The grave: alignment towards Mecca and rest period

The deceased is buried lying on the right side, with the face towards Mecca. From Hamburg, that is towards the south-east. In the Islamic burial sections, the graves are already laid out this way, at Finkenriek, Ohlsdorf, Öjendorf and Bergedorf. The family does not need to take care of this.

Burial. The deceased is laid in the grave in the shroud, often with boards or a niche (lahd) to the side so that no earth falls directly onto the body. The mourners then close the grave; traditionally, everyone throws in three handfuls of earth. Whether the mourners may fill the grave completely themselves depends on the cemetery. For Finkenriek, we are clarifying this with the cemetery.

Rest period. At the Hamburg cemeteries, the rest period is 25 years. The right of use for a selected grave (Wahlgrab) costs €74 per year and can be extended annually. Islamically, a grave should not be cleared. The 2012 state treaty provides for this: in Islamic burial sections, the remains stay in the grave even if the plot is reassigned. A perpetual right of rest as in Turkey does not exist in Hamburg, but the practice comes close to it.

Grave design. Islamic graves are simple: a gravestone or grave slab with name, dates and usually a supplication. Photos and elaborate decoration are unusual. The cemetery approves every grave monument; in Hamburg, the permit costs €130. We will add the exact rules for the Islamic section at Finkenriek.