Question Summary:
As a female am I allowed to visit the graveyard. My beloved brother Younus Hamid Halifa passed away on 20 Nov 06 may Allah grant him the highest place in Janat, Janat-Al- Firdos ameen.

Question Detail:

1.       As a female am I allowed to visit the graveyard. My beloved brother Younus Hamid Halifa passed away on 20 Nov 06 may Allah grant him the highest place in Janat, Janat-Al- Firdos ameen. 
2.       Are we allowed to take photos of a grave?

Answer :

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
In general, women are soft hearted and they tend to cry and lament over the graves, especially if the graves belong to their loved ones. It is for this reason that the Shariah prohibits them from visiting the graves.
However, if a woman feels that she can control herself and her object is to benefit spiritually, then she shall be permitted to visit the graveyards on condition that she is old and adheres to the Shari’ pardah. Young women are not permitted to visit the graveyard under any circumstance.
Moreover, there is a strong possibility that their visiting the graveyard leads to other vices; and it is incorrect to commit a haram act to fulfill a desirable act. Therefore, it is advisable that the women do not visit the graveyard at all, whether young or old.
 
Fataawa Mahmoodiya Vol:2  Pgs:368,397,407,444 (Maktabah Mahmoodiyah)   
Rad-ul-Muhtar Vol:2  Pg:241 (H.M. Sa’eed Company)
قوله: (ولو للنساء) وقيل تحرم عليهن.
والاصح أن الرخصة ثابتة لهن.
بحر.
وجزم في شرح المنية بالكراهة لما مر في اتباعهن الجنازة.
وقال الخير الرملي: إن كان ذلك لتجديد الحزن والبكاء والندب على ما جرت به عادتهن فلا تجوز، وعليه حمل حديث: لعن الله زائرات القبور وإن كان للاعتبار والترحم من غير بكاء والتبرك بزيارة قبور الصالحين فلا بأس إذا كن عجائز.
ويكره إذا كن شواب كحضور الجماعة في المساجد اه.
وهو توفيق حسن.
As far as taking photo of the grave is concerned, we do not see any benefit in shariah in doing so.

And Allah knows best

Wassalam

Ml. M. Jawed Iqbal,
Student Darul Iftaa

Checked and Approved by:

Mufti Ebrahim Desai
Darul Iftaa, Madrassah In'aamiyyah