[This article was originally published in September 1998 in IQRA!, the newsletter of the Islamic Society of Greater Columbus and has been made available on both its website and the website of the Islamic Foundation of Central Ohio over the years. It was written originally by Sohail Khan and Norma Tarazi. It has been updated as needed by changing circumstances. Most recently we have included a short section on caring for stillborn births.]
There are two Islamic Cemeteries in Central Ohio, one area of Fairview Memorial Park arranged by IFCO and the Islamic Cemetery of Columbus on Sunbury Road owned by ISCO.
The Islamic Cemetery of Columbus on 3880 Sunbury Rd, Columbus, Ohio 43219, is just south of Easton Mall. It was established 5 years ago and there are currently a little over one hundred Muslims buried in it. It is part of a 10 acre site owned by the Islamic Society of Central Ohio, a nonprofit tax exempt, religious organization. The Cemetery is operated by Muslims and supported by the Muslim Organizations in Columbus. A mosque is planned for the front portion of the land.
In 1988, the Islamic Foundation of Central Ohio (IFCO) signed a contract with Fairview Memorial Park to establish a cemetery for Muslims in Central Ohio. Any Muslim may be buried here. Approximately 560 burial spaces have been reserved for use with a provision to expand in future. IFCO bought 100 spaces at a substantial discount, and almost all of these spaces have been purchased by members of the Muslim community with deeds issued by Fairview Memorial Park. An area has been reserved for baby burial. All burial spaces are designed according to Islamic law, i.e., facing the Qibla.
Fairview Memorial Park is located on Route 23 about 7 miles north of I-270 on the east side of the highway. The Muslim area is in a separate section (north side of cemetery), bounded by a hedge along the perimeter with a central passage where a memorial with the verses from the Qur'an may be erected. The Muslim cemetery is maintained by Fairview with no additional cost to IFCO or Muslim community. Discount on opening/closing (10%), vaults (15%), and markers (10%) from the prevailing prices is guaranteed by Fairview. All burial vaults and/or markers to be installed in shall be purchased directly from Fairview Memorial Park.
What to do when call comes from Allah (SWT)
Step 1. Call one of the two cemeteries.
- A. IFCO Cemetery Committee Chairperson (Sohail Khan at 876-5684 (Home), 447-3600/ext. 3298 (work)) or the IFCO Executive Committee (235-3251) for initial assistance and guidance.
- B. Islamic Cemetery of Columbus, ISCO, Derar Musa: 843-8693 cell, 846-3118 home or Fauzi Taym 843-9695 cell, 890-6033 home.
Step 2. Contact a funeral home. Our community has been using Rutherford Funeral Home on North High Street (299-1153) which has appropriate clean facilities. Not all funeral homes can provide washing tables with good drainage and hot and cold water at easy access for Islamic washing. Rutherford provides gloves and covering clothes and masks, to protect those preparing the body.
The deceased's body can be washed at the funeral home. Usually family members wash the body with the help of some members of the community if needed and desired. We do not purchase coffins for our dead. A coffin from the funeral home is used temporarily to transport the shrouded body to the cemetery. The body is placed on its side in the grave, which here in Central Ohio is covered by a vault before it is covered with dirt.
Step 3. If you already have purchased burial space (s) in the Fairview Memorial Park, also call Fairview at: (800-521-2881) to arrange for the burial. At this time, Fairview Memorial Park will exchange information with you.
Step 4. Prayers for the deceased can be offered at any neighborhood mosque, such as Omar Mosque (614-262-1310), Islamic Center (614-253-3251), etc. Materials needed
The following materials will be needed for washing and wrapping the body: White material for the shroud, 3 pieces (or an odd number), each the length of the body's height plus a yard. The material is usually 60" wide. It must be sufficiently wide to wrap completely around the body with good overlap. Bed sheets can be used. The material should be clean but need not be new. Strips of cloth are needed to tie the shroud, at least 3 and sometimes 5. Towels and washcloths are needed, and soap, shampoo, cotton and perfume.
Some important information to know:
If the pregnancy is less than 4 months (about 17 weeks)
• It is not required to wash the baby and/or prayer on him or her. The baby should be wrapped with a cloth and buried.
If the pregnancy was at least 4 months long:
• If the baby is born alive then dies, you should wash the body, wrap it in cloth, and do salat-ul-janaza before burial. The baby will be counted as an heir, included in any inheritance and his family inherits from him, in the same manner as for any other child or adult.
• If the baby is born dead, then you should wash the body, wrap it in cloth, and do salat-ul-janaza before burial but the baby does not inherit and people cannot inherit from him. [Imams Hanifi and Malik do not require the salat-ul-janaza in this case.]
Some hadith related to funerals
"Exhort your dying ones to affirm La ilaha illallah (There is no god but Allah)." (Muslim)
"When you visit a sick person or one who has died, say only that which is beneficial, for the angels say 'amen' on your utterances." (Muslim)
"He who washes a dead body and keeps secret (his knowledge of its condition) is forgiven by Allah forty times." (Hakim)
"Be quick in taking a coffin (to the graveyard), because if the coffin is that of a virtuous and good person, you would hurry him towards good and should he be otherwise, you should hay down evil from your necks.' (Bukhari and Muslim)
"The soul of a deceased believer remains suspended (from his entry into heaven) till the payment of his debt." (Tirmizi)
A man inquired of the Prophet (PBUH) "My mother met with a sudden death. I think that if she had a chance to speak, she would have given away something in charity. Would it be accounted for as virtuous on her part, if I give some charity on her behalf?" He answered, "Yes." (Bukhari & Muslim)
"Don't abuse the dead, because they have reached the destination of what they forwarded." (Bukhari)
"After the death of a person his actions stop, save three things that he leaves behind, first, continuous charity, second, knowledge from which some benefit may be obtained, and then a virtuous child who prays for him." (Muslim)
Every soul will taste of death. And only on the Day of Judgment shall you be paid your full recompense. Only he who is saved far from the Fire and admitted to the Garden will have succeeded. For the life of this world is but goods and chattels of deception. (Quran 3:185)
