6/11/25 - Asphalt Base Paving & Pond Work Schedule
Things are moving along well, Alhamdulillah — final paving will be scheduled after the pond work is done.
NEWS & UPDATES
Current Happenings
Stay informed about Al-Maghfirah Cemetery’s recent activities, events, and developments.
Cemetery Prayers
On hearing of death
It is Sunnah, on hearing of the death of a fellow Muslim, to recite the following brief prayer:
إِنَّا لِلّهِ وَإِنَّـا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ
Translation:
Indeed to Allãh do we belong and to Him we shall return.
(Sũrah alBaqarah Verse 156, Sahĩh Muslim 918)
Visiting the Cemetery
Abũ Hurayrah t narrates that the Prophet s has mentioned:
زُورُوا الْقُبُورَ فَإِنَّهَا تُذَكِّرُكُمُ الآخِرَةَ
Translation:
“Visit the graves for they will remind you of the hereafter.”
(Ibn Mãjah 1596, Nasaĩ 2034)
The Prophet Muhammad s taught the following words as salutation to the people of the graves and a prayer for their forgiveness:
السَّلامُ عَلَيْكُمْ أَهْلَ الدِّيَارِ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُسْلِمِينَ وَإِنَّا إِنْ شَاءَ اللهُ لَلَاحِقُونَ أَسْأَلُ اللهَ لَنَا وَلَكُمُ الْعَافِيَةَ
Translation:
Peace be upon you oh dwellers of the graves, among the believers, and Muslims, and we shall be joining (you) Allãh willing. I seek well-being from Allãh for you and us.
(Sahĩh Muslim 975)
Method of Janãzah Salãh (Hanafĩ)
1. Like other prayers, facing the Qiblah is a necessary condition. The Imãm should advise the people to straighten the rows.
2. Niyyah (Intention): Making intention is necessary for the Janãzah Salãh just as it is necessary in other prayers. Before beginning the prayer, the intention should be made in the heart that one is performing the Janãzah Salãh for Allãh behind the Imãm.
3. First Takbĩr (Takbĩr Tahrĩmah): The hands are raised up to shoulder level with the fingers stretching to the earlobes and the Imãm says “Allãhu Akbar” loudly and the congregation softly. The hands are then folded under the navel, right hand over left like all daily Salãh.
4. Sũrah alFãtiha or Thanã: After the Imãm has initiated the Salãh, the person should recite either Sũrah alFãtiha or Thanã softly:
الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ، الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ، مَالِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ، إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ، اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ، صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا الضَّالِّينَ
Translation:
Praise be to Allãh, the Lord of the universe. The most Gracious, the most Merciful. Master of the Day of Judgement. You alone we worship, and [from] You alone we ask for help. Guide us [to] the straight path. The path of those on whom you have bestowed your grace, not of those who earned [your] wrath, nor of those who have gone astray.
(Sũrah alFãtiha)
سُبْحَانَكَ اللَّهُمَّ وَ بِحَمْدِكَ وَتَبَارَكَ اسْمُكَ وَتَعَالَى جَدُّكَ وَلاَ إِلَهَ غَيْرُكَ
Translation:
Glory be to You Oh Allãh, praise be to You, blessed is Your name, and exalted is Your Majesty, and there is none to be served besides You.
5. Second Takbĩr: The Imãm will say the second Takbĩr and the congregation should follow. One should not raise the hands.
After the second Takbĩr the person performing the Janãzah Salãh should recite Durũd softly. It is preferable to read the Durũd Ibrahĩm, which is recited in Tashahhud.
اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ كَمَا صَلَّيْتَ عَلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَعَلَى آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ. اللَّهُمَّ بَارِكْ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ كَمَا بَارَكْتَ عَلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَعَلَى آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ
Translation:
Oh Allãh! Shower Your mercy upon Muhammad s and the followers of Muhammad s as You showered Your mercy upon Ibrahĩm u and the followers of Ibrahĩm u. Indeed, You are Praiseworthy, Glorious. Oh Allãh! Shower Your blessings upon Muhammad s, and the followers of Muhammad s as You showered Your blessings upon Ibrahĩm u and the followers of Ibrahĩm u. Indeed, You are Praiseworthy, Glorious.
6. Third Takbĩr: The Imãm will say the third Takbĩr and the congregation should follow. One should not raise the hands. The congregation should then recite the appropriate Du’ã.
Janãzah Du’ã for an Adult Male or Female
اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِحَيِّنَا وَمَيِّتِنَا، وَشَاهِدِنَا وَغَائِبِنَا، وَصَغِيرِنَا وَكَبِيرِنَا، وَذَكَرِنَا وَأُنْثَانَا، اللَّهُمَّ مَنْ أَحْيَيْتَهُ مِنَّا فَأَحْيِهِ عَلَى الإِسْلامِ، وَمَنْ تَوَفَّيْتَهُ مِنَّا فَتَوَفَّهُ عَلَى الإِيمَانِ، اللَّهُمَّ لَا تَحْرِمْنَا أَجْرَهُ، وَلَا تُضِلَّنَا بَعْدَهُ
Translation:
Oh Allãh! Forgive those of us that are alive and those of us that are dead; those of us that are present and those of us who are absent; those of us who are young and those of us who are adults; our males and our females. Oh Allãh! Whomsoever You keep alive, let him live as a follower of Islam and whomsoever You cause to die, let him die a Believer. Oh Allãh! Do not deprive us of his reward and do not allow us to go astray after him.
Janãzah Du’ã for a Boy
اللَّهُمَّ اجْعَلْهُ لَنَا فَرَطًا وَاجْعَلْهُ لَنَا أَجْرًا وَذُخْرًا وَاجْعَلْهُ لَنَا شَافِعًا وَمُشَفَّعًا
Janãzah Du’ã for a Girl
اللَّهُمَّ اجْعَلْهَا لَنَا فَرَطًا وَاجْعَلْهَا لَنَا أَجْرًا وَذُخْرًا وَاجْعَلْهَا لَنَا شَافِعَةً وَمُشَفَّعَةً
Translation:
Oh Allãh! Make him/her (this child) a source for our salvation and make him / her a source of reward and treasure for us and make him / her an intercessor for us and one whose intercession is accepted.
- There are also other Du’ãs which are narrated from the Prophet Muhammad s and they can be found in the various books of Ahadith.
- Any of these Du’ãs can be read.
How the Janãzah Should Be Carried
- If the deceased is an adult, it should be put on a stretcher or coffin and carried on the shoulders by four men. It is disliked transporting the deceased by hearse over short distances unnecessarily.
- If the deceased is an infant or small child, it should be carried in the arms individually by different persons.
- All those who lift or carry the deceased should recite:
بِسْمِ ٱللّٰهِ ٱلرَّحْمٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
Translation:
In the name of Allãh, the most Beneficent, and the most Merciful.
- Those accompanying the funeral procession should not sit before it is lowered to the ground. The sick and weak are excused.
- It is from the Sunnah to carry the deceased hastily, but not in a manner that the body is jolted or shaken about.
- It is desirable to follow the funeral procession, and not to go ahead of it.
- It is disliked for those accompanying the funeral procession to loudly recite any Du’ã or verse of the Noble Qur’ãn.
- One should abstain from speaking of worldly affairs or laughing and joking.
At the Time of Burial
- At the time of burial, when lowering the body into the grave, this Du’ã should be recited:
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ وَبِاللَّهِ وَعَلَى مِلَّةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ
Translation:
In the name of Allãh, with the help of Allãh, and on the religion of the Messenger s.
(Jãmi’ alTirmidhĩ, 1046)
- One should scatter three handfuls of earth from the side of the deceased’s head.
- Abũ Hurayrah t reported:
أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ (صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ) صَلَّى عَلَى جِنَازَةٍ ثُمَّ أَتَى قَبْرَ الْمَيِّتِ فَحَثَى عَلَيْهِ مِنْ قِبَلِ رَأْسِهِ ثَلاَثًا
Translation:
“The Messenger of Allãh s offered the funeral prayer, then he came to the grave of the deceased and scattered three handfuls of earth from the side of the (deceased’s) head.”
(Ibn Mãjah 1565)
- Although not Sunnah, some scholars have deemed it Mustahab (preferable) to read the following verse when scattering the three handfuls of earth into the grave:
First handful:
مِنۡهَا خَلَقۡنٰكُمۡ
From it (the earth) We created you,
Second handful:
وَفِيهَا نُعِيدُكُمْ
and into it We will return you,
Third handful:
وَمِنْهَا نُخْرِجُكُمْ تَارَةً أُخْرَى
and from it We will extract you another time.
(Sũrah Tãhã, Verse 55)
- One should make Du’ã to Allãh S that He grants the deceased steadfastness in answering the questions of the grave.
- Regarding this, Uthmãn ibn ‘Affãn t is reported to have said:
كَانَ النَّبِيُّ (صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ) إِذَا فَرَغَ مِنْ دَفْنِ الْمَيِّتِ وَقَفَ عَلَيْهِ فَقَالَ: “اسْتَغْفِرُوا لِأَخِيكُمْ وَسَلُوا لَهُ بِالتَّثْبِيتِ ، فَإِنَّهُ الْآنَ يُسْأَلُ
Translation:
“When the Prophet s had finished burying a deceased person, he would stand over him and say: “Pray for forgiveness for your brother, and ask that he be made steadfast, for he is being questioned now.”
(Abu Dawud 3221)
- One should mention the good acts and deeds of the deceased and abstain from the ill ones.
- ‘Ãishah y narrates that the Messenger of Allãh s said:
لاَ تَسُبُّوا الأَمْوَاتَ ، فَإِنَّهُمْ قَدْ أَفْضَوْا إِلَى مَا قَدَّمُوا
Translation:
“Do not abuse (speak ill of) the dead, because they have attained that which they had forwarded, (i.e., their deeds, good or bad).”
(Sahĩh alBukhãrĩ 6516)
- As a general rule, one should endeavour to enact the Sunnah of the Prophet s and abstain from all other actions. By doing so, not only will one be rewarded for the Sunnah itself but the benefits for both the deceased and the visitor will be attained.
Prayers (Du’ãs) at the Graveside
- It is from the Sunnah to supplicate to Allãh S when attending a funeral.
- It is also from the Sunnah for one to stand and raise one’s hands when supplicating to Allãh S.
- ‘Ãishah y narrated:
خرجَ رسولُ اللَّهِ (صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ) ذاتَ ليلةٍ، فأرسلتُ بَريرةَ في أثرِهِ لتنظر َ أينَ ذَهَبَ قالت: فسلَكَ نحوَ بقيعِ الغرقدِ ، فوقَفَ في أدنى البقيعِ، ثمَّ رفعَ يديهِ ، ثمَّ انصرفَ. فرجَعَت إليَّ بريرةُ فأخبَرَتْني، فلمَّا أصبحتُ سألتُهُ فقلتُ : يا رسولَ اللَّهِ أينَ خَرجتَ اللَّيلةَ؟ قالَ: بُعِثتُ إلى أَهْلِ البقيعِ لأصلِّيَ عليهِم
Translation:
The Messenger of Allãh s went out one night, so I sent Bãrĩrah to follow him and see where he went. She said, “He went towards Baqĩ alGharqad (the cemetery in alMadĩnah alMunawwarah), and he stood at the bottom of alBaqĩ and raised his hands, then he went away.” Bãrĩrah came back to me and told me, and when morning came, I asked him about it. I said, “O Messenger of Allãh s! Where did you go out to last night?” He said, “I was sent (by Allãh) to the people of alBaqĩ to pray for them.”
(Musnad Ahmad 24666)
- As for the prayers that should be made, aside from the supplications for forgiveness and steadfastness for the deceased at the time of the questioning of the grave, any relevant prayer can be made. It is important to note that when praying for the deceased, it is from the Sunnah to pray for all those who have passed on; not only for one’s own family member/friend etc.
- One can make any or all of the supplications listed below:
- Comfort for the deceased in the grave;
- Patience for the family members left behind;
- The mercy of Allãh S in the grave and the hereafter;
- That the book of deeds is given in the right hand on the Day of Judgement;
- That the reckoning is made easy;
- That the deceased in granted entry into Paradise without difficulty;
- That the deceased is safeguarded from the Hellfire.
- Finally, it is not proven from any authentic narration of the Prophet of Allãh s that he recited any particular chapter of the Noble Qur’ãn by the graves.
- However, some scholars are of the opinion that the reward of the recitation of the Qur’ãn can be gifted to the deceased and as such, if someone wishes to recite a portion of the Qur’ãn for the deceased, it will be permissible though not Sunnah.
- To recite fixed verses/chapters every time that one visits the cemetery is considered by many scholars to be impermissible.
5/28/25 - Hauling in pond materials
Concrete is poured and waiting for the next available date for paving.
Funeral Service Building
Our design team is finalizing plans for the funeral service building, which will house essential facilities such as a Ghusl room, Musalla, and admin space.
Construction Progress
Construction began in October and is progressing steadily. Site development, including tree clearing and land grading, is near completion. We expect finalization by mid-June.
Minnesota’s largest Muslim cemetery breaks ground near Farmington after 10-year saga
Organizers faced multiple hurdles, from a reluctant township board to vandalism, in their quest to develop a new cemetery for the region’s Muslims.
Groundbreaking held for Minnesota’s first all-Muslim cemetery
Almost a decade after the land was purchased, work has begun on a cemetery that’s exclusively for Muslim people.
A ceremonial groundbreaking took place Tuesday in Castle Rock Township, just outside Farmington, for Minnesota’s first all-Muslim cemetery called Al Maghfirah Cemetery.
Groundbreaking held for first exclusive Muslim cemetery in Minnesota
CASTLE ROCK TOWNSHIP, Minn. — After a decade of delays, legal woes and vandalism, Minnesota’s first Muslim-exclusive cemetery broke ground on Tuesday in the south metro.
The 72 acres of land were purchased in 2014 by the Al-Maghfirah Cemetery Association in Castle Rock Township near Farmington.
Muslim leaders break ground on new Minnesota cemetery after alleged hate crimes delayed project
Al Maghfirah Cemetery will be the largest and only Muslim-exclusive cemetery in the state.
What’s Next
Construction of the funeral facility is expected to begin shortly after final land preparation is completed.