Nuevas reivindicaciones de las comunidades musulmanas sobre la cuestión funeraria islámica: el caso del cementerio musulmán de Zaragoza

Abstract

One of the most recurrent demands of Muslim communities in Spain is to have spaces and facilities to practice funeral rites in accordance with their religious prescriptions. This paper studies the case of the Muslim cemetery of Torrero in Zaragoza, as an example of the trajectories, demands, problems and vindicative processes that these communities are leading in many Spanish cities, and also as an example of the superimposition of current Islamic practices on those that preceded them historically. The fieldwork, focused on observation and semi-structured interviews with various actors involved, shows how the needs are not fulfilled with the provision of a funeral space, but new demands arise related to the capacity and management, as well as the revision of mortuary regulations to effectively accommodate religious diversity.