Hadithcore
Sahih Muslim, 976 a
sahih

Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) , (ﷺ) as saying:

I sought permission to beg forgiveness for my mother, but He did not grant it to me. I sought permission from Him to visit her grave, and He granted it (permission) to me.

حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ أَيُّوبَ، وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبَّادٍ، - وَاللَّفْظُ لِيَحْيَى - قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا مَرْوَانُ، بْنُ مُعَاوِيَةَ عَنْ يَزِيدَ، - يَعْنِي ابْنَ كَيْسَانَ - عَنْ أَبِي حَازِمٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏

‏ اسْتَأْذَنْتُ رَبِّي أَنْ أَسْتَغْفِرَ لأُمِّي فَلَمْ يَأْذَنْ لِي وَاسْتَأْذَنْتُهُ أَنْ أَزُورَ قَبْرَهَا فَأَذِنَ لِي ‏

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References2 variants
In-Book Reference
Book 11, Hadith 134
USC-MSA web (English) reference
Book 4, Hadith 2129 (deprecated numbering scheme)
Sharh · explanationclick to expand
Mentioning death and visiting the dead and the graves remind one of the Hereafter and the inevitable end for every human. This motivates one to work. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to visit those buried in the Baqī‘ cemetery. In this Hadīth, Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) relates the story of the Prophet's visit to the grave of his mother and the lessons it offers. The grave of the Prophet's mother was in Al-Abwā’, located between Makkah and Madīnah, 67km away from Rābigh, north of the region of Makkah. During Jāhiliyyah and the early period of Islam, it belonged to the dwellings of Banu Damrah, from the tribe of Kinānah. Today, it belongs to the dwellings of Banu ‘Amr ibn Harb. This visit took place during the year of the Conquest of Makkah, 8 A.H. The reason behind the Prophet's visit to her grave was to seek strong admonition and reminder by watching her grave. This is supported by his statement at the end of the Hadīth: "So, visit the graves, for they remind of death." It was said: The Prophet's visit to her grave, despite her being a disbeliever, was meant to teach the Ummah the rights due to one's parents and relatives. He did not fail to fulfill her rights although she was a disbeliever. When the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) saw the grave of his mother, he wept, and those around him wept for his weeping. So, clarifying the reason for his weeping, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "I sought permission from my Lord to ask forgiveness for her" - by supplicating for the pardon and elimination of sins - "but I was not permitted" because she was a disbeliever, and it is not permissible to ask for Allah's forgiveness for the disbelievers, for Allah will never forgive them. Allah Almighty says: {Allah does not forgive associating partners with Him but forgives anything less than that for whom He wills.} [Surat an-Nisā’: 48] The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said that he sought permission to visit the grave of his mother, and Allah Almighty permitted him to do that. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "So, visit the graves, for they," i.e., the graves or visiting the graves" remind of death." Remembrance of death softens the believing hearts, particularly when it is associated with the meanings of elimination, resurrection, questioning, and standing before Allah. In the Hadīth: It is prohibited to ask for Allah's forgiveness for anyone who dies in a religion other than Islam. And in it: Visiting non-Muslim parents And in it: Visiting the graves reminds of death and the Hereafter. And in it: Weeping during the visit to the graves.
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