It is Sunnah to raise the grave as much as a Shibr Musannam

[ابوالوليد المسلم]

It is Sunnah to raise the grave as much as a Shibr Musannam

‘Abdullah bin Hamoud al-Furaih


It is Sunnah to raise the grave as much as a Shibr Musannam.

Shibr: what is between the tips of the two fingers: the little finger and thumb during normal movement. [1]


Musannam: to be placed unevenly so that the middle (of the grave) is above its sides. Opposite of Musanim: flat. This is the one that is placed flat from above like the surface.


In this regard there are 3 Sunnah:
1. The Sunnah of raising the grave to a level that is *****alent to the ground so that it is known that it is a grave. It is mercy for the deceased so that he is not insulted. Proof to raising the grave will follow. Among them: raising the grave of the Prophet (peace be upon him) was Musannam and because of the presence of influence from the companions (may Allah be pleased with them), making it clear that their work raised the graves.


2. The Sunnah that this amount should be the amount of a Shibr.
Proof to that: forbidding that the grave should not be raised to a level that it is clearly visible because of the Hadith of Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said to Abu Hayyaj Al Asdi: “I should not send you for what the Prophet (peace be upon him) did not send me for: that I should not leave a statue except that I have defaced it and in a narration: nor a picture except that I have defaced it, nor an honoured grave except that I have leveled it.”[2]


3. The Sunnah that the grave should be Musannam.
Proof to that: what Sufyan Al Tammar narrated: “that he saw the grave of the Prophet (peace be upon him) Musannam”[3]
v It is Sunnah when finishing with burying the deceased: that those burying him should ask for the forgiveness of the deceased at the grave and pray for his steadfastness.

One of them orders those present to do that: because of the Hadith of Othman (may Allah be pleased with them) who said: "if the Prophet (peace be upon him) finished with burying the deceased, he stood at him and said: "Seek forgiveness for your brother, and beg steadfastness for him, for he will be questioned now."[4]

[1] Look at: Al Qamoos Al Muheet (2/631)

[2] Narrated by Muslim number (969)

[3] Narrated by Al Bukhari number (1390)

[4] Narrated by Abu Dawud number (3221). His chain of narration was strengthened by Al Nawawi (in Al Majmu’ 54/292)