Reciting the First and Last Āyāt of Sūrah al-Baqarah at the Grave After Burial

Question:

Assalamu alaykum. What is the ruling on reciting the first and last portion of Surah Baqarah at the grave right after burying the deceased? A local Alim says that it should be avoided as it is not authentically proven.

Jazakumullah

Answer:

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

Wa‘alaykumus salām wa-raḥmatullāhi wa-barakātuh

Once the deceased has been buried, it is mustaḥabb (desirable) for the opening (first five) verses of Sūrah al-Baqarah to be recited by the head side and the last two verses of Sūrah al-Baqarah at the feet side. However, this practice should not be regarded as compulsory; if people begin to consider it compulsory, then it should be occasionally left out. [i]

Consider the following narration:

عن عبد الرحمن بن العلاء بن اللجلاج، عن ابيه أنه قال لبنيه اذا أدخلت القبر فضعوني في اللحد وقولوا: بسم الله وعلى سنة رسول الله، وسنوا علي التراب سناً، واقرأوا عند رأسي أول البقرة وخاتمتها، فاني رأيت عبد الله بن عمر يستحب ذلك. (تاريخ يحيى بن معين برواية الدوري ٢/٣٧٩، حديث: ٥٤١٣. السنن الكبرى للبيهقي ٥/٤٠٤. المعجم الكبير للطبراني بتصرف يسير ٨/٢١٩)

The following muḥaddithūn narrated the above narration with the reference of aṭ-Ṭabrānī and have authenticated it:

1. Al-Haythamī in “Majma‘ az-Zawā’id” (3/124)

2. Az-Zayla‘ī in “Naṣb ar-Rāyah” (2/302)

3. Ibn Ḥajar al-‘Asqalānī in “ad-Dirāyah fī Talkhīṣ Naṣb ar-Rāyah” (1/241)

4. Ash-Shawkānī in “Nayl al-Awṭār” (p. 80-81)

5. An-Nimawī in “Āthār as-Sunan” (p. 272)

6. Ẓafar Aḥmad ‘Uthmānī in “I‘lā’ as-Sunan” (8/342)

7. ‘Abdullāh al-Ghumārī in “al-Ḥāwī” (p. 31)

8. Wahbī Sulaymān al-Ghāwijī in “Arkān al-Islām” (p. 312)

The above has been cited by Muftī As‘adullāh Khān Peshāwarī in a lengthy treatise written on this topic, titled: “Qabr Par Sūrah Baqarah Awwal-o-Ākhir Kī Tilāwat – Ek Taḥqīqī Jā’izah”. For detailed research on this topic one may refer to the above-mentioned treatise.

Note: It is not permissible to appoint and pay someone to recite the Qur’ān at the grave. Such practice is ḥarām.

And Allah knows best

(Mufti) Bilal al-Mahmudi

11 Dhū l-Qa‘dah 1440 / 14 July 2019

Concurred by: Mufti Faisal al-Mahmudi


[i] عن عبد الله بن عمر (رضي الله عنهما) قال: سمعت النبي (صلى الله عليه وسلم) يقول: إذا مات أحدكم فلا تحبسوه وأسرعوا به الى قبره، وليقرأ عند رأسه فاتحة البقرة، وعند رجليه بخاتمة البقرة. (البيهقي في شعب الايمان والطبراني في المعجم)

وفي السراج: ويستحب أن يقرأ على القبر بعد الدفن أول سورة البقرة وخاتمتها. (حاشية الطحطاوي على مراقي الفلاح. ص ٦٢١. قديمي)

وكان ابن عمر (رضي الله عنهما) يستحب أن يقرأ على القبر بعد الدفن أول سورة البقرة وخاتمتها … فقد ثبت أنه عليه السلام قرأ أول سورة البقرة عند رأس الميت وأخرها عند رجليه. (رد المحتار على الدر المختار. ج ٢، ص ٢٣٧ و٢٤٢. سعيد)

(أحكام الجنائز للإمام إبراهيم بن يوسف البولوي. ص ٢٨١. دار الضياء)

(تأليفات رشيديه مع فتاوى رشيديه. ص ٢٣٢. مكتبة الحق ممبي)

(امداد الفتاوى. ج ١، ص ٥٧٢-٥٧٣. مكتبه دار العلوم كراتشي)

(كفايت المفتي. ج ٥، ص ٤٩٦. جامعه فاروقيه)

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IMPORTANT - PLEASE READ FIRST
  • The ruling given is based specifically on the question posed and should only be read in conjunction with that question.
  • Due to the number of queries received, please allow a minimum of 7 days for your question to be answered.
  • If two questions are asked at once or the question requires a detailed research, please allow up to three or four weeks for your question to be answered. Urgent queries will be given priority.
  • Kindly do not submit more than three questions at once.
  • If you do not receive a response within 10 days, kindly resubmit your query.
  • Our responses may reach your junk folder and not your inbox. Be sure to check your junk folder before resubmitting your query.
  • Note: Not all answers are published on the site. All efforts are made to conceal the questioner’s identity. Please note that we do not answer social queries or dream interpretation questions.