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British billionaire brothers reveal plans to build Europe’s largest Muslim cemetery

The Arab News reported, the Issa brothers, who are among Britain’s richest men, have unveiled plans to build Europe’s largest Muslim cemetery on a massive plot in northern England.
The Issa Memorial Gardens would be built west of the town of Blackburn — which has a sizable Muslim population — and would cover a space equivalent to roughly 40 football fields, or 82 acres.
The land would have space for 35,000 burial plots — 25,000 more than The Garden of Peace in London, which is currently the largest Muslim cemetery in Europe. It would also have 663 parking spaces and “extensive landscaping.”

Zuber and Mohsin Issa recently made headlines for buying a stake in one of Britain’s largest supermarket chains, ASDA.
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The charitable Issa Foundation, which is managing the cemetery plans, said in a statement that the “need for Muslim burial plots within the North West of England has become critical, a situation made worse by Covid-19.
“The proposal is a matter of public interest for the Muslim community and is of strategic importance for the North West area.”
The proposal is in the application phase, and if successful would serve Muslim communities in the region for the next 50-100 years, said the foundation, which was established in 2016 as a not-for-profit charity.
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It promised that if the plans are approved and the cemetery is built, any profit derived from the provision of services will be put straight back into the cemetery to provide funeral services. No directors or volunteers will profit from the cemetery.
Earlier this year, a plan by the Issa Foundation to build a “landmark” $6.9 million mosque in Blackburn was approved.
Source: arabnews
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BENEFIT Sponsors BuildHer...
- April 23, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”
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