History & Pictures
From a 20-acre WAQF donation to a resting place cared for by generations of volunteers.
The ICGA Muslim Cemetery first came into existence in the early 1980s with a non-profit WAQF donation of 20 acres of land just outside of Austin, in Dale, Texas — about 30 miles southeast of the city. What began as an act of charity by early members of the Austin Muslim community has grown into a permanent, sacred trust serving thousands of families.
A community-owned WAQF
The cemetery is owned by the Muslim community and held in trust by the Islamic Center of Greater Austin (ICGA), which oversees its day-to-day operations. The ICGA administration sees itself only as a custodian of the cemetery — not an owner — consistent with the Islamic principle of WAQF, an endowment held permanently for the benefit of the community.
This WAQF status is also why the land itself remains free for all Muslims: no family is ever charged for a burial plot. The cemetery operates under a special exemption from the State of Texas that permits burials to be carried out in complete accordance with Islamic rites, including Ghusl (ritual washing) and Janazah (the funeral prayer).
Growing with the community
Since its founding, the cemetery has served far beyond Austin — welcoming families from Killeen, San Antonio, College Station, Houston, and the wider Central Texas region. This is contrary to other mixed cemeteries with Muslim sections that are not run by Islamic centers, where the funeral home must follow licensed funeral laws that can conflict with Muslim funeral rites.
In a typical month there are 10–15 burials, and as the Muslim community in Central Texas continues to grow, the cemetery is expected to accommodate the community for centuries to come. It remains the only main Muslim burial location for numerous masajid across the Central Texas and Austin region. Every burial, every Ghusl, and every Janazah prayer continues to be carried out by community volunteers, keeping the spirit of the original WAQF donation alive more than four decades later.
Pictures
A look at the cemetery grounds and community. If you have historical photographs you would like to share with the community archive, please reach out via our Contact & Directions page.
