The Arab Chamber of Commerce & Industry

中文

Mission

Hong Kong's Mosque Building Fund

An important development in the history of Mosques in Hong Kong is the establishment by The Arab Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Mosque Building Fund (MBF).

The MBF is an "Islamic Investment Fund” that provides a system to collect funds for building Mosques through proportional deductions from a sensible sum of “Zakât” (contribution a Muslim individual or institution must make yearly for the benefit of good in Muslim communities).

The payment of Zakât is mandatory as it is one of the five pillars of Islam, upon all Muslims to donate at least 2.5 % of wealth and assets each year (in excess of what is required to the poor). The Chamber’s MBF yield funds the purchase of land and the construction of Mosques and related projects to serve the Muslim residents of new private and public housing estates primarily in Hong Kong’s New Territories.

The MBF is established in support of initiatives by the United Muslim Association of Hong Kong (UMAH) who is responsible for erecting of Mosques and community service centers; it coordinates the prioritization, design and implementation processes.

The task of furnishing new Mosques, or of maintaining and re-developing older facilities, is left to the management board of the Mosque (which is composed of volunteers), and its fund-raising activities and resources. Community effort is what keeps Mosques in good shape.

UMAH is a non-government, non-profit-making organization dedicated to the service of not only the Islamic ethnic minorities in Hong Kong, but also to everyone in Hong Kong’s diverse community.

Statistics reveal that there are well over 180,000 ethnic minority Muslims in Hong Kong but only 5 Mosques were built during British rule. Four Mosques can be found in Hong Kong Island and on in Kowloon Peninsula. Not one exists in the New Territories.

UMAH’s vision is history-in-the-making as it aspires to erect this year the first Mosque and Islamic Centre to be built in the New Territories, and the first Mosque to be put up since the handover of Hong Kong to China.

Importance of Mosque Building

For Prophet Muhammad s.a.a.w.s., the Mosque serves as a main artery for the Muslim community.

Since the history of Hijrah (the migration of the Prophet s.a.a.w.s. from Mecca to Medinah), the Mosque has functioned as a place for gathering and a symbol of unity in the Islamic faith.

Core Mosque Activities

The Mosque not only serves the religious needs of the community, it also provides other social services. This is in line with the concept of the Mosque being a multi-functional institution and its centrality as a prime agency to facilitate the creation of an excellent Muslim Community. 4 core areas form the pillars of the Mosque's activities, namely

Religious Practices
Religious Education
Family, Youth Development and Elderly Care
Information Services and Referrals

Background of the Mosque Building Fund (MBF)

The Fund was introduced in 2008. Its objective is to provide funds for Mosques building programs in Hong Kong. The Fund was established by The Arab Chamber of Commerce & Industry (ARABCCI) at the request of The United Muslim Association of Hong Kong (UMAH). It became known as The Mosque Building Fund (MBF).

MBF contributions are to be generated largely from large corporations as well as from employees’ salaries through a CPF check-off scheme, on an opt-out basis. As established, every Muslim employee is required to contribute a minimum amount of HK$5 per month. Bearing in mind costs of living and essential needs, MBF rates are set based on 2.5% of monthly income, notwithstanding that Muslim employee and employers alike are encouraged to make greater voluntary contributions.

Cost Increment of the Mosque Building Fund

The MBF is expected to collect around $500 million. From that amount, new Mosques will be built on the concept of “Multi-Functional Mosques”. This is indeed will be an achievement that the Muslim community in Hong Kong can be proud of in preserving its religious values in a secular and cosmopolitan environment.