Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

ASSALAMU-ALAIKUM DEAR BROTHER BURHAN,

WHAT IS THE SUNNAH OR ISLAMIC CONCEPT OF PUTTING

A BRANCH OF TREE ON THE TOP AFTER COVERING THE GRAVE WITH MUD,

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Keeping branch of tree on graves

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Fiqh-us-Sunnah Fiqh 4.74a

Topic: Placing Branches of Palm on a Grave

Ibn Abbas (r.a.) reported that "The Prophet (saws) passed by two graves and said, 'Those two are being punished for a minor sins (in their graves). The first did not clean himself carefully after urinating. The second one used to spread lies.' Then the Prophet (saws) asked for a fresh branch of a palm tree, broke it into two parts, and then he (saws) placed a part on each of them, saying, 'I hope that this will reduce their punishment for as long as the branch remains fresh.' (Related by Bukhari).

Bukhari reports in his commentary to the above quoted incident that, "There is absolutely no evidence to show that anyone amongst the noble companions of the Prophet (saws) ever put a branch of a palm or a bunch of flowers on graves.’

The absolute majority of the good scholars and jurists in Islam are of the opinion that the placing of the fresh branch of a palm tree was a specific incident and a supplication of the Prophet (saws) for the two specific graves, not the general practice of the Prophet (saws). Other than this once reported incident, there is absolutely no other evidence that the Messenger of Allah (saws) or his noble companions (r.a.) after him ever put a fresh branch of a palm tree on the graves of their deceased loved ones….and Allah Alone Knows Best.

Thus if one today places a fresh branch of a tree on the grave of their deceased loved one and claims that there is evidence for this practice from the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (saws), he indeed would not be wrong to say so and the believers should not make a big deal about it.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan