Respected Mufti Saab

Assalaamu alaykum wa rahmatullaahi wa barakatuh

I am a trustee for Gardens of Peace, the largest Muslim Cemetery in the UK.
Further details of the Trust and its work can be obtained from our web site
http://www.gardens-of-peace.org.uk

We have been in operation for since 2002 and have had many people asking and/or telling us as to what can and cannot be done regarding the graves.

Currently, we are in total control and have maintained the graves with a
mound and each grave has a simple headstone. See attached pictures.

Can you please inform us regarding the following:

1) Can we plant a shrub at the head of the grave? We wish to do this to prevent people bringing flowers and their own plants.

2) If the answer to the last is yes then should the planting be on the grave or adjacent to the grave?

3) Can we cover the grave in shingle; this would be a thin layer over the mound, but still maintain the mound? See attached picture.

The reason for covering the graves is to reduce maintenance (removal of weeds etc). This is turning out to be a very high running cost.

4) Alternate to the shingle cover over the mound would be to cover the grave in low growing ground cover plants. Would this be in accordance with Shariah?

5) Confirm our understanding that as a Trust we under no obligation to maintain the graves. It is the duty of the family members of the deceased to maintain the grave.

6) What is the exact height of the mound that we should try to achieve?

7) Does the mound look acceptable on the attached picture?

Edit Admin: Images sent by email have been attached below:








Jazakallahu khair
Was-salaam