At your service for twenty years (From Asian Image)

At your service for twenty years

4:26pm Thursday 9th April 2009

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It may be a profession very few would want to go into but one which is completely necessary.

Iqbal Funeral and Memorial Services celebrates 20 years as the leading Muslim funeral firm in the North West. Back then Rashid Iqbal was something of a pioneer forging invaluable links with local authorities and helping to break down barriers.

“It was very difficult at the beginning as it simply was a little chaotic. The Asian community had just got on with things and they would come across procedures very few understood.

“People tended to forget there is an order and procedure that needs to be followed. We came along and I feel we helped the community forge better links with the authorities. It was a struggle even for us and it is something people don’t actually remember.”

“And that trust has meant we were able to give the community a better service.

“People also need to be aware to become a funeral director in the UK you have to gain a professional qualification.”

Mr Iqbal set-up the service after the death of his son. He says he went to a local mosque and they asked him if he was a member.

“The experience really pushed me to set-up a service for everyone and anyone. I felt we as a community should have a service which was available for anyone regardless of anything.”

Over the years Iqbal Funeral Service is one of the, if not ‘the’ best-known funeral director within the Muslim community.

“With Muslim funerals we want things done as fast and efficiently as possible. It is still chaotic and at times you don’t have time to grasp everything. But over time I have learnt it requires a sense of professionalism to get things done quickly and smoothly without causing unnecessary problems for families at what is a delicate time for them.”

The firm was based at the bottom of Shear Brow, Blackburn before moving to Accrington Road in 1999. Now, the company has taken residence at a refurbished premises in Barkerhouse Road, Nelson.

“People might say we have moved out of Blackburn but we haven’t really. We still have a unit on Higson Street and I myself live in Blackburn.

“We can be contacted 24 hours a day seven days a week.

“The new premises have raised the standards even further. Everything is all on one floor now unlike our last building which makes things so much easier.”

There has also been a marked change in burials taking place outside of the country.

“Many in the Gujerati community always tended to bury the deceased in the UK whereas Pakistani members used to send the body back to the homeland.

“This has changed over the years with both communities choosing to have the burial here.”

The firm employs five staff and has two hearses.

Their longest serving staff member is 54-year-old Haji Naseem Awan who has been with the firm for ten years. His experience has given the company a greater understanding of the community’s needs.

Although Iqbal Funeral service has become synonymous with Muslim funerals the firm organise funerals for all communities.

“In the past year we have organised for a Hindu body to be taken to Dehli, a Skih body to Amritsar and Czech body to the Czech Republic.

“I think if you have good reputation and can get things done effficiently families do remember.”

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