Islamic mass graves for up to 10 bodies are being dug for Muslim victims of the coronavirus pandemic, MailOnline can reveal.
The plots, which are 10 metres long and two metres wide, have been dug at Kemnal Park Cemetery in Chislehurst, south east London.
They are being introduced to cope with the large number of Muslim deaths as the Islamic community is left devastated by the reality of the killer disease.
Funeral directors have claimed they have as many as 50 people waiting to be buried. Traditionally, an Islamic burial should take place with 24 hours of death.
Ismail Mohamed Abdulwahab, who at 13 is thought to be Britain’s youngest victim of the disease, was buried at an individual ceremony at the cemetery last week.
Islamic mass graves for up to 10 bodies are being dug for Muslim victims of the coronavirus pandemic, MailOnline can reveal. The plots, which are 10 metres long and two metres wide, have been dug at Kemnal Park Cemetery in Chislehurst, south east London
They are being introduced to cope with the large number of Muslim deaths as the Islamic community is left devastated by the reality of the killer disease. Funeral directors have claimed they have as many as 50 people waiting to be buried
Ismail Mohamed Abdulwahab, who at 13 is thought to be Britain’s youngest victim of the disease, was buried at an individual ceremony at the cemetery last week (above)
The mass graves, known as ‘saff graves’, are being dug at the Eternal Gardens Muslim Burial Ground which forms part of the Kemnal Park cemetery.
Bodies will be buried individually and surrounded by wood and earth, as per Islamic ritual.
The deceased will be covered in a shroud and their faces will be turned towards Mecca, also keeping in line with custom.
‘Saff’ means ‘row’ in Arabic and each one, which is 1.5 metres deep, takes half a day to dig with a mechanical digger.
Two have been completed with a further six planned as the death rate soars.
Normally, Eternal Gardens deals with two Muslim funerals per day but has recently been inundated with requests for more than ten a day.
Richard Gomersall is the special projects manager at the burial ground leading its coronavirus response.
He told MailOnline: ‘The majority of the funerals we are dealing with are due to coronavirus and we simply cannot keep up with demand by burying people in individual plots.
‘We worked with Islamic scholars to see how we could speed up the number of burials and they told us that saff graves are in accordance with the Muslim faith.
‘We are responding to the needs of the community and are trying to ease their suffering.’
The mass graves, known as ‘saff graves’, are being dug at the Eternal Gardens Muslim Burial Ground which forms part of the Kemnal Park cemetery. Bodies will be buried individually and surrounded by wood and earth, as per Islamic ritual
‘Saff’ means ‘row’ in Arabic and each one, which is 1.5 metres deep, takes half a day to dig with a mechanical digger. Two have been completed with a further six planned as the death rate soars. Picured: Mourners at Ismail’s funeral
Normally, Eternal Gardens deals with two Muslim funerals per day but has recently been inundated with requests for more than ten a day
R ichard Gomersall is the special projects manager at the burial ground leading its coronavirus response. He told MailOnline: ‘The majority of the funerals we are dealing with are due to coronavirus and we simply cannot keep up with demand by burying people in individual plots’
Although Islamic funerals should take place within 24 hours of death, some British Muslims are waiting for up to two weeks to bury their loved ones because of the coronavirus crisis. There are 3.1 million Muslims in Britain.
Mr Gomersall said: ‘We are in unprecedented times and sadly, we anticipate that the number of deaths is only going to increase each day so we need to have funerals that can be done quickly in accordance with Islam. That is a priority for us at the moment.’
He insisted each body would have its own individual funeral, which can be attended by up to 10 mourners, in accordance with government guidelines.
He added: ‘Funerals will take place in quick succession and in accordance with full Islamic practice. We will not be cutting any corners.
‘We are just speeding up the process of staging Muslim funerals by having saff graves.’
He added: ‘I know this will be shocking for some people, but we are not trying to cover anything up.
‘We are one of only two dedicated Muslim burial grounds in London and have a high proportion of people waiting to be buried here who have died from coronavirus.’
Meanwhile, with the number of coronavirus deaths increasing in Britain, York City Council announced it was banning families from attending funerals at York crematorium even when deaths are unrelated to coronavirus.
Mr Gomershall said they consulted Islamic scholars ‘to see how we could speed up the number of burials and they told us that saff graves are in accordance with the Muslim faith.’ He went on: ‘I know this will be shocking for some people, but we are not trying to cover anything up’
The city council said it had been a ‘very difficult’ decision to end services at the crematorium.
It said booked cremations would continue and a short video from within the chapel would be provided.
Sharon Stoltz, York’s director of public health, said the authority had to ensure it was doing all it could to reduce the risk of spreading coronavirus and had determined it was the correct decision.
She added: ‘At a time when family and friends are the most important part of our lives, we know this is going to be really difficult for many people who have lost their loved ones.’
Rachael Maskell, the Labour MP for York Central, said she has been contacted by a number of families who were upset by the decision and called on the council to change its policy.
‘To stop close family members being able to say goodbye to a child, a parent or partner is completely insensitive and deeply damaging,’ she said.