Raya is not all about visiting your friends & relatives but also 1 of the times when we visit the cemetery to pay our respects to the dearly departed.
Recently, a local singer, better known as Baby Shima visited the grave of her grandfather and according to the caption on her Instagram post, it has been 2 years since she last paid respects to her late grandfather. As Baby Shima is a Muslim, things got heated for a bit at first as she was seen visiting a Christian cemetery.
A small number of netizens have since questioned her faith after the video of her visiting the cemetery circulated online. Fortunately, Malaysians have “gathered” in the comment sections and defended her actions as visiting the cemetery of different religions is actually permissible.
“It’s not even haram to visit the grave of a non-Muslim. Netizens, make sure you’re knowledgeable before commenting.”
“Don’t freak out, netizens. It’s not something odd for a Muslim to visit the cemeteries of other religions. Come mingle around with us Borneoians, you’ll know the meaning of harmony.”
In an Instagram story that has since expired, Baby Shima revealed that she has a lot of relatives who are Christians, including her grandmother and her recently-deceased grandfather.
Is the visit permissible?
In case you are still wondering if visiting a non-Muslim cemetery is permissible for Muslims, an old video of a preacher, Ustaz Azhar Idrus clarifying the issue has since resurfaced.
Yes, Muslims are allowed to visit the grave of a non-Muslim to pay respects. However, any forms of prayers or worshipping based on other religions are not allowed.
1 of the most beautiful things about Malaysia is the diversity in culture and races. It is certainly flattering to see Malaysians stepping up and speaking up for the right thing.
