The Islamic Community Center of Tempe (ICC) has submitted a proposal to expand the Al-Rahma Muslim Cemetery, located on North Rahma Street near Maricopa. The expansion plans seek to enlarge the cemetery to about 25 acres.
Al-Rahma, established over 30 years ago, is currently the only Muslim cemetery in Arizona that follows Islamic burial practices. The proposed expansion aims to meet the growing needs of the Muslim community in Pinal and Maricopa counties, which is estimated to number around 120,000 people.
The cemetery currently hosts up to three burials per week, with visiting hours from 7 AM to 6 PM daily. The expansion is not expected to significantly increase traffic in the area, as most burials are attended by fewer than 25 vehicles.
Recent improvements include the construction of a turning lane onto North Rahma Street and the paving of Rahma Street itself, benefiting all nearby properties.
The proposal has received strong community support, with 56 letters in favor sent to county officials. However, one letter of opposition was also noted.
The ICC emphasizes that the cemetery expansion will maintain the rural character of the area, with minimal development and plenty of landscaping. Future stages will not be developed until the existing cemetery reaches capacity, which is not expected to happen soon.
