The Masjid Ul Hilal in Saweni, Lautoka, is offering free funeral services to assist poor families in performing the last rites for their loved ones. This initiative has been made possible through a donation from a group of families in New Zealand who purchased a funeral van to provide free transportation.
Mohammed Sadiq, President of the Sirajul Islam Trust, stated that the vehicle cost $35,000. “They bought the vehicle, which is equipped with a bed to transport the deceased from the hospital to the home, and then to the cemetery,” he explained.
The services will be available for free to community members who need them. “They just need to call us, and the services will be provided,” he added.
Sadiq mentioned that this initiative was part of his late mother’s dream. “The late Karisha Bibi wanted this to be part of a collaboration with the Saweni Mosque, which is regarded as the largest in the South Pacific. Opened in 2019, it can accommodate more than 4,000 worshippers at a time,” he noted.
He further explained that the three-storey building, which cost approximately $1.5 million, was constructed at a strategic location to support poor families who cannot travel far for prayers.
A community member, Hafiz Rahman, expressed his appreciation for the collaboration between the trust and the donor. “This is a wonderful humanitarian initiative to give back to the community, allowing less fortunate families to pay their last respects in a dignified manner,” he said.