Title: Regarding Graves Question: My question is about burial. Can a grave be tall or have holy Qur'an written on it? Or can it have any marking such as name, birth date etc.? Answer: The Prophet (pbuh) has generally been reported to discourage making permanent constructions on graves. This is basically due to the general human tendency of revering their dead and sometimes even elevating their burial grounds to places of worship and veneration. Because Islam is strictly against idolatry and polytheism and every such thing that even has the remotest of potentials of promoting anything contrary to monotheistic beliefs and practices, the Prophet (pbuh) expressed his dislike toward giving permanence to graves or of constructing mausoleums on graves. It should, however, remain clear that such construction on graves is not prohibited in Islam; it actually falls in the category of practices, which are not liked or which have been discouraged by the Prophet (pbuh) due to the potential dangers involved in adhering to them [1] . As far as writing verses of the Qur'an or the name and the date of birth/death etc of the dead is concerned, once again, even though these practices are not prohibited, yet these practices, especially the printing of any Qur'anic verses on graves, should be discouraged and avoided. Small nameplates to serve as a sign or an indication to recognize one grave from the others may be indispensable and naturally desired by the loved ones of the dead. Nevertheless, it would be advisable to avoid writing any Qur'anic verses on such nameplates. August 14, 2000 [1] As has become more evident in societies, which have a tradition of building mausoleums on the graves of their leaders and revered personalities.