Quran
Hadith
Islamic Text
It is prohibited to build upon graves due to the explicit Hadith of the Holy Prophet ﷺ in Sahih Muslim. However, it is permissible to cover the grave with bricks if there is a genuine threat that grave robbers or wild animals may desecrate the grave.
عَنْ جَابِرٍ، قَالَ: نَهَى رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَنْ يُجَصَّصَ الْقَبْرُ، وَأَنْ يُقْعَدَ عَلَيْهِ، وَأَنْ يُبْنَى عَلَيْهِ
(Sayidina) Jabir (May Allah Most High be pleased with him) said, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ prohibited plastering over a grave, or sitting upon it, or building upon it. (Sahih Muslim, 970 – 94).
As seen in the Hadith above there is a general prohibition upon building on graves. Unfortunately, many Muslims are either unaware of this or misunderstand it and do build on graves. This is sinful (see the link below for details).
Despite this prohibition the Sharia does make exceptions in situations of need or necessity. This has been mentioned by a number of Hanafi scholars in the context of graves. So, if one resides in a place where there is a genuine fear of the grave being dug up by robbers or wild animals then the rules are relaxed a little. Even then it is not permitted to build a structure. However, placing bricks to protect the grave is permitted.
وَعَنْ أَبِي حَنِيفَةَ: يُكْرَهُ أَنْ يَبْنِيَ عَلَيْهِ بِنَاءً مِنْ بَيْتٍ أَوْ قُبَّةٍ أَوْ نَحْوِ ذَلِكَ، لِمَا رَوَى جَابِرٌ «نَهَى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ – صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ – عَنْ تَجْصِيصِ الْقُبُورِ، وَأَنْ يُكْتَبَ عَلَيْهَا، وَأَنْ يُبْنَى عَلَيْهَا» رَوَاهُ مُسْلِمٌ وَغَيْرُهُ اهـ نَعَمْ فِي الْإِمْدَادِ عَنْ الْكُبْرَى: وَالْيَوْمَ اعْتَادُوا التَّسْنِيمَ بِاللَّبِنِ صِيَانَةً لِلْقَبْرِ عَنْ النَّبْشِ، وَرَأَوْا ذَلِكَ حَسَنًا
It is narrated from (Imam) Abu Hanifah that it is Makruh to erect a building upon it, or a dome or the like of it. This is due to what (Sayidina) Jabir narrated: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ prohibited plastering over a grave, or writing upon it, or building upon it. It was narrated by Muslim and others. However, it was mentioned in al-Imdaad from al-Kubra: Nowadays they have taken to covering the grave with bricks to protect the grave from robbers. And they considered that to be acceptable. (Imam Ibn Abideen, Radd al-Muhtar).
In the Nass (text) above Imam Ibn Abideen explains that the scholars did consider it permitted to cover the grave with bricks to protect it from grave robbers. He clarified that this is an exception to the general rule of not building upon graves. Imam al-Ayni also clarified this:
وهذا كما اعتادوا التسنيم باللبن صيانة عن النبش ورأوا ذلك حسنا. (البناية شرح الهداية)
And like this they have taken to covering the grave with bricks to protect the grave from robbers. And they considered that to be acceptable. (Imam Badr al-Deen al-Ayni, al-Binayah).
In al-Jowharah Imam al-Haddadi added the threat of wild animals:
لَا يُكْرَهُ لِأَنَّهُ يَكُونُ عِصْمَةً مِنْ السَّبُعِ وَصِيَانَةً عَنْ النَّبْشِ. (الجوهرة النيرة)
It is not Makruh because it provides protection from wild animals and protection from grave robbers. (Imam Abu Bakr al-Haddadi, al-Jowharah al-Nayyirah).
And Allah Most High Knows Best
-Answered by Shaykh Noorud-deen Rashid (23.08.2022)
See also:
Building on graves
Building on the graves of scholars
See also video:
