Birmingham Council of Mosques urge council to increase funeral size to 30 mourners
Birmingham City Council are being urged to end the “tragedy” of restricted funeral sizes amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
The chairman of Birmingham Council of Mosques , Jawad Khan, has written to the council saying that an increase in the number of mourners allowed at funerals is necessary to allow the chance to read the Salat ul Janazah prayer before laying the deceased to rest.
The news comes as Birmingham City Council reviewed its opening times for visitors across all burial sites and crematoria grounds as well as expanded the number of attendees at funerals from six to 16, with the former limit imposed due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
Khan said the organisation has consulted a “number of councillors and funeral directors” who are “fully supportive” of the request of increasing the number to 30 mourners.
The letter has been signed by more than 35 leading figures and establishments from across the city.
The letter said: “One major impact has been the reduction in the number of mourners who can attend a funeral service.
“The number of attendees are tightly restricted to minimise the risk of transmitting Covid-19 between those in attendance. Within the Muslim community reading the Salat ul Janazah prayer is a part of the Islamic funeral ritual.”
He added: “The prayer is performed at a mosque, in congregation, to seek pardon for the deceased and all dead Muslims from Our Creator. The Janazah prayer is an essential part of healing during bereavement.”
