Visiting the graveyard

Q: Is it permissible for ladies to go to the graveyard? Not for burial but to pray at a quiet time when it’s not busy.

Q: Is there any virtue of visiting the graveyard on a Friday compared to any other day?

Q: Is it permissible to ask a deceased wali (or a deceased murshid) to do dua for oneself?

Q:

1. I wanted to know the etiquette and sunnah when visiting the qabrastaan? What is best for one to do when in the qabrastaan?

2. What should one recite and what will be most beneficial to read for the deceased when in the qabrastaan (closest to sunnah)?

3. When is it sunnah and most preferable to visit the qabrastaan?

4. Is there anything mentioned regarding pouring water over the qabr? If there is any book or literature on visiting the graveyard then please do let us know.

Q: What is the ruling over the regular and constant maintenance of a Muslim Graveyard? I have heard that the graveyard must be left on its own state and let the wild bushes grow.

Secondly, is the beautification of a graveyard allowed?

Q:

1. May ladies go to the qabrastaan?

2. May we attend a non-Muslims funeral by entering a church and graveyard?

Q: Is visiting the grave shirk (polytheism)?

Did any of the 4 imams (Hanafi, Shafi, Hanbali, Maliki) ever visit the graveyard? 

Q: It it known that the mubarak grave of Hazrat Amina (the mother of our beloved Nabi [sallallahu alaihi wasallam]) is in Abwa close to Makkah Mukarramah? Is it permissible to visit the place?

Q: What is the status of visiting the graveyard on the night preceding Eid or on Eid day?

Q:

1. What is the correct method of doing esaal-e-sawaab during ziyarat of a grave in the graveyard?

2. Are we supposed to raise the hands like in dua while doing esaal-e-sawaab facing the grave?