Columbia Muslim Cemetery (CMC)
(Non-profit Islamic Cemetery)
414 Dubard-Boyle Road
Columbia SC 29203
Contacts:
• Br. Danyaal +1 631-839-1622
• Br. Nasruddin +1 408-368-5654
• Masjid Noor Ul Huda +1 803-754-2632
COLUMBIA MUSLIM CEMETERY RULES AND REGULATIONS
These rules and regulations are according to the Article VII of the Bylaws of the Columbia Muslim Cemetery (hereinafter referred to as CMC). These rules and regulations are legally binding to the next of kin of the deceased person(s) who were buried already or planned to be buried at CMC.
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The CMC shall be managed by the Board of Directors and Officers of the Corporation. Burial arrangements and coordination will be completed by the designated Committee based on the burial principles of Islam as put forth in the Holy Quran and the authentic Hadith of Prophet Muhammad (May Peace and blessings be upon him); and with any applicable Richland County SC regulations for non-profit cemeteries if applicable.
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The CMC shall solely provide burial plots free of cost for the burial of deceased Muslim community members in Greater Columbia Region, SC; and adjacent SC counties; and from the State of South Carolina. Burial plots will also be provided free of cost to visitors from other US States and from foreign countries if necessary, only in the event the deceased passes away while visiting family members in the State of South Carolina.
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The burial plots of the CMC land is free-of-cost for deceased Muslims, however, the costs of the funeral home and grave digging services will be the at the financial responsibility of the next of kin of the deceased. In the event the funeral home and grave digging costs are unable to be paid by the next of kin of the deceased, due to financial hardship, CMC will make arrangements to fund for these costs via community donations. In such situations, a written request for funeral expenses coverage along with written proof of financial hardship shall be provided by the next of kin of the deceased. The approval of the financial hardship requests will be done at the discretion of the CMC Officers of the Corporation.
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All funeral arrangements at CMC shall be made per Islamic requirements per the Holy Quran and the authentic Hadith of Prophet Muhammad (May Peace and blessings be upon him) and with any applicable Richland County SC funeral regulations, within the supervision of the appropriate Committee in charge of the cemetery. An Imam of whichever Islamic center the deceased was associated with or other religious leaders of the community shall provide religious guidance to the CMC Committee during the coordination of funeral arrangements.
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All grave digging and burials at CMC will be completed per Islamic requirements per the Holy Quran and the authentic Hadith of Prophet Muhammad (May Peace and blessings be upon him). CMC allows and encourages natural burial which is defined as a burial that allows the body to be returned to the earth and naturally recycled into new life without the use of toxic embalming fluids, metal caskets and concrete vaults.
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The CMC Application for Burial [See Attachment 1] will be required to be completed by the next of kin of the deceased person. Burial arrangements could be slowed down or not permitted if the information on the CMC Application for Burial is incomplete. The CMC Application for Burial will include these Article VII CMC rules and regulations that are legally binding and legally uncontestable for the next of kin of the deceased person.
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CMC burial plots cannot be purchased in advance. No reservation of the grave site(s) will be permitted. Only the gravesite immediately next to an occupied one, in compliance with the master plan, will be used. Burial plots shall be assigned by the Committee per the CMC burial plots design.
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CMC requires complete uniformity to be observed in the structure of the grave site. All graves shall be level with the ground with no more than 8-inches of soil raised above the grave from ground surface. The outline/boundary of the grave will be made with thin natural wood logs approximately 8-inches in height to delineate each individual grave plot. The top of the grave will be natural soil with or without grass cover. No additional plants or rocks or other substances shall be allowed to be planted or placed on the top of the graves.
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CMC prohibits and shall not accept the grave completions with permanent or solid structures, monuments, ornamental work, candles, flowers (artificial), statues, or other external objects.
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CMC shall permit a small/simple headstone to mark the grave plot with a number identifier and/or the name of the deceased engraved on the headstone. The headstone shall be uniform in size and design on all graves and will be arranged for by the Burial Committee. CMC will not allow the use of other headstones not conforming to the headstones selected by CMC. The next of kin of the deceased will have the option to choose if the headstone should carry the name of the deceased or not.
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CMC reserves the right to regulate the uniform method of maintaining the grave plots to harmonize with the surroundings, including the right to remove prohibited items added by others on the grave plots.
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A record shall be kept of every lot owner and every burial in the cemetery showing the date of purchase, date of burial, name of the person buried, and space in which the burial was made.
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CMC reserves the right to enlarge, reduce, or change the boundaries of the cemetery, remove, re-grade roads, drives, walks, or any part thereof, in accordance with the master plan and Richland County, SC regulations.
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CMC disclaims all responsibility for loss or damage beyond its control, especially damages caused by the elements, acts of God, common enemy, thieves, vandals, malicious mischief makers, explosions, unavoidable accidents, invasions, insurrections, riots or order of military or civil authority, whether damage be direct or collateral.
CMC Funeral Process Guidelines
In Case of Death
Step 1
Contact your local preferred Imam of local Islamic Center and notify them of the death. Funeral prayers for the deceased shall be offered at the local Islamic Center at the choice and discretion of the deceased next of kin or family members.
Step 2
It is the responsibility of the next of kin of the deceased to complete all medical releases and documents associated with the deceased; and get the body released per the hospital or other legal requirements.
Step 3
Choose only one family member or friend to co-ordinate with the Cemetery Committee.
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Contact the CMC Burial Coordination Committee Members (contacts subject to change). Inform the committee about the release details of the deceased from a hospital, etc location of death.
CMC Funeral Coordination Contact Numbers (In the future, this list will be updated with more volunteer representatives from ALL local Islamic Centers)
• Br. Danyaal +1 631-839-1622
• Br. Nasruddin +1 408-368-5654
• Masjid Noor Ul Huda +1 803-754-2632
CMC Burial Coordination Committee will be responsible to complete the following tasks:
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a) Coordinate and schedule a third party licensed funeral home that will be responsible for the for the transportation of the deceased from hospital to home or to local Islamic Center and then to the Cemetery
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b) Arrange for time and place for ghusl (Islamic way of washing the deceased) services
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c) Arrange for the grave digging services and preparation of the grave for burial
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d) Organize funeral prayers at the local Islamic center of the next of kin’s choice
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e) Organize the burial of the deceased at a CMC burial plot
Step 4
Complete the CMC Burial Application and review the CMC rules and regulations, sign the form before the burial.
Step 5
Ghusl (washing the deceased) is completed at the funeral home with assistance from the CMC Burial Coordination Committee volunteers/ including Imam of the local Islamic Center for guidance. The deceased is placed in shroud per religious guidelines and prepared for funeral prayers. Services provided by the funeral home with coordination by the Burial Coordination Committee are as follows:
• Transferring the deceased from the hospital to the funeral home
• Use of bathing room facilities for washing the deceased
• Preparing the deceased including shrouding with the kafan (white shroud)
• Temporary Casket/stretcher with wheels for transporting the deceased
• Funeral van/hearse for one day
CMC will maintain a latest list of Funeral homes on contract. Please call the committee for details. Funeral homes charge only an agreed upon price (approximate costs +/-$2000-$3000) which is the responsibility of the next of kin of the deceased. CMC will just facilitate the selection and use of a funeral home with no share or profit from the costs of the funeral home.
Step 6
Complete Funeral prayers for the deceased at the local Islamic Center at the choice and at the discretion of the deceased next of kin or family members.
Step 7
Grave digging commences right at Step 2 when the notification of death is received. Grave digging is provided by third parties and the costs (approximately +/- $800-$1200) have to be taken care of by the next of kin of the deceased. CMC will just facilitate the selection of the grave digger to complete the grave digging with no share or profit in the grave digging services.
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IMPORTANT NOTES: The burial plots of the CMC land is free-of-cost for deceased Muslims, however, the costs of the funeral home and grave digging services will be the at the financial responsibility of the next of kin of the deceased. In the event the funeral home and grave digging costs are unable to be paid by the next of kin of the deceased, due to financial hardship, CMC will make arrangements to fund for these costs via community donations. In such situations, a written request for funeral expenses coverage along with written proof of financial hardship shall be provided by the next of kin of the deceased. The approval of the financial hardship requests will be done at the discretion of the CMC Officers of the Corporation.
