Question
Is it permissible to write Bismillahirahmaniraheem on the gravestone? And How much writing does sharia allow on it?
بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيْم
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer
It is permissible to use a gravestone for identification purposes, e.g., writing the deceased's name on the tombstone. One should refrain from writing anything besides the name of the deceased, e.g., bismillah, verses of the Quran, etc.
Raddul Muhtar: v. 3, p. 144-145 (Maktaba Imdadia)
Only Allah knows best
Written by Maulana Mohammad Ahsan Osmani
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham