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Putting a bunch of flowers on a grave

01-06-2007

Question 14390

Does putting a bunch of flowers on the grave of the “unknown soldier” come under the same ruling as the actions of those who venerate their “saints (awliya’) and righteous people until they are worshipped?

Answer

Praise be to Allah.

This action is an innovation (bid’ah) and exaggeration about the dead. It is similar to the actions of those who venerated the righteous and made symbols (of the dead). There is the fear that this may, with the passage of time, lead to building domes over their graves, seeking blessing from them and taking them as gods alongside Allaah. So we must not do that, in order to avoid the means that lead to shirk. 

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