The Masjid Ul Hilal in Saweni, Lautoka, is offering free funeral services to assist poor families with the last rites of their loved ones.
This initiative is made possible through a donation from a group of New Zealand families, who purchased a funeral van to provide free transportation.
Sirajul Islam Trust president Mohammed Sadiq stated that the vehicle cost $35,000.
“They acquired the vehicle, which is equipped with a bed for transporting the body from the hospital to the home, then to the cemetery,” he explained.
“This service will be available for free to community members for their loved ones. They simply need to call us, and the services will be arranged.”
Mr. Sadiq mentioned that this was part of his mother’s dream.
“The late Karisha Bibi envisioned this as part of the collaboration with the Saweni Mosque, reputed to be the largest in the South Pacific. It was inaugurated in 2019 and can accommodate over 4000 worshippers at a time.”
He added that the three-storey building, which cost around $1.5 million, was constructed at a strategic location to serve poor families who cannot travel far for their prayers.
Community member Hafiz Rahman expressed gratitude for the collaboration between the trustee and the donor for this generous gesture.
“This is a commendable humanitarian effort to support the community, allowing disadvantaged families to pay their final respects in a dignified manner,” he said.
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