In The Name of Allah, The Most Merciful, The Most Beneficent CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS OF THE ISLAMIC CENTER OF BLACKSBURG, ICB «»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«» ARTICLE I: NAME AND NATURE The name of the organization shall be ISLAMIC CENTER OF BLACKSBURG (ICB). The ICB is a NON-PROFIT religious organization which is registered with the Internal Revenue Services, IRS, Tax ID Number 54-1531118. ARTICLE II: AIMS AND PURPOSES The purpose of the organization is to please ALLAH (SWT) by obeying His commands. It shall invite to all that is good, enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong according to Qur'an and Sunnah. Toward this end, the ICB shall; a. Establish an Islamic Center in Blacksburg. The Center is to provide facilities for Islamic worships for the area Muslims, including a Mosque, a Muslim School for Children and adults, as well as facilities for community activities. The facilities are to include a center for Islamic Da’wa in which Islamic lectures, workshops, literature, etc. are made available to the greater area community. b. Create an Islamic environment for the Muslim community in Blacksburg where brotherhood and equality with no discrimination among its members form the basis for all functions. c. Help Muslims to understand and practice Islam based on Qur'an and Sunnah. d. Conduct religious, educational, social and other activities according to Islam. e. Promote unity and joint action among Muslims. f. Endeavor to make Islam known to Non-Muslims. ARTICLE III: BASIC LAW The following items constitute the BASIC LAW which is unchangeable partially or completely. SECTION 1. CRITERIA FOR THE ORGANIZATION MEMBERS a. Their belief should be based on Qur'an and Sunnah according to the methodology of the people of Sunnah and Jama'ah, i.e. the four main Matha'hib; Hanafy, Maliky, Shafi'iy, and Hanbaly, and other Muslims who base their understanding exclusively on Qur'an and Sunnah of the prophet Muhammad (SAW) and the Sunnah of the four rightly guided Caliphs (Abu-Bakr, Omar, Othman and Ali (may Allah (SWT) be pleased with all of them). b. They should be of good Islamic conduct. c. The membership shall be immediately revoked if a member does not comply with the criteria mentioned in 1.a and 1.b. SECTION 2 Any Islamic Law, Shar'i, issue or matter in the ICB is not a subject to be voted upon. It is to be referred exclusively to the Imam of ICB for a verdict, see Art. XVI. If the Imam is absent, it is to be referred for a verdict to the ICB Fiqh council formed of three Fiqh scholars who fit the criteria mentioned in 1.a and 1.b above. The choice of the three fiqh scholars is to decided by the Shurah Council as detailed in Art. VIII, Sec. 3. SECTION 3 All decisions and recommendations of the organization should be within the framework of Qur'an and Sunnah according to the methodology of the people of Sunnah and Jamma'ah. All committees and councils of the ICB will endeavor to ensure that decisions are reached through careful study of relevant issues, gathering information from appropriate sources, input from the committees and other ICB members, and debating the issues in the various committees and councils meetings. Unity of the Muslims and their active participation in the ICB activities and functions should be sought in all decision making processes. SECTION 4 The North American Islamic Trust (NAIT) Inc. has the authority to intervene to ensure/enforce compliance with the Basic Law. ARTICLE IV: NATURE & AFFILIATION SECTION 1 The Islamic Center of Blacksburg shall be a non-profit organization. No profit shall incur to the benefit of any individual connected with the organization except in consideration for services rendered. SECTION 2 The Islamic Center building estate is the property of the North American Islamic Trust, NAIT. All the assets of Islamic Center are to be transferred to NAIT (or other Islamic Waqfs as seen by the ICB Shurah Council) in case the ICB is to be dissolved (may Allah (SWT) forbid). ARTICLE V: MEMBERSHIP SECTION 1 Any Muslim aged 16 years or more, whose belief is according to Qur'an and Sunnah as stated in the ICB’s Basic Law, who endeavors to practice Islam as a total way of life, and lives in Blacksburg or the locale of the New River Valley of S. W. Virginia, may become a member if he accepts the Constitution and Bylaws of ICB. SECTION 2 Any Muslim as specified in Art. V, Sec. 1, who is interested in ICB membership, shall submit an application. The application shall be reviewed by the Executive Committee. Approved applicant shall become a member upon payment of annual membership dues. SECTION 3 The Executive Committee may suspend or expel a member after appropriate hearing or reinstate a former member on such terms and conditions deemed appropriate by it. The membership shall be revoked by the Executive Committee if at any time a member is found to be non-complying with the Basic Law. ARTICLE VI: ORGANIZATION SECTION 1. GENERAL BODY It shall consist of all members. SECTION 2. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE The Executive Committee shall conduct the affairs of ICB, coordinate the work of the different ICB Committees, as well as implement the decisions of the Shurah Council. SECTION 3. SHURAH COUNCIL The Shurah Council shall oversee, guide, and direct the work of the Executive Committee and all other Committees of ICB. It shall appoint the Executive Committee President, ICB Imam, and select the scholars of the ICB Fiqh Council. It shall be responsible for electing new Shurah Council members. It shall have the final decision regarding amendments to the ICB Constitution and Bylaws, potential dissolution of ICB, integration with other entities, and other ICB identity-related issues. ARTICLE VII: GENERAL BODY SECTION 1. COMPOSITION It shall consist of all ICB active members. SECTION 2. FUNCTIONS a. To participate in ICB activities and functions. b. To volunteer to serve on ICB committees. c. To provide feedback and input to ICB officers and committees. SECTION 3. MEETINGS a. The general body shall meet at least once a year. b. Meetings shall be called by the Chair of the Shurah Council or the President of the Executive Committee. c. Special meeting shall be called within two months by the President of the Executive Committee when formally requested by one third of the general body members. d. The meeting shall be presided by the President of the Executive Committee. e. The members shall be informed about the time and place of a meeting at least 14 days in advance. f. The presence of 40% of the members in the first meeting and 30% in an adjourned meeting shall constitute a quorum. g. The recommendations reached in a quorum meeting are to be submitted to a special meeting of the Shurah Council for discussion and appropriate action. ARTICLE VIII: SHURAH COUNCIL (MAJLIS ASH-SHURAH) SECTION 1. COMPOSITION OF SHURAH COUNCIL a. The Shurah Council shall consist of 5% of total membership of ICB but at any time the minimum number of its members shall be 3 and the maximum number 9. SECTION 2. QUALIFICATIONS FOR SHURAH COUNCIL MEMBERS a. New members are appointed to the Shurah Council by the current members of the council. b. A Shurah Council member must be a Muslim aged 20 years or more, who has been a member of ICB, and has served more than one year as an ICB committee chair. SECTION 3. FUNCTIONS OF SHURAH COUNCIL The Shurah Council shall, a. Meet at least twice a year and when called for special meetings. b. Call for a special meeting of the Shurah Council when necessary. c. A Shurah Council meeting is deemed necessary if one third of the total Shurah Council membership vote in favor of such a meeting. d. Appoint the President of the Executive Committee. e. Approve guidelines for the Executive Committee and other committees. f. Approve annual activity plan and annual budget. g. Approve any changes to annual activity plan and annual budget if needed. h. Select the names of fiqh scholars whenever required (see Art. III Sec. 2). i. Appoint IMAM for the Islamic Center and support him by means mutually agreed upon. j. Election of new Shurah Council k. Approve Constitution and Bylaws amendments (except the Basic Law). l. Discuss potential dissolution of ICB, integration with other entities, or similar issues and take appropriate decisions. SECTION 4. PROCEDURES OF SHURAH a. The Shurah Council shall elect its own Chair. b. A Shurah Council seat shall be considered vacant if the membership of a Shurah Council member in ICB is suspended, or revoked, or a member; i) formally resigns, ii) leaves the area continuously for six months or more, or iii) fails to attend three consecutive meetings of the Shurah Council without being excused. c. A list of runner-ups for Shurah Council membership shall be made at each annual election. In case of a vacancy, the next runner-up shall be appointed to fill the vacancy on the Shurah Council for the remaining term of the council. d. Meetings shall be called and presided on by the Chair of the Shurah Council. e. The members shall be notified about the time and place of a meeting at least two weeks in advance. f. The presence of three-fourth of the total membership of the Shurah Council in the first meeting and two-thirds in an adjourned meeting shall constitute a quorum. g. Shurah Council decisions are reached through careful study of relevant issues, gathering information from appropriate sources, input from the committees and other ICB members, and debating the issues in the Shurah Council meetings. h. Unless specifically required otherwise by the constitution and bylaws, the decisions in a Shurah Council meeting are to be made by a two-thirds majority. i. A three-fourth majority of the total membership of the Shurah Council is required for approval of amendments to the Constitution and Bylaws and to register a vote of no confidence against any of the members of the Executive Committee. j. A three fourth majority of the total membership of the Shurah Council is required for approval of decisions related to potential dissolution of ICB, integration with other entities, or similar issues. k. All the Shurah Council decisions are final. ARTICLE IX: EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE SECTION 1. COMPOSITION OF EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE a. The Executive Committee shall consist of i) President, ii) Vice President, iii) Treasurer, iv) Cultural & Religious Activities Committee Chair, and v) Da’wa Committee Chair. b. The President of the Executive Committee shall be appointed by the Shurah Council. c. The President of the Executive Committee shall appoint the two other members to the Executive Committee; namely, the Vice-President and the Treasurer. SECTION 2. QUALIFICATIONS FOR EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBERS Members of the ICB Shurah Council are eligible to become members of the Executive Committee. SECTION 3. FUNCTIONS a. Conduct the affairs of the ICB. b. Implement decisions of the Shurah Council. c. Coordinate activities of different committees. d. Process membership applications. e. Determine annual membership dues. f. Appropriate funds for various committees, activities and projects as part of the annual plan and annual budget as approved by the Shurah Council. g. Ensure the registration of a student organization at Virginia Tech. h. Maintain coordination and full cooperation with the student organization. SECTION 4. PROCEDURES a. The Executive committee shall meet as often as necessary to conduct the affairs of the ICB. b. The decisions of Executive committee require approval by at least majority of its members. c. An Executive Committees seat shall be considered vacant if the membership of an Executive Committee officer in ICB is suspended or revoked or an officer i) formally resigns, ii) leaves the area continuously for four months or more, or iii) fails to attend three consecutive meetings of the Executive Committee without being excused by the President. d. A vacancy in Executive Committee shall be filled by a new officer appointed by the President. SECTION 5. President The President shall be the executive officer and responsible for: a. Appoint Chairs for Standing and ad-hoc Committees of ICB. b. Directing and coordinating activities of all committees so as to achieve the aims and purposes of ICB. c. Calling and presiding over the meetings of the Executive Committee, the Shurah Council, and the general body. d. Reporting on the status of the ICB at least annually. e. Being the main spokesman, representative and correspondent for the ICB in external affairs. f. Preparing an annual plan of activities for ICB and presenting it to the Shurah Council. SECTION 6. Vice President The Vice President shall be responsible for; a. Assisting the President in directing and coordinating activities of all committees so as to achieve the aims and purposes of the ICB. b. Assuming the responsibilities of the President in his absence. c. Preparing the agenda for the Executive Committee, Shurah Council, and general body meetings. d. Keeping the minutes of the Executive Committee, Shurah Council, and general body meetings and presenting the minutes of previous meetings for approval. e. Notifying the members about the time and place of a meeting. f. Keeping the ICB registered and in compliance with state and US laws. SECTION 7. TREASURER The Treasurer shall be the Chair of the Financial Committee and shall be responsible for; a. Maintaining the records of all financial transactions, systematic upkeep of the books, checks, receipts, writing disbursements and banking reconciliation. b. Prepares the annual budget proposal of ICB. c. Preparing and presenting a quarterly report on finances to the Executive committee d. Being responsible for matters related to all financial matters. ARTICLE X: STANDING & AD-HOC COMMITTEES SECTION 1. STANDING COMMITTEES The ICB shall have the following standing committees: Standing Committee List is given in the appendix at the end of this document. SECTION 2. AD-HOC COMMITTEES Ad-hoc Committees may be appointed by either the Executive Committee or the Shurah Council whenever it deems necessary. SECTION 3. PROCEDURES a. All committees shall work within the guidelines and supervision of the Executive Committee. b. At the beginning of each year/semester, each Committee Chair shall develop an annual/semester plan for his/her committee activities. These plans shall be presented to the Executive Committee for approval. c. Committee plans and guidelines must be approved by the Executive Committee before implementation. d. Periodically, joint meeting between the Executive Committee and Committee Chairs shall be held to discuss committee plans and guidelines and monitor progress. e. Committee Chairs have the authority to execute approved plans and will work with other Committees to ensure coordination of work and to avoid conflicts. f. Changes to the approved plans and guidelines of committees must be approved by the Executive Committee before it can be implemented. ARTICLE XI: FINANCES SECTION 1. REVENUES The ICB shall be financed by membership dues, income, donations and contributions. The Executive Committee may accept any donation or contribution in any form and from any source as long as it is consistent with the principles of Islam and purposes of the ICB. All funds collected or donated for a specific cause or project shall be used only for that cause or project unless specifically released by the donor(s). SECTION 2. ANNUAL BUDGET An itemized annual budget for ICB must be developed by the Executive Committee and approved by the Shurah Council. Changes in Expenditures exceeding 20% or $200, whichever is smaller, of the budget of any of the items requires an approval of the Shurah Council. SECTION 3. ACCOUNTS All accounts shall be interest free. If approved by the Shurah Council money may be invested in investments which satisfy Islamic criteria. SECTION 4. ACCOUNTING SYSTEM An accounting system for ICB must be developed by the Treasurer and approved by the Executive Committee. SECTION 5. FISCAL YEAR Fiscal year shall be Jan. 1 to Dec. 31 of each calendar year. SECTION 6. AUDIT The ICB accounts shall be audited once a year. The results of the audit shall be reported by the Treasurer to the Shurah Council by March 1 and made public after a review by the Shurah Council. ARTICLE XII: ELECTIONS OF NEW SHURAH COUNCIL MEMBERS SECTION 1. DATE OF ELECTIONS The elections shall be held in April of each calendar year. The date and time of elections shall be decided by the Shurah Council. SECTION 2. ELIGIBLE TO VOTE All members of the ICB Shurah Council as well as those who have previously served on the Shurah Council are eligible to vote. SECTION 3. COMPOSITION OF ELECTION COMMITTEE An Election Committee shall be appointed by the Shurah Council at least 45 days before each election. Members of the Executive Committee and the Shurah Council can not be members of the Election Committee. SECTION 4. DUTIES OF ELECTION COMMITTEE The Election Committee shall: a. Prepare a list of members eligible to vote. The list shall be ready at least 30 days before an election. b. Determine number of Shurah Council seats to be filled (see Art. VIII Sec. 1). c. Contact each person qualified to be a Shurah Council member to find his willingness to serve as a Shurah Council member and prepare ballots listing candidates. SECTION 5. ELECTION PROCEDURE a. The election committee shall conduct elections as follows; b. There shall be no nominees for membership of the Shurah Council. c. Each voting member shall be provided a ballot containing names of all persons qualified and willing to be Shurah Council members. d. Each member shall vote for candidates of his choice. e. Candidates getting the most votes shall become Shurah Council members. f. In case of a tie, the person who is the oldest in age shall become the Shurah Council member. g. A list of runner-ups shall be prepared for filling any vacancies during the term of the Shurah Council. ARTICLE XIII: CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS AMENDMENTS SECTION 1 The basic law can not be amended. SECTION 2 All proposed amendments should be signed by ten members or 10% of general body, whichever is greater, two members of the Executive Committee, or two members of the Shurah Council, and submitted in writing to the Chairman of the Shurah Council, or the President or the Vice President of the Executive Committee. SECTION 3 After receipt of a proposed amendment(s), the Chairman of the Shurah Council or the President of the Executive Committee shall call a meeting of the Shurah Council within four weeks to appoint an ad-hoc committee(s) to study the proposed amendment(s). SECTION 4 The ad-hoc committee(s) shall study the pros and cons of the proposal and report its findings to the Shurah Council. After the ad-hoc committee(s) reports its findings, the Shurah Council shall discuss and vote on the proposal. An affirmative vote by at least three-fourth or a difference of three votes, whichever is greater, of the total membership of the Shurah Council is required for the amendment to be adopted. ARTICLE XIV: DISSOLUTION If a situation arises which makes dissolution of the ICB inevitable, a special meeting the Shurah Council to which all past Shurah Council members are invited to study the situation and take the dissolution decision if necessary. The Shurah Council shall handle the process of the dissolution. It shall make arrangements to meet all liabilities and transfer remaining assets to NAIT (or other Islamic Waqfs as they see appropriate). ARTICLE XV: MISCELLANEOUS SECTION 1. INTERPRETATION OF CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS In case of ambiguity or conflict between different sections of the constitution and bylaws the interpretation of the Shurah Council shall prevail. SECTION 2. ADOPTION OF CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS The Constitution and Bylaws shall be adopted after it has been approved by the Shurah Council. After the Constitution and Bylaws has been adopted by the Shurah Council it shall be presented to the general body within one month. This event declares the opening of the ICB organization for membership. ARTICLE XVI: IMAM Imam referred to in Article III, Section 2 should be formally educated in Fiqh. If there is no ICB Imam, three Fiqh scholars chosen by the Shurah Council will be consulted on all Fiqh issues. «»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»
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APPENDIX: ICB STANDING COMMITTEES
Plan of Activities for Masjid Al-Hedaya – Academic Year 20__ - __
Committees – Masjid Al-Hedaya – Revised September 2004 REVISED CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS OF THE ISLAMIC CENTER OF BLACKSBURG, ICB «»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»
APPROVED
SHURAH COUNCIL MEMBERS
Blacksburg, Virginia, January 11, 2000
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Masjid Al-Hedaya Future Address ** inshaa Allah ** 113 Southpark Dr., Blacksburg, Virginia 24060 |
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