The ruling on designating a specific day for visiting graves and reciting al-Fatihah at them

Question:
This questioner, may Allah honor him, says: Some people have become accustomed, every Friday of the year, to go to the graves to recite al-Fatihah for the deceased. Is this an innovation? And is there any evidence regarding reciting al-Fatihah at the graves? May you be rewarded.

Answer:
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and all his Companions. As for what follows, visiting the graves is prescribed if the intention is to make du'a' for the deceased and to greet them, and there is reward in it. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: at the end. No specific time has been designated for it, neither Friday nor any other day. Whenever it is convenient for a person, he visits the graves. The one who designates Friday for this is committing an innovation, because this designation was not reported from the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). Second, reciting al-Fatihah or reciting anything from the Qur'an at the graves is an innovation, because this was not reported from the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). What was reported is making du'a' for them and greeting them. This is what was reported, so we do not add anything from ourselves.