Calling Out the Adhaan at the Graveside

Q: Janaa'iz-13: what is the ruling concerning calling out the Adhaam at the graveside? As a result of the Fatwa of the Bidati Ulema, the Bidatis in our area have started this practice. We hope that you will provide a detailed reply. These people believe that the deceased will be saved from the evil of Shaytaan by tire Adhaan.

Answer: To protect the deceased from punishment of tire grave. from the evil of Shaytaan and to secure his forgiveness. Rasulullaah SAW. has taught us to recite the du?aa (BISMILLAAH WA ALA MILLAT RASULULLAAH)? after the Janaazah salaah when the body is being lowered into the grave he also taught us to recite:

( MINHAA KHALAKNAAKUM)

when throwing tire first handful of sand. then

( WAFIHA NU?EEDUKUM)

when throwing the second handful of sand. and then

( WA?MINHAA NUKHRIJUKUM TAARATAN UKHRA)

when throwing the third handful of sand.

Thereafter, after burial. We are taught to recite the opening verses of Surah Baqara at the head-side of the grave and the concluding verses of Surah Baqara at the feet-side of the grave. One should then recite Qur'aan or make du'aa for the forgiveness of the deceased for a while longer.

If there was a need for the Adhaan to be called out, Rasulullaah SAW. would have certainly commanded it and the Sahabah RADI. who would give their lives for his every instruction would have definitely carried it out Never was the Adhaan called out during the time of Rasulullaah SAW. nor during the Khilaafah of Hadhrat Abu Bakr RADI., Hadhrat Umar RADI., Hadhrat Uthmaan RADI. or Hadhrat Ali RADI. even though thousands of Sahabah RADI. and Taabi'een passed away during those times. Thereafter, it was also not practised during the times of those after the Taabi'een. such as the times of Imaam Abu Haneefah RAH., Imaam Maalik RAH., Imaam Shaafi'ee RAH., Imaam Ahmad RAH. and the times of the Muhadditheen. such as Imaam Bukhaari RAH., Imaam Muslim RAH. Imaam Tirmidhi RAH., lmaam Abu Dawood RAH. and the very many others.

Our salvation lies in following the Sunnah and acting contrary to the Sunnah will lead only to deviation. Rasulullaah SAW. said. my Ummah will divide into seventy three groups. all of whom will end up in Jahannam except one." When the Sahabah RADI. asked who this group will be. Rasulullaah SAW. replied. "Those who follow the path on which my companions and I are on. Rasulullaah SAW. therefore defined the path to salvation as that of the sahabah RADI.

A Hadith states that Rasulullaah SAW. once delivered a lecture that moved the Sahabah RADI. to tears. One of them said. "O Rasulullaah SAW. It appears as if these are your parting words to us Do advise us further." Amongst the advices that Rasulullaah SAW. then gave was, "There shall arise after me many differences. You must therefore adhere to my way of life and the ways of life of the rightly guided Khulafaa (Khulafaa Raasideen) after me (viz. Hadhrat Abu Bakr RADI., Hadhrat Umar RADI., Hadhrat Uthmaan RADI. and Hadhrat Ali RADI.). Bite firmly on this with your back teeth (never let go of it). Beware of newly invented acts and stay far from them because every newly invented act is an act of Bid'ah and every act of Bid'ah leads one astray."

Hadhrat Abdullaah bin Mas'ood RADI. said, "Follow our ways and do not create acts of Bid'ah because following us will suffice for you.

Hadhrat Hudhayfah RADI. said Never carry out an act of Ibaadah that Rasulullaah SAW. did not carry out.

A narration states that Hadhrat Abdullaah bin Mas'ood RADI. once heard about some people who sat in groups after the Maghrib salaah. One of them would then tell the others to recite Subhaanallaah a certain number of times, Alhamdulillaah a certain number of times and Allaahu Akbar a certain number of times. The people would then do as bidden. When Hadhrat Abdullaah bin Mas'ood RADI. heard about this and saw what they were doing, he remarked, "I swear by Allaah that you people are either involved in a very dark Bid'ah or you have more knowledge than the Sahabah RADI. of Rasulullaah SAW. He then had them removed from the Masjid.

Hadhrat Imaam Maalik RAH. said, "The person who invents a new practice in Deen and regards it to be the better practice, he has (Allaah forbid) indicated that Hadhrat Muhammad SAW. betrayed duty of propagation of the Deen and had displayed a deficiency in doing so. Allaah has declared in the Qur'aan: "Today I have completed your religion for you." Therefore, whatever had not been part of the Deen at that time will not be a part of the Deen today .

Just as the Adhaan and Iqaamah are not called out before the Eid salaah because it was not done during the time of Rasulullaah SAW., similarly, it will also be regarded as an act of Bid'ah for the Adhaan to be called out at the graveside since this had not been the practice of Rasulullaah SAW.

Allaama Shaami RAH. classified the act as one of Bid'ah and quotes the same from a Fatwa of Allaama Ibn Hajar RAH.

Fatawa Rahimiyyah vol.3