alleviates the punishment of the deceased. On the basis of this inferred rationale—which may be far-fetched—they further concluded that it is recommended for a person to go to graves and glorify Allah there, in order to lessen their punishment.

Some scholars said: This reasoning is weak, because the two palm stalks glorify Allah whether they are fresh or dry, as Allah Most High says:

“The seven heavens and the earth and all that is in them glorify Him. There is not a thing but that glorifies His praise, though you do not understand their glorification.” [al-Isra’ 17:44]

The pebbles were heard glorifying Allah in the presence of the Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, even though pebbles are dry and do not grow.

The more immediate explanation is that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, hoped that Allah would lessen their punishment for as long as these two palm stalks remained fresh—that is, for a period that was not long.

This was meant to warn against what they had done, because their actions were grave, as stated in the narration: “Indeed, it is grave.” One of them did not take care to cleanse himself from urine; and if one does not cleanse himself from urine, he prays without purification. The other went about spreading malicious gossip, corrupting relations among Allah’s servants—may Allah protect us—and sowing enmity and hatred between them. Thus, the matter is grave. The more likely explanation is that this was a temporary intercession intended as a warning to the ummah, not because the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, was unwilling to intercede permanently.

By way of digression, we say: Some scholars—may Allah pardon them—have said that it is recommended for a person to place a fresh palm stalk, a tree, or something similar upon a grave in order to lessen its occupant’s punishment. But this inference is very far-fetched, and it is not permissible for us to do this, for the following reasons: