Question

There are numerous narrations that I cam across regarding Scholars and Awliyaa, that they dug their own graves and sat inside to recite Quran Khatms inside. I know there is permissibility of digging one’s own grave in the Hanafi madhab. However, is sitting inside it and reciting quran khatms a permissible act? Will this come under bidah? Can you please elaborate the definition of bidah in this regard with sufficient sources?

Answer

Bid’ah has been defined in different ways by different scholars. One definition is, an innovation in belief, practice or state which conflicts with the truth received from the Prophet (may Allah bless him and give him peace) and is considered to be a part of the religion.

The above mentioned definition informs us that a religious innovation is something which conflicts with the teachings of the Prophet (may Allah bless him and give him peace) and is considered to be part of the religion. If however, the shari’ah is silent on a particular matter and the individual does not consider their act to be a part of the religion then the act will not necessarily be considered a religious innovation.

As for the case in question, reciting the Qur’an in and of itself is part of the religion, however, the shari’ah does not restrict where a person can recite the Qur’an. Rather, one can recite Qur’an whilst in salat, whilst walking or sitting, whilst at home or in the masjid or even in the park. There is no restriction in this regard. If one was to choose to recite the Qur’an whilst sitting in a grave to help them contemplate on the afterlife this would be permissible provided that one does not consider this to be a part of the religion and does not consider it to be necessary.

عمدة القاري شرح صحيح البخاري (5/ 230)
والمبتدع) وَهُوَ الَّذِي يرتكب الْبِدْعَة، والبدعة لُغَة: كل شَيْء عمل عَليّ غير مِثَال سَابق، وَشرعا إِحْدَاث مَا لم يكن لَهُ أصل فِي عهد رَسُول الله صلى الله عَلَيْهِ وَسلم، وَهِي عل قسمَيْنِ: بِدعَة ضَلَالَة، وَهِي الَّتِي ذكرنَا، وبدعة حَسَنَة: وَهِي مَا رَآهُ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ حسنا وَلَا يكون مُخَالفا للْكتاب أَو السّنة أَو الْأَثر أَو الْإِجْمَاع

الدر المختار وحاشية ابن عابدين (رد المحتار) (1/ 560)
وحينئذ فيساوي تعريف الشمني لها بأنها ما أحدث على خلاف الحق المتلقى عن رسول الله – صلى الله عليه وسلم – من علم أو عمل أو حال بنوع شبهة واستحسان، وجعل دينا قويما وصراطا مستقيما اهـ فافهم

Answered by:
Ifta Research Fellow

Checked & Approved by:
Mufti Abdul Rahman Mangera
Mufti Zubair Patel