The Section of Funerals · 78 – The Ruling on Walking with Shoes Among Graves
3230 – From Beşir, may Allah be pleased with him, a freedman of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him:
In the pre-Islamic period, Beşir’s name was Zahm bin Mabed. He emigrated to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, asked him, “What is your name?” Beşir said, "Zahm." The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said to him, “No, your name is Beşir.” Beşir said:
Once I was walking with the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, and we came across the graves of the polytheists. He said three times:
“They missed out on much good.” (He arrived before they did, and passed.)
Then he visited the graves of the Muslims: “These people attained to much good.” The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, looked carefully. And what did he see? A person was walking among the graves wearing shoes. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said to him:
“O you who wears two tanned shoes, woe to you, take off your shoes!” The man looked carefully. When he realized that the speaker was the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, he took them off and threw them away. [128]
EXPLANATION
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, forbade walking among graves with shoes because of the person’s arrogance or because filth might be under his shoes.
Sibt: Shoes made from leather whose surface has been tanned and its fuzz removed. They were often worn by the wealthy.
Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings upon him) said: “A person is placed in his grave, and his friends turn away from him, and he hears the sound of their shoes.” [129]
COMMENTARY
This honorable hadith serves as evidence that entering a cemetery wearing footwear is permissible. The reason for the prohibition regarding sandals made of skinless leather was mentioned in the preceding hadith.