The Prohibition of Burying People in Houses
Taken from
Silsilah Ahadeeth As-Saheehah
of
Shaykh Al-Albaani
Translated by
Abbas Abu Yahya
No. 3112 – On the authority of ‘Aeysha that Prophet –sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam– said: ‘Perform a portion of your prayer in your homes and do not make your homes as graves unlike the Jews and the Christians who placed graves in their homes.Indeed the house in which the Qur’aan is recited will be made apparent to the people of the Heaven just as the stars are made apparent to the people of the earth.’
Dhahabi said at the end of this hadeeth:
‘This hadeeth has a cleanIsnaad and its text is Hasan. It is a prohibition of burying people in houses and there is a supporting narration with another chain.The Prophet – sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam – prohibited building over graves and if the people were to be buried in their homes, then graves and houses would become one thing.
Prayer in a graveyard is prohibited, whether it is a prohibition due to dislike or a prohibition meaning Haraam. The Messenger – sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam – said: ‘The best prayer of a man is in his house except for that which is obligatory.’So it is appropriate that homes are not taken as graves.
As for the Prophet – sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam – being buried in the house of ‘Aa’ishah then this is specific to the Prophet – sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam.Just as his garment being spread out under him in the niche of his grave was specifically for him and just as it was specific to him that they each Companion prayed over him, individually, without an Imam, since he was their Imam in life and in death, in the Dunya and in the Hereafter.
Just as it was also specific to him that his burial was delayed for two days, contrary to his Ummah for whom it is not allowed to delay the burial, since the Messenger – sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam – is protected from change after death unlike us.They delayed his burial so that everyone could pray over him at his house and, therefore, the delay was due to that matter and also their being hesitant regarding his death for half the day until Abu Bakr came forward with his opinion.This was the reason for the delay.’
[Taken from ‘Silsilah Ahadeeth As-Saheehah’ vol.7 Hadeeth no.3112 p.306-307]
All Praise belongs to Allaah, may His peace
and blessings be upon our final
Prophet Muhammad, his
family, his companions
and all those who
follow his
guidance.