Is It Permissible to Make an Intention and Visit the Grave of Our Saints?

Answered by Shaykh Yusuf Weltch

Question

Is it permissible to make an intention and visit the grave of our saints?

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate.

It is permissible to visit the graves of any Muslim. Visiting the graves of the general righteous, the saints, and the Prophets is especially encouraged.

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “I used to prohibit you from visiting the graves; now, visit them!” [Muslim]

In another narration, he (may Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “Whoever wishes to visit the graves, visit them. Indeed, they remind us of the Hereafter.” [Nawawi, Riyadh al-Salihin]

Proper Intentions

One should visit the graves of these people with lofty righteous intentions, such as the following:

1. Intend attaining the spiritual benefits mentioned by the Prophet (may Allah bless him and give him peace) regarding visiting the graves—(a) Being reminded of the Hereafter. (b) Detaching one’s heart from the Worldly life (Dunya). (c) Being reminded of one’s own death;
2. Intend receiving something of the mercy of Allah Most High that descends on the righteous;
3. Intend to be inspired to travel the path of righteousness;
4. Intend to make supplication for them, yourself, and the rest of the Muslim community.

Proper Etiquettes

The first and most important etiquette is to have a righteous intention, as explained above.

Additionally, the following etiquettes should be upheld:

1. To send salutations on the deceased, saying:
   “.السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ دَارَ قَوْمٍ مُؤْمِنِيْنَ، وَإِنَّا إِنْ شَاءَ اللهُ بِكُمْ لَاحِقُوْنَ”
   “Peace be upon you, Abode of the Believers! We will, when God wills, be joining (you).” [Muslim];
2. To recite something of the Quran (for mercy descend where the Quran is recited)—Surat al-Yasin and/or Surah Ikhlas 11 times are narrated;
3. To supplicate for the deceased after the recitation of the Quran;
4. 4) To gift the like of the reward of the recitation to the souls of the deceased (supplications are hoped to be accepted in this case, and the deceased will benefit therefrom). [al-Fiqh al-Manhaji]

Hope this helps
Allah knows best
[Shaykh] Yusuf Weltch
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Shaykh Yusuf Weltch teaches Arabic, Islamic law, and spirituality. After accepting Islam in 2008, he completed four years at the Darul Uloom seminary in New York, where he studied Arabic and the traditional sciences.

He then traveled to Tarim, Yemen, where he studied for three years in Dar al-Mustafa under some of the most outstanding scholars of our time, including Habib Umar Bin Hafiz, Habib Kadhim al-Saqqaf, and Shaykh Umar al-Khatib.

In Tarim, Shaykh Yusuf completed the memorization of the Quran and studied beliefs, legal methodology, hadith methodology, Quranic exegesis, Islamic history, and several texts on spirituality. He joined the SeekersGuidance faculty in the summer of 2019.