I heard that our beloved Prophet ? asked us to visit graveyards so as to remember death. If so, will I be rewarded for watching videos or pictures of graveyards?
Answer:
All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.
It was established that the Prophet, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “Visit the graves for they remind you of the Hereafter.” [Ahmad and Ibn Majah]
In the wording of Al-Bukhari in his Al-Adab Al-Mufrad, and Ibn Hibban in his Saheeh, it goes “Visit the sick, and follow the funeral processions, so that you may be reminded of the Hereafter.” Watching video clips or pictures of graves may be useful as a good reminder.
However, someone who wants to comply with the Prophet’s guidance and obtain the reward for obedience to him should go to the graveyards for admonition and would not be satisfied with merely watching such videos.
Allah knows best.