IPOH: The Perak Islamic Religious Department (JAIPk) has not ruled out the possibility of implementing multi-level graves to resolve the issue of dense Muslim cemeteries following the recent increase in deaths involving Covid-19 patients.
Its director Datuk Mohd Yusop Husin said multi-level burial methods had long been practised in the state, especially in the Kerian district where some areas were located near mangroves.
"This (multi-level graves) is not strange because even previous fatwas have long allowed it, looking at the issue of land use itself.
"The late Perak Mufti (Tan Sri Harussani Zakaria) had also mentioned that the living should be given priority for land use.
"In addition, we will not do (build multi-level graves) deliberately, but we have to prioritise (land use) for the living first. If there is not enough land, and it is inevitable, then (we will do it) like in Kerian," he said when contacted by Berita Harian today.
He said this when asked to comment on a statement made by Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkifli Mohamad Al-Bakri yesterday, on the issue of crowding at Muslim cemeteries especially in Kuala Lumpur, which will be discussed at the next National Fatwa Council meeting.
For the record, the 92nd Muzakarah Committee of the National Council for Malaysian Islamic Religious Affairs which convened on Dec 15-17 in 2010, had agreed that the construction of multi-level graves would be allowed if the need was urgent to overcome the lack of land for Muslim cemeteries.
Mohd Yusop added that the issue of crowding in Muslim cemeteries also occured in Perak, including in the Kinta district.
He said the situation also became critical when several committees of wakaf (endowment) land or khairat kematian (death benefits) refused to allow bodies from outside their kariah (villagers group sharing the same surau or mosque) to be buried in their cemetery.
"There have been a number of cases where a committee refuses to bury a body in the cemetery under their supervision as it was from a different kariah, despite circumstances that needed the body to be buried there.
"Such a situation should not occur, as the Earth belongs to Allah, and anyone has the right to be buried in any empty grave plot," he added.
In a related development, Mohd Yusop also condemned the actions of a small group of communities who made large constructions, including cement seats around the graves, which encroached the adjacent plot.
"This is not allowed. All graveyard committees have been informed of this and they know that graveyards are not owned by individuals but are wakaf lands.
"Therefore, the usage is subject to the respective graveyard committees," he added.