Losing a loved one is one of life’s hardest moments. This page explains, step by step, what to do so the burial can proceed with dignity and without delay, according to Islamic rites. Please read it fully — it must be understood and signed in person before the burial can take place.
On This Page
Step 1
Notify the Funeral Home
As soon as you learn of the death, notify George Boom Funeral Home (or the funeral home of your choice). Their team will take the deceased to the funeral home for temporary sheltering — and refrigeration if necessary — until arrangements are made for burial.
George Boom Funeral Home
3408 East 10th Street, Sioux Falls, SD 57103
(605) 336-1454
The funeral home will notify Hills of Rest Cemetery and set an appointment for 9:00 AM the following morning at the cemetery offices, 300 N. Chapel Hill Road, Sioux Falls, SD 57103. The family goes to the cemetery, signs the necessary paperwork, and pays for the grave digging (fees are listed under Costs & Payment below; prices are subject to change without notice).
- If the funeral home is notified after 5:00 PM Monday–Friday, the appointment is ideally set for 9:00 AM the next morning at the cemetery offices.
- If the death occurs on a weekend or holiday, the funeral home sets an agreed time with the cemetery. The family must arrive at that time.
- It is important to go to the cemetery to secure a grave space before going to the funeral home.
- MCCSD must approve the release of a grave for burial before Hills of Rest digs the grave.
Step 2
Notify MCCSD
The family must notify the Muslim Community Center of South Dakota that a death has occurred, and MCCSD must approve the burial before it can proceed. To reach MCCSD, contact the Imam (see Step 3), who is the point of contact for the board. The current board members are listed below for reference.
- Dr. Jawad Nazir — President
- Dr. Mir Ali — Vice President
- Dr. Mohammad Zeeshan Qamar — Director of Interfaith
- Dr. Nofil Arain — Treasurer
- Dr. Shahriar Pervez — General Secretary
- Dr. Muhammad Shajahan Khan — Director, Sunday School
The MCCSD representative will then call the funeral home / cemetery to approve the opening of a grave in the Muslim section. This approval is mandatory.
Step 3
Notify the Imam
Notify the current MCCSD Imam, Abdel Aziz, at (702) 472-2381 to coordinate times with the funeral home and cemetery for bathing, burial and prayers.
Ideally, the family meets Hills of Rest Cemetery at 9:00 AM, followed immediately by arrangements at 10:00 AM at the funeral home, with ritual washing before burial (ghusl) and placement of the deceased in a casket provided by the funeral home but selected by the family. Other caskets may be selected from choices provided by the funeral home.
- Ritual bathing (ghusl) is limited to a maximum of one hour. Time beyond one hour is billed in 15-minute increments at $250 per 15 minutes.
- The funeral home does not provide items for a Muslim ghusl. The family must purchase those items and bring them to the funeral home at the time of bathing.
- Wooden or concrete boxes to cover the deceased are allowed, but are provided exclusively by the cemetery.
- In no instance will homemade or family-provided containers be allowed without the permission of the funeral home and the cemetery.
Burial Time & Location
Burial takes place at 3:00 PM in the Islamic Section (Section 8) on the day of arrangements and bathing — unless the funeral home or cemetery cannot accommodate due to weather (such as excessive frost depth, blizzard snow, or extremely wet conditions) or a prior burial commitment. If these timelines cannot be met, the burial follows on the next available day at a cemetery-determined time.
If a cemetery other than Hills of Rest is desired, or if another Imam is to take part in the rituals, it is the family’s responsibility to notify that cemetery and the funeral home of their plans. The funeral home will assist, but the family of the deceased is ultimately responsible for arranging the burial and paying the interment expenses at any cemetery. Interment time remains 3:00 PM on the day of the bathing and prayers.
Costs & Payment
Payment is expected before burial at both the cemetery and the funeral home, and is the responsibility of each family. All materials for ritual bathing are also the family’s responsibility and must be brought at the time of bathing. George Boom Funeral Home and Hills of Rest Cemetery are separate entities and are paid separately. Prices are subject to change without notice.
George Boom Funeral Home
If a different casket is desired, the additional amount is added, plus any taxes due.
Hills of Rest Cemetery & MCCSD
The Muslim grave section was paid for and purchased by MCCSD. The cemetery does not accept reduced rates for grave digging or outer burial containers.
Financial Hardship & County Assistance
If a family does not have the financial means to pay for a burial, notify the funeral home of your wish to seek assistance from Human Services, then apply for assistance with Minnehaha County.
- Apply online — filling out the application is required for assistance: Minnehaha County application (opens in a new tab).
- In most cases this will delay the burial beyond the 24 hours normally requested by the Muslim community.
- If approved, the funeral home accepts the amount the county pays as payment in full for services and the casket. The cemetery does not accept reduced rates for grave digging or an outer burial container.
Minnehaha County Human Services
415 N. Dakota Avenue, Sioux Falls, SD 57104
(605) 367-4217 · Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–5:00 PM (walk-in applications accepted during these hours).
The Burial & Graveside Prayers
The Imam of MCCSD will lead the funeral prayer at the cemetery. If the MCCSD Imam is unavailable, MCCSD must approve who is allowed to lead the funeral and direct the burial at the gravesite.
- The family, with help from the community, must notify the cemetery in advance whether those attending will completely fill in the open grave, or whether the filling will be symbolic and completed by cemetery personnel.
- All burials must take place inside a biodegradable wooden or corrugated box, provided by the cemetery and paid to the cemetery.
- Some soil or a stone is placed underneath the body to tilt it toward Makkah in the grave; this may be done by the family or loved ones before the box is lowered.
- The body inside the wooden box is lowered by the cemetery staff with a mechanical device. No one else is allowed to lower the body or enter the grave to receive it.
- Those attending must remain courteous and respectful toward the cemetery staff. Verbal or physical abuse will not be tolerated and is grounds for expulsion and/or legal proceedings.
Requirements & Signing
- This entire protocol must be followed without exception. It must be signed in person by the responsible party appointed by the family, at MCCSD, in front of the Imam or a Board Member. Failure to do so will delay the burial.
- Nothing will proceed unless there is absolute agreement with this protocol and a commitment to follow it completely.
- After the ghusl is completed, the funeral home stores the body in refrigeration until this document has been read, understood, and signed in person by the responsible party on behalf of the deceased.
Police Escorts
As of January 1, 2026, the City of Sioux Falls no longer provides police escorts to the cemetery. The only exceptions are if the deceased is a United States veteran or a first responder. The funeral home will leave the mosque when the casket is placed in the hearse; all others will meet at the graveside. There will be no funeral processions except as noted above.
Key Contacts
- George Boom Funeral Home — (605) 336-1454
3408 East 10th Street, Sioux Falls, SD 57103 - Hills of Rest Cemetery
300 N. Chapel Hill Road, Sioux Falls, SD 57103 - Imam Abdel Aziz — (702) 472-2381
- Minnehaha County Human Services — (605) 367-4217
415 N. Dakota Avenue, Sioux Falls, SD 57104
Protocol updated August 24, 2026. Prices are subject to change without notice. Signatory: Phil Schmitz, Hills of Rest — President and Manager.