Question :
A question was asked regarding the validity of placing flowers on graves.
Fatwa in Brief: Putting flowers on graves
is a reprehensible innovation because it is an imitation
of the unbelievers (kuffar).
The Permanent Committee,
9/89-92
Response:
The branches of plants and
their stalks glorify God as long as they are not dry
[i.e. they are still alive/recently cut]. They bring
God’s kindness to the body lying in the grave, because,
as with all living things, they praise God [tasbih].
Commentary:
Al-Bukhari includes a
hadith narrated by Ibn ‘Abbas, in which the Prophet
(upon him be peace) once passed by two graves, and said,
‘They [those lying in the graves] are being tortured,
though not for a great sin. One of them allowed himself
to be defiled by urine, while the other spread rumours
[and thus dissent]’. He [the Prophet, peace be upon him]
took a green leaf of a date-palm tree, split it into two
pieces, and fixed one on each grave, saying ‘I hope that
their punishment may be lessened until they (the leaves)
dry’.
In another incident reported
by Ibn Hibban in his Sahih, Abu Hurayra narrated that
the Prophet (peace be upon him) stopped by a grave. He
turned to his companions to bring him two green Palm
leaves. He placed one at the head [of the grave] and the
second at the feet.
The wisdom behind such acts
is: It is said that all parts of a plant still glorify
God, as long as they are fresh[ly cut]. Their presence
eases the hardship of death because they praise God
[through the blessing of tasbih]. The same is
true of trees, and all living things. In this view, the
placing of plants, twigs and flowers on graves may not
be prohibited so long as we remember that the only One
who grants benefit and wreaks harm is God. Prayers (du‘a),
acts of charity and other works on behalf of the dead
are ways through which we ask God to be merciful for the
deceased. As for imitating non-believers, this is not of
itself prohibited (haram), unless we set out
intentionally to do so.
And God knows best.
Dr. ‘Ali Mansur
