Placing flower wreaths on the graves of disbelievers

The questioner:
The questioner says: Your Eminence the Shaykh, what is the ruling on placing flower wreaths on the graves of disbelievers, such as Marx and Lenin, as some people do when they visit Russia? And is this act considered disbelief?

The Shaykh:
He does not place them, neither on the graves of disbelievers nor on the graves of Muslims, for there is no basis for it. If the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) had placed a newspaper on the graves of two people who were being punished, it would have been known that they were being punished, but as for others, he would not place anything. However, it is not disbelief. If he places a newspaper or a flower, it does not make him a disbeliever; it is a wrong religious innovation, a wrong one, whether the grave is that of a disbeliever or a Muslim. Except if he places the flowers to draw near to the deceased, if he sees it as a means of drawing near to him, such as if he calls upon him besides Allah, then this would be disbelief. But if he places them as a social courtesy or as a custom, merely a custom that does not draw near to the deceased, then it is a blameworthy religious innovation.

Another questioner:
Exaggeration and respect.

The Shaykh:
If it is with the intention of drawing near to him, it is shirk (associating partners with Allah). But if it is a social courtesy to people, then it is a religious innovation that is not permissible.