Burying your dead should never be a burden, especially for people of the Islamic faith. The funeral rites followed by Muslims depict simplicity, with all who pass being washed and shrouded, funeral prayers conducted, and then buried. The Sunday Morning through reliable sources learnt, that the Jawatte Muslim Burial Grounds, after appointing a consensually-selected management board, was charging varying burial fees from different localities. Contradicting the teachings of Islam, the management is charging Rs. 25,000 upwards from Maldivians and Rs. 5,000-8,000 from the Slave Island locality, when they want to bury their dead at Jawatte. The former trustees of the Jawatte Jumma Mosque and Burial Grounds have brought these matters to the attention of the Wakf Board and have filed a case at the tribunal, requesting a fair election and the abolishment of the present committee running the affairs of the mosque and burial ground. The present management board members do not possess any documents or letters of appointment of trusteeship issued by the Wakf Board (thereby surpassing a mandatory regulation). The Wakf Board and tribunal’s inaction to hear this case opposes the true spirit of Islam. The case has been dragged for more than two years, thereby enabling and indirectly supporting an illegal coterie to run the affairs of this mosque and burial ground. Furthermore, the donations collected during the holy month of Ramadan are not displayed on the mosque’s notice board to reflect how the donations were disbursed. With the present management board being questioned by concerned parties, files pertaining to former trustees appointments are starting to disappear from the Wakf Board; sources revealed. Muslims who attend prayers at this iconic mosque seek a just response for the following questions from the Wakf Board and Tribunal: How can these illegal members transact a trust’s monetary affairs amounting to millions of rupees with their banks, when their trusteeship is not recognised? How could donations, especially during the Ramadhan Fast, be collected and accounts not displayed on the notice board? How do files pertaining to former trustees appointments disappear from the Wakf Board? Does the Wakf Tribunal run by the Minister of Muslim Religious Affairs serve any purpose? Is this how they implement the Wakf Act to “establish a just Muslim society”? By law, only Muslims can serve on this board and tribunal. Are the members of this board following instructions of their in-laws, friends, or rich businessmen who have vested interests? Is not a Muslim; or Is, or becomes, a Member of Parliament; or Is or becomes a trustee of a registered mosque, a Muslim shrine or place of religious resort or a Muslim charitable trust or Wakf Shouldn’t the law be amended to include upright and eminent non-Muslims to sit and ensure that true justice is dispensed? The Wakf Board of Sri Lanka and the Wakf Tribunal of Sri Lanka For the purpose of enacting according to the Muslim Mosques and Charitable Trusts or “Wakf Act” a “Wakf Board” should be appointed, which shall consist of the director and seven other members appointed by the minister. The minister may appoint one of the members other than the director as the chairman of Wakf Board. The minister has the right to remove any member of the board from office if he is not satisfied with the way such members discharge their duties. The removal of any member of the board from office by the minister shall not be called into question in any court. If a person; -Shall be disqualified for appointment as a member of the board or if so appointed, shall vacate the office. Every member appointed by the minister shall hold office for a period of three years from the date of his appointment. The Wakf Tribunal of Sri Lanka For the purpose of enacting according to the Muslim Mosques and Charitable Trusts or “Wakf Act”, a “Wakf Tribunal” (or any number of tribunals which is determined by the minister from time to time) shall be appointed, which shall consist of three members appointed by the Judicial Service Commission. If a person is not a Muslim, he shall be disqualified from appointment as a member of the tribunal. The committee shall appoint one of the members to be the chairman of the tribunal. The decision of the majority of the members of the tribunal who are present at the hearing at any matter shall be considered as the decision of the tribunal.