1. Services

1.1 AIJS operates as a not-for-profit cooperative fund, not an insurance product. Its sole purpose is to facilitate the provision of a burial plot for eligible members; it does not provide broader funeral services.

1.2 The AIJS Executive Committee (EC), with members’ input, manages and safeguards the long-term sustainability of the fund.

1.3 AIJS will review its services and operations regularly, maintaining transparency, accountability, and member engagement, including publishing an annual financial summary to all members.

1.4 AIJS facilitates burial plots exclusively at Queanbeyan Lawn Cemetery, managed by Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council.

1.5 AIJS is a self-assessed income-tax-exempt not-for-profit community service organisation. Membership fees and mandatory contributions are payments for future services and are not tax-deductible. AIJS does not currently hold Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) status, so voluntary donations are also not tax-deductible at this time. This position will be reviewed periodically.

2. Service Coverage

2.1 AIJS currently serves Muslims residing in Canberra and Queanbeyan.

2.2 Service coverage will be reviewed periodically to expand scope where sustainable.

3. Membership Fees

3.1 The standard membership fee is $150 per eligible person, effective from 1 October 2024.

3.2 “Eligible family member” means any Muslim family member, from birth with no upper age limit, residing in the same household, who is included on a family application. Family members who are 55 years or older at the time of application must pay the $500 fee under clause 3.4, whether they apply individually or as part of a family application.

3.3 AIJS reserves the right to review and adjust fees periodically to reflect rising burial costs. Fee increases apply uniformly to all members from the effective date.

3.4 The membership fee for new applicants aged 55 and over is $500, effective from 15 August 2026, regardless of whether they apply individually or as part of a family application.

4. Membership Conditions

4.1 Any Muslim residing in Canberra and Queanbeyan may apply.

4.2 Citizenship or permanent residency is not required.

4.3 A 24-month waiting period from the join date applies before burial plot benefits commence.

4.4 Applicants diagnosed with a terminal illness (defined as a medically certified prognosis of 12 months or less) at the time of application will be declined outright. All new applicants must submit a medical certificate signed by a registered medical practitioner confirming no terminal illness diagnosis exists at time of application. Failure to provide this certificate, or discovery of a withheld diagnosis, will result in application refusal or, if already accepted, membership voidance and forfeiture of fees under clause 6.3.

4.5 Membership commences upon receipt of full fee payment; benefits commence after the waiting period.

4.6 Membership is non-transferable.

4.7 If a member’s coverage lapses and they later rejoin, a new 24-month waiting period applies from the rejoin date, unless the lapse was due to circumstances outside the member’s control as determined by the EC.

5. Mandatory Contributions

5.1 AIJS reviews vacant burial plot and cash reserve balances quarterly. If insufficient, AIJS may require a mandatory contribution equal to the current membership fee from each member.

5.2 Contributions are due within three months of notification. For members under 1 year of membership at the time of the request, the contribution is due on their 1st membership anniversary.

5.3 Members who do not pay a mandatory contribution within the notice period will have their benefit suspended until payment is received, plus a further 6-month suspension from the date of late payment, to discourage strategic delay.

6. End of Membership

6.1 Membership is cancelled for breach of these T&Cs or non-payment within three months of notification.

6.2 Members must notify AIJS in writing within 30 days of relocating outside the coverage area. Membership is automatically cancelled six months after relocation, or immediately if the member fails to notify AIJS as required.

6.3 Voluntary cancellation must be notified in writing. All fees and contributions are non-refundable.

6.4 Partial payment by a family unit will result in benefit suspension for the unpaid member(s) only, provided AIJS can reasonably identify the specific unpaid individual from payment records; otherwise, suspension applies to all family members until resolved.

7. Ongoing Responsibilities

7.1 AIJS will use best efforts to maintain a sustainable balance of vacant plots and cash reserves.

7.2 Members who have contributed a cumulative total equal to the current actual Queanbeyan Lawn Cemetery plot fee (as published and updated by the Council from time to time) are exempt from future mandatory contributions. This threshold automatically tracks the Council’s published fee rather than a fixed dollar amount, ensuring the exemption stays aligned with real burial costs.

7.3 Members must keep contact details current with the EC.

8. Access to Services

8.1 Subject to availability of a pre-purchased plot, AIJS will provide a burial plot at Queanbeyan Lawn Cemetery for a deceased eligible member.

8.2 AIJS pays Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council directly; no direct payments are made to members.

8.3 Grave specifications and rituals comply with the Sunnah and ACT legislation.

8.4 AIJS’s coverage is limited strictly to the burial plot fee payable to Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council. AIJS does not provide, arrange, or fund any other funeral-related services, including but not limited to ghusl (ritual washing), shrouding (kafan), transport of the deceased, funeral director services, or grave marker/headstone costs. Members and their families are responsible for independently arranging and paying for all such services through external providers.

8.5 A death certificate must be provided to AIJS.

8.6 Where a member dies outside the ACT/Queanbeyan region, the next of kin must provide documentary evidence demonstrating that the deceased member’s principal residential mailing address was in the ACT/Queanbeyan region at the time of death.

8.7 AIJS will not reimburse any other costs under any circumstances. This includes ghusl, shrouding, transport, funeral director fees, and any other service not explicitly listed in 8.4.

8.8 AIJS may, at its discretion, publish a list of recommended external Islamic funeral service providers (e.g. ghusl facilities, transport, funeral directors) for members’ convenience. This is provided as information only; AIJS accepts no responsibility or liability for the quality, cost, or availability of services from these third parties.

9. AIJS Rights

9.1 The EC may amend these T&Cs as necessary but must provide members with at least 30 days’ written notice before material changes (fee increases, benefit reductions) take effect.

9.2 Amendments must comply with Sharia obligations as advised by the Sharia committee.

10. Dispute Resolution

10.1 A member (or their next of kin) who disputes a decision (e.g., denial of benefit, disputed contribution) may lodge a written appeal with the EC within 30 days of the decision.

10.2 The EC, in consultation with the Sharia committee where relevant, will respond within 14 days.