It was narrated that Sa’eed bin Musayyab said: “I was present with Ibn ‘Umar at a funeral. When the body was placed in the niche-grave) he said, ‘Bismillah wa fi sabil-illah wa ‘ala millati rasul-illah’ (In the Name of Allah, for the sake of Allah and according to the religion of the Messenger of Allah). When he started to place bricks in the niche-grave he said: ‘Allahumma ajirha min ash-shaitani wa min ‘adhabil-qabr. Allahumma Jafil-arda ‘an janbaiha, wa sa’id ruhaha, wa laqqiha minka ridwana (O Allah, protect him from Satan and from the torment of the grave; O Allah, keep the earth away from his two sides and take his soul up and grant him pleasure from Yourself).’ I said: ‘O Ibn ‘Umar, is this something that you heard from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) or is it your own words?’ He said: ‘I could have said something like that, but this is something that I heard from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ).’”

It was narrated that Ibn ‘Abbas said: “The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: ‘The niche-grave is for us and the ditch-grave is for others.”

It was narrated that Jarir bin ‘Abdullah Al-Bajali said: “The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: ‘The niche-grave is for us and the ditch-grave is for others.’”

It was narrated that Sa’d said: “Make a niche-grave for me, and block it up with bricks as was done for the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ).”

It was narrated that Anas bin Malik said: “When the Prophet (ﷺ) died, there was a man in Al-Madinah who used to make a niche in the grave and another who used to dig graves without a niche. They said: ‘Let us pray Istikharah to our Lord and call for them both, and whichever of them comes first, we will let him do it.’ So they were both sent for, and the one who used to make the niche-grave came first, so they made a niche-grave for the Prophet (ﷺ).”

It was narrated that ‘Aishah said: “When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) died, they differed as to whether his grave should have a niche or a ditch in the ground, until they spoke and raised their voices concerning that. Then ‘Umar said: ‘Do not shout in the presence of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), living or dead,’ or words to that effect. So they sent for both the one who made a niche and the one who dug graves without a niche, and the one who used to make a niche came and dug a grave with a niche for the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), then he (ﷺ) was buried.”

It was narrated that Adra’ As-Sulami said: “I came one night to guard the Prophet (ﷺ), and there was a man reciting loudly. The Prophet (ﷺ) came out and I said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, this man is showing off.’ Then he died in Al-Madinah, and they finished preparing him, then they carried his dead body. The Prophet (ﷺ) said: ‘Be gentle with him, may Allah be gentle with him, for he loved Allah and His Messenger.’ Then his grave was dug and he (the Prophet (ﷺ)) said: ‘Make it spacious for him, and may Allah make it spacious for him.’ Some of his Companions said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, you are grieving for him.’ He said: ‘Yes indeed, for he loved Allah and His Messenger.’”

It was narrated from Hisham bin ‘Amir that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “Dig the grave deep, make it spacious and prepare it well.”

It was narrated from Anas bin Malik that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) marked the grave of ‘Uthman bin Maz’un with a rock.

It was narrated that Jabir said: “The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) forbade plastering over graves.”