Walking in Graveyards with Shoes: Understanding the Islamic Perspective

Is it Permissible to Wear Shoes in a Graveyard?

Question: In Abu Dawood (3230), the Prophet (ﷺ) instructed a man walking between graves wearing shoes to remove them. This suggests that one should not walk with shoes in a graveyard. However, in places like Baqi’ al-Gharqad, people commonly walk wearing shoes. Why is this so?  

Answer: The hadith from Abu Dawood, which Sheikh al-Albani graded as Hasan, indicates that individuals should remove their shoes when walking between graves to avoid disrespecting them. However, some scholars have permitted entering graveyards with shoes when necessary, citing another hadith in Abu Dawood (3231), where Anas (RA) narrated:  

“When a servant (of Allah) is placed in his grave, and his Companions depart from him, he hears the stepping sound of their shoes.”

This hadith does not explicitly require walking with or without shoes between graves. However, based on the preferred opinion of scholars, wearing shoes in a graveyard is permissible when there is a valid reason, such as the presence of thorns, stones, or rough terrain. If no such reason exists, it is better to walk barefoot. In graveyards like Baqi’, where pathways are designated, wearing shoes is not objectionable.

Respondent: Sheikh Maqbool Ahmed Salafi Hafizahullah 

Jeddah Dawah Center, Saudi Arabia  

English Interpreter: Hasan Fuzail