Skip to content 
Search

Latest Stories

East London Mosque sets up emergency morgue amid concerns over funerals

AT a time when Muslims in the UK have been perturbed by rumours about cremation of Covid-19 victims, the East London Mosque (ELM) has offered some solace to community members by setting up an emergency mortuary at Tower Hamlets.

The mosque has converted railway arches, earlier used as a parking space, into a temporary morgue with metal racks that can hold 24 bodies.


It also has a facility for washing rituals (ghusl) that can accommodate five people while maintaining social distancing norms. Considering infection risks, however, the dry cleansing ritual (tayammum) is being encouraged now.

What fuelled worries among the community was the surging death rate, which led to overwhelming of funeral services and cemeteries.

However, Asad Jaman, head of assets and facilities at ELM, said the situation was “not as bad now as it was a couple of weeks ago”.

“Then, Gardens of Peace [a Muslim cemetery charity] was doing 20 funerals a day, and Eternal Gardens [another Muslim cemetery] was doing 12 to 14. Now the delay is down to a couple of days,” he told The Guardian.

Jaman hoped the Covid-19 death toll would gradually decrease. “But we are ready if we are needed,” he said.

The ELM, in a statement, added: “We are determined to serve our community the best we can in times of strife.”

WhatsApp fake news and rumours on cremations had recently stirred the UK’s Muslim community, as it’s against Islamic tenets.

One video that went viral had a man, reportedly working with the Islamic charity Crisis Aid, claiming that 33 bodies of Muslim Covid-19 victims would be cremated due to lack of body bags.

The video, however, was rebuked by the British National Burial Council and Crisis Aid itself.

“We wish to reassure the public that there are no mortuaries in London with 33 Muslim bodies about to be cremated,” said Crisis Aid, asking community members to not to share the distress-causing video.

The confusion over last rites of coronavirus victims had caused confusion and anguish in several countries.

China had ordered cremation even as the World Health Organization allowed burial of people who succumbed to Covid-19.

In India, though there was initial lack of clarity, the Union government permitted burials based on WHO guidelines.

In the US, too, the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention stated that bodies could be either cremated or buried as per the family’s wishes.

More recently, in Sri Lanka the issue turned into a communal flashpoint as the government made cremation mandatory.

The Muslim Council of Sri Lanka alleged that the decision was part of “a racist agenda of extremist Buddhist forces that seem to hold the government to ransom”.

In the UK, a coronavirus legislation had been amended in March to ensure religious beliefs were not violated.

The initial bill had raised caused resentment – especially among Muslims and Jews – over powers that would allow authorities to cremate bodies if burial places were overwhelmed.

Subsequently, the ELM – one of Europe’s largest mosques – quickly raised an emergency fund to set up its own mortuary in Town Hamlets to ease funeral pressures.

The mosque received over £80,000 as donations in three weeks. Besides the temporary morgue, money was set aside for additional grave diggers, volunteers’ expenses, transportation charges and buying personal protective equipment.

“May Allah bless all those brother and sisters who responded so generously to the emergency appeal, making it possible to maintain the dignity of Islamic burials for our dearly departed,” said the ELM in a statement.

The mortuary is being operated by Haji Taslim Funerals, UK’s oldest Muslim funeral service. It has over 35 trained volunteers, said Jaman, adding that other funeral services also could use avail the facility.

The ELM said: “This is just one of the many vital services we’re trying to keep going during this difficult time. Our advice and counselling sessions are still available by phone, and we have been making regular food bank and medicine deliveries from the start of the lockdown.

In this blessed month of Ramadan, we’re already delivering hundreds of Iftar meals to the elderly, vulnerable, and to NHS staff who are on duty in the late evening.”

More For You

Barbie with type 1 diabetes

This is also part of Mattel’s mission to extend the boundaries of imaginative play

Mattel

Mattel introduces first Barbie doll with type 1 diabetes to promote inclusion

Highlights

  • Mattel launches new Barbie with type 1 diabetes
  • The doll features a glucose monitor, insulin pump and CGM app
  • Created in collaboration with type 1 diabetes charity Breakthrough T1D
  • Part of Mattel’s broader push for inclusivity and representation in toys

Barbie with type 1 diabetes joins inclusive fashionistas range

Mattel has launched its first diabetes Barbie doll, designed to represent children with type 1 diabetes and promote greater inclusivity in children’s toys.

The new addition to the Barbie Fashionistas line comes with realistic medical features including a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) on her arm, secured with heart-shaped medical tape, and an insulin pump to help manage her blood sugar levels. She also carries a smartphone with a CGM app to monitor glucose throughout the day, and a bag large enough to store snacks and other essentials.

Keep ReadingShow less
Schiaparelli exhibition UK

Italian-born French fashion designer Elsa Schiaparelli

Getty Images

V&A announces UK’s first Schiaparelli exhibition as Natasha Poonawalla’s Met Gala looks make a comeback

“In difficult times fashion is always outrageous.” – Elsa Schiaparelli.

The Victoria & Albert Museum has announced its first ever UK exhibition dedicated to Elsa Schiaparelli, the visionary designer who blurred the boundaries between fashion, art and performance. Titled Schiaparelli: Fashion Becomes Art, it runs from 21 March to 1 November 2026 in the Sainsbury Gallery and will draw on the V&A’s status as home to Britain’s National Collection of Dress and its foremost collection of Schiaparelli garments.

Keep ReadingShow less
Martin Lewis warns shoppers

Lewis clarifies legal rights for online and in-store purchases

iStock

Martin Lewis warns shoppers about misleading return policies at 30 UK retailers

Highlights

  • Martin Lewis flags incorrect return rights information on 30 retail websites
  • Retailers include New Look, The Range, and Selfridges
  • Lewis clarifies legal rights for online and in-store purchases
  • Trading Standards to be alerted following MoneySavingExpert.com investigation

Martin Lewis highlights return rights confusion

Money-saving expert Martin Lewis has issued a warning to UK consumers after uncovering misleading returns information on the websites of 30 major retailers, including New Look, The Range, and Selfridges.

Speaking on ITV1's Good Morning Britain, Lewis explained that several retailers are presenting incorrect information about return rights for online shoppers — in some cases, underplaying the legal protections customers are entitled to.

Keep ReadingShow less
Gemma Collins Instagram ban

Collins accepted the findings of the ASA’s investigation

Getty Images

Gemma Collins’ Instagram post banned over weight-loss drug promotion

Highlights

  • Instagram post by Gemma Collins promoting Yazen weight-loss service banned
  • ASA rules it breached regulations on promoting prescription-only medication
  • Eight other weight-loss ads also banned in regulatory crackdown

ASA bans Collins' Instagram advert

An Instagram post by TV personality Gemma Collins promoting a weight-loss drug and digital service has been banned by the UK’s advertising watchdog for breaching regulations around prescription-only medicines.

Collins had shared a promotional video on 6 January 2025, stating: “I’m starting this year two sizes down, thanks to Yazen’s weight loss app and medication.” The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) ruled that the post unlawfully promoted prescription-only medication to the public.

Keep ReadingShow less
5 secret beaches

Barafundle Bay, Pembrokeshire, Wales

iStock

5 secret beaches in the UK that feel like the tropics

Key points

  • Discover hidden UK beaches with turquoise waters and golden sands
  • Ideal for summer staycations without the cost of long-haul travel
  • Includes lesser-known spots in Wales, Scotland, Cornwall, and more
  • Perfect for quiet escapes, coastal walks, and Instagram-worthy views

Escape to paradise – no passport required

Think you need to fly halfway across the world for clear blue water and white sand? Think again. The UK is home to a surprising number of secluded beaches that look straight out of the Caribbean – without the crowds or jet lag. From hidden coves in Cornwall to windswept bays in the Scottish Highlands, here are some of the most tropical-looking beaches on British soil.

1. Barafundle Bay, Pembrokeshire, Wales

Often dubbed the UK’s answer to the Caribbean, this National Trust-owned gem boasts golden sand, crystal-clear waters, and dramatic cliffs. Accessed by a half-mile walk from Stackpole Quay, it remains blissfully untouched by development.

Keep ReadingShow less