Sunan Ibn Majah
Sunan Ibn Majah 1572
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عُبَيْدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا يَزِيدُ بْنُ كَيْسَانَ، عَنْ أَبِي حَازِمٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ زَارَ النَّبِيُّ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ قَبْرَ أُمِّهِ فَبَكَى وَأَبْكَى مَنْ حَوْلَهُ فَقَالَ: " اسْتَأْذَنْتُ رَبِّي فِي أَنْ أَسْتَغْفِرَ لَهَا فَلَمْ يَأْذَنْ لِي وَاسْتَأْذَنْتُ رَبِّي فِي أَنْ أَزُورَ قَبْرَهَا فَأَذِنَ لِي فَزُورُوا الْقُبُورَ فَإِنَّهَا تُذَكِّرُكُمُ الْمَوْتَ " .
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Abu Bakr ibn Abi Shaybah narrated to us; Muhammad ibn Ubayd narrated to us; Yazid ibn Kaysan narrated to us, from Abu Hazim, from Abu Hurayrah, who said: ‘The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) visited his mother’s grave and wept, causing those around him to weep. He said, “I asked my Lord for permission to seek forgiveness for her, but He did not permit me. I asked my Lord for permission to visit her grave, and He permitted me. So visit graves, for they remind you of death.”’
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The report distinguishes permission to visit the grave from permission to seek forgiveness for his mother; both are stated explicitly.