A look at The History of The B.C.M.A. Women’s Funeral Services
Submitted by SISTER GADIJA SIMONCIONI Written by SISTER Habiba Gamiet
7-26-2023
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All praise be to Allah swt. for the many favours and blessings we enjoy every day.
Most of us are immigrants to this country which we have grown to love. Many of us probably worried initially about what would happen if a family member died.
Through the devine guidance and perseverance of some individuals, the Jamia Mosque at Richmond was built and the B.C.Muslim Association established in the late 1960’s.
At the first meeting I attended at this mosque, there were about 15 women and Sister Fatima Kannum spoke to all of us extensively on Islam. I was later to learn that she was called upon to advise on ghusl and kafn for women. Later, under The Women’s auxilliary Sister Salar Buksh was in charge of burial and teaching others like Sister Subratan Usman, who stepped into Sister Buksh shoes eventually.
May Allah swt reward the individuals who built the Mosque and these three women and those who helped them at a time when many of us did not realize the importance of this facet of Fardu Kifaayah and even if we did, did not wish to become personally involved.
I received a call from Sis. Hajrija Purac once stating that a woman from Hong Kong had died and they desperately needed help in the ghusl room. She was calling me because I had expressed interest in doing ghusl. I agreed to help and took my sister Violy with me. From that time I continued to assist Sister Subratan until she moved to Surrey in 1986.
Br. Sikundar Khan’s father appointed me head of burial for ladies. It was in this same year that I had a call from Sister Najma Mohammed informing me that I had been appointed to The Women’s Chapter in charge of burial. This responsibility I assumed with much fear and feeling of inadequacy.
On June 12, 1990 I wrote a letter to the BCMA Board submitting rules and regulations pertaining to Janaaza, suggesting that there should be such instructions for the community. They informed me that 50 copies of instructions submitted by someone else were being printed. It was then that the Women’s Chapter assumed the responsibility of cutting the men’s and women’s kafns and this task was then transferred to the Women’s Burial Committee and is still being done by them with the assistance of sisters from the community.
At the Annual General Meeting of the Women’s Chapter held during September 1994, eleven members were elected from thirteen nominations. Habiba Gamiet as Chairperson and Burial, Anjuman Asin as Vice Chair, Zulekha Razak as Treasurer, Najma Mohammed as Secretary, Hajrija Purac fund-raising, Nazmun Asin as Membership. The remaining members resigned. It was this women’s chapter which bought the first hearse on August 24, 1994.
Anjuman Asin, Zulekha Razak and Habiba Gamiet used to attend the BCMA Council meetings every three months at which Habiba suggested that the BCMA purchase a hearse. At the third request, the President, Sikundar Khan told her that we could buy one and take full responsibility for it’s administration.
I looked up the used car dealerships and found that there were hearses available and told Anjuman and Zulekha to go to Howard Distributors and buy one, which they did and I met them there and issued a Women’s Chapter cheque for $15,732.00 and registered the hearse in the name of the B.C.Muslim Association. The total amount was from funds donated from the generous men and women in our community especially for this purpose. These were funds held independently from the general fund.
On November 10, 1994 we raised $748.64 from a food sale, $1,935.13 from donations from the community and used $537.00 from the general fund of the Women’s Chapter to purchase a stretcher for the hearse..
The Women’s Chapter assumed all the costs of running the ghusl room, purchasing of fabric for kafns and expenses and maintenance of the hearse. A special account was opened for the affairs of administering the affairs of the hearse.We relied on Brothers Enver Imamovich, Asin Bakridi, Abdal Raghman to assist us and Abubaker was also very helpful. We would not have managed without them and others.
In a letter dated May 13, 1996 a letter was sent to the BCMA Board and Trustees in which a request was made for establishment of a Burial Committee to attend to ghusl and kafn in order to maintain continuity of these services to the community. We also bought an air conditioner for $1,500.00 for the ghusl room.
A separate bank account for Funeral Services was opened and separate accounting records so that all income and expenditures were recorded independently from that of the Women’s Chapter.
On October 11th,1998 at a meeting of the BCMA Women’s Chapter, held in Richmond, a Resolution was presented, read and approved unanimously by the board. One paragraph read :
« Habiba read the resolution moved by her at a meeting held on October 4, 1998 of the Burial Committee of the Women’s Chapter when the Burial Committee decided to hand over to the Burial Services under the BCMA Executive Committee, the bank account, cash monies, funeral records, bank statements, etc ».
A copy of the resolution was attached to the agenda.
Present at this meeting were – Zuleika Husain (chair) Fatima Korchi, Zulekha Razak, Roqia Mohammed, Khadija Saidi, Nazmun Asin, Habiba Gamiet (recording), Hamida Hassan.
in charge of burial and that the Women’s Burial Committee would concentrate on ghusl and kafn and leave all the administration to the men. It was imperative that there was continuity in the ability of the ladies to perform the ghusl and kafn procedure. Availability was of paramount importance as burial could not wait for when it was convenient for the ghusl and kafn committee.
On November 9. 1998 The BCMA Executive Committee confirmed by letter receipt of the funds and that a separate Burial Trust Account was being opened only for use for burial purposes as requested and that Habiba Gamiet, Zulekha Razak, Anjuman Asin and Nazmun Asin were able to co-sign on this account.
We have visited Victoria and Nanaimo several times, Kelowna, Surrey, Burnaby and Richmond to clarify what our responsibilities are towards the deceased. We also visited Masjid Al Noor in the year 2002 for this purpose.
On August 20, 2002 we donated $5,000.00 towards the Sewer Link-up Fund at the Richmond Mosque.
There will be many changes taking place in burial services and added responsibilities. There will be new rules and regulations which we will have to abide by to conform to the safety requirements pertaining to Funeral Services in general. We feel sure that our community will agree to and accept these changes. These changes are only to ensure the safety of the volunteers. It is imperative that we all understand that all the procedures and practices required according to the Qur’an and Sunnah of the Prophet remain intact.
We would like to express our gratitude and say Jazaak Allah to the many women who, when called upon to assist in the ghusl room, are always willing to help and the community which has always been so appreciative and helpful. We remember our sister Zulekha Razak and her dedication to The Burial Committee and pray that Allah swt. shower her with His mercy, insha Allah.
May Allah swt. guide, provide and protect us all, insha Allah.
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