Last summer I went to the Michigan Hauntfest and planned out a couple cemeteries to visit along my way there. This was an unplanned stop, since I didn't know it was there, tucked in behind the Maple Grove Cemetery in Westland, MI.
I have no idea what these 3 stars/signs actually say, but they were neatly in a row at what I would assume to be the front corner near the entry road.
Find A Grave says there are room for 15000 graves here.
Since this is a culture I'm mostly unfamiliar with, especially burial customs (which I know nothing of!), my comments will be of what I observed and/or did some quick research on.
Most of the graves had enormous stones, beautifully etched and laid flat, with basically a patio on each side, complete with chairs. .
Writing was often in both Arabic and English.
I learn that the title Hajj is earned by making a pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia, which adult Muslims are required to do, if physically & financially able.
A lot of the stones also had photos.
Some had large corrugated plastic signs.
There were very few, simple stones like this.
The stones were engraved on each side, which makes it easy to find your loved one's resting place!
I love the inscription on the back of her stone...
I want
to inspire people.
I want someone
to look at me
and say
because of you
I didn't give up.
I was a bit disturbed to see the photo in the lower left....
a nasty head-on car accident???
Safe to assume that's how he died?
"Plots for Tots"
The left column says "Zaman International / Hope for Humanity
is a non-profit organization established in 2005 to serve humanity through time-honored principles of Equity, Compassion, Mercy, Justice, Dignity, Peace and Opportunity."
The right column says "Plots for Tots / This scared burial site dedicated on August 15, 2009 in honor of the 222 forgotten, unburied infants that inspired the mission of Plots for Tots established by Najah Bazzy, R.N. in 2002."
The middle says...
"O Tranquilled soul at (complete) rest!"
"Return thou unto they Lord! Well
please (with Him) (and) His being
well-pleased with thee"
"Thus enter thou amidst My Servants"
"and enter thou into My Garden!"
Surah Al-Fajr, Verses 27-30
I'm not sure what the sheets of plywood are for, unless they were just tossed to the side when the stones were laid for the grave just showing on the right?
All of the graves were situated southeast.
Which is the general direction of Mecca from here.....
I don't know for sure if that's the reasoning, but it sounds logical.
I haven't tried to decipher what the various flags mean.
This one looks to be homemade - with tiles & inscription done in marker.
Quite an interesting place to explore!
I had found the Islamic Memorial Gardens.
Find A Grave says there are room for 15000 graves here.
Since this is a culture I'm mostly unfamiliar with, especially burial customs (which I know nothing of!), my comments will be of what I observed and/or did some quick research on.
This one is very pretty with the candles in the background.
Most of the graves had enormous stones, beautifully etched and laid flat, with basically a patio on each side, complete with chairs. .
Writing was often in both Arabic and English.
I learn that the title Hajj is earned by making a pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia, which adult Muslims are required to do, if physically & financially able.
A lot of the stones also had photos.
Some had large corrugated plastic signs.
There were very few, simple stones like this.
The stones were engraved on each side, which makes it easy to find your loved one's resting place!
I love the inscription on the back of her stone...
I want
to inspire people.
I want someone
to look at me
and say
because of you
I didn't give up.
I was a bit disturbed to see the photo in the lower left....
a nasty head-on car accident???
Safe to assume that's how he died?
The left column says "Zaman International / Hope for Humanity
is a non-profit organization established in 2005 to serve humanity through time-honored principles of Equity, Compassion, Mercy, Justice, Dignity, Peace and Opportunity."
The right column says "Plots for Tots / This scared burial site dedicated on August 15, 2009 in honor of the 222 forgotten, unburied infants that inspired the mission of Plots for Tots established by Najah Bazzy, R.N. in 2002."
The middle says...
"O Tranquilled soul at (complete) rest!"
"Return thou unto they Lord! Well
please (with Him) (and) His being
well-pleased with thee"
"Thus enter thou amidst My Servants"
"and enter thou into My Garden!"
Surah Al-Fajr, Verses 27-30
Small marked stones in this area, too.
I'm not sure what the sheets of plywood are for, unless they were just tossed to the side when the stones were laid for the grave just showing on the right?
All of the graves were situated southeast.
Which is the general direction of Mecca from here.....
I don't know for sure if that's the reasoning, but it sounds logical.
I haven't tried to decipher what the various flags mean.
This one looks to be homemade - with tiles & inscription done in marker.
Quite an interesting place to explore!
It is an interesting place to visit. If u go during the afternoon in warm weather families visit for hours. And burn incense. Both sects of Muslims are buried in the cemetery. I'll have to ask my son about the plywood. He's a grounds keeper for both Islamic Garden and Maple Grove. My parents are both buried on the hill in Maple Grove. When I was growing up Islamic Garden was all woods. And we use to go for walks there. Even skip school there. The elementary school next door was once a Jr High.
ReplyDelete