What is the ruling on adorning graves and constructing internal pathways within cemeteries to improve their appearance and facilitate access for people with special needs and children?

The maintenance and preservation of graves are permissible to the extent that protects them, without exceeding into glorification, beautification, or spending money unjustly, such as building, plastering, and painting. Graves should remain as they are, serving as a reminder and preventing extremism. There is no harm in protecting them with a fence, cleaning them, and creating unpaved pathways. Lights are to be used only out of necessity. Buildings, domes, and mosques are to be removed from them, and their planting of trees and decoration are forbidden. This preserves monotheism, blocks the means to polytheism, respects the sanctity of the dead, and maintains the admonitory appearance of graveyards.

Al-Shawkani said: "Endowment for the beautification of graves is invalid and brings about temptation."

Sheikh Muhammad bin Ibrahim said: "Rebuilding what has collapsed of fences, making gates, appointing a guard, cleaning them, and creating pathways are permissible. However, planting trees is not permissible because it resembles the Christians. Excess water taps should be removed, and their lighting should be removed to block the means to illuminating graves."

Ibn Baz said: "Buildings, domes, and mosques must be removed from graves, and they should remain uncovered. Building upon them and plastering them are forbidden. Fencing the graveyard for protection is permissible."

He also said: "Illuminating graveyards and the paths between them is permissible for the benefit of people during burial or within the fence. However, placing lamps and lights on graves is not permissible."

Ibn Uthaymeen said: "A graveyard is a dwelling of the dead; it should not be decorated or constructed upon. It should remain as it is for admonition. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, forbade plastering a grave, building upon it, writing on it, and sitting on it; out of fear of exaggeration concerning it."