A mosque constructed at a cost of $1.5million will be officially opened on Saturday.

The Sirajul Islam Trust of Fiji’s Masjid-Ul-Hilaal is located on the Queens Road at Saweni in Lautoka.

Sirajul Islam Trust of Fiji national president, Abubakar Sadiq Koya, said funding for the construction of the mosque was from the Muslim community in Fiji and overseas.

Mr Koya said the mosque was fully operational now and he urged the people of the faith from Saweni to make full use of it.

“It is indeed a great pleasure for us Muslims of Saweni to have Masjid- Ul-Hilaal in our own community,” he said.

Mr Koya said the trust was formed in 2003 and its members were from Saweni,Natabua,Saru,Wairabetia, Lawaki and Lomolomo in Lautoka and other parts of the Western Division.

“Now that we have a Masjid, our other major development plans include the establishment of an elderly care home, medical centre so that we can serve our communities better,” he said.

“This is quite ambitious, but the support and courage of the people from the first day has been overwhelming and Insha Allah (God willing) one day we will be able to achieve this goal.

“I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to the late Hajjan Kadisa Bibi of Saweni, who as part of her wish, kindly donated the land for the construction of a Masjid.”

Mr Koya said at the opening at 6pm they would have a special prayer session to remember the victims of the Christchurch shooting, especially Imam Haji Hafiz Musa Patel.

Edited by Percy Kean

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