Keep the Grave away from the Mosque

Question:

A man built a mosque and he directed his family to place his grave in the mosque (after his death). Then he died and he was buried in the mosque in front of the Qiblah. And the distance between the grave and the worshippers is only one meter. I request your advice in this matter.

Answer:

This grave must be removed from the mosque and placed far away from the mosque, in the local cemetery, because its presence in the mosque is an incitement to commit Shirk. Being that it is in the direction of the Qiblah makes the prohibition all the more extreme, for it is nearer still to associating partners with Allah, by worship of the grave's inhabitant. The rule on this has been expounded in the Hadith narrated by the Two Shaikhs, on the authority of Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, in which he said:

May Allah destroy the Jews and Christians; they took the graves of their Prophets as places of worship.

Muslim narrated that the Prophet said:
"Do not sit on the graves and do not pray towards them.»

Muslim also narrated that the Prophet said:
"Verily, those before you used to take the graves of their Prophets and their righteous folk as places of worship, so do not take the graves as places of worship, for I forbid you to do So.

May peace and blessings of Allah be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon all his family and Companions.

Source:
Fatawa Islamiyah, Vol. 1 Pages 180-181