An Emerging Need in New Zealand

⁠The Prophet ﷺ was the most generous of all the people, and he used to become more generous in Ramadan when Gabriel met him. (Bukhari)

“Indeed, the ones who maintain the mosques of Allah are those who believe in Allah and the Final day ” (Surah At-Tawbah/18).

Would you like to be among those special groups of believers mentioned by Allah the almighty in the Ayah?

In New Zealand, where Māori cultures (the indigenous people) blend beautifully, there’s a growing need for an Islamic Centre that caters to their needs.

Thanks to the tremendous dawah efforts of our Maori revert brothers, an increasing number of the South Pacific community are turning to Islam. Islam has become the fastest-growing religion in the area and globally, Alhamdulillah. This rapid growth has created a pressing need for building a masjid, where the indigenous Muslims and others can practice their faith and come together as one ummah while staying connected to their cultural roots.

In The Footsteps of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ

The Prophet ﷺ built the first mosque in Madinah to serve the first seed of the Muslim community, even before finding a home for himself!

With an increasing number of revert Muslims among indigenous New Zealand Māori and Island communities of the South Pacific Countries like Vanuatu, Samoa, Tonga, Fiji, and a dozen others, there is an urgent need for a masjid to cater to their specific needs, not only as a place of worship but also to serve their educational and community needs specific to their own culture and language..

With this in mind, FIANZ (the national body of Muslims in NZ) purchased a large piece of land in a strategic location of Auckland (463 Porchester Rd) to build a masjid and dawah center to serve and unite the first seed of the Māori, Fijian, Samoan, and other indigenous South Pacific Muslim communities by providing them a space where they can practice Islam, advance their learning, and continue reaching out to the wider communities around them.

Location of land: 463 Porchester Rd, Auckland, New Zealand

Fast forward to today…

The total number of Muslims in Oceania is more than 600,000. South Pacific indigenous Muslims are so many in number alhamdulillah. There are more than 52,000 Muslims in Fiji alone, just one of the 15 Pacific islands in the region. If we overlook the specific needs of the indigenous reverts, that may lead to feelings of isolation or lack of connection to the broader Muslim community. Especially of the new revert Muslim women seeking safety and shelter who want to learn more about deen.

Our Vision: A Sanctuary For All

The masjid design incorporates traditional Māori and indigenous artistry. This planned mosque is tailored to be a sanctuary where every Māori and South Pacific Muslim brethren instantly feels a profound sense of belonging and at home.

This will be a Dawah and Islamic training center specializing in giving dawah and education to Muslim and non-Muslim Māori, Fijian, Samoan, and other Indigenous South Pacific Muslims of South Pacific acknowledging and integrating their special culture.

Our Maori revert brothers and sisters have begun a bi monthly programme called “Mana Islam” meaning strength of Islam. The speakers include reverts who tell their own story of their journey to Islam. This inspires others who attend the programs. This is now held at the temporary centre at 463 Porchester Rd. This space has been created by renovating and converting an old horse shed as a prayer place. It is small and inadequate to cater for the increasing number of reverts and others attending. Therefore an urgent need is now to build the masjid and dawah centre for future use.

Join us as a foundational supporter. Stand with us on this crucial historical turnpoint and seize the opportunity to shape our shared legacy. This would shine bright on the scale of your good deed Inshallah!

“No day dawns upon [Allah’s] servants without two angels descending [to Earth]. One of them says, ‘O Allah, give recompense to those who give [charity]!’; the other says, ‘O Allah give loss to those who withhold [charity]!

Lessons from Christchurch: Bridging the Divide

The heartbreaking tragedy of the 2019 Christchurch mosque shootings where at least 50 Muslims were killed, was a stark reminder of what can go wrong when misunderstandings and misconceptions prevail. A key factor leading to such incidents is the absence of interfaith dialogue – an opportunity for communities to understand, respect, and appreciate the beliefs and practices of one another.

The Islamic Centre of South Pacific (ICSP) project recognizes this urgent need. Our dedicated interfaith dialogue center aims not only to educate and enlighten but also to prevent tragedies rooted in ignorance. By fostering understanding and promoting conversations between faiths, we stand strong against the tides of Islamophobia and ensure that such heart-wrenching events do not repeat in our community or elsewhere. Together, we can build bridges of harmony for a brighter, inclusive future.

Key Features of the Islamic Centre of South Pacific

🔷 Daily Salah and Jummah

🔷 Dedicated Space for women to worship

🔷 Educational programs for new Muslims

🔷 Dawah center for organizing Dawah activities

🔷 Mentorship Programs for young Muslims

🔷 Auditorium to hold interfaith dialogue

🔷 Modern Islamic civilization, learning, and visitor center

🔷 Pantry facilities & dining area for families

🔷 Community Hall for Eid celebrations and other Islamic events, that can accommodate a large number of attendees catering to the special culture of South Pacific indigenous Muslims

🔷 Funeral service facilities

🔷 A museum of Islamic history that will provide an opportunity for Muslims and Non-Muslims to learn about the rich heritage of Islamic civilization. This museum will house an old Quran and other Islamic literature. It will have the History of Islam shown through posters and artifacts.

What do we need?

We need your help to start the construction of this one-of-a-kind project.

Today you can be among those whom the Prophet ﷺ described:

“Whoever builds a mosque for the sake of Allah, Allah will build for him a house in Paradise” — Bukhari & Muslim

These are the acts of goodness the reward for which reaches him even after his death.

Your support today could guarantee a share in the rewards of everything good that will come out of this center.

The huffaz, the shahadas, the countless salah that are prayed, etc., all will inshallah be in the scale of your good deeds.

The center will be managed by FIANZ (The Federation of the Islamic Associations of New Zealand), a reputable and established umbrella Muslim registered charity organization in New Zealand with charity Registration Number #CC3880 and a proven record of delivering Islamic community projects.

We are now on the step of completing the steel structure. We need $700k to complete this step. And we need help to fund that from champions like you!

Do you think it’s too much and it’s impossible?! No, it’s not! We just need 7000 special individuals out of 1.5 Billion Muslims around the world to each donate $100 (or more) so we can achieve our goal.

Let’s come together for the construction of a modern, multi-service Masjid, to unite the Muslims of the South Pacific, helping secure a strong and enduring legacy for our future generations, Insha’Allah.

“The believer is in the shade of his Sadaqah on the Day of Resurrection.” , “Give charity without delay, for it stands in the way of calamity.” — Prophet Muhammadﷺ

Remember, this isn’t just a masjid, It’s our chance to help propel the Dawah together with the rapidly expanding Māori and South Pacific community that is embracing Islam today.

Let’s give back and empower Māori, Fijian, Samoan, and other indigenous people of the South Pacific. Rather than taking from them as others have done, let us be among the first to give them in history!

Be a part of this monumental Dawah movement, and get the reward of the thousands who would embrace Islam insha’Allah, including their daily prayers and good deeds, and share the reward of them and their descendants long after you leave this world. Don’t miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Donate Now!

Prophet Muhammad ⁠ﷺ said: “The best charity is that given in Ramadan.”(Tirmidhi)

About FIANZ

FIANZ — a UMBRELLA Muslim organization in New Zealand — has helped build many successful mosques and Islamic centers in various cities and regions.

It looks after the interests of Muslims with centers across various geographical locations in New Zealand.

For over 40 years, FIANZ has been a driving force in maintaining the unity of the New Zealand Muslim community and ensuring that we are able to integrate well with the broader society in New Zealand.

It has a proven record of delivering community projects via its various centers and has established a close working association with government organizations and non-government social bodies within New Zealand.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)