It is customary for Muslims to visit the graves of their loved ones ahead of Hari Raya to pray their respects to the dearly departed.
Recently, a local singer, Baby Shima took to her Instagram to share her visit to the grave of her late grandfather. In the post, she said that it has been 2 years since she last paid respects to him.
However, things got heated as Baby Shima being a Muslim, was seen visiting a Christian cemetery.
Some netizens questioned her faith after the video of her visiting the cemetery went circulated online.
Fortunately, many netizens in the comment sections defended her and explain that visiting the cemetery of different religions is actually permissible in Islam.
“It’s not even haram to visit the grave of a non-Muslim. Netizens, make sure you’re knowledgeable before commenting.” a netizen said.
“Don’t be surprised, people. It’s not odd for a Muslim to visit the cemeteries of other religions. Come mingle around with us Borneoians, you’ll know the meaning of harmony.” another netizen commented.
Meanwhile, Baby Shima revealed that she has a lot of relatives who are Christians, including her grandmother and her recently-deceased grandfather.
If you are still wondering whether Muslims are allowed to visit the cemetery of non-Muslims, this old video of a preacher, Ustaz Azhar Idrus clarifies the issue.
The conclusion is that Muslims are allowed to visit the grave of a non-Muslim to pay respects. However, they should not perform any forms of prayers or worshipping based on other religions.
Malaysia is known for its diversity in culture and races and we should all learn to live in harmony. It is also flattering to see Malaysians stepping up and speaking up for the right thing.
