The Myth of Those Who Believe That Souls Leave Their Graves and Roam the Places, Crying Out

Question:
May Allah reward you with good. In my country, and specifically in my region, when some people pass away in the village, they say that so-and-so’s soul came out at night and arrived in the village while crying out. They go to some shaykhs, who write a board for them, and they take the board to the deceased’s grave and place it there, after which this matter is concluded. Honorable Shaykh, is this true, or is it merely a belief and imagination? Please inform us. May Allah reward you with good.

Answer:
This is not correct; it is one of the myths promoted by these myth-makers and those who write these inscriptions in order to extort people’s money and confuse their beliefs. It is obligatory to abandon this practice and to declare it wrong. For the deceased, if they are Muslims, one should make du'a' for them, seek forgiveness for them, and give charity on their behalf; this is what benefits them. This is what the evidence has come with. As for the practice mentioned by the questioner, it is among the bid'ah (religious innovations) and myths that corrupt people’s beliefs, and it benefits neither the dead nor the living.