Those who object to the visitation of graves by women adduce chiefly three hadiths as their proof, two of these being the weak-chained narrations: (A) "Allah curses the women who visit the graves"(la`ana Allahu zâ'irât al-qubûr)[Narrated from Abu Hurayra by Ibn Hibban in his Sahih (7:452 #3178) with aweak chain because of `Umar ibn Abi Salama ibn `Abd al-Rahman al-Zuhri whois weak as stated by al-Arna'ut and Ma`ruf in Tahrir al-Taqrib (3:74 #4910).

Also narrated from Hassan ibn Thabit from the Prophet - Allah bless and greet him - by Ibn Abi Shayba (3:31) with a weak chain because of `Abd al-Rahman ibn Bahman who is of unknown rank as a narrator (majhûl). The hadith itself is acceptable as "fair due to witness and corroborating chainsand versions" (hasan lighayrih) as stated by al-Arna'ut in the Musnad (5:128n. 2).] and (B) "Allah curses the women who visit the graves and take them for places of worship and candles," [Narrated from Ibn `Abbas by al-Tirmidhi (hasan), Abu Dawud, al-Nasa'i in both in al-Sunan and al-Sunan al-Kubra (1:657 #2174), Ahmad, Ibn Abi Shayba(2:151, 3:30), al-Tahawi in Sharh Mushkil al-Athar (12:178-179 #4741-4742),al-Baghawi in Sharh al-Sunna (2:416-417 #510), Ibn Hibban (7:452-454 #3179-3180), al-Hakim (1990 ed. 1:530) who indicated its weakness,al-Bayhaqi in al-Sunan al-Kubra (4:78 #6992), Ibn al-Ja`d in his Musnad (p.224), al-Tabarani in al-Kabir (12:148), and al-Haythami in Mawarid al-Zam'an(p. 200), all with the same weak chain containing Abu Salih Mawla Umm Hani'who is weak as stated by Ibn Hajar in al-Mundhiri's al-Targhib (1997 ed.4:190) and al-Arna'ut in Sahih Ibn Hibban and the Musnad (5:128 #2984).

However, the hadith itself is acceptable since al-Tirmidhi and al-Baghawi declared it "fair"; while Ibn al-Sakan included it among the sound (sahîh) narrations as stated by Ibn al-Mulaqqin in Tuhfat al-Muhtaj (2:31)] the third one being, (C) "Allah curses the women who frequently visit the graves" (la`ana Allahu zawwârât al-qubûr). [Narrated from Abu Hurayra by al-Tirmidhi (hasan sahîh), Ibn Majah, and Ahmad; from Ibn `Abbas by Ibn Majah with a weak chain because of Abu Salih; and from Hassan ibn Thabit by Ibn Majah and Ahmad with a weak chain because of `Abd al-Rahman ibn Bahman. Note: Ibn Majah's versions have zuwwârât.] The above narrations do not constitute "agreed-upon, clear and explicit proof from the Law" for the prohibition of women from visiting graves in Islam. Accordingly, the majority of the Ulema concur that women ARE permitted to visit the graves if there is no danger of temptation and sin. [Ibn Hajar in Fath al-Bari (1959 ed. 3:148), al-Shawkani in Nayl al-Awtar (chapters on burial and the rulings pertaining to graves), and al-Mubarakfuri in Tuhfa al-Ahwadhi (4:139)] This is established by the following proofs: ONE **** The Prophet - Allah bless and greet him - said: "I forbade you to visit the graves but [now] do visit them!" [Narrated as part of a longer hadith: from Burayda by Muslim, al-Tirmidhi (hasan sahîh), Abu Dawud, al-Nasa'i, `Abd al-Razzaq (3:569), and others; from Abu Sa`id al-Khudri by Ahmad with a chain of sound narrators as stated by al-Haythami (3:58), Malik, al-Hakim (1990 ed. 1:530) who declared it sound by Muslim's criterion, al-Bayhaqi in al-Sunan al-Kubra (4:77 #6984), and al-Bazzar with a chain of sound narrators as stated by al-Haythami (3:58); from Ibn Mas`ud by Ibn Majah, al-Daraqutni in his Sunan (4:259), `Abd al-Razzaq (3:572-573), Ibn Hibban (3:261), al-Hakim (1990 ed. 1:531), and al-Bayhaqi in al-Sunan al-Kubra (4:77 #6983) all with weak chains according to al-Arna'ut; from Anas by Ahmad and al-Bazzar with chains containing al-Harith ibn Nabhan who is weak according to al-Haythami (4:27), al-Hakim (1990 ed. 1:531-532), and al-Bayhaqi in al-Sunan al-Kubra (4:77 #6984)] TWO ***** A'isha - Allah be well-pleased with her - said: "The Prophet - Allah bless and greet him - forbade the visitation of graves then permitted it, and I think he said: `For, truly, they remind you of the hereafter.'" [Narrated by al-Bazzar with a chain of trustworthy narrators as stated by al-Haythami (3:58)] THREE ****** A'isha visited came to Mecca after her brother's death saying, "Where is the grave of my brother?" Then she came to the grave and prayed over him, a month after his death. [Narrated from Ibn Abi Mulayka by al-Bayhaqi in al-Sunan al-Kubra 4:49)] Another version states that Ibn Abi Mulayka said: "`A'isha's brother died six miles away from Makka, so we carried him until we reached Makka and buried him there. `A'isha came to us after that and reproached us for doing so. Then she said: `Where is the grave of my brother?' We showed it to her and she alighted in her howdah and prayed at his grave." [Narrated by `Abd al-Razzaq (3:518) and Ibn `Abd al-Barr in al-Tamhid (6:261)] FOUR ***** When `Abd Allah ibn Mulayka saw `A'isha visiting the grave of her brother `Abd al-Rahman he said to her: "Did not the Prophet - Allah bless and greet him - forbid this [visitation of graves]?" She replied: "Yes, he had forbidden it. Then he ordered to visit them." [Narrated by Abu Ya`la (8:284) with a sound chain, al-Hakim (1990 ed. 1:532), al-Bayhaqi in al-Sunan al-Kubra (4:78 #6993), and Ibn `Abd al-Barr in al-Tamhid (3:233)] Ibn `Abd al-Barr mentions that Imam Ahmad adduces this report as proof that women are permitted to visit the graves.10 [Ibn `Abd al-Barr, al-Tamhid (3:234)] The wording and verb tenses used by the Prophet - Allah bless and greet him - and the Companions in the above narrations show that these narrations explicitly abrogate the narrations that express prohibition. This is confirmed by al-Hakim who narrated the hadith: "Allah curses the women who frequently visit the graves" then said: "Those narrations pertaining to prohibition from visiting the graves are abrogated, the abrogator being the hadith of `Alqama ibn Marthad, from Sulayman ibn Burayda, from his father, from the Prophet - Allah bless and greet him -: `I forbade you to visit the graves but [now] do visit them!'" [Al-Hakim (1990 ed. 1:530)] FIVE **** Due to her strictness, and perhaps in confirmation of Ibn Abi Mulayka's remark, `A'isha disliked to visit the grave of her brother as is evident from her remark in al-Tirmidhi's narration of her visitation to `Abd al-Rahman: "If I had been present at the time of your death I would have never visited you [now]." [Narrated from `Abd Allah ibn Mulayka by al-Tirmidhi] Yet this is another proof that she did not understand the Prophet's - Allah bless and greet him - prohibition as absolute - were it not abrogated - since she did allow herself the visitation of her brother despite it. SIX *** The Prophet - Allah bless and greet him - passed by a woman who was weeping next to a grave and said: "Fear Allah and be steadfast!" She replied: "Leave me alone! You were not afflicted with my affliction" - without recognizing him. Then she was told that this was the Prophet - Allah bless and greet him -. She came to see him and did not find anyone at the door [so entered directly] and said: "I did not recognize you!" He replied: "Steadfastness is only at the first shock." [Narrated from Anas in all the Six Books] SEVEN ****** A'isha asked: "What should I say, O Messenger of Allah [at al-Baqi`]?" He replied: "Say: `Greeting to you, O people of the abodes among the men and women believers! May Allah grant mercy to those of you and us who went ahead and those who tarried back! Truly we shall - if Allah wills - join up with you.'" [Narrated as part of a longer hadith by Muslim and al-Nasa'i] Al-Bayhaqi, Ibn Hajar and al-Nawawi said that the above narrations show that it is permitted for women to visit the graves in confirmation of `A'isha's visitation of her brother, as the Prophet - Allah bless and greet him – only admonished the mourning woman to be steadfast without forbidding her from visiting the grave, and he gave instructions to `A'isha on what to say when visiting the graves. [Al-Bayhaqi, al-Sunan al-Kubra (4:78), Ibn Hajar, Fath al-Bari (1959 ed. 3:184); al-Nawawi, Sharh Sahih Muslim (7:41-42)] EIGHT ****** The Prophet - Allah bless and greet him - said: "I had forbidden you to visit the graves but Muhammad has been permitted to visit the grave of his mother, so visit them, for truly, they remind you of the hereafter." [Narated from Burayda by al-Tirmidhi (hasan sahîh)] NINE ***** Another version states: "I had forbidden you to visit the graves but do visit them for they truly remind one of the hereafter." [Part of a longer hadith narrated from Burayda by Ahmad] TEN **** Another version states: "Whoever wants to visit the graves [may], truly they remind of the hereafter." [Part of a longer hadith narrated from Burayda by al-Nasa'i] ELEVEN ******** Another version states: "I had forbidden you to visit the graves but do visit them, for they help to renounce the world and they remind of the hereafter." [Narrated from Ibn Mas`ud by Ibn Majah] TWELVE ******** Another version states: "I forbade you to visit the graves then it appeared to me that they soften the heart, bring tears to the eyes, and remind one of the hereafter. Therefore, visit them, but do not say reprehensible things!" [Part of a longer hadith narrated from Anas by Ahmad] The proof for the visitation of women in the above five narrations is that the positive effects of remembering the hereafter, weeping, and softening the heart are not exclusively limited to men but extend to women as well. Therefore women are also addressed by these narrations which are to be taken in the most general, inclusive sense. This is confirmed by the practice of Fatima - Allah be well-pleased with her! - the daughter of the Prophet - Allah bless and greet him - as shown in the following two narrations: THIRTEEN ********* Imam Ja`far al-Sadiq narrated with his chain from al-Hasan ibn `Ali that Fatima the daughter of the Prophet - Allah bless and greet him - - may Allah be well-pleased with all of them! - used to visit the grave of her uncle Hamza ibn `Abd al-Muttalib every Jumu`a and she used to pray and weep there. [Narrated to here from Ja`far ibn Muhammad, from his father, without mention of al-Hasan by `Abd al-Razzaq (3:572) with an interrupted (munqati`) chain. Narrated by al-Hakim (1990 ed. 1:533, 3:30) who declared its chain sound, al-Bayhaqi, al-Sunan al-Kubra (4:78), and Ibn `Abd al-Barr in al-Tamhid (3:234) although al-Dhahabi condemns it strenuously while al-Bayhaqi alludes to its weakness] Another version adds that she had marked the grave with a rock in order to recognize it. [Al-Athram and Ibn `Abd al-Barr narrated it as mentioned by al-Qurtubi in his Tafsir (10:381); also `Abd al-Razzaq (3:574) with a very weak chain because of al-Asbagh ibn Nubata, who is discarded (matrûk) as a narrator] FOURTEEN ********** The women wept over Ruqiyya - Allah be well-pleased with her! - when she died, so `Umar tried to forbid them but the Messenger of Allah - Allah bless and greet him - said, "Wait, O `Umar!" Then he said: "[Women,] beware of the devil's croaking! As long as it comes from the eye and the heart, it is coming from mercy; and as long as it comes from the tongue and the hand, it is coming from Satan." [A reference to imprecations and the slapping of the cheeks still exhibited today by mourning Arab Christian women] Whereupon, Fatima began to weep over the grave of Ruqiyya and the Prophet - Allah bless and greet him - was wiping her tears from her face with his hand - or, the narrator said, his sleeve. [Narrated from Ibn `Abbas by al-Bayhaqi in al-Sunan al-Kubra (4:70 #6946) with a chain containing `Ali ibn Zayd ibn Jud`an al-Taymi who is weak, but al-Bayhaqi considers it sound as it is confirmed by established narrations]

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