What is the authenticity of the hadith in which the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) passed by two graves being tortured, so he broke a palm branch over them and said, “Perhaps it will lighten their punishment as long as they do not dry out”

The questioner: Peace be upon you.

The Shaykh : And upon you be peace and the mercy of Allah.

The questioner : How are you, our Shaykh?

The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah, I am well.

The questioner: Excuse me, a question?

The Shaykh: Go ahead.

The questioner: My master, in a book called “Diwan al-Bukhari” with the commentary of al-Qastallani, there are seven hundred explained hadiths, authored by Mustafa Muhammad 'Amara, al-Maktab al-Islami, Beirut. In this book, hadith number fifty-two is from Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both): “That the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) passed by a wall of the walls of Madinah or Makkah, and he heard the voices of two people being tortured in their graves.” And in this hadith it says: “Then he called for a branch—meaning a palm branch—and broke it into two pieces, and he placed one piece on each of their graves, hoping that it would lighten [their punishment]—of course, the Companions asked him why he did this? He said: . What is the extent of the authenticity of the hadith first? The author wrote in the introduction that this hadith is from the hadiths of al-Bukhari. The book, of course, is entirely from the hadiths of al-Bukhari, and he selected them from “Fath al-Bari” or from “Sahih al-Bukhari.” So what is the extent of the authenticity of the hadith first, and then what is the ruling on planting on graves, whether it is palm, olive, or otherwise?

The Shaykh : The hadith is authentic.

The questioner: Yes.

The Shaykh : The hadith is authentic.

The questioner: Yes.

The Shaykh: And planting is a religious innovation.

The questioner: Yes.

The Shaykh: And the matter is specific to the Messenger (peace be upon him).

The questioner : (peace and blessings be upon him).

The Shaykh: And the lightening was not due to the branch, but rather the lightening was due to the supplication of the Messenger (peace be upon him).

The questioner : (peace and blessings be upon him).

The Shaykh: Which Allah answered by lightening their punishment as long as the two branches did not dry out. So the remaining moisture is not a cause for lightening the punishment, but rather a sign for the duration of the lightening of the punishment. This duration occurred for the deceased by the virtue of the supplication of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), not by the virtue of the branches. If that were the case, you would have seen the graves of the Muslims from the time of the noble Prophet to this day become green gardens, and the graves of the disbelievers today have become green gardens, planted with tall green trees, and yet they are being tortured in their graves. So the summary of the answer is: the moisture and the lack of dryness in the two pieces is not the cause of the lightening. Even we plant trees and green seedlings on our graves. Rather, it is a sign of the acceptance of the supplication of the Messenger. So where is this supplication for the rest of the deceased?! Perhaps the answer has become clear to you?

The questioner: May Allah reward you with good, but does that mean the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) did not suffice with the supplication without planting the two plants?

The Shaykh: It is not for you to say such a thing, may Allah guide you.

The questioner: I seek forgiveness from Allah and I repent to Him.

The Shaykh: It is not appropriate.