A proposal by Muslim leaders in Texas to build the first ever Islamic cemetery in Farmersville has been vehemently opposed by residents. Many locals have expressed worries that the cemetery would give a foothold to radical Muslims in the community.

Farmersville is small rural town, which is just 35 miles northeast of Dallas. It has a population of about 4,000 people. Although Farmersville already has a Mormon church and a Buddhist center, residents have vehemently opposed the proposal for an Islamic burial ground.

Like Us on Facebook

"The concern for us is the radical element of Islam," David J. Meeks, the pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church, explained to Dallas Morning News. He noted that if the cemetery is approved, it will lead to an expansion of Islam in the community.

"How can we stop a mosque or madrasa training center from going in there" Meeks said.

A proposal presented by the Islamic Association of Collin County (IACC) outlines plans to build the private burial ground on a 35-acre piece of land under the jurisdiction of Farmersville. The IACC reportedly faces a shortage of sites to bury Muslims.

Buzzfeed reported that during Farmersville City Council meetings, residents have opposed the proposal.

The anti-Islamic sentiments and mistrust isn't far-fetched - especially after the recent deadly shooting in Garland, just 25 miles away. Radical Islamist opened fire on a crowd in May during a draw the Prophet Mohammad cartoon contest. According to the Washington Post, the depiction of Prophet Mohammad is strictly prohibited and even punishable by death in Islam.

Apart from the cemetery, the proposal also includes plans for an open-air marquee and a small retail component. Both facilities would reportedly be situated along a busy highway.

The project still needs further planning before it is presented to the Farmersville City Council for final approval.

Mayor Joe Helmberger acknowledges the distrust residents have expressed toward the Muslim project. However, he has dismissed their fears as unwarranted.

"There's just a basic concern or distrust about the cemetery coming to town," Helmberger said. Citing the fundamental rights of religious freedom, he noted that the cemetery would be approved as long as it meets the town's development standard.

However, many of the mainly-White residents of Farmersville are of a different opinion. They insist that approving the cemetery would be an open invitation to Muslims and their burial practices.

"I don't want my child indoctrinated toward their religion. I do not want to be constantly in view of a mosque," Gwen Kakaska told Farmersville Times.

Troy Gosnell, also a Farmersville resident, expressed his fears to KTVT-TV. "When somebody dies they bury them at that time," he said. "You don't know whether they were shot, diseased or anything else. All they do is wrap them in a sheet, throw them in the grave and bury them."

However, AP reported that burial experts have dismissed this notion as nonsensical.

Some residents have threatened to stop the project by spilling pig's blood and carcasses over the proposed burial site.

Khalil Abdur-Rashid, spokesman for the IACC, says misinformation and sheer confusion is motivating critics of the proposal. He explained that this is an issue of "human dignity" not a religious squabble. According to Rashid, all corpses would be placed in caskets and entombed in underground vaults.

"Some thought it was a mosque going to be built, others thought it was a training ground," Abdur-Rashid told WFAA-TV. "We want to be very clear that this is a cemetery."

"There will be no type of religious services at the cemetery," Abdur-Rashid explained. "We're forbidden from saying prayers on a grave or cemetery."

City officials have tried to validate the IACC and distant the organization from radical Islamists.

Meanwhile, the Council on American Islamic Relations in Dallas has said it hopes for a positive change in the attitude toward the project.

"They are fearful of what they don't understand and hopefully it's an opportunity for us to come together and learn a little bit more about each other and hopefully dispel some of those misconceptions," a press release reads.

TagsTexas Muslim Cemetery, Farmersville Muslim Cemetery, Muslim Cemetery Texas, Islamic Association of Collin County (IACC), Draw Mohammed Contest Texas, Draw Mohammed Shooting