May a woman visit graves?
Short answer
Shaykh Ibn Baz held the preponderant view of prohibiting women from visiting graves, while it is prescribed for a woman to pray over the funeral and supplicate for the dead without visiting the grave.
Evidence and explanation
The Shaykh relied on the hadiths reported on the prohibition of women visiting graves, and distinguished between visiting graves and praying over the funeral.
Scholar referenced
This editorial summary is based on the original source linked below and is not presented as a verbatim quotation from the scholar.
From the text of the answer (Arabic, with an English translation)
Original answer — Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Aziz ibn Baz
هل زيارة المقبرة جائزة للنساء، أم لا؟ — فتوى ١٠٧٦٤- Question
«تسأل سماحة الشيخ وتقول: هل زيارة المقبرة جائزة للنساء، أم لا؟ لأنني سمعت من خلال هذا البرنامج أنه لا يجوز، هل ما سمعته صحيح؟»
English translation (unreviewed): She asks your eminence and says: Is visiting the cemetery permissible for women or not? Because I heard through this programme that it is not permissible; is what I heard correct?
- From the text of the answer
«نعم صحيح، ليس للنساء زيارة القبور، الرسول ﷺ لعن زائرات القبور -عليه الصلاة والسلام- وإنما الزيارة للرجال قال: زوروا القبور؛ فإنها تذكركم الآخرة أما النساء فلا، فنهاهن عن الزيارة، قال: لعن رسول الله ﷺ زائرت القبور فلا يجوز لهن زيارة القبور، لكن يصلين على الجنائز مع الناس لا بأس، الصلاة مشروعة للرجال والنساء على الجنائز، فإذا حضرن مع الناس، وصلين على الجنائز في المسجد، أو في المصلى؛ فهذا مطلوب، أما الذهاب إلى المقابر، وزيارة القبور فهذا للرجال خاصة.»
English translation (unreviewed): Yes, correct. Women may not visit graves. The Messenger ﷺ cursed women who visit graves, peace be upon him. The visit is only for men; he said: “Visit the graves, for they remind you of the Hereafter.” As for women, no: he forbade them from visiting, saying: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ cursed women who visit graves.” So it is not permissible for them to visit graves, but they pray over funerals with the people, no harm; prayer over funerals is prescribed for men and women, so if they attend with people and pray over funerals in the mosque or the prayer ground, that is desired; as for going to the cemeteries and visiting graves, this is for men specifically.
- Evidence as the shaykh cited it
«الشيخ: نعم، الله -جل وعلا- يقول: وَقَرْنَ فِي بُيُوتِكُنَّ [الأحزاب: ٣٣] السنة لزوم البيوت، وعدم التجول، والخروج إلا من حاجة؛ لأن هذا من أسباب السلامة والعصمة والعافية، والخروج إلى الأسواق، والزيارات الكثيرة من أسباب الفتنة، فالأفضل للمرأة، والأجود لها لزوم بيتها، وقلة الخروج إلا من حاجة.»
English translation (unreviewed): The Shaykh: Yes, Allah, Mighty and Majestic, says: “And abide in your houses” [al-Ahzab: 33]. The sunnah is to stay in the houses, not to roam, and not to go out except for need, because this is among the causes of safety, protection and well-being; and going out to the markets and many visits are among the causes of temptation. So it is better for the woman, and best for her, to stay in her house and go out little except for need.
The Arabic excerpts matched the original page word for word by an automated check and have not had human scholarly review. The English translations are unreviewed translations made for this site; they are not an approved Shari‘ah translation. Rely on the Arabic original.
Source
Is visiting the cemetery permissible for women or not?
Title of the original page (Arabic): هل زيارة المقبرة جائزة للنساء، أم لا؟
Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Aziz ibn Baz, may Allah have mercy on him