Funeral Arrangements
What to Do When There Is a Death
Step 1: Contact a Funeral Home
Option A: Al Firdous Funeral Services
Al Firdous is a dedicated Muslim funeral home that only serves the Muslim community, ensuring the deceased is prepared and buried according to Islamic traditions.
Address: 8481 Hungary Road, Glen Allen, Richmond, VA 23060
Phone: +1 (866) 347-9262
Email: al-firdous@icrva.org
Website: www.alfirdousrva.com
Please provide the full name of the deceased (spelled out), gender, and the current location of the body when contacting them.
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Option B: Bennett Funeral Home (Also Available)
If you choose to proceed with a different funeral provider, you may contact Bennett Funeral Home. Please provide the full name, gender, and location of the deceased when calling.
Phone: (804) 359-4480 / 4481 / 4482 / 4483
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Step 2: Funeral Home Response
The person who receives your call at Bennett Funeral Home will:
1. Record the deceased’s full name, gender, date of death, and location of the body.
2. Obtain the responsible person’s contact information (name, phone number, and address). This individual will meet with the Funeral Director to:
- Sign the contract
- Decide the time and location of the Janazah prayer
- Choose the burial site
3. The Funeral Director will notify the appropriate parties:
- Imam
- Masjid Administration
- Ghusl/Shrouding Committee
4. The Masjid Administration will send announcements to the community via email and WhatsApp.
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Step 3: Burial Site Coordination
The Funeral Director will inform either:
- Dr. Safwat Ahmad, President (Ameer) of Albarzakh Cemetery, or
- Muhammad Hanif, the person in charge of Crescent Memorial Graveyard (ICVA)
Muslim Cemetery Information
The Islamic Center of Richmond (ICVA) owns and manages Muslim burials at:
- Crescent Memorial Graveyard (ICVA)
📍 3411 Beechwood Ave, Colonial Heights, VA 23834
The ICVA Cemetery Committee consists of dedicated volunteers who assist with:
- Islamic rituals for preparing the deceased
- Burial arrangements at the Muslim cemetery
Janazah Prayer Location
Funeral prayers are held at the Islamic Center of Virginia. We aim to schedule the prayer:
- After Dhuhr or the second Jumu’ah prayer
- Burial will take place immediately afterward
- Graveside prayers are also available
Funeral Homes
The ICVA Cemetery Committee maintains a current list of funeral homes. Please contact them for details.
Note: Funeral homes only charge the agreed price.
The Funeral Director will inform you of the costs at each cemetery.
Funeral Home Services Include:
Transporting the deceased from the hospital to the funeral home
- Use of bathing (Ghusl) and shrouding room
- Transporting the deceased to the masjid and then to the cemetery
General Procedures
- All Muslims have the right to be buried in the ICVA Muslim Cemetery.
- Grave reservations are not allowed. The next available site, as per the cemetery’s master plan, will be used.
- No structures (e.g., domes, statues) are allowed on graves.
- ICVA will provide a grave marker with the deceased’s name and birth/death dates.
Directions to Crescent Memorial Graveyard (ICVA)
🚗 From Interstate 95:
• Southbound (I-95 S): Take Exit 58B (Woods Edge Rd). Turn right onto Woods Edge Rd (SR 620W).
• Northbound (I-95 N): Take Exit 58B (Woods Edge Rd). Turn left onto Woods Edge Rd (SR 620W).
➡ Continue ~½ mile and turn left at the light onto US-1 South (Wawa will be across the intersection)
➡ Continue 1¼ miles, then turn right onto Harrowgate Rd (VA-144N)
➡ Go 1/3 mile, then turn left onto Pineland Ave (You’ll see “Life Church” on the right. Turn when you see it.)
➡ Drive ¼ mile to a paved cul-de-sac
➡ Continue onto the gravel road; the developed grave sites are on the left
🚫 Double parking is NOT allowed
✅ Park on one side of the gravel road
❗ Be courteous—do not block driveways on Pineland Ave
Caution
- Be careful of twines, steel rebars, fallen trees, and wood piles (snakes and lizards may hide there).
- Watch your step in high grass areas.
⚠ Do NOT input “3411 Beechwood Ave” into GPS — the graveyard entrance is not accessible from that street.
Janazah Alert and Islamic Guidelines
“Every soul shall have a taste of death; and only on the Day of Resurrection shall you be paid your full recompense. Only he who is saved far from the Fire and admitted to Paradise, he indeed is successful. The life of this world is only the enjoyment of deception.”
— [Surah Aal-‘Imran, 3:185]
Important Islamic Recommendations at Time of Death
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ recommended encouraging the dying person to say:
“Laa ilaaha illal Allah” (There is no god but Allah)
“Ask your dying fellows to pronounce ‘Laa ilaaha illal Allah.’”
—Reported by Muslim, Abu Dawood, At-Tirmidhi, An-Nasa’i, and Ibn Majah
“Whoever’s last words are ‘Laa ilaaha illal Allah’ will enter Paradise.”
—Reported by Abu Dawood
Final Note
May Allah (SWT) grant us sincerity in our speech and actions, forgive our mistakes, and unite us with the righteous in Paradise.
All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds.