What is the ruling on taking bread and dates to graves and distributing them to people so that they pray for his healing if he is afflicted with something?

Question:
We have in our village a custom from the old customs, which is that there are three graves together in one of the places, and no one has known about these graves for a long time, and they are placed in this location. Unfortunately, most people believe that these are the graves of the awliya (close friends of Allah), so they have adopted customs from them: when a person is afflicted with illness or harm from people, some people say to him, "I have brought you dates and bread, gather a number of people to these graves, and distribute the dates and bread to them." They begin to make du'a' (supplication) at the grave, saying, "O people of the grave, this is a sadaqah (voluntary charity) presented by so-and-so, and perhaps Allah will heal him." Is this correct? We ask for your information and guidance of the people. May Allah reward you with good. You have associated us with Allah.

Answer:
Coming to the graves, and istighathah (calling for aid) to the dead, or making du'a' (supplication) at the graves, and praying at the graves, these are means to shirk (associating partners with Allah). So praying to Allah there and making du'a' to Allah there is a means to shirk. As for making du'a' to the buried ones, and istighathah (calling for aid) to them, and seeking help from them to heal the sick, this is shirk akbar (major shirk) that takes one out of the religion. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) warned his ummah (the Muslim community) from the fitnah (trial, discord or temptation) of the graves. So it is obligatory regarding the graves that they be protected from desecration, and that no harm be done to them by the living through treading on them, or climbing over them, or throwing filth on them. Rather, they are protected and preserved in a way that prevents climbing over them from above. This is what is prescribed regarding the graves. And if they are the graves of Muslims, then the one passing by them greets them and says, "As-salamu alaykum ya ahl al-qubur (Peace be upon you, O people of the graves), you are our predecessors and we are in your footsteps. I ask Allah for well-being for us and for you. O Allah, do not deprive us of their reward, and do not test us after them. Forgive us and them." He makes du'a' for himself and makes du'a' for the dead and greets them. As for the worst of that is believing in the blessing in them, and that du'a' and sadaqah (voluntary charity) at them are beneficial. This is from the matters of the jahiliyyah (the pre-Islamic age of ignorance), and this is one of the closest means to shirk and worshipping other than Allah. So it is obligatory to deny this thing and stay away from it. And whoever wants to give sadaqah (voluntary charity) or wants to make du'a' to Allah, he does that at other than the graves. He does that in the mosques that were built for the remembrance of Allah, or he does that in any place other than the graves. As for the graves, no du'a' is made at them, no prayer is performed at them, no sadaqah (voluntary charity) is given at them, and no belief is held in them. So even if it is known that they are the graves of the awliya (close friends of Allah), although asserting the wilayah (close friendship with Allah) of anyone is not permissible except with evidence from the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), but if it is established that this is the grave of a wali (close friend of Allah), it is the grave of a dead person, like the other dead. He does not possess benefit or harm for himself, and he does not possess the answering of one who called upon him or sought aid from him, because he is dead. And even if he were alive, and he were from the awliya (close friends of Allah), he is not asked for what he cannot do except Allah the Exalted, such as healing the sick, bringing benefit, and repelling harm, because this does not come except from Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He). Rather, the living person is asked for what he is able to do, such as assistance that he is able to provide with money or work or otherwise. As for the dead person, nothing is asked of him at all, because he is incapable of everything, and he has no power, because he is dead and his deeds have been cut off, and he has faced the Hereafter, and he has become in the realm of the barzakh (the interval between death and resurrection), and he has been cut off from this world, so he does not possess benefit or harm for himself. So how can he possess it for others? Yes. May Allah reward you with good, and may Allah reward you.