Is it Permissible to Erect a Hand Span Border Around a Grave to Protect it From Being Stepped On?
Answered by Mawlana Ilyas Patel
Question
Is it permissible to erect a wooden border of one hand span in height around an individual grave for the purpose of protecting it from being stepped on?
The context is that this grave is located within a cemetery that has secure fencing around the entire graveyard, and the individual graves are within close proximity of each other. Although there is a small concrete footpath between each grave, there is a concern that when there are active burials with large gatherings, people may accidentally step on the neighboring grave.
The intention of the border would be for something other than beautification purposes.
It’s clear that building structures over a grave is forbidden, but does a border around the grave violate this rule?
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate
I pray you are in good faith and health. Thank you for your question.
It is permissible to erect a wooden border of one hand span in height around an individual grave to protect it from being stepped on. A good example of graves is in Jannat al-Baqi in the blessed city of Madina, where many graves have a demarcation with a layer of rock stones around them.
[Ibn ʿAbidin , Radd al-Muhtar]
I would like you to go through the valuable answers and links below. You will receive guidance and direction in sha Allah.
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Wassalam,
[Mawlana] Ilyas Patel
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Mawlana Ilyas Patel is a traditionally-trained scholar who has studied in the UK, India, Pakistan, Syria, Jordan, and Turkey. He started his early education in the UK. He went on to complete the hifz of the Quran in India, then enrolled in an Islamic seminary in the UK, where he studied the secular and ‘Aalimiyya sciences. He then traveled to Karachi, Pakistan. He has been an Imam in Rep of Ireland for several years. He has taught hifz of the Quran, Tajwid, Fiqh, and many other Islamic sciences to children and adults onsite and online extensively in the UK and Ireland. He taught at a local Islamic seminary for 12 years in the UK, where he was a librarian and a teacher of Islamic sciences. He currently resides in the UK with his wife. His interest is a love of books and gardening.
