Visiting shrines
السلام عليكم ورحمةالله وبركاته
In the Middle East there are many shrines of Prophets (peace be upon them all), Companions (May Allah be pleased with them all) and Righteous People (Allah’s mercy be upon them).
What is the correct way to visit these shrines? For example, what should I read, how should I sit, what type of demeanour should I exhibit.
Too add, the graves of righteous people are not always agreed upon. For example, one ideology may hold X to have been a pious person while another believes X is not. How do we manage this.
Shukran
Answer
Wa ʿAlaykum Salām Wa Raḥmatullāhi Wa Barakātuh
When visiting the graves of the prophets and the righteous, as well as the graves of the believers, then one should enter with sending peace and salutations to the inhabitants of the graves in that specific area, and then to read a portion of the Qur’ān (preferably Sūrah Yāsīn) whilst asking Allāh ﷻ to send to them the rewards therefrom.
One shall also sit in a manner that displays respect and veneration.
The aforementioned rulings are applicable to the deceased believers only, irrespective of whether some regard them to be pious or not; hence; to visit the graves of the disbelievers is not permissible.