A new Islamic centre is being planned to be built in Hamilton that will accommodate the growing number of Muslims in the North Hamilton region.
The Muslim community in Hamilton has grown in the last five years due to the arrival of a significant number of Muslim immigrants, internal migration of Muslims within New Zealand as well as the arrival of some refugees.
The new Islamic centre in Rotutuna will serve as a place for the Muslim community to come and make their prayers as well as a place for gaining Islamic learning and education for the community.
Khadija Community Trust, previously known as North Hamilton Muslim Community, was established by Dr Mohammad Bahr in 2011, a well-known Cardiologist in the city. The Trust currently operates Masjid Khadija and Dar-al-Uloom at the back of Dr Bahr’s medical clinic in Rototuna, Hamilton.
An offer to purchase a land available in Hamilton came through earlier this year that will give the opportunity to currently operating mosque to function in a bigger space, and the Trust was quick to put an offer on the section available.
Khadija Community Trust signed a contract to purchase a 2400 sq metre section, the price of which is $1.7m and a deposit of NZ $100,000 was made to hold the land until the settlement dated August 20, 2019.
The Trust launched a global appeal to raise funds for the establishment of the new Islamic centre project so that the community can benefit from the mosque and the centre will also serve as a place that will allow young Muslims to learn Quran and gain Islamic education.
“It is with great pleasure to inform you that we are planning to establish the Rototuna Islamic Community Centre (RICC). The Muslim community in the North part of Hamilton has grown considerably, and the need for a permanent Masjid and Islamic centre is more than ever,” the appeal on Rototuna Islamic Community Centre website said.
Besides making the community a permanent place of worship, the establishment will also be used for Islamic educational and social activities, childcare services in the form of playgroups for children, before- and after-school care, crafts, etc., recreational, health, sports and wellbeing purposes for the members of the community as part of integrated social support and run a small retail activity for providing fundraising or social service.
To make their contributions towards building the Rototuna Islamic Community Centre, people can go to www.ricc.org.nz or go to LaunchGood.com (Masjid Khadija) and make their donations to the project.
To Donate: https://www.launchgood.com/project/house_of_allah__masjidekhadija_in_new_zealand#!/
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