Auckland, June 8, 2018
Auckland based officials of Islamic Centres and Mosques have established a Fund to undertake funerals costs of Muslims in the City.
Called, the ‘Muslim Council of Auckland Burial Society Inc,’ it aims to subsidise or support poor families that struggle to cope the high costs of burial, which is estimated to be about $6500 now.
Membership types
Formed on the lines of a Takaful Fund (a type of Islamic Insurance that operates under the compliance of Sharia Law), the Burial Society, registered as a Charity, is open for three levels of membership, including Life, Premium and Ordinary Members.
Life Members are those paying a lumpsum of $5000 per person on or before August 31, 2018. The cost of membership for a husband and wife is $10,000.
Premium Members are those paying a lumpsum of $6000 per person or $12,000 for husband and wife after August 31, 2018 but before August 31, 2020.
Ordinary Members are those paying their contribution in instalments, which can be any amount but the Society encourages people to pay at least $50 per person per month. The amount payable over a period of time would be $7200 per person.
Membership is available to New Zealander Muslims, who should apply through the Islamic Centre or Mosque to which they are affiliated or directly on the website of the Society (www aucklandmuslimburial.org.nz).
The Target and thereafter
Umarji Mohammed, a Solicitor and leader of the Muslim Community, who has been involved with formation of the Society since its conception, said that the target set for the Fund as of now is $300,000.
“Thereafter, the Society will pay the full costs of funeral of its members, irrespective of the costs involved. If a member dies before the target is reached, it will meet the costs of funeral equivalent to the amount paid by the Member to the Society,” he said.
Mr Mohammed said that the Fund can grow only when more people become its Members and pay their levies.
“The Fund has the potential to become large over time. It will invest in safe, Sharia compliant investments to provide returns,” he said.
The fund can also be used to assist needy Muslims, assist in building rest homes or even purchase its own Cemetery, Mr Mohammed added.
Society Management
“The Society will be managed by a Board, members of which will be professionals. The Board will be elected by a Council which will be represented by Members from their respective Mosques or Centres. Annual General Meetings will be held with opportunity for Members to speak about the functioning of the Fund,” Mr Mohammed said.
“The Society is a funding organisation and will not replace the present funeral service providers such as New Zealand Muslim Association, South Auckland Muslim Association, the Working Together Group or Masjid At Taqwa.
“We propose to establish a Council comprising three representatives of each Islamic Center or Mosque. The Council will appoint an eleven-Member Board of professionals to run the Society. Members of the Board will have a tenure of five years,” he added.
For more information, please visit www.aucklandmuslimburial.org.nz
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