Question:
May Allah reward you with goodness. Ibrahim Abu Hamid says: There are people who go to the graveyards immediately upon the conclusion of the Eid prayer with the intention of greeting their deceased relatives, and they do this consistently every Eid. What is the ruling on that practice? May you be rewarded.
Answer:
Its ruling is that it has no basis in the practice of the Salaf as-Salih (righteous predecessors). Believing that this is a sunnah makes it a bid’ah (religious innovation). However, this is something people have grown accustomed to, so students of knowledge should advise them and point out that this is not legislated. For the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and his family, did not use to go out on the day of Eid to visit the graves, nor did he command his nation to go out to visit them [on that day].
Any act of worship—i.e., anything a person intends as an act of devotion—that was not practiced by the Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, becomes an innovation if it is not proven from the Prophet, may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and his family.