Why these boxes were left in a pile at Heaton Cemetery

But now the mystery has been solved. They had been used to hold books for an Islamic literature burial.

A stack of hundreds of cardboard boxes were left on unused land at Heaton Cemetery recently. Some members of the public believed it to be a serious fly-tipping incident.

Pictures taken by residents showed the pile on the burial ground just off Gilnow Road, on the old section backing on to Heaton Fold Garden Centre.

One resident, who believed it to be fly-tipping, described it as ‘disgusting and disrespectful’.

But it was later revealed that the boxes had been used by the Bolton Council of Mosques (BCOM) during its regular Islamic literature burial.

The event is held every year and is organised by BCOM with the help of Heaton Cemetery, which allows the group use of the unused land, and then clears up afterwards.

The boxes were seen at the site on the evening of Saturday, September 16 and early on the Sunday.

They were removed by workers from Bolton Council, which runs Heaton Cemetery, later on the Sunday.

Hundreds of people of the Islamic faith brought unwanted literature, including books or leaflets, in boxes to BCOM, which took them be buried.

The reason for burying the works is recorded by Daruliftaa, the institute of Islamic jurisprudence.

According to the organisation, a scholar known as ‘the great classical Hanafi jurist Imam al-Haskafi, books that are ‘no longer benefited from’ should have the names of Allah, his angels and messengers wiped off if they are to be burned.

But they can also be cast into a ‘flowing river’ or buried without wiping away the names, and burying is said to be the better option.

The statement from Imam al-Haskafi said: “Thus, if one decides to dispose of religious literature, the best thing would be to bury it by wrapping it in something pure first, in a place where people would not normally walk.

“It would also be permitted to tie the books and papers with something heavy and cast them into a flowing river.

“Alternatively, the literature may be burnt, but in this case, only after erasing the names of Allah, His Angels and His Messengers.”

A spokesman from the Bolton Council of Mosques confirmed that the burial had taken place on Saturday, September 16.

They also confirmed that it was done in co-operation with Heaton Cemetery and Bolton Council and that, as part of the agreement, officials from the cemetery clear up the boxes, used to carry the books to the burial site, afterwards

A spokesman from Bolton Council said the boxes had been left from the burial event and dealt with by workers at the cemetery.

They said: “I can confirm the boxes at Heaton Cemetery have been removed and taken for recycling.”

More information on the literature burial or other forthcoming events organised by the Bolton Council of Mosques can be found at thebcom.org