The reason that the Woman is prevented from visiting the Graves

Question :

What is the wisdom behind preventing the women from visiting the graves?

Answer:

It is not for the woman to visit the graves. Rather, the most correct view from the statements of the people of knowledge is that her visiting the graves is forbidden, and it is from the major sins. This is because the Prophet cursed the women who visit the graves, and the curse is only for a major sin. For this reason, the people of knowledge have pointed out that one of the signs of the major sin is that it contains the curse (of Allâh or His Messenger). This is because it (this curse) is a tremendous punishment, and the tremendous punishment is only for a tremendous sin.

However, if the woman happens to pass by the graveyards, there is no sin on her that she stops and supplicates for the people in the graves. In reference to her leaving out of her house intending to visit the graves, then this is forbidden.

The wisdom behind this is that the women visiting graves contains evils. Among these evils is the fact that the woman has a weak will and strong emotions. It is likely that if she comes to the grave of her relative, like her mother or her father, she will not be able to bear her grief. Thus, she will begin crying, wailing and lamenting, which will be harmful to her in her religion and her body.

Also, from the wisdom in this is that if the woman is allowed to visit the graves, which usually do not have any people at them, she will be exposed to the harms of the wicked and sinful people that may come to this empty place. Then something may happen to her that might have detestable consequences.

Also, from the wisdom in this is that the woman is weak in her will and strong in her emotions. She may take the visiting of graves to be a habitual practice and thereby lose the beneficial things of her religion and her worldly life. Her soul will then remain attached to this visiting.

If there was no wisdom in preventing women from visiting the graves other than that the Messenger cursed the women who visit the graves, then that only would be sufficient as a reason to beware of it and avoid it. This is because if Allâh decrees a command in His Book or upon the tongue of His Messenger, then we have no choice or opinion in the matter.

Source:
Ash-Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaimin
Fatawa Islamiyah, Vol. 3 Pages 104-105