Placing a stick from a bush in the grave at burial

Question

In some places, in villages, a stick from a bush about one span long is placed inside the grave. As for the reason, in some places they say that the deceased will use it as a miswak (tooth-stick), and some say that because of it the punishment of the dead person will be lessened. What is the ruling on placing this stick?

Answer

[This] is baseless and wrong; it should not be placed.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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