The Masjid Ul Hilal in Saweni, Lautoka, is providing free funeral services for underprivileged families to conduct 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 for free transportation purposes.
Sirajul Islam Trust President Mohammed Sadiq mentioned that the vehicle cost $35,000. He explained that the van is equipped with a bed to transport the body from the hospital to the home, and then to the cemetery. This service will be offered free of charge to community members, and they simply need to call to access these services.
Mr. Sadiq shared that this initiative fulfills a part of his late mother’s dream. The late Karisha Bibi envisioned this collaboration with the Saweni Mosque, which is recognized as the largest mosque in the South Pacific. Opened in 2019, the mosque can accommodate more than 4,000 worshippers simultaneously.
The mosque, a three-storey building which cost around $1.5 million, was built in a strategic location to serve poor families who otherwise could not travel far for prayers.
Community member Hafiz Rahman acknowledged the collaboration between the trustee and the donors, praising it as a great humanitarian effort. He expressed that this initiative allows unfortunate families to pay their last respects in a dignified manner.