KOTA BHARU, 10 June 2026 – The School of Health Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia (PPSK USM), in collaboration with the Kelantan Islamic Religious and Malay Customs Council (MAIK), Yayasan Orang Kurang Upaya Kelantan (YOKUK) and the Ministry of Health Malaysia (MOH), organised the Workshop on Spirituality and Palliative Care for Mosque Management Committees in Kelantan at Kompleks Islam Jubli Perak Sultan Ismail Petra. 

The programme was held from 8.30 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. and involved mosque management representatives in Kelantan, particularly imams, bilals, siaks and mosque committee members. The workshop aimed to introduce participants to the concepts of spirituality, palliative care and the role of mosques as institutions of spiritual, social and community support for patients and families facing serious illnesses. 

The programme was also funded by the Social Research Grant under the Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE), entitled “Empowering the Role of Mosque Management in Strengthening Spiritual Support for Paediatric Palliative Care”. This funding supports research activities, community engagement and the empowerment of mosque management committees in strengthening spiritual support for paediatric patients and their families. 

The opening ceremony was officiated by Dr. Haji Muhamad Hana Pizi bin Abdullah, the State Chief Imam of Kelantan. Also present was Professor Hamid Jan bin Jan Muhammad, Deputy Dean of Research, Innovation and Industry-Community Engagement, representing the Dean of the School of Health Sciences, USM. 

According to the Programme Director, Dr. Mujahid Bakar, the workshop is part of a research and community empowerment initiative that focuses on strengthening spiritual support in paediatric palliative care. Through this programme, mosque management committees are expected to gain a clearer understanding of their role in supporting patients and families through spiritual, social and community-based approaches, while complementing the work of hospitals and healthcare professionals. 

The workshop highlighted the importance of emotional support, spiritual strength, religious advice, prayers, community visits and compassionate engagement in helping families affected by serious illnesses. In the context of Muslim society in Kelantan, mosques are not only places of worship, but also centres of spiritual guidance, social support and community engagement. 

Participants attended several key sessions, including a research briefing and explanation of the survey questionnaire, Islamic psychospirituality, spiritual care, Shariah counselling, Islamic volunteerism skills and the future direction of mosque involvement in community support programmes. Each session also included an interactive quiz to encourage active participation. 

A special feature of the programme was the distribution of souvenirs produced through the LINENICE initiative by Universiti Sains Malaysia. These souvenirs were made from used hospital linen that had been carefully selected, cleaned and repurposed into useful products. The initiative carries an important message of sustainability, community empowerment and social value, especially as the products were sewn by members of the asnaf and persons with disabilities communities. 

The workshop is hoped to serve as an early step towards empowering mosques as compassionate institutions that not only guide the community in religious matters, but also support them during times of illness and hardship. The collaboration between religious institutions, the university, healthcare agencies and welfare organisations also opens new opportunities for developing a more structured mosque-based community support model in Kelantan.