The Ruling on Visiting Graves and Speaking to the Dead

Question:
May Allah reward you. The questioner says, may Allah reward you: What is the ruling on visiting graves and making du'a' (supplication) for them? Is it permissible to talk to them and inform them of one's condition and health, and to tell the deceased that he has been blessed with children, and so on?

Answer:
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) defined the legislated visit as visiting them to greet them and make du'a' for them, because they are in need of du'a'. As for chatting with them, informing them, saying "so-and-so got married," or saying "so-and-so did this"—that is not mentioned in the hadith, nor is there any benefit or advantage for them in it. They are in need of your du'a', not in need of the chatter you tell them about what happened or what did not happen. They are in need of righteous du'a'. As for the one who visits graves in order to make du'a' to the dead, to draw near to the dead, and to take them as intermediaries between him and Allah, that is a visit of shirk (associating partners with Allah), and may Allah protect us from it, and it is forbidden.