Albany Muslim Cemetary
Muslim Cemetery of the Capital District
Located at: 2655 Phillip Road, Castleton-On-Hudson, NY, 12033
إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ.
from Allah we come and to Allah we return
When a Muslim Brother, Sister, or child passes away in the Albany community, they should contact one of the individuals listed below from the Janazah Association of the Capital District (JACD)
- Ibrahim Stocking – JACD Head of Operations (518) 495-9293
- Abdul Bar – JACD Ghusl and Community Liaison (518) 300-9556
- Mustafa Taleb – JACD Board Member and Community Liaison (518) 366-1271
How much does it cost for Funeral
the current cost for a funeral has been set at $4500.00 by the JACD Board of Directors.
This cost covers the following services provided:
- Funeral home expense
- Ghusl
- Transportation of the remains
- Burial plot
- Burial
- Grave building
- Grave marker stone
Total Fee: $4,500
Before Death complete a Burial Will
Many Muslims risk cremation instead of receiving an Islamic burial. If your family isn’t Muslim, or you have no Muslim family in the Albany area non-Muslims who might choose cremation or burial in a non-Muslim cemetery over a burial in a Muslim cemetery for you. Protect yourself by documenting your wishes clearly so they can’t be ignored.
Masjid As-Salam offers a Burial Registration & Will form to secure your Islamic burial rights. This form ensures your final rites are respected according to Islam. Be sure to have three people sign it—preferably Muslims—for full validity. Keep a copy with a trusted person and consider filing one with Br. Abdul Barr at the Masjid. The form is available for download on the Masjid website.
Care for the Dying
When a Muslim is near death, those around him or her are called upon to give comfort, and reminders of God’s mercy and forgiveness. They may recite verses from the Qur’an, give physical comfort, and encourage the dying one to recite words of remembrance and prayer. It is recommended, if at all possible, for a Muslim’s last words to be the declaration of faith: “I bear witness that there is no god but Allah.”
Upon death, those with the deceased are encouraged to remain calm, pray for the departed, and begin preparations for burial. The eyes of the deceased should be closed, and the body covered temporarily with a clean sheet. It is forbidden for those in mourning to excessively wail, scream, or thrash about. Grief is normal when one has lost a loved one, and it is natural and permitted to cry. When the Prophet Muhammad’s own son died, he said: “The eyes shed tears and the heart is grieved, but we will not say anything except which pleases our Lord.” One should strive to be patient, and remember that Allah is the One who gives life and takes it away, at a time appointed by Him. It is not for us to question His wisdom.
Muslims strive to bury the deceased as soon as possible after death, avoiding the need for embalming or otherwise disturbing the body of the deceased. An autopsy may be performed, if necessary, but should be done with the utmost respect for the dead.
In preparation for burial, the family or other members of the community will wash and shroud the body. (If the deceased was killed as a martyr, this step is not performed; martyrs are buried in the clothes they died in.) The deceased will be washed respectfully, with clean and scented water, in a manner similar to how Muslims make ablutions for prayer. The body will then be wrapped in sheets of clean, white cloth (called the kafan).
The deceased is then taken to the cemetery for burial (al-dafin). While all members of the community attend the funeral prayers, only the men of the community accompany the body to the gravesite. It is preferred for a Muslim to be buried where he or she died, and not be transported to another location or country (which may cause delays or require embalming the body). If available, a cemetery (or section of one) set aside for Muslims is preferred. The deceased is laid in the grave (without a coffin if permitted by local law) on his or her right side, facing Mecca. At the gravesite, it is discouraged for people to erect tombstones, elaborate markers, or put flowers or other momentos. Rather, one should humbly remember Allah and His mercy, and pray for the deceased.
Mourning
Loved ones and relatives are to observe a 3-day mourning period. Mourning is observed in Islam by increased devotion, receiving visitors and condolences, and avoiding decorative clothing and jewelry. Widows observe an extended mourning period (iddah), 4 months and 10 days long, in accordance with the Qur’an 2:234. During this time, she is not to remarry, move from her home, or wear decorative clothing or jewelry.
When one dies, everything in this earthly life is left behind, and there are no more opportunities to perform acts of righteousness and faith. The Prophet Muhammad once said that there are three things, however, which may continue to benefit a person after death: charity given during life which continues to help others, knowledge from which people continue to benefit, and a righteous child who prays for him or her.
A complete discussion of death and burial rites in Islam is given in the Authentic, Step-by-Step, Illustrated Janazah Guide by brother Mohamed Siala, published by IANA. This guide discusses all aspects of a proper Islamic burial: what to do when a Muslim dies, details of how to wash and shroud the deceased, how to perform the funeral prayers and the burial. This guide also dispels many myths and cultural traditions that are not based in Islam. May Allah have mercy upon us all. From Him we come, and to Him we all return.