TP9: The 4th Stop of our 'Journey'...

In the garden behind the Suleymaniye Masjid there are two mausoleums including the tombs of sultan Suleiman I, his wife Roxelana, his daughter Mihrimah, his mother Dilaşub Saliha and his sister Asiye. The sultans Suleiman II, Ahmed II and Safiye (died in 1777), the daughter of Mustafa II, are also buried here. After the Friday prayer, I paid a visit to these tombs. As I entered the garden gate, I was quite surprised that I was actually in the cemetery garden. Not like in Malaysia, Egypt or any other parts of the Muslim world, the gravestones of the cemeteries here were relatively very tall, that is, around 3 – 4 feet. In the great graveyard of Baqi’ near An Nabawi Masjid, Madinah and also the cemeteries of Saidina Hamzah ra (may Allah swt pleased with him) and other companions at Uhud, people uses around 4 inches radius pebble as the gravestone or rather as a marker. In Egypt, however, most of the cemeteries are in the form of terraces of small buildings made from brick cement. Well, the point that I really want to make is; from what I have learnt and read, building any kind of building on top of someone’s graveyard is prohibited in Islam. Allah hu ‘Alam.
On the other side of it, paying visit to graveyards is encouraged in Islam, especially the tomb of the great wise pious people, such as the Prophets, the Sahabah, great leaders who had sacrificed their wealth, time and efforts for Islam, etc.
On the other side of it, paying visit to graveyards is encouraged in Islam, especially the tomb of the great wise pious people, such as the Prophets, the Sahabah, great leaders who had sacrificed their wealth, time and efforts for Islam, etc.

There were many tourists of different nationalities curious and eagerly to find out what are inside the huge mausoleums. As for me, I joint the queue, went in and recited chapter 1-Al Fatihah of the holy Qur’an, a form of ‘present’ to the great Sultan and his family members. I circled around the building and saw few men raised their hands supplicating before Allah swt in a very determined manner. I must say, the interior was amazing and the area is well maintained and secured. There were few securities reminding people on the dos and the dons while inside the mausoleums. Al Fatihah…aamiin.