Burlington, USA - The Vermont Legislature is considering a bill to accommodate the Muslim tradition of burying the dead in a shroud rather than a casket.
Some of Vermont's 210 Muslim families are upset that current state law requires the dead to be buried in a casket sealed in a concrete vault.
"I was shocked the first time I went to a funeral," said Muhaideen Batah of Waitsfield, a Palestinian native of Israel. "Really, personally, it bothers me," The Burlington Free Press reported.
Waell Murray, the Palestinian-born owner of Burlington's Global Markets, said a Muslim burial that strictly follows Shariah law calls for the body to be washed soon after death and never embalmed or adorned with makeup.
Ideally, burial should be hours, not days, after the person's death, Murray said, out of respect for the deceased. He said mourners can use a coffin to transport the dead to a specific burial ground. The shroud-wrapped body should be placed directly into the grave, Murray said, resting on its side and facing Mecca.
Burlington Parks and Recreation Director Wayne Gross, who oversees the city's three public cemeteries, said they observe state law and require a cement vault, without which the ground above the grave sinks as time passes.