8/13. Chapter:
Sunan an-Nasai 703 — Graves as Mosques
The Prohibition Of Taking Graves As Masjids
Hadith About Not Taking Graves as Places of Worship
Sunan an-Nasai : 703
Sunan an-NasaiHadith Number 703
أَخْبَرَنَا سُوَيْدُ بْنُ نَصْرٍ، قَالَ أَنْبَأَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ الْمُبَارَكِ، عَنْ مَعْمَرٍ، وَيُونُسَ، قَالاَ قَالَ الزُّهْرِيُّ أَخْبَرَنِي عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، أَنَّ عَائِشَةَ، وَابْنَ، عَبَّاسٍ قَالاَ لَمَّا نُزِلَ بِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَطَفِقَ يَطْرَحُ خَمِيصَةً لَهُ عَلَى وَجْهِهِ فَإِذَا اغْتَمَّ كَشَفَهَا عَنْ وَجْهِهِ قَالَ وَهُوَ كَذَلِكَ " لَعْنَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَى الْيَهُودِ وَالنَّصَارَى اتَّخَذُوا قُبُورَ أَنْبِيَائِهِمْ مَسَاجِدَ " .
'Aishah and Ibn 'Abbas Narrated from:
When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was on his deathbed, he had a Khamisah over his face. When his temperature rose, he would uncover his face. When his temperature rose, he would uncover his face. While he was like that he said: 'May Allah curse the Jews and Christians, for they took the graves of their Prophets as places of worship.'
Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 703In-book reference : Book 8, Hadith 16English translation : Vol. 1, Book 8, Hadith 704
Summary of Sunan an-Nasai Hadith 703
This hadith about graves as mosques is a serious warning spoken during the Prophet’s final illness. Aishah and Ibn Abbas reported that the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم had a Khamisah over his face. When his temperature rose, he would uncover his face. In that state, he said that Allah’s curse was upon the Jews and Christians because they took the graves of their Prophets as places of worship. The wording is direct and strong. The core message is to keep worship directed to Allah and not turn the graves of Prophets into Masjids. The hadith focuses on a specific practice and warns against copying it.
What we learn from this hadith
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم gave this warning during a very serious moment of illness.
- Graves of Prophets must not be taken as places of worship.
- The wording shows the seriousness of protecting worship from wrong practices.
- The report keeps the focus on where and how worship should be directed.
