Hyderabad: In 2003, the Siasat Daily’s Editor Zahid Ali Khan first took the initiative to bury the unclaimed Muslim dead bodies. This initiative came in response to an emotionally distressed call by a Muslim police officer who informed Khan that Muslim dead bodies are often cremated along with other unclaimed bodies.
This painful disclosure prompted Khan to call up the then Andhra Pradesh DGP and the Commissioner of Police Hyderabad requesting them to hand over the unclaimed Muslim dead bodies to Siasat Daily for their burial.
And for the past 18 years, Siasat Millat Fund is giving a decent burial to about 20 to 25 unclaimed Muslim dead bodies every month. The total number of burials to date is 5020.
On December 11, 2021 (Saturday) 11 unclaimed Muslim bodies will be given a decent burial after their Namaz-e-Janaza at Darul Shifa Jama Masjid by Maulana Jafar Pasha Hisami. With this addition, the total number of the burial will be 5031 including about 125 women.
The expenses incurred for burying an unclaimed dead body is between Rs 3500 to Rs. 4000. Siasat Millat Fund performs this noble task with the help of Hyderabadi Muslims inside and outside the country.
The unclaimed Muslim dead bodies are collected from Osmania General Hospital, Gandhi Hospital, TB Hospital, Second Chance Home Church, Alwal Church, Harishchandra Foundation, Fatima Home, and Budwel Church.
The “last bath” of the dead bodies is arranged by Dr Fakhruddin, Head of the Mortuary Department, Osmania hospital, and his colleagues Mohammed Moin, Mohammad Qasim, Mohammed Zubair Hashmi and the In-charge of Gandhi Hospital Amjad Ali.
Some good samaritans like Ms. BushraTabassum and her husband Abdul Mannan often provide free cloth for the dead. Their colleague Mohammed Abdul Jalil also plays an important role in burial arrangements.
Some eminent Muslim scholars like Maulana Hamiduddin Akhil Hisami, Mufti Abdul Ghani Mazahari, Maulana Qubool Pasha Shatari, Shaikh-ul-Jamia of Jamia Nizamia Mufti Khalil Ahmed and dozens of other scholars and clerics recite the “Namaz-e-Janaza” of these unclaimed Muslim dead bodies.
Finally, these dead bodies are buried with full honor according to the Islamic rites in various graveyards across the city.
In addition to this noble initiative by Editor of Siasat Daily Zahid Ali Khan, its Managing Editor Zaheeruddin Ali Khan and News Editor Aamir Ali Khan are also playing their contributory roles.