Flowers and a Sheet on an Artificial Grave

Question

In many places people make artificial graves and lay sheets and the like upon them. Is it permissible to do this on artificial graves? Such people cite as an example that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ planted green date-palm branches on two graves; but there the occupants of the graves were being punished, so the purpose of that was different, whereas here they lay flowers and the like for adornment?

Answer

Making artificial graves is deceiving the creation [of Allah], which is a sin (ma‘siya); and laying flowers and the like on graves is not correct. In the noble hadith it is related that the Noble Prophet ﷺ planted a branch on two graves — but that was because both of them were undergoing the punishment of the grave, and there the blessing (baraka)

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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