What is the ruling on placing markers on graves to identify them
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Question : We conclude this session with a question from the questioner Abu Usamah from the Arab Republic of Egypt. He says: What is the ruling on placing markers on graves so that they are known during visits to the graves?
Answer : Placing markers on graves is permissible as long as it does not reach the level of exaggeration, such as placing a stone at the grave to identify its occupant. However, placing a large, long mound, or placing a stone engraved with plaster or gypsum, or something similar, is not permissible. This is due to the statement of Abu al-HayyatRiyad as-Salihin 1687, and because it is established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he forbade plastering Mishkat al-Masabih 1697. May Allah reward you, Honorable Shaykh, and may Allah bless you.
Answer : Placing markers on graves is permissible as long as it does not reach the level of exaggeration, such as placing a stone at the grave to identify its occupant. However, placing a large, long mound, or placing a stone engraved with plaster or gypsum, or something similar, is not permissible. This is due to the statement of Abu al-Hayyat
'Ali bin Abu Talib (May Allah be pleased with him) said to me: "Shall I not send you to do a task that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) had assigned to me? Spare no portrait unwiped out, and leave not a high grave unlevelled."
قال لي علي بن أبي طالب رضي الله عنه ألا أبعثك على ما بعثني عليه رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ألا تدع صورة أو قال تمثالا إلا ضمسته ولا قبرا مشرفا إلا سويتهthat any erection should be built over them
القبر وأن يبنى عليه وأن يكتب عليه
Source
قناة «فضيلة الشيخ محمد بن صالح العثيمين»، 1669- ما حكم وضع العلامات على القبور لمعرفتها/سؤال على الهاتف 📞 /ابن عثيمين — youtube.com
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.