Islamic Union of Hong Kong

The Islamic Union of Hong Kong was founded some 80 years ago by Muslims from the Indian Subcontinent and the Malay Archipelago whose primary purpose for coming here was to enter into trade and commerce with China. Because of their enthusiastic spirit, they finally settled in Hong Kong to pursue their trading activities.

Since its establishment as an institution, the Islamic Union has undergone many changes, the last one in 1980 when its Constitution was revised to fulfill the requirements for incorporation as a legal entity under The Companies Ordinance of the Hong Kong Government.

The Islamic Union has on its membership list over 700 Muslims of different nationalities such as Indians, Pakistanis, Chinese, Malays and British. The non-discriminatory nature of the Union is in line with the teachings of the Holy Qur'an which stress that racial discrimination should not be practiced in Islam and which stress also the need for unity among Muslims.

The executive body of The Islamic Union is the General Council which consists of 15 members. Apart from the Chairman, the Vice-Chairman, the Honorary Treasurer and the Honorary Secretary, the other members of the Council do not have any specific offices.

Council members are elected annually at a General Meeting and vacate their offices by rotation of seniority at the end of three years. Council members vacating their office are, however, eligible for reelection.

The General Council meets regularly once a month unless unforeseen circumstances warrant the need for special meetings.

Some of the functions of the Islamic Union, as stated in the Constitution, are as follow:

(1) to improve the general welfare of Muslims in Hong Kong;

(2) to promote and foster the practice of Islamic principles;

(3) to spread, expound and propagate the truth of Islamic knowledge;

(4) to establish and maintain homes and hostels for Muslims in need;

(5) to establish and operate schools, colleges, hospitals, clinics, homes for the aged and any other charitable and educational institute which the Union shall think fit;

(6) to prepare, print and publish any periodicals, books, circulars, leaflets or other literature which may be thought desirable for the promotion of the interests of the Union and its members and others interested in the objects of the Union and to distribute among its members and others, information and statistics on all matters affecting the said objects, and in this or other activities undertake the duties of advertising and publicity agents;

(7) to accept donations, contributions of books, articles, furniture, building, land, money and other properties from any person, corporation or government for such purposes as are within the objects of the Union; and

(8) to invest and deal with the moneys of the Union not immediately required, upon such securities and in such manner as may from time to time be determined.

Under the umbrella of the General Council are various committees chaired by Council members. The present committees include organizations entitled Administration and Finance, Building Management, Da'wah, Welfare, Library and Publications, Youth, Medical, and the Macau Masjid and Cemetery.

Up to 1981, the activities of the Muslims were undertaken in old and confined accommodations. However, with a generous endowment from the late Osman Ramju Sadick, the first Islamic Center in Hong Kong was constructed. The Islamic Center is appropriately known as the Osman Ramfu Sadick Islamic Centre and is situated at No. 40, Oi Kwan Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong. The Masjid-cum-Islamic Center is administered by the Islamic Union under delegated authority from the Incorporated Trustees of the Islamic Community Fund of Hong Kong.

The Osman Ramju Sadick Islamic Center consists of a Mayat Room (for washing the dead) and praying area on the ground floor, separate wuthu or washing areas for men and women on the second floor, an air-conditioned masjid with two levels (one for men and one for women) which can accommodate over 600 persons on the third door, a classroom for conducting Qur'anic and Arabic lessons on the fourth floor, a Community Hall of about 150 square meters which can accommodate over 250 persons and which can be used for prayers and lectures on the fifth floor, a library of over 180 square meters on the sixth floor, a Conference Room, Medical Clinic, General Offices and other Consultation Rooms on the seventh floor and an office for the Islamic Youth Association with an open podium of over 150 square meters on the eighth floor.

The Islamic Union, in 1984, achieved a year of solid work. This is reflected by the total expenditure incurred, in the sum of HK$1,937,000 on programs such as Da'wah, Welfare, Education, Hostels for Elderly, Health Services, Masjid and Cemeteries, Library and Publications, Youth Activities, Building Management and Donations to Overseas Muslim Organizations.

To assist and encourage local Muslims to learn to read the Holy Qur'an, the Union has obtained tape recordings and arranged for the accompanying books to be printed in Hong Kong. These are made available at a subsidized price of HK$130.00 per set to anyone interested in learning to read the Holy Qur'an.

Arabic classes were arranged. Qur'an reading classes and Islamic knowledge classes for children were also conducted on a regular basis.

From time to time the Islamic Union receives requests from overseas Muslim Organizations for financial assistance. The requests are considered by the General Council of the Islamic Union which carefully examines their authenticity and merits. In previous years financial assistance was extended to, (amongst others), the Muslim refugees in Assam, India, the Macau Muslim Association, and the Muslim refugees in Lebanon.

Each year in the month of Dhul-Qada, the Islamic Union, in close coordination with RISEAP, finalizes arrangements with Tabung Hajj of Malaysia for Hong Kong pilgrims to join Malaysian Hajj contingents for the performance of the Hajj.

The Union also manages a hostel for elderly Muslim ladies who, for various reasons, do not have anyone to look after them. The hostel is situated near the Islamic Center, making it convenient for the residents to perform their prayers in the Masjid. Most of the residents at present are Chinese ranging in age from 69 to 93 years. Various functions are organized for their benefit from time to time. The hostel was recently expanded by the leasing of an additional floor to provide more room of exercise and recreation.

The Union also maintains two scholarship funds for needy Muslim students at secondary schools and also plans to set up a kindergarten school.

The Islamic Union, after having registered its Medical Clinic with the Government, was able to set up a dispensary of its own to provide medicine for patients. A nominal fee of HK$10.00 is charged for each consultation, including medicine. This fee, however, is waived for all elderly residents at the hostel and those brothers and sisters who cannot afford it. Apart from this facility, the Union also provides medical attention in other areas such as Cardiogram and Dental checks for Muslims requiring this service. The Medical Clinic is served by Muslim doctors and nurses on a voluntary basis.

The Islamic Union's library has on its shelves a total of 2,716 books bearing 1,532 book titles dealing with various subjects of interest, such as Al-Qur'an, Al-Tawhid, Al-Fiqh, Shari'ah, Islamic Laws and Jurisprudence, economics, politics etc. Besides these, there are books on memoirs and biographies of our Holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.) and Islamic writers and scholars. In addition to these, the library also provides books for children to assist them, with the help of their parents and guardians, to acquire basic Islamic knowledge on Iman, Ibadah, Salah and books on the life of our Holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.). Islamic books and literature and also made available to readers who are well versed in the Urdu, Tamil, Korean, Japanese, Malay and Arabic languages.

The Islamic Union is always endeavoring to increase its stock of books on Islam for its library by way of purchases or through the acquisition of free contributions from overseas. The Islamic Union takes this opportunity to appeal to readers to assist in this regard.

The Islamic Union's Youth Section took an active part in promoting youth activities in close liaison with the Hong Kong Islamic Youth Association which has its own office in the same building. Together, the two organizations arranged for Usrah (study) classes, outings, propagation of Islam and camps for the young.

The working arms of the Islamic Union also extend to Macau, the Portuguese-administered territory located about 65 kilometers west of Hong Kong where there was a Muslim population of about 400 up to 1955. After this date, the figures diminished considerably due to migration. The number of Muslims now remaining in the territory is estimated to be around 50.

The Portuguese territory has a small masjid and cemetery managed by the Macau Muslim Association. Recently the Islamic Union assisted the Association to be legally established so as to enable it to look after the interests of the Macau Masjid and Cemetery and the local Muslim community. Furthermore, to encourage the Macau Muslims to propagate Islam in Macau, the Union donated a sum of HK$65,000 to the Association for renovation and repair works to the masjid and a further sum of HK$43,000.00 to cover other types of expenditure.

The declared aim of the Islamic Union of Hong Kong is to propagate Islam and improve the general welfare of Muslims in Hong Kong. We thank Allah that we have been able to pursue this Ideal in a satisfactory manner and pray for his blessings and guidance so that we may continue to do so in the future.