Almost a decade after the land was purchased, work has begun on a cemetery that’s exclusively for Muslim people.

A ceremonial groundbreaking took place Tuesday in Castle Rock Township, just outside Farmington, for Minnesota’s first all-Muslim cemetery called Al Maghfirah Cemetery.

Al Maghfirah Cemetery Director Mohamed Osman said the 75-acre site will be more than just bricks and mortar.

“It symbolizes hope, progress, resilience and the power of working together for a common goal,” said Osman.

Executive director of the Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, Jaylani Hussein, said there were legal hurdles, vandalism, graffiti and break-ins over the past 10 years. Someone in 2021 cut a one-inch gas line, disabled the electrical system and stacked 50 tires inside one of the outbuildings.

“That incident could have been a huge tragedy. There could have been a huge explosion,” said Hussein. “People could have been hurt. Neighbors could have been hurt. The whole area could have been engulfed, especially with a dense forest behind us.”

The hope is that if winter weather cooperates, the cemetery will be open for burials beginning in May 2025.