Worldly attachment

One must not make concession in Deen because of Dunya which will not exist forever. Dunya and whatever it contains are temporary. If we give whatever we have to get Dunya, at most we will get very little of what this Dunya contains and that also only for a very short time. And we will have to leave this little here before going in our Qabr.

Is it not a waste to run behind something that will not become ours? Have you ever seen that someone has caught his shadow? Dunya is a shadow. And that also, it is a shadow that is not stable. Today it is in your pocket and tomorrow it is in the pocket of another. Today, you are on it and tomorrow you will be under it. Thus, one should always think about the moment when one will be under it. This will make one behave as one should when one is on it. Nothing can remain under control without following principles and without any discipline. The principles and disciplines that must be followed to be balanced are the laws of Allah Ta'ala and the teachings of our Nabi (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam). A person who will constantly think about the time when he will be under the earth in his Qabr will see the necessity of living his life according to this principle. That is why Nabi (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam) recommended that we visit the Qabrastaan ​​which will remind us of our death. But it should not be done so regularly that it becomes so familiar to us to such an extent that it has no effect on us. What is essential is that we think of death that may weaken and decrease our attachment to this worldly life.

Can a woman also visit Qabrastaan ​​since they also need what men need? 

There are two opinions: According to one opinion, a woman is not allowed to go to Qabrastaan. This is based on the Hadith reported by Hazrat Abu Hurairah (Radiyallaahu Anhu), Hazrat Hassan Bin Thaabit (Radiyallaahu Anhu) and Hazrat Abdullah Bin Abbaas (Radiyallaahu Anhu) according to which Allah Ta'ala curses the women who make it a habit to do the Ziyaarat of the Qabrastaan. According to the 'Ulama who hold this opinion, the Hadith which authorises or recommends the practice of Ziyaarat of Qabrastaan ​​applies to men only.

According to the second opinion, elderly women are allowed, provided that there is no risk of being misled. Practically speaking, this condition is not impossible but is very difficult. If, at the beginning, everything goes smoothly, but with time, there will be indulgence, tolerance and negligence that will develop into total laxity. Eventually, it will go out of control, as is the case in many countries where undesirable, immoral and Haraam practices, even Shirk and Kufr are taking place. Allaamah Badruddeen Al-Aini (passed away in 855H) mentioned in his commentary Umdat-ul-Qaari on Saheeh Bukhari:

وحاصل الكلام من هذا كله ان زيارة القبور مكروهة للنساء بل حرام فى هذا الزمان ولا سيما نساء مصر لان خروجهن على وجه فيه الفساد والفتنة ... /

"The summary of all this is that Ziyaarat of Qabrastaan ​​is Makruh (an undesirable practice) for women or rather Haraam in this epoch especially for the ladies of Egypt because their coming out is in a way where there is Fassaad and Fitna." (Umdat-ul-Qaari)

Thus, those who authorised it, do so under certain conditions. The condition that "there must be no slips" if this is not the case initially, it will certainly be the case later on, as proven by previous experience. That is why the 'Ulama in general are in favour of the prohibition because it is not wise to open the door with such a harmful and serious risk.

[English version of "L’attachement mondaine" – Al Jamiat – Vol.6 No.7]