visiting the graveyard. Still, he(SAW) later emphasized visiting it because it reminds us of the hereafter. Rasool Allah(SAW) said:
“Visit the graves for that makes you mindful of death” (Sahih Muslim:2259)
When we visit the graveyard, it reminds us of two things: life hereafter and the most essential and cruel factor of life, “death.” Visiting graveyards is also beneficial for the deceased when we pray for them. In this blog post, you will learn dua for graveyard or qabristan ki dua taught by Rasool Allah(SAW).
Dua For Graveyard – Qabristan Ki Dua
It is the right of a Muslim over another Muslim to pray for his forgiveness. In the Quran, Allah said:
(Ayat no10 وَ الَّذِیۡنَ جَآءُوۡ مِنۡۢ بَعۡدِہِمۡ یَقُوۡلُوۡنَ رَبَّنَا اغۡفِرۡ لَنَا وَ لِاِخۡوَانِنَا الَّذِیۡنَ سَبَقُوۡنَا بِالۡاِیۡمَانِ (سورة الحشر
اور ( ان کے لئے ) جو ان کے بعد آئیں جو کہیں گے کہ اے ہمارے پروردگار ہمیں بخش دے اور ہمارے ان بھائیوں کو بھی جو ہم سے پہلے ایمان لاچکے ہیں
And (for those) who come after them, who will say: O our Lord, forgive us and our brothers who believed before us.
So, in the Quran Allah teaches us to pray for our Muslim brothers and sisters.
Aisha(may Allah be pleased with her) reported (that whenever it was her turn for Allah’s Messenger[may peace be upon him] to spend the night with her) He(SAW) went out towards the end of the night to al-Baqi and said:
اَلسَّلَامُ عَلَیْکُمْ اَھْلَ الدِّیَارِ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِیْنَ وَالْمُسْلِمِیْنَ، وَاِنَّا اِنْ شَآئَ اللّٰہُ بِکُمْ لَلَاحِقُوْنَ (وَیَرْحَمُ اللّٰہُ الْمُسْتَقْدِمِیْنَ مِنَّا وَالْمُسْتَاْخِرِیْنَ) اَسْأَلُ اللّٰہَ لَنَا وَلَکُمُ الْعَافِیَۃ
Assalam u Alaikum ahlad-diyari minal momineena wal muslimeena wa inna in shaa Allahu bikum lahiqoon (wa yarhamullahu-mustakdimeena minna wal-mustakhireena) as-alullaha lana walakumul afiya
ان گھروں (قبروں) کے مومن اور مسلمان مکینو! تم پر سلام ہو اور بلاشبہ اگر اللہ نے چاہا تو ہم بھی تم سے ضرور ملنے والے ہیں۔ اور ہم میں سے پہلے جانے والوں پر اور بعد میں جانے والوں پر اللہ رحم فرمائے، میں اللہ سے اپنے اور تمہارے لیے عافیت کا سوال کرتا ہوں
Peace be upon you, abode of a people who are believers. What you were promised would come to you tomorrow, you receiving it after some delay, and God willing, we shall join you. O Allah, grant forgiveness to the inhabitants of Baqi al-Gharqad.
The above dua for visiting the grave teaches us that we should say salaam to the deceased as they listen. We should pray for their forgiveness and Allah’s mercy, as it is the most desirable act in Islam. But we should also take care of the etiquette of visiting graveyards.
Etiquettes for Visiting the Graveyard
When visiting the graveyard, we should take care of the following things:
Don’t be loud in the Cemetery: Do not shout or cry loudly in the graveyard because it hurts the deceased.
Do not laugh: The graveyard is a place of lessons, so don’t laugh or gossip in the cemetery.
Make Wudu: It is encouraged to make Wudu(ablution) before entering the graveyard. So it makes us clean, and we should recite dua for our beloved and all the Muslims buried there.
Face Qiblah: When reciting dua, when visiting a grave, standing and facing qiblah is sunnah, and it is also mentioned in the hadith that we should not pray to face the cemetery.
Best day to visit the graveyard: There is no specific occasion or day to visit a cemetery, but Friday is mentioned as a good day to visit.
Do not sit on the grave: Abu Huraira reported Allah’s Messenger(SAW) as saying: It is better that one of you should sit on live coals which would burn his clothing and come in contact with his skin than that he should sit on a grave.
Forbidden Acts in Graveyard
Over the years, many innovations(biddat) have arisen in Islam regarding graveyards and burial. That has no connection to Islam. We should avoid all these innovations because they lead to destruction. Some of the innovations we should avoid are:
- Performing prayer and sajdah in front of the graveyard.
- Lighting candles and incense sticks on a grave.
- Build a shrine or tomb on the grave.
- Placing wreaths with Quranic verses on the graves.
- Build tombs and buildings with marble on graves.
- Using the deceased as a resource to fulfill one’s needs.
- Place photos of the dead at the grave.
FAQs Related to Graveyard
Q1: What is the best Dua to Read at Prophet (SAW) grave?
The best dua is saying salaat o salaam upon Nabi (SAW) and say As-salaam u alayka ayyu’hal Nabi-yuu wa rahmatullahi wa barakaa-tuhu.
Q2: Can women go to cemetery?
There are two opinions of the scholars about it: women can visit the graveyard occasionally in full veil. But most of the scholars in Islam forbade women to visit graveyard.
Final Words
The best dua for a deceased is “Istaghfar” (seeking forgiveness) and acts of charity on behalf of loved ones. In Islam, it is called sadaqah e jariah. When a person passes away, his actions are stopped except for three: pious child, perpetual sadqah, and knowledge which is of benefit.
Also Read: Barish Ki Dua – Dua For Rain
Asking for forgiveness and dua for visiting graveyard benefits the deceased and the supplicant. May Allah make this eternal home peaceful for everyone.
