DDHK News, Germany - If all goes according to plan, in 2015-2016 the first Muslim cemetery run by Islamic foundations in Germany will be established in Wuppertal. In this city, residents live side by side and respect each other's religious traditions.
As reported by the site Deutsche WelleIn Wuppertal, religious harmonization has a long tradition. So, it is not difficult to find land to build Islamic cemeteries, between Jewish and Christian cemeteries.
In public cemeteries, burial grounds are leased for a period of 25 years. But if the cemetery belongs to the Islamic community, it can be used permanently. Therefore, Muslims in Wuppertal want to buy their own burial ground.
Interestingly, this final resting place is not only near the graves of Christians, but also near a Jewish cemetery.
Samir Bouaissa's parents are from Morocco. His family has lived for two generations in Wuppertal. He worked at Wuppertal City Hall as Chairman of the Employee Council. The generation of his parents used to visit Morocco frequently. But he and his family are rare, maybe every four or five years.
Samir Bouaissa pointed to the area he wanted to build. There are 15 mosques that are now willing to manage the cemetery and take care of its financing. The first generation of Turkish immigrants who are predominantly Muslim, 80 percent of whom are buried in their homeland. In the second generation, 30 to 40 percent are already buried in Germany.
In other cities in Germany there are also Islamic cemeteries. At the Friedhof am Hallo cemetery in Essen, there is a funeral for Muslims, since 1972. Thousands of Muslims have been buried here. Turkish immigrant graves adjoining those of Bosnian descent.
In Berlin there are hundreds of thousands of Muslims. Islamic graves can also be found beside the Sehitlik Mosque, Berlin. Now, in the cemetery only a funeral ceremony is held. The body was then buried in another grave or brought to its home country.
Westfriedhof Muslim burial ground in Köln is located in Bocklemünd. During the funeral ceremony, an imam reads a prayer and the Qur'an. Neighbors and friends will prepare snacks around the mourners. According to citizens of Turkish descent, funeral costs in Germany are much higher than in Turkey. (dw.de). *
