1. Aims & Purpose of the Mathum Policy
The Management Committee & Trustees of Islamic Cultural & Educational Association (ICEA) would like to express their sincerest condolences for the loss of your loved one. May Allah SWT help him/her to attain Jannnah, Insha’Allah. May Allah SWT support you and your family in your time of grief. Ameen.
The Management Committee aim to have an open door policy for the local community so that they can use the facilities during their time of need. All queries will be dealt with sensitivelyand respectfully.
Mathum users should recognise that the state of the facilities they find is dependent on the previous users’ compliance to ICEA’s rules.
Mathum users are requested to respect and take care of the premises situated in the ‘House of Allah’ and to leave the premises clean and damage free.
Mathum users are also requested to follow the mathum policy’s guidelines whilst they remain on ICEA grounds.
2. Opening & Closing Times of Masjid
The Caretaker is responsible to open and lock the masjid between 9:00am till 9.00pm.
Mathum users can arrive at any time after the masjid is open.
However, Mathum users are expected to vacate the masjid before 9:00pm. (Except for those brothers, or sisters, who wish to remain in the masjid where Isha falls later than this time).
This ensures that the Caretaker has adequate time to assess and secure all areas before locking.
Mathum users are advised to tidy all communal areas that have been used (i.e. sitting areas such as halls, kitchens and bathrooms) at least 1.5 hours prior to leaving around 7:30pm.
3. Facility Charges:
The Association endeavours to provide a free mathum service at the point of contact.
However, it is recommended that a minimum contribution is made to cover the costs of heat, light and water for the general three/four day sitting period of a mathum; at a fixed rate of £xxxx per mathum.
Other voluntary contributions can be donated to the house of Allah by families for their loved one’s benefit in the hereafter, insha’Allah.
4. Mathum Booking Process
Initial enquiries should be directed to ICEA’s Mathum Committee.
contact Masjid on 01274 667986
Details are also available on ICEA’s website.
The Mathum group will be requested to appoint two representatives (male and female) so that ICEA’s Mathum Committee can:
- Provide a copy and/or explain the Mathum Policy
- Ensure the Mathum Booking Form is completed fully and signed by female and male representatives at the start of the mathum
- Provide a tour of the ICEA facilities
- Show the locations where resources are kept for fatiha khani
- Share contact numbers of named person/s to report problems to
- Share contact numbers of the Caretaker
- Provide opportunities to ask questions
5. General Considerations for Mathum Users
The nominated ‘mathum committee’ members will supervise the mathum.
The nominated ‘mathum committee’ members will contact the Imam to arrange the funeral prayer.
The nominated ‘mathum committee’ members will arrange for the announcement of the funeral; from the details provided by the family on ICEA’s Mathum Booking form.
The ‘nominated’ representatives from the mathum (male & female) must agree in writing to the conditions stipulated in this policy before being allowed to use the premises.
Women’s Fatiha Khani will be held in the Portakabins during weekdays due to the operating hours of ICEA’s Madrassah.
Men’s Fatiha Khani will be held on the 1st Floor at all times.
Food will be served in the Lower Ground Floor Community Hall ONLY
All areas used including kitchens, bathrooms and halls need to be cleaned thoroughly before leaving the building on a daily basis.
All rubbish generated must be taken away from the Association on a daily basis.
Children must be supervised at all times by parents/guardians.
Parents need to ensure their children are not playing with tasbihs/beads at any time, due to the risk of small parts and possible choking hazards.
Parents need to ensure that the prayers beads from the buckets are not scattered across the rooms as there is a danger of slip & trip; especially on hard floors in the foyers and community hall.
6. Health & Safety Limitations on Numbers of Mathum Groups Sitting at ICEA
Due to the oversubscribed nature of the mathum service the ICEA management Committee are obliged to limit the number of people to fulfil health & safety requirements.
A maximum of two mathum sittings will be allowed at ICEA at any time.
If there are more than two mathums occurring simultaneously the ‘Mathum Committee’ will make a discretionary decision.
Those families already sitting at the Association will NOT be asked to leave.
For second mathum queries, preference will be given to those families who have membership with the Association AND reside within the ICEA membership geographic boundary.
Enquirers from families outside of the membership catchment area will be directed to contact their nearest masjid.
Address IDs will be requested for proof if there is any doubt.
7. Adverse Weather Conditions
Please note that during adverse weather conditions i.e. temperature dropping below zero degrees Celsius or where there is a risk of black ice in the car park or other risky weather conditions, the ‘Mathum Committee’ will decide if the masjid should stay open.
The decision maker will need to consider whether the health & safety of mathum users is being compromised and act accordingly.
8. Sharing of Facilites
Where the facilities have to be shared with other matham users, all parties MUST co-operate and share the facilities as amicably as possible.
All parties must work together to clean the communal areas such as the lower ground floor kitchen, lower ground community hall and portakabin facilities (including bathrooms and kitchens) before leaving.
Please remember that at the time of bereavement, people are very emotional therefore some flexibility and sensitivity is required whilst sharing the facilities.
9. Body Wash Facilities
A body wash facility is available at the Association. As this is a community facility and is predominantly used by the community, the Association requests that all users leave the room in a clean state, so that the facility is found to an acceptable standard; for future users.
If however, the facility is found in a less than desirable state at any time, the Association kindly requests that the present users clean the facility to a desired personal standard, before use.
Please note that cleaning items are available from the caretaker on duty.
Please also ensure that the body-wash room is left in a clean state for the next users.
Please note that ICEA does not provide items for ghusl.
Therefore mathum users are requested to bring their own items to support with performing ghusl.
Please note that the body wash facility is at a very basic stage of development at the Association. The Association acknowledges that the facilities will not match those provided by other Muslim Funeral Services in Bradford.
Therefore please view the facility and make a decision prior to using the facility and the transportation of your family member’s deceased body to perform ghusl at ICEA is recommended.
A Body Storage Refrigeration Unit facility is now available for use at ICEA.
10. Children
It is the parent’s/guardian’s responsibility to supervise children at ALL times.
Please also ensure that your children do not litter the grounds of the masjid whilst playing outside or inside the masjid. Please encourage them to put litter in the bins provided.
Parents or guardians will be responsible for any incidents on ICEA grounds.
Parents or guardians will also be responsible for any damage caused to ICEA property.
Please ensure that children do not put the tasbeeh beads or other resources in their mouths
11. Resources Used During Mathums
During mathums many users use the chadars available in the masjid to cover the floor. The Association endeavours to clean these chadars periodically. However, if you find the chadar is not clean to a desired standard, please inform a mathum committee member or alternatively provide your own.
Also, there are sets of Qur’an Sipares available in the Portakabins for the ladies to read for esal-e-Sawab for their loved ones. However, sometimes the sets may become disorganised.
The Association requests that you sort the sipares on the bookshelves. If however, there are many sipare missing from a set please contact the mathum committee members – who will provide you with a full set – which you must return at the end of the mathum.
Surah Yasin’s are also available on the bookshelves for your use. In addition to the above there are tubs full of tasbeeehs so that mathum users can read prayers for the esal-e-sawab for their loved ones.
If there is more than one mathum please share these resources with others.
Jazakallah khair for your co-operation.
12. Caratekers
All cleaning items including vacuum cleaners can be requested by phoning the caretaker or a mathum committee member.
13. Khatums
All khatums must be booked in advance on a first come first served basis in the Association’s diary.
The Association’s Administrator must be contacted during office hours to book 4th, 40th and annual khatums.
14. Damage
All damage caused will be assessed by the mathum committee
Damage will need to be recompensed according to the severity of the damage.
All damage to walls, doors, woodwork, windows, sound system, hard flooring, carpets whether cosmetic or structural will be need to be paid for by the Mathum Representatives..
Estimates for repairs will be sought by the mathum committee and invoices sent for damage