The Finnish Islamic Council (SINE) is currently looking for a location in the Uusumaa region for a Muslim cemetery.
The aim is to set up a burial ground which could accommodate all deceased Muslims in the area. If necessary, Muslims from other parts of Finland could also be buried there.
"The aim is to find a larger area as a long-term solution", says Pia Jardi, head of the council's cemetery committee.
Currently the burial of Muslims has been organised in different ways in the various municipalities in Uusimaa. Some Lutheran parishes have reserved rows of graves for Muslims in their community.
The best situation is in Helsinki, where the Helsinki Lutheran parishes granted a full block of the burial ground for Muslim graves a year ago in the summer. Now 18 people have been buried in the area with a capacity for 202 graves, each of which will accommodate two coffins.
"Burial legislation requires that we indicate a grave plot for Helsinki residents", says Risto Lehto of the Helsinki Lutheran parishes.
There is a separate Islamic cemetery in Hietaniemi, which is reserved for the Tatar community.
Many Muslims in Finland want a cemetery of their own, which would make it easier to plan graves according to Muslim specifications, and to bury bodies as soon as possible after death, as required by Islam.
The Islamic Council has sent enquiries about a cemetery to 16 municipalities and cities.
In addition to Helsinki, Espoo, Vantaa and Kauniainen, a number of local authorities in Uusimaa and East Uusimaa are included, as well as the city of Hämeenlinna.
The primary aim is to find a parcel of land that has already been approved for use as a cemetery, which would considerably speed up the process. Another option is to get planning permission in an area not zoned for cemetery use.
Tuusula has said that it has no space available for such a graveyard. Helsinki also suspects that it might not be able to find enough appropriate land within the city limits. SINE is waiting for other responses from other local authorities.
Pia Jardi notes that Finland's Muslim population is younger than the Finnish population at large. "Ten years from now the situation will be more acute", she estimates.
Source: Helsingin Sanomat (English)
The aim is to set up a burial ground which could accommodate all deceased Muslims in the area. If necessary, Muslims from other parts of Finland could also be buried there.
"The aim is to find a larger area as a long-term solution", says Pia Jardi, head of the council's cemetery committee.
Currently the burial of Muslims has been organised in different ways in the various municipalities in Uusimaa. Some Lutheran parishes have reserved rows of graves for Muslims in their community.
The best situation is in Helsinki, where the Helsinki Lutheran parishes granted a full block of the burial ground for Muslim graves a year ago in the summer. Now 18 people have been buried in the area with a capacity for 202 graves, each of which will accommodate two coffins.
"Burial legislation requires that we indicate a grave plot for Helsinki residents", says Risto Lehto of the Helsinki Lutheran parishes.
There is a separate Islamic cemetery in Hietaniemi, which is reserved for the Tatar community.
Many Muslims in Finland want a cemetery of their own, which would make it easier to plan graves according to Muslim specifications, and to bury bodies as soon as possible after death, as required by Islam.
The Islamic Council has sent enquiries about a cemetery to 16 municipalities and cities.
In addition to Helsinki, Espoo, Vantaa and Kauniainen, a number of local authorities in Uusimaa and East Uusimaa are included, as well as the city of Hämeenlinna.
The primary aim is to find a parcel of land that has already been approved for use as a cemetery, which would considerably speed up the process. Another option is to get planning permission in an area not zoned for cemetery use.
Tuusula has said that it has no space available for such a graveyard. Helsinki also suspects that it might not be able to find enough appropriate land within the city limits. SINE is waiting for other responses from other local authorities.
Pia Jardi notes that Finland's Muslim population is younger than the Finnish population at large. "Ten years from now the situation will be more acute", she estimates.
Source: Helsingin Sanomat (English)
