Bournemouth introduces Muslim burial site

A dedicated Muslim burial site has been introduced in Kinson Cemetary to help meet the religious customs of the Muslim Community in Bournemouth.
Councillor David Smith and Mark Philips, of Faith Links, have created the site with the co-opreation of Majid Yasin, director of the Bournemouth Islamic Centre.

Mr Yasin said he was thrilled a Muslim burial was finally created :“It is important for us because there are 3000 Muslims in Bournemouth, and we didn’t know where to bury them.”
The new burial area means that Muslims will now only need a single grave facing the Mecca with a simple fence erected to mark the area in accordance with their religious custom.

Mr Yasin explains that before the project was introduced they needed two plots “Because our graves faced a different direction than the others, we needed two plots, and now we will only have one”.

That meant that Muslim families had to pay £700 for a plot, twice as much as Jewish or Christian families. Mr Yasin said he was pleased his community would now be provided with graves “like everyone else”.

Councillor David Smith added in a statement that “At a time which is difficult for families of loved ones to deal with, it is important that we meet the burial needs of all of our residents in the community irrespective of religion. I am very pleased that we now have this dedicated site in Kinson Cemetery.”

For further details, visit the Bournemouth Council website at http://www.bournemouth.gov.uk/
Or call the Bournemouth Islamic Centre and Central Mosque at 01202 557072