Is it permissible to remove gravestones and fill in and raise the level of an existing cemetery at Sungai Gurap, Pontian?

Summary

The Johor State Fatwa Committee ruled that removing gravestones and filling in and raising the ground of a cemetery is permissible under Islamic law, in order to preserve the dignity and honour of the deceased buried there. The permission is conditional: the area where gravestones are removed must be adequately marked to avoid confusion, vehicle movement must be controlled as much as possible during the filling work, and all work must be supervised and monitored by a waqf officer.

Written in our own words from the original fatwa — check the source before acting on it.