Issue: Is it prescribed for a Muslim to place a fresh branch on graves?
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The Shaykh : If someone were to ask, "Is it prescribed for us to place a fresh branch, whether from a palm frond or otherwise, on a grave, or is it not prescribed?" The answer is the second option or the first?
The student: The second.
The Shaykh : The second. It is never prescribed. In fact, the one who places a fresh palm frond, a tree, or something similar on a grave has wronged the occupant of the grave. He has wronged him because he has accused him of what? Of being punished. If he were asked, "Do you testify that this grave is punishing its occupant?" he would say, "No, I do not know." We say that your action indicates that you testify that he is being punished, because the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) did not place a fresh palm frond on every grave, but rather placed it on two graves that were being punished. So if you place a palm frond, a tree, or something similar on a grave, the necessary consequence of this placement is that you are a witness that the occupant of this grave is being punished. Therefore, I warn some people who do this that they have wronged their deceased with a great wrong. Then, they followed what they had no knowledge of. And Allah the Exalted said:[Al-Isra 17:36] Then, they introduced into the religion what is not part of it, for the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) did not place that on every grave, but rather placed the palm frond on those who were being punished.
The student: The second.
The Shaykh : The second. It is never prescribed. In fact, the one who places a fresh palm frond, a tree, or something similar on a grave has wronged the occupant of the grave. He has wronged him because he has accused him of what? Of being punished. If he were asked, "Do you testify that this grave is punishing its occupant?" he would say, "No, I do not know." We say that your action indicates that you testify that he is being punished, because the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) did not place a fresh palm frond on every grave, but rather placed it on two graves that were being punished. So if you place a palm frond, a tree, or something similar on a grave, the necessary consequence of this placement is that you are a witness that the occupant of this grave is being punished. Therefore, I warn some people who do this that they have wronged their deceased with a great wrong. Then, they followed what they had no knowledge of. And Allah the Exalted said: