Q 1: What is the ruling on offering Salah (Prayer) in Masjids (mosques) that contain graves and shrines?

A: It is not permissible for a Muslim to offer Salah in Masjids built over graves. This ruling is based on pieces of evidence prohibiting the building of places of worship over graves. Among such pieces of evidence is the Hadith reported in the Two Sahih (authentic) Books of Hadith (i.e. Al-Bukhari and Muslim) on the authority of `Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) who narrated that Um Salamah once told the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) about a church that she saw in Abyssinia (Ethiopia) and the pictures that were in it. Upon that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “Those are a people who, when a righteous servant or a righteous man among them dies, they build a place of worship over his grave and make such images in it. Those will be the evilest of creation in the Sight of Allah on the Day of Resurrection.” (Part No. 1; Page No. 404) Another is the Hadith reported by the Compliers of the Sunan (Hadith compilations classified by jurisprudential themes) on the authority of Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them) who said, “The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) cursed women who visit graves and those who build Masjids over them (i.e. Graves) and put lights on them.” It is also reported in the Two Sahihs on the authority of `Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “May Allah curse the Jews and the Christians; they made the graves of their prophets places of worship.” May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.