Assalamo Alaikum. In Pakistan each year during the month of Muharram Muslims do mud plaster on their family graves annually. Discussion is going on whether it is FARZ or SUNNAH (Moaqdah or non Moaqda) or it is not necessary to do mud plaster on family graves at all. In U.S.A nobody does mud plaster on family graves after burial as practice in Pakistan. Please explain us with Quran and Sunnah and guide us to solve this discussion. Thank you

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

Some scholars are of the view that it is disliked to plaster the grave with mud. For instance, Al-Kaasaani from the Hanafi School of jurisprudence said: “It is disliked to plaster the grave with gypsum or mud.” Nonetheless, some other scholars permitted this like Imaam Ahmad . For example, Ibn Al-Muflih from the Hanbali School of jurisprudence said: “It is acceptable to plaster the grave with mud; this is stated by Ahmad but Abu Hafs disliked it.” Therefore, if there is no need for plastering the grave with mud, then it is better to avoid it.

This is in regard to plastering with mud in principle, but as regards doing this on a particular month, then there is no evidence for this and, in this case, it becomes a religious innovation and this is forbidden. If this is done every year, then this innovation becomes even graver and more abominable. ‘Aa’ishah narrated that the Prophet said: "Whoever introduces into this matter of ours [Islam] that which is not a part of it, it will be rejected." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

For more benefit on some rulings on graves, please refer to Fatwa 85432.

Allaah Knows best.