our services
‘Spend, O son of Adam, and I shall spend on you.’– Bukhaari
“Whoever follows the funeral of a Muslim, in faith and seeking reward, and he remains with it until the prayer is offered and the burial ceremony is finished, then he will return with two great rewards. Each reward is like the size of mount Uhud. Whoever offers the funeral prayer and returns before the burial, then he will return with one great reward”. [Bukhari & Muslim]
Central Islamic Trust operates a 24-hour burial service which was established in 1956. The trust provides a very comprehensive service throughout the Greater Johannesburg area and other provinces of South Africa, as well as neighbouring countries. The Service to collect mayyits extends across several provinces and the organization coordinates with other organizations in different metropolitan areas.
CIT has undertaken to do all Muslim funerals wherever and whenever called upon. We aim to help the families of the deceased to the best of our abilities and arrange for tables, chairs, blankets, etc. at no additional cost.
Our burial support team consists only of volunteers. Our dedicated volunteers take care of every aspect of the burial process, from picking up the deceased, to transporting the deceased for ghusl, and providing assistance and guidance to the bereaved family at the time of burial.
The Trust currently has four hearses and carries out an average of 30 burials a month.
In cases where the families of the deceased can afford the cost of the mayyit, a fee is charged. However, in destitute cases there is no charge. The shortfall in funding is aided by means of donations.
Your Donation will assist a family in sponsoring towards the cost of a destitute mayyit.
For more information, please feel free to contact:
Tahir Momoniat – 083 307 7320
Imraan Essop – 083 553 2221
“Peace be upon you, dwellers of these graves of the Muslims and the believers. We will join you when Allah wills. You are our predecessors and we will be your followers. We ask Allah’s forgiveness for us and for you. O Allah, forgive them and have mercy on them.” [Muslim]
The Trust took over the running of a proper burial service by coordinating the activities with other organizations that were in charge of cemeteries, namely Newclare, Braamfontein, Kliptown, Lenasia, Kromvlei, Olifantsvlei, and Westpark.
CIT provides a comprehensive cemetery team. This team is responsible for the preparation of the qabrs (making sure the trenches are dug and the graves are prepared) so that when the Janaaza arrives at the cemetery the qabrs are ready to be used. Our team also ensures lights are provided when needed and assists other organizations with preparations of qabrs at Newclare and Westpark cemetery.
For more information, please feel free to contact:
Tahir Momoniat – 083 307 7320
Imraan Essop – 083 553 2221
“Charity does not decrease wealth. No one forgives another except that Allah increases his honor, and no one humbles himself for the sake of Allah except that Allah raises his status.” (Sahih Muslim 2588)
Brighten a life … change a world.
The needs of the indigent Muslims of the community are always a major concern. In the 1960’s Zakaat funds were distributed by individuals and community organizations. The Trust established a fulltime office with a social worker to receive and coordinate all applications for assistance for indigent families.
Welfare allocations are structured with proper interviews of each applicant and this is followed up with house visits if needed. Board Members serving on the Welfare Committee, with the assistance of the full time staff, makes decisions and resources are allocated accordingly i.e., Zakaat funds, donated clothing and goods.
In the past five years the donations from the public have been affected by the economic down turn and whilst it is easier to collect Zakaat funds, the donation of Lillah, Sadaqah, and Fitrah has declined dramatically. This has made it increasingly more difficult to sustain the Welfare and Bursaries program.
Short-term help is great but long-term stability is the goal. A portion of our welfare projects are developed with the hope of long-term growth for communities all over.
For more information, please feel free to contact
CIT OFFICES – 011 833 – 2137/8
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, “When a man dies, his deeds come to an end except for three things: Sadaqah Jaariyah (ceaseless charity); a knowledge which is beneficial, or a virtuous descendant who prays for him (for the deceased).”
We at CIT strive not only to provide immediate relief, but also to empower people for the long- term.
The Trust recognized the need to educate and train individuals within the Muslim Community in all types of professions. The need to break the poverty cycle among welfare recipients resulted in the welfare department identifying the youth of poor families that needed to be trained for a vocation.
The Bursary program has granted funds to thousands of students over the years, Alhamdu-Lillah. Many of whom have qualified and changed their family and their personal circumstances.
The Trust has awarded non – repayable grants from Zakaat funds to students registered at tertiary institutions.
The students are registered in over 25 different fields of study.
For more information, please feel free to contact
CIT OFFICES – 011 833 – 2137/8
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, “Whoever teaches some knowledge will have the reward of the one who acts upon it, without that detracting from his reward in the slightest.” – Ibn Majah
In the 1950’s it was evident that the home based Madrassahs and the few Madrassahs in Johannesburg were not coping with the demand. There were insufficient Ustaads/Teachers and it was becoming more difficult to bring Ustaads from India and Pakistan to South Africa.
The Trust consulted widely and invited learned academics and Aalims from the Indian Sub-continent, India and Pakistan, and embarked on a program to develop a new Islamic Curriculum. The Trust also began training secular school teachers and house wives to enable them to teach in Madrassahs. The Bree Street School in Fordsburg was the first Madrassah established to use the new material and the new methods and syllabus. It also became the training facility center for the new teachers.
The Trust also opened several Madrassahs in Lenasia using state school classrooms. In later years, the Trust, in an agreement with the Lenasia Muslim Association, jointly ran and then handed over the Lenasia Madrassahs to the Lenasia Muslim Association.
This very progressive approach has had far reaching consequences for Deeni & Taalim training throughout South Africa and other countries as well. The CIT Madrassah syllabus was a forerunner for similar syllabi developed by other Islamic organizations.
The Trust, at present, has one Madrassah at the Fordsburg Primary School. Over 220 learners attend Madrassah every afternoon from 14:30 – 16:45. The subjects taught during this period include: Quran, Hifz, Seerah, Fiqh, and Aqaaid. We have learners from grade 00 to matric. In addition, there are a few adults that come to the Madrassah as part of their training as new revert Muslims. We also utilize Kitabun Nikaah and a kitaab for women as an extra for the seniors. The Madrassah Committee carries out regular inspections of the Madrassah to ensure that the teaching conforms to acceptable standards.
The trust pays a monthly contribution to the school for utilizing their facilities as well as the salaries of the Aapas. Some parents/guardians are not in the position to contribute towards the fees of the running cost of the Madrassah, hence your donations aid this.
CIT requests your duaas and continued support to continue the running of our Madrassah.
For more information, please feel free to contact
Abdur Rehman Dajee – 083 510 8750
Ebrahim Talia – 082 606 0777
‘Whoever saves one (life) – it is as if he had saved all of humanity’ – Al Quraan 5:32
The protection and well-being of every life is of paramount importance and we shall join with other humanitarians to act as one in responding to suffering brought on by disasters, poverty, and injustice.
For more information, please feel free to contact
CIT OFFICES – 011 833 – 2137/8
SAHUC
The Trust was instrumental and is a founding member of South African Hajj and Umrah Council and is represented in the National General Council.
SANHA
The Trust was instrumental and is a founding member of South African National Halaal Authority and it is also represented on its Board of Executives.
(https://sanha.co.za/a/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=29)
Prisons Board
The Trust pioneered the work of the Prisons Board to ensure that Muslim Prisoners are given Halaal food and allowed to fulfill their Islamic duties.
Lenasia South Development
The Trust acquired the site in Lenasia South and built a Masjid. Provision was made in the infrastructure to develop the site as a major Islamic Centre. The site was handed over to the Al Tauheed Islamic Centre and currently has a secular school, a computer, mechanical, and wood working training center. A boarding school is under construction.
Bree Street School
Johannesburg Muslim School.
The Trust is the custodian of the Bree Street School since the 1950’s. The Central Islamic Institute, the property holding company of the CIT, has maintained the Bree Street property. The old Transvaal Education Department paid rental for the use of the property as a school, however, the rental fell far short of the cost of maintaining the building and its up keep. The Trust has spent large sums of money to maintain the building. Approximately 20 years ago the premises were given over to the Johannesburg Muslim School on the understanding that the Muslim School will maintain the premises.