Dr. Abdinur Sh. Mohamed Minister of Education, Higher Education and Culture

Please join me in congratulating one of our community members and pray for peace and stability in Somalia
 
 

Dr. Abdinur Sh. Mohamed,
 Minister of Education, Higher Education and Culture

http://www.hiiraan.com/news2/2010/Nov/somali_prime_minister_unveiled_his_cabinet.aspx

Commonalities in Abrahamic faiths By Dr. Abdinur Mohamud

On September 17, 2010, Mayor Colman, accompanied by various religious leaders, visited Abubakar Asiddiq Islamic Center, under construction on the west side of Columbus. He then attended a Friday prayer at the present location of Masjid Abubakar, where Dr. Mohamud spoke and delivered the Khutba. Part of Dr. Mohamud's speech was later included in the Ohio Christian News Vol.83,Number 4, November 2010. a publication of Ohio Council of Churches.

WE ALL BELONG

A Rally for Inclusion

We gather to proclaim the truth that all of us -regardless of race, religion, age, economic class, ability, sexual orientation, gender identity or immigration status-deserve dignity and respect. We want our voices to be heard. We lift up the United States of America as a pluralistic democracy where all are created equal.

Please bring family and friends

Sunday, Oct. 31st, 2:30 pm
All are welcome!

First Congregational Church
444 E Broad St. Columbus, OH 43215

Organized by

of First Unitarian Universalist Church,
93 W. Weisheimer Road
Columbus, OH 43214.

And Co-Sponsored by 18 major local organizations

Here is a list of the speakers at the event:

1. Aaron Riley (New Leaf Columbus)
2. Amir Dada (Afghan American Muslim youth)
3. Dr. Jennifer Gilbride-Brown (Kaleidoscope Youth Center)
4. Rabbi H. Berman (Tifereth Israel)
5. Rev. Mark Belletini (First Unitarian Universalist Church: Organizer)
6. Rev. Susan K.Smith (Advent United Church of Christ)
7. Rev. Tim Ahrens (First Congregational Church: Host)
8. Rev. Virginia Lohmann Bauman (Church World Service, Ohio Field Director for Immigration Reform)
9. Ruben Castilla Herrera (Ohio Action Circle and former state Director, Reform Immigration for America)
10. Sr. Zeinab Schwen (State Director, Council on American Islamic Relations)

See full Flyer

Why should I vote? By M.N. Tarazi, Oct 7, 2010

"What is voting in Islam?, It isn't mentioned in the Quran!" my friend Abdullah asked.

Well our scholars understood that voting amounts to "given a testimony" and we Muslims are required to give testimony when called for:

"...The witnesses should not refuse when they are called on"

(Al-Baqarah 2:282)

However, this should not be understood that given testimony is obligatory only when the witness is summoned . The prophet (PBUH) said:

"Should I not tell you about the best of witnesses? It is he who brings his testimony before he is even asked." (Muslim)

Allah S.W.T also said:

"... and do not conceal testimony; for whoever conceals it,- His heart is tainted with sin. And Allah Knows all that you do. "

(Al-Baqarah 2:283)

Based on this, an overwhelming number of Islamic scholars declared that Muslim participation is permissible in all political aspects including voting, nominating, and running for public offices. Many went on to saying that such Muslim participation is obligatory and it is sinful if a Muslim is negligent in this kind of participation, especially if his "No Vote" caused the election of a candidate who is not best for the job or caused the passage of a measure that is not in the best interest, from an Islamic standpoint, of humanity in general and Muslims in particular.

Then Abdullah said, "Fine but does my vote really count? Back where I came from, the presidential election, for example, was always won by 99.999% of the votes!"

In true democracies you will not see the 99.999%. For example in the 2000 Presidential election , in Florida Bush got 2,912,790 votes while Gore got 2,912,253 votes. As a result Bush won the election by only 517 votes. Also in the 2008 general election for congress in the Ohio 15th district, Mary Jo Kilroy defeated Steve Stivers by only 2311 votes (most likely the Muslim votes) out of more than 304,000 cast.

I hope this convinces you how important is your vote!

"I really don't care since next year I'm going back home anyway!" Abdullah replied.

Well, Abdullah, I have been hearing you say this for the last 10 years and you're still hanging in here. The prophet (PBUH) said:

"If you happen to witness the start of the Day of Judgment and you have a plant and if you live enough just to plant it, then do so."(Ahmad & others)

So you owe it to yourself, to the country which opened its arms to you and gave you its citizenship, to the community in general and to the Muslim community to get out and vote for he or she who can do the best job and for the issue that benefits everyone.

Then Abdullah asked an important question, "Fine, fine. I should vote. But I don't know who is who. How can I vote?"

You are obligated to inform yourself on the issues and the candidates. Ask others if you don't. The League of Women Voters is a national organization with local chapters that is a good source of information on both candidates and issues, as are newspaper stories. Television ads, fliers published by a political party, and other ads may be poor sources of information. A meet the candidates event or a debate can give you some ideas about candidates.

You may argue that back in 2000 we followed the recommendations of knowledgeable Islamic organizations and we were wrong. True, but you do your best and what happen later is with God's hands and wisdom.

"Say: "I have no power over any good or harm to myself except as Allah wills. If I had knowledge of the unseen, I should have multiplied all good, and no evil should have touched me......."

(Al-A'raf 7:188)

"I need to confess I don't trust any candidate. They're all liars. They promise you so many things and once elected they break all their promises. Therefore I'm not voting!" Abdullah continued to argue.

They're not all the same. There are many honest and trustworthy candidates. Look for them. And circumstances they encounter once elected often sidetrack them or block them from doing many of the things they dream of. Most people go into politics, particularly at the local level, because they truly want to make things better. We have to be reasonable about the jobs we send them to do.

Undoubtedly you will not find a perfect candidate for any post, a candidate that agrees with you on all issues. Just use your best judgment and vote for the most suitable person for the position from the perspectives of moral character and qualifications for the position. And remember that each vote will affect you, your family and your community whether you voted or not.

So be part of the solution. Get off the couch and vote.

Finally Abdullah conceded and said:

"Thank you my friend. I will see you at the polls on November 2nd, Inshallah, and we all will vote for the best candidates and vote for issues that are good for the community in general and for us, the Muslim minority living in the West in particular."

OK, I might see you then, but we don't have to wait to the last day to vote. We can vote early in Franklin County if we go to 280 E. Broad Street instead of our regular polling places. You can find out the days and hours for early voting at

http://vote.franklincountyohio.gov/

Actually this website has important information for all voters, like what kind of ID to bring for voting and a sample ballot so you can prepare yourself better. If you aren't familiar with where your regular polling place is for voting on November 2, you can look it up on this website, as well as find out if you are correctly registered. You can report your changed address when you move as well. Each time you move you must correct your voter registration information.

Abdullah, let's spend the evening of November 2nd at my place watching the election results while having dinner together. I know a great chicken recipe and I'll kick it up a notch for you since you love hot spices.

Burn No Sacred BooksBy M.N.Tarazi, Sept 11, 2010

In the name of God ,
God of Noah (Nouh), Abraham (Ibrahim) Moses (Musa)Jesus (Issa) and Mohammad,
Most gracious Most Merciful
I greet you with the greeting of Islam and the greeting of Islam is Salam (Peace)So I tell you: Peace be upon you all.

The Quran teaches us why we're created different:

"O mankind! We created you from a single pair of a male (Adam) and a female (Eve) (Hawah) and made you into nations and tribes that you may know each other. 49:13"

And Islam encourages us to be positive contributing members of both our communities and our environment. Here are some of the teachings of Islam:

"God is the provider to all His creatures and the most beloved to God is those among you who are most beneficial to His creatures."

"If you happen to witness the start of the doomsday and you have a plant and if you live enough just to plant it then do so. "

"If a Muslim plants a tree, or sows a field and men and beasts and birds eat from it, all of it is charity from him".

Dear brothers and Sisters:

We gather here today as Americans and what is good for America is good for all of us and what hurts America hurts all of us. We Muslims are part of the society and serving all as doctors, engineers, teachers, business people.

Throughout history minorities have come under attack particularly during times of economic hardships. Our country is going through hardship today and some people are lashing out against minorities in their anxiety about the future. But we all need to all stick together and help each other through these difficult times. This is what will make our country strong again and among the great successes of nations in the world.

We condemned the act of few deranged men on 9/11 that caused the death of thousands of innocent men and women including many Muslims. Islam forbids the killing of innocent men and women. Islam even forbids the killing of birds except for the necessity of food.
We cannot learn to live together and break down the barriers that divide us unless we get to know each other better.

I would like to thank my friend Ray, Sister Zerqa and all those who worked hard to put together this great event . And we are calling for continued interfaith efforts for the benefit of all of us American. Please make sure before you leave to have some Baklava donated by the Islamic Society of Greeter Columbus

Presented at the Interfaith Solidarity Service, Sept 11, 2010

Burn No Sacred Books

An Interfaith Solidarity Service
To commemorate 9/11 and express solidarity with Muslim sisters and brothers who are being targeted by hate campaigns, including calls by Florida-based church to burn the Qur'an

Saturday, September 11, 2010, 2 pm
All are welcome!

First Unitarian Universalist Church
93 W. Weisheimer, Clintonville, Ohio

Please bring family and friends

See Full Flyer

Islamic Marriage Referral based on family networking By Dr. M.N.Tarazi, Aug 1, 2010

"Please find me a good husband for my daughter," a friend of mine asked me many times. Another mom asked my sister if she knows someone from "this country" for her 20 year old son. Another mother asked me to find a good Muslim girl for her son and a widow asked me to recommend someone to her! Many brothers and sisters have expressed their interest in getting married as well and complained about the difficulty in networking. So many men and women are trying hard to find the right spouse. With a diverse community such as ours it is extremely difficult to find someone from the few families that you know. We are spread out and lack large social networks.

There are many "Muslim Matrimonial" services online and a number of brothers and sisters are using them. Unfortunately I've personally witnessed some failed marriages from these services. I believe these were caused when compatibility was not determined well enough. And a large number of boys and girls do not feel comfortable putting out their pictures and their résumé online for the general public, so the services don't address the needs of many.

I'm launching this initiative www.islamicmarriagereferral.com where a data base of willing grooms and brides to be will be established and kept away from the general public. A team of respected brothers and sisters of our community, of diverse backgrounds, accepted to work as volunteers with me in sorting and studying the data base, inquiring about the families involved and providing counseling as needed.

When we feel a reasonable compatibility exists between a groom to be and a bride to be, then the families of the man and the women are contacted and introduced to each other. From that point on the families will find the best way for the boy and the girl to contact and speak to each other, in public spaces, by phone, through face book or e-mail. With Allah's help and blessing this will lead to a very successful marriage. For those without family or divorced or widowed individuals, we will contact close friends or relatives that they indicate, to assist in arranging introductions.

Some boys and girls are very much interested in getting married when they are young and even from a different culture but their families are opposed to such marriages. We will discuss and counsel the families in an effort to find a good compromise for the best interest of all.

Divorced and widowed people in our community particularly need assistance in finding new companionship. Our life spans are much longer than in past generations and the old model of parents living in their children's homes in their later years is not adequate for the needs of healthy active older people. We want to provide assistance to them.

We will provide pre and post marriage counseling to ensure the continuous success of the marriage, the most important institution in Islam.

At this stage of the project, priority will be given to residents of Ohio and the surrounding states. All candidates will be asked to submit references.

We ask Allah (s.w.t.) to bless this effort and help us establish and sustain successful marriages.

The Wife-Beating Issue and Its Impact On Our Community By Dr. M.N.Tarazi, July 17, 2010

"Your mother is so great that I did not have to beat her up once in the thirty years we have been married!" a father told his sons as he was trying to praise his wife.

"Every time she will talk back at me I will slap her," a brother told me as I was trying to provide marital counseling for him and his wife. Apparently he had "smacked" her before they came to see me. The mind boggling thing is that when I asked him, "What did she say to you that caused you to hit her?" he replied, "We had an argument and she provoked me so I said to her "Haywaneh!" (you're an animal!) Then she dared to talk back at me saying, "Inteh el Haywan" (you're the animal). Then I exercised my "God given right" to beat her up."

Though this is hardly a common idea in our community, if only a few brothers follow this misunderstanding of our religion, it damages their families and it damages our whole community.

The opponents of Islam often accuse Islam and Muslims of mistreatment of women and allowing men to beat up their wives referring to the Quranic verse 4:34. Unfortunately some Muslim men do strongly believe that this verse in the Quran gives them some "God given right" to beat their wives.

Yusuf Ali translated this verse as follows ".....As to those women on whose part you fear disloyalty and ill-conduct, admonish them (first), (next) , refuse to share their beds, (and last) beat them (lightly)..."

"disloyalty and ill-conduct" is how Yusuf Ali translated the Arabic term ''nushuz" coming from the wife towards her husband, while Muhammad Asad rendered it, in this context, as "ill-will" and explains it in his footnotes " Deliberate, persistent breach of her marital obligations". Ali and Asad, both used the word "beat" as a translation of the Arabic term "wadhribuhunne" derived from the verb "daraba" used in the verse.

Before we elaborate further on the issue of "beating" we immediately can see that the verse is exclusively addressing very specific and serious problems. Nushuz is not 'problems' or disputes that arise if you come home hungry and find your supper a bit salty, or not ready, or later in the evening if she irritates you by telling you all that happen to her that day, which may be of no interest to you at all, while you are watching the end of an adventure movie on Satellite TV. Nushuz is actions that violate the wife's marital obligations to her husband, like being untrustworthy or dishonest, or threatening his honor, his reputation, or refusing to have intimate relations with him (within the Islamic boundaries). Please note that "nushuz" can also happen from the husband towards his wife as indicated in the Quran and there are ways to deal with that too, but I chose not to cover that topic in this posting.

Quran and Sunnah teach us that Islamic marriage is build on mutual love, mercy, trust, respect, fulfilling each other's reasonable sexual needs, desire for having children, consultation and sharing etc. So how could "beating" fit into this beautiful picture of a model Islamic marriage!

Sheikh Mohammad Al-Ghazali (Rahimahu Allah)in his book, Women's Issues Between the Stagnant Traditions and the Imported Ones said, "I did not find , in the (Islamic) Shariah, a justification for the use of darb [beating] except in two circumstances;

1) the wife refuses to have sexual relation [as permitted and within the boundaries of Islam] with her husband

2)or even worse when she brings male outsiders into her home in the absence of her husband [which could ultimately lead to suspicion which can escalate to spying or to a beginning of cheating]."

He added that even in these extreme cases, when he, the husband, resorts to the 3rd step (beating) of the family dispute resolution plan [verse 4:34], it should be using a soft object such as miswak [a twig used as a toothbrush] and that is by the consensus of authorities, avoiding the face and without calling bad names or humiliating her.

Let's look at how this Quranic verse creates a three-step dispute resolution plan to reconcile a couple when the wife is in error, and supports the family structure. When a woman becomes rebellious or thoughtless of her husband and refuses to discharge her Islamic duties to her husband, the husband is asked to verbally express his frustration and unhappiness about the situation in a very nice way, (no cussing, no shouting, no humiliating). This kind of communication works very well in most situations. The wife cannot guess what is on her husband's mind, (especially during their first years of marriage), and continuous communication would avoid many problems. Some time should be given to this effort. (If he starts communicating nicely with his wife he may find out that her behavior is actually a response to some poor behavior on his part, like neglect or disrespect and they both have improvements to make.)

If this strategy does not work and the wife continues persistently to refuse to perform her duties under Islam, particularly refusing to have sexual relations (as permitted and within the boundaries of Islam) with her husband or playing games with her attractiveness, then the husband is asked to go to step two. In this step he purposely suspends sex relation.

When the man initiates the suspension of sex relations, this should send a powerful message to the wife expressing the degree of misery the husband is going through that pushes him to declare that his wife is no more attractive to him. It is recommended during this stage, which may last several months , that the husband continue to be kind to his wife and talk to her (suspension of talk for more than three days is forbidden). This method works with some women. They start thinking that their charm is no longer effective and that they are starting to lose their husbands and they will end the dispute.

Obviously, if the husband does not see improvement during this stage, then prolonging it will just be hurting him. Finally he can end this stage by going to step three.

One would wonder however, how barely touching the women's arm or leg (in step three) with such a soft object (miswak) could make any impact on her to change her mind about her behavior? Is there a different plausible interpretation of the word "wadhrebuhunne" of this third step?

Actually, the word "daraba" and some of its derivatives are used in the Quran 58 times with various shades of meaning, some of which are: to give examples, to explain, to set up, to take away, to ignore, to condemn, to cover, to seal, to strike or hit, to travel, to beat, to get out.

Back in 1995 Edip Yuksel wrote (in a forwarded e-mail message entitled "Beating Women, Or Beating Around The Bush") that the meaning of the term 'wadhribuhunne' , in this context, should be understood for the husband "to strike his wife out", (start the separation process which can lead to divorce), if the first and the second stage suggested in verse 4:34 don't work out.(This opinion is mentioned here for its historical place and relevance to the issue at hand and should absolutely not be considered as an endorsement to his overall philosophy and work on Islam and Islamic Issues).

This new understanding of the term 'wadhribuhunne' was echoed by Dr. Abdulhamid A. Abusulayman, President of The International Institute of Islamic Thought, in 2002 in his book Darb Al-Mara'ah:Wasilah li-Hall Al-Khilafat Al-Zawjiyah . Dr. Abusulayman is telling the husband at this stage to leave and distance himself from his wife. He supported his opinion by citing the action of the Prophet (pbuh) when he left all of his wives for one month, when they showed unhappiness with the way they were living and demanded a better lifestyle that the Prophet could not provide for them. Then he gave them a choice to accept his way of life or to divorce them. This is significant and demonstrates that a women cannot be forced to stay in a marriage she does not like.

After leaving the house, outside help and arbitration must be sought to get this dispute resolved in an equitable way. This is the first time when the issue should be brought out to outsiders for arbitration as indicated in the Quran. Nevertheless, at any stage of the dispute, husband and wife can and are encouraged to seek outside help and advice from trusted knowledgeable members of our community (avoid relatives if neutrality and objectivity could be questioned) and sometimes professional family counselors are of great need.

Finally, please remember that under no circumstances does Islam allow someone to, punch, shove, pinch, slap ,pull hair, curse, cuss, or insult his or her spouse. If fear of Allah doesn't impress someone, he should be reminded that in this country he may end up in jail if he uses force of any sort against his spouse. I have seen brothers arrested when they ignored my plea to them to avoid force and resorted to violence against their wives. (I have not witnessed a woman beating her husband (yet).)

I write this to advise our community to stand up to those who need education on this issue. Our community is not healthy if any of our families are torn by what is generally called domestic violence. We need to help our less knowledgeable brothers, and sisters as well. Please pass on this information to those in need. I wish for the best well being for all of our families.

2010 Columbus Community Cookout

Join CAIR-Ohio, Sunrise Academy, and ISGC for a FREE family community cookout! In addition to food, we will also have BOUNCE HOUSE for the kids, snow cone and popcorn machines, and

Ramadan craft activities.

Please bring a side dish or a dessert to share!

Abukar Arman's resignation from AIW Board on Jun 26, 2010

Bismillah

As-salaamu alaiakum dear Brothers and Sisters,

After long reflection, consultation, and istikharah to ask Allah (SWT) for guidance on this murky issue and flaming fitnah, I decided to submit my resignation, effective immediately.

Over the past several months, in private and in public, I have stated my position on this entire saga that divided our community. In a nutshell, I have highlighted the following points:

1) There is enough blame to go around: While the majority opted to remain silent, some vocal brothers and sisters have biasely sided with one party or another (often adding more fuel to the fire), and the remaining few chose to objectively focus their eyes on the big picture- saving our community and masjid. [in that priority]

2) The viable way to reach that end seemed either to exclude all the founding board members (as their differences seemed irreconcilable) or to co-opt all of them to become part of an expanded board

I accepted the nomination to the AIW board do whatever in my capacity to help our community mend its fences, and help the healing process to start so that we welcome Ramadan with clean hearts and sense of community.

At this stage, I am convinced that item # 2 is too fare-fetched, if not impossible. Wa-Allahu a'alam.

Wishing you the very best,

Your brother in Islam,
abukar arman

Noor Saga-Failed Arbitration Part 1. Who is to blame?

Before you read this posting, please read Noor Saga-Introduction, if you have not done that yet.

The Resolution Committee

Farag and the other three board members (later known as the disputed board members) wanted to mediate the issue with Saqr and tried involving a few people quietly for this effort. This did not work. Then, on advice from their attorney, they called for a meeting of about 35 people of the Noor community on October 4, 2009, including many respected elders. They invited Saqr and asked him to invite whomever he wanted. Saqr was at the Center during the meeting but did not attend. At this meeting a resolution committee was formed and comprised of Dr. Azeez Haque (Chairperson), Mohammed Amin, Jamal Mansour, Aneezal Mohamed, and Dr. Asma Mobin-Uddin.

The resolution committee was asked to address the following issue and report back to the larger group of community leaders:

"Review the By-Laws of American Islamic Waqf (“AIW”) and discuss with Saqr whether he would agree to binding arbitration by this committee on a finding of whether or not Ayoub, Mandourah, and Islam, are legitimate members of AIW Board."

The resolution committee reviewed the By-Laws of AIW and then met with Saqr, (and Amgad Saleh via conference call), on Sunday, October 25, 2009. The meeting lasted about 2.5 hours. Saqr agreed to abide by the decision of the resolution committee once Farag presented evidence supporting his position that Ayoub, Mandourah, and Islam were members of AIW Board. However, Saqr did not agree to unconditional binding arbitration.

The committee asked Farag, as requested by Saqr, to provide evidence supporting the position that Ayoub, Mandourah, and Islam were validly appointed members of AIW Board. Farag insisted that the committee should get a binding arbitration commitment from Saqr before he could provide any such evidence.

Being frustrated by the lack of progress and because the resolution committee was unable to secure a commitment to binding arbitration by Saqr, Hassan Ayoub wrote on 10/31/2009:

“We thank the brothers and sisters that formed the original arbitration committee however we have realized that these legal matters are best handled by legal experts such as retired judges or magistrates. It will also involve legal precedents and applications that may be beyond the expertise of some members of the original arbitration committee."

On October 31, 2009 the resolution committee requested that a vote be taken by the elders that attended the meeting to form this committee on whether or not their role should be expanded and the overwhelming majority of these voters agreed not to expand the committee’s role. This ended the role of the resolution committee. [It is not clear to me what exactly the resolution committee asked for.]

Calls for binding arbitration

On Sunday November, 1 2009 Omar Tarazi, a local lawyer wrote, ” If anybody files any kind of legal action in court right now it would be very damaging to the whole community.” He reminded the community of the recent attacks against Masjid Noor with the court filings in Florida regarding the Rifqa Bary case. He added that arbitration is “an area that is best handled by a professional. A professional will solve your problems quickly and most importantly it will not go in the newspaper.”

And he proposed: ”On Monday [the next day] both sides can call the big name law firms in town and look for a non-Muslim lawyer who specializes in nonprofit law who also is willing to do an arbitration. Once this person is identified, both sides sign a contract with that individual. Both sides will also turn over all property such as keys, files, and E-mail lists to that individual. That individual will then conduct a professional arbitration hearing all the evidence from both sides.

By the end of the week the individual then makes a decision based on all the evidence regarding who exactly is legally in charge of the organization and he will then turn over to those individuals all of the keys, files, E-mails lists etc.

So by this Friday we can be done with this fight, it will probably take the arbitrator $300 per hour for I would guess 8 hours to do this work. This means a total of $2,400. The cost to each side is $1,200, and we have a final decision regarding who legally is in charge and those people will also have all of the property of the organization.”

The next day Ahmad Al-Akhras wrote:
"I humbly suggest that a group of three Muslim lawyers of the community, may be selected by those on this list --since it seems everybody copies the same names on their emails-- and they put the rules for a binding arbitration. Only then things would move forward. I do not believe other than both parties agreeing to the binding arbitration any solution would be achieved.

Dear brothers and sisters --I believe each and every one of you have a stake in this. Do not let this mess get out to the public, the whole community would suffer for many years to come. Look at EVERY example from around the country, if you go public and to have courts decide, such an act would create a scar that would never go away. "

Omar Tarazi's arbitration framework

Then Omar Tarazi worked tirelessly and quietly away from the public eye for over a month. Many compromises were made, and Tarazi went back and forth repeatedly between both parties in order to reach an arbitration framework that would be acceptable to all. This was not an arbitration, but an effort to hire an outside professional arbitrator and get both sides on board with a common understanding of how the arbitration would be conducted.

On December 7, 2009, Khaled Farag announced the acceptance of his side of the Arbitration Framework as Developed by Attorney Omar Tarazi and added

“ We are now still waiting for Dr. Hany Saqr to commit to arbitration so that we may resolve all disputes, find closure and move forward with the communities work. Unfortunately after initially committing to arbitration within a legal frame work developed by Br. Omar, Hany has continued to make changes and stall the process.

Dr. Hany has continued to drag his feet by asking for revision upon revision and asking for more time to consider proposal after proposal, without sincerely committing to the process. We fear that these tactics are no more than a strategy to extend this conflict and leave the community in a frozen state, while Hany considers his options.

The organization cannot continue to be placed on hold while Hany considers his options. We are making a final appeal to Hany to stop the gamesmanship and political maneuvers so that the proper legal resolution is found and a final determination of the facts is established. Only then can this community start the healing process and initiate the reforms that are desperately needed. “

Then he issued an ultimatum: “Therefore, in an attempt to move forward and protect the community’s good name, and valuable assets, we will give Dr. Hany one more week to commit to this binding arbitration frame work”, “If no commitment has been made by 5:00PM Friday, December 11, 2009, we must move to protect the organization and this community by any legal options that may be available.”

Accepted arbitration frame-work

On December 9, 2009, Saqr and Saleh, after making minor editing to some of the 15 points of Omar Tarazi's arbitration framework and adding a new point asking for a full audit to be conducted in parallel, offered the following, called Saqr Arbitration Framework:

“ 1- All decisions will be made by the neutral non-Muslim lawyer[attorney Richard Pace] acting as a binding arbitrator who will be agreed to by all the parties. The parties agree that the arbitrator is attorney Richard Pace who has 27 years experience and his information is attached below.
2- All parties are free to have their own lawyers assist them or represent them in the arbitration proceedings.
3- All parties will sign a binding arbitration agreement and deliver all property of the organization that is in their personal possession (files, lists, construction contracts, financial records, bank statements, officially documents for board member appointments, etc.) to the arbitrator.
4- The parties will split the cost of the arbitrator.
5- The neutral arbitrator will conduct a binding arbitration trial with the rules based on the Ohio Rules of Civil procedure to determine which member of all disputed parties, one by one, is a legally binding board member of the organization. The neutral arbitrator will make findings of fact regarding disputed factual allegations and make a legal conclusion based on the legal evidence and facts and according to the rule of law, which member of all disputed parties has legal legitimacy to be a board member of the Organization.
6- This means all parties will have the rights of discovery, to present their case, to present witnesses to cross examine other witnesses etc.
7- As part of this trial, members of all disputed parties will have the opportunity to present allegations of specific claims of gross breach of fiduciary duty against any other member of all disputed parties.
8- The neutral arbitrator will conduct a binding arbitration trial with the rules based on the Ohio Rules of Civil procedure and make findings of fact regarding each specific claim of gross breach of fiduciary duty and then make a legal conclusion of whether or not those findings amount, individually or collectively, to a gross breach of fiduciary duty.
9- All hearings will be conducted in public with the arbitrator ensuring that certain confidential information is protected like social security numbers and individuals’ bank account numbers etc.
10- The neutral arbitrator will have the power to remove from power a real board member or determine that a disputed party member is not a legitimate board member, if that member does not cooperate in good faith with the arbitration process.
11- Once the real board is determined, the board members who do not have a determination against them that they grossly breached their fiduciary duty to the organization vote on what to do with the board members who do. If the number of board members who do not have a determination of gross breach of fiduciary duty against them is less than three, then the arbitrator will work with those real board members who do not have a determination against them that they grossly breached their fiduciary duty to the organization to identify and appoint a sufficient number of board members so that there are three board members who do not have a determination against them who can vote on what to do with those who do have that determination against them.
12- The neutral arbitrator will then deliver all property of the organization to the legally valid board.
13- The neutral arbitrator will deliver to all parties a copy of all findings, determinations and decisions which shall also be made available to the Muslim community.
14- The goal is to complete the entire process within one month.
15- The neutral arbitrator will make non-binding recommendations on improvements that could be made to the bylaws.
16- In parallel to the arbitration process, the organization will conduct a full financial audit of all its books, financial records, transactions, receipts, bank statements, etc. Upon conclusion of the audit process if any financial violation(s) were found against one or more of the real board members who do not have a determination against them that they grossly breached their fiduciary duty to the organization, the board membership of those members will be automatically terminated. If the number of real board members then becomes less than three, then the arbitrator will work with the parties to identify and appoint a sufficient number of board members.”

The next day, Farag, Ayoub, Mandourah and Islam announced their acceptance of the above offer made by Saqr and Saleh. Soon after that all disputed members each deposited $500 with Attorney Omar Tarazi to start the process. Unfortunately theses efforts shortly collapsed (we will cover that in a future posting) and the issue headed to court.

My personal thoughts

Had Br. Hany Saqr agreed, from the beginning to a binding arbitration by the above mentioned respected resolution committee of Muslims back in October of 2009, Noor Saga could have been solved six month ago, tens of thousands of dollars in legal fees could have been saved, the present division of the community could have been prevented and hundreds of wasted hours could have been used for the benefit of the community.

I believe the larger Muslim community in general, the 35 or so members of the Noor community committee, and the resolution committee in particular, failed to at least exercise enough pressure on all parties, particularly on Br. Saqr to accept the binding arbitration. Saqr’s request that Farag produce any evidence before Saqr committed to a binding arbitration was illogical, and against the concept of arbitration. In binding arbitration you agree on the arbitrator(s) and the issue(s) to be arbitrated first. Then the arbitrator(s) set up the ground rules for the arbitration and proceeds.

I hope and pray that the larger Muslim community, the Noor community, and the newly appointed AIW board members will do a better job by asking privately and publicly for Br. Saqr to resign. They also need to declare themselves as transitional board members and appoint an independent constitution committee to start the true organizational reform. Otherwise, we the Muslim community in central Ohio, will be repeating the same experiment and expecting a different result!

AIW Board of Directors Communiqué June 6, 2010

American Islamic Waqf (AIW)

Board of Directors Communiqué

June 6, 2010

Dear NOOR Community Members:

Assalamu Alaikum Warahmatu Allah Wabarakatu

This is the second correspondence sent on behalf of the newly appointed Board of Directors ("BOD") of the American Islamic Waqf ("AIW"). We hope that this correspondence finds you and your family in the best of health and happiness, inshallah.

The BOD met at length on Friday, June 4, 2010. This correspondence is meant to update the community on the most pressing issues discussed at that meeting. These issues include: i) the matter regarding missing funds; ii) the status of founder BOD member Br. Amgad Saleh; and iii) the status of the air conditioning at the Masjid.

1. The Matter Regarding Missing Funds

This matter was discussed extensively at the most recent BOD meeting. Based upon the evidence presented, which included a financial report from the accounting firm that reviewed transactions between AIW and Silver Development & Construction, Ltd., the BOD has determined that there is no evidence of missing funds and that the previous AIW treasurer was not engaged in any behavior intended to defraud the organization.

2. The Status of Br. Amgad Saleh

Br. Amgad Saleh officially resigned as a member of the BOD at the June 4, 2010 BOD meeting. Br. Saleh served as a member of the BOD since AIW's inception, and the BOD would like to take this opportunity to thank Br. Saleh for his leadership and contribution during every stage of Masjid Noor's development. Without Br. Saleh's shared vision with the original BOD members, the Masjid that we have all come to love and endear would not exist. Br. Saleh has graciously agreed to serve as an honorary advisor to the BOD, as his institutional insight is invaluable to the newly appointed BOD.

3. Status of Air Conditioning

The BOD has been working very diligently to identify and schedule contractors to repair the air conditioning system at NICC for the last 2 weeks. As of Monday, Jun 7, 2010, the unit was repaired and is functioning normally. Br. Saad Bargout has been instrumental in helping rectify the issue and the BOD wishes to thank him for his efforts.

Suggestions for a way forward By Asma Mobin-Uddin June 1, 2010

Salaam,
I received the recent communication from the newly appointed “board” at AIW/NICC and I appreciate that the people involved are sincerely trying their best to help the organization. However, you must understand that the MODEL of leadership and how one attains such a position must be immediately legitimized and stabilized for the future of AIW/NICC. For the community to continue to accept this paternalistic- appointed-without-community-say model of instituting leadership because some person thinks they know best for everyone is not valid or acceptable.

To be invested in an organization and motivated and inspired to take that organization to its fullest heights, people need to really be a part of the decision-making and have a real sense of ownership and empowerment. They need to feel that the leadership represents them and is fair, and they need paths by which to make changes when they see wrongs being done. Responsible leadership is a group of people legitimized and entrusted by the community who bring their shared experience and wisdom to the table and forge a common path based on the greater good in their collective opinion.

My comments are not a personal reflection on the people appointed. (Masha’allah, of the people I know on the list, I would have likely voted for each of you and I appreciate the talents and sincerity you bring). But a foundation built on inappropriate materials does not provide good support for the structure. And I am talking about the MODEL of instituting leadership. For people to accept the path by which the current “board” was appointed is to leave the way open for our children to be having this same issue with board members appointed because of someone’s whim. The end does not justify the means. If the current board was elected, I would be so happy to have them (except for the sister issue which will be mentioned below). But to have the same people appointed in the current manner is simply not appropriate and belies what you say you are doing to move the organization forward.

I would like to give my personal suggestions and feedback in the areas of board status, elections, term limits, sister-participation, bylaws, current board member status and grievance committee development below.

Interim board status
- The current board should make clear to the community that its mandate is to be a transitional or interim board that will function to stabilize the organization and address some of the pressing issues in the next 6-8 months. At the end of this time period, elections must be held for a majority of the board positions. It might be necessary to retain part of the board by the majority vote of the current leadership if they are in a vital capacity that might not be met by a community vote – like a person with the financial background to be treasurer, or a person with legal background, etc. But the balance of appointed and elected members must be one that reflects community empowerment and not token positions.

Elections
– Having a step process for elections will be useful in coming up with a streamlined list of candidates that are to be voted on. It will not work well to dilute the vote to have people voting on a large number of people so the ones who get the most votes are only getting 10%, etc. You may need an initial vote to select the short list or something and then have people re-vote on the short list. There are many models for having such elections and I am sure you can find a good one. The point to remember is that this will be a very sensitive and scrutinized step, so you want to make sure the model you choose will work well for our particular situation and that people cannot undermine the process.

On another note, when the board composition is finalized, it may be useful to have the final board elect its own officers including the chair. That will give the head more legitimacy in the eyes of the board and community than an appointed head.

Membership
– In order to have valid elections, you will need a way to determine who can vote in NICC elections. You want to find a way to allow the real community of NICC to have a voice without making it easy for small groups or people to rally a lot of their friends who are not usually part of the NICC community to come and “vote” and perhaps install a person that is just bent on their own interests and who has not demonstrated commitment to working for the benefit of the community. So how do you prevent this from happening? Other communities have used a dues-paying status (if you pay your dues on time, you get a vote) and this might be needed. The dues should be large enough to prevent the scenario I mentioned (a person bringing one hundred people to each pay $10 and vote) but also be low enough to include the members of our community who are less well-off. You can consider if a donation of time counts, but it should be remembered that there were a lot of political reasons for why people may or may not have volunteered for NICC in the past. Personally, I think a dues paying criteria would be a reasonable one for membership and voting.

Term limits.
– There need to be term limits for every board member and a healthy turn-over to bring new energy and ideas in. I suggest you consider three years as one term with an option to be re-elected once as a good way to balance maintaining the wisdom and experience of the board and bringing in and training new people. Staggering the turn-over also helps maintain continuity.

Sisters
-When I mentioned that it was not acceptable to have no sisters on the newly appointed board, I heard back from three different people, including the email sent out that represents the whole new group, saying that the plan was to appoint two sisters. That is a start, but the manner in which this is being accomplished is completely unacceptable again. If you are serious about including sisters in your decision-making process and board, how dare you announce the leadership so far to the community, have meetings, send out community announcements about what you have accomplished so far, and yet not have the courtesy to include even one sister in this process, much less two? Are you telling me that out of 80,000 Muslims in central Ohio, assuming half are sisters and assume even maybe one tenth of these are adults, that out of these 4,000 candidates, you could not find two to include in your first meeting? During the meeting, decisions have been made, leadership posts have already been appointed, and people have started to work together, gotten to meet and know each other, etc. It is putting someone behind in all of this when they are not included from the beginning. So do not tell us that sisters are not an after thought or are part of the process. Show us. You absolutely should not have had the announcement or the first board meeting without sister representation. This needs to be rectified immediately, and definitely before the next meeting or group interaction.

Bylaws
– It should be obvious, but I will say it anyway. Whoever is working on bylaws should do their research and bring samples of existing bylaws from Muslim and nonMuslim organizations, for-profit and not-for-profit and nonprofit organizations to look at existing structures. No need to reinvent the wheel. You can consider modifying an existing bylaw structure for your purposes. But do not limit your research to masjids in America. We need to have a vision for the organization beyond what models American masjids have shown to date. The legal advice on this will be invaluable. Checks and balances to power are vital. No board members should be able to hijack the entire board’s progress by one or two votes on something. You might even consider circulating your bylaws drafts to other community members for feedback before adopting. Let’s make NICC a model for other communities in America and set the tone so other organizations can learn from us. This will take a lot of work to avoid shortcuts initially, but will be well worth the effort if done appropriately.

Current previous board member status.
– The status of the 2 or 3 previous board members (Imam Hany, Br. Khaled, and Br. Amjad) must be dealt with immediately. This will give legitimacy to the current leadership and help the community come together and heal if dealt with in a way the community accepts. I initially felt that the initial 3 board members should have the option like everyone else to be nominated for an elected position in the elections that should be held after the interim period. Their contributions, experience, and effort are known and valued by the community. However, watching recent events, I have come to the sad conclusion that these brothers will not be able to work together or be able to overcome the past issues which have divided the community. So now my opinion is that they should be relegated to advisory status (no vote, consultation only) and NOT have the option to be elected to a voting position on the board. I am sad to have come to this conclusion, but I see no other way to move forward.

Grievance committee
-With all the issues going on, it would be useful to have an official process and policy on how grievances in the community will be addressed. If people feel there is a fair process for their concerns to be heard, they will be patient and use the process as long as they trust it and feel it is fair. If they feel there is no process to having their voices heard and no hope for change, they will riot. Give people a fair way to approach the masjid with concerns and you will help stabilize the community’s reactions to your work.

These are my suggestions as a community member who loves NICC and wants my kids to attend the masjid with love and hope - for their deen and their relationship with Allah (swt), not cynicism and frustration at what happens there. What you do will affect which way the balance tips. May Allah (swt) purify our hearts and intentions and take us to the right path forward, insha’allah.

Salaam,
Asma Mobin-Uddin

A Message from AIW Board of Directors By Adil Katabay, Chairman June 1, 2010.

Dear NOOR Community Members:

Assalamu Alikum warahmatu Allah wabarakatu

"And hold fast to the rope of Allah, all of you together, and do not be divided" [Al-Imran, 3:103]
May Allah’s peace and blessing be upon the prophet Mohammad (pbuh) and his family

This is the first of many correspondences that will be submitted by the newly structured Board of Directors (“BOD”) of the American Islamic Waqf (“AIW”) to our dear respected brothers and sisters of the Noor community. We thank you in advance for reading this correspondence.
First, we’d like to provide you with an update on the newly structured BOD. The newly structured BOD consists, at present, of twelve members. Two of the members are pre-existing BOD members, and ten new members have been added to the BOD in accordance with the processes and requirements of the bylaws of AIW. The ten new members who have been added are quite diverse and bring their own experiences to the BOD, inshaallah to the betterment of AIW and NICC. Our newest members of the BOD come from all corners of the Muslim world. Some have been active in the community for decades, while others are beginning to make their mark. We have added doctors, a lawyer, engineers, and other professionals to the BOD – all with their own intelligence and brilliance to support our NICC and this community.

The BOD is fully aware of the lack of sisters on the newly structured BOD. The BOD has the intention, and has always had the intention, of adding at least two sisters to the BOD. The BOD will be requesting their appointment very soon. Eventually, the BOD will be expanded to include fifteen members in total. The BOD will also establish an executive committee to be selected from amongst active members of our community in order to oversee the daily operations of NICC.

The BOD had its first meeting this past Friday, and what became abundantly clear is that these individuals are, in essence, individuals. Many important issues were discussed regarding NICC, and many differing opinions were expressed. Each BOD member brings his own set of skills, experiences, and intelligence to the BOD, and productive diversity of opinion was undoubtedly the “norm” at our first meeting.

Now, while the BOD consists of individuals with varying opinions, what also became abundantly clear at the first meeting was that each of these individuals expressed opinions that pertain only to the betterment of NICC. These individuals, the new BOD, are committed and will work tirelessly for this community to ensure the stability, now and in the future, of NICC. This is not an easy task to take on, and the responsibility is great. In speaking from a purely business perspective, this is a multi-million dollar nonprofit trust that must be managed with intelligence and precision. Much more important than this though is the fact that NICC serves as a beacon of light to all Muslims in the Central Ohio community, and is of primary importance to our children, our children’s children, and generations to come. The responsibility could not be greater, the task at hand could not be more important.

Many newly appointed members to the BOD reluctantly accepted their new responsibilities as Board members for very obvious reasons. These recent times have been challenging for the community, and the notion of succeeding the previous Board is not a concept that many of our newly appointed BOD members were terribly fond of.

We ask that you truly analyze the situation my dear brothers and sisters. Each newly appointed BOD member knew that he would be under extreme scrutiny upon accepting his nomination to the BOD. It is important to ask “why” these brothers would sacrifice time with their families and from their professions, knowing that they would be highly scrutinized immediately upon acceptance of their nominations. The answer is simple, and it is of fundamental important to recognize - each of these newly appointed BOD members accepted their nominations because of how important the task at hand is. They could not turn away. It is not politics that has brought this group together, rather, a sense of responsibility and a call to duty. The newly appointed brothers were not part of the primary conflict that this community has endured over the past year. Rather, they were chosen to heal this community and stabilize an institution that this community loves and cherishes. It is with this mindset that the new BOD will proceed: a call to duty that cannot be ignored.

The new BOD will proceed being constantly mindful of the past, and of the circumstances that have splintered this great community. The newly structured BOD would be remiss if it did not recognize that the very existence of NICC is due to the efforts of the original four Board of Directors of AIW, and this, of course, includes Br. Khaled Farag. Br. Farag was one of the driving forces behind the construction of NICC, and without his vision and leadership, NICC that we have all come to love and endear would not exist. Br. Farag, we thank you. And not only do we thank you, but we posit to you that NICC and this community needs you. You are respected, loved, and your presence at NICC and in this community is vital.

To Br. Hassan Ayyoub, Ashraf Mandourah, and Br. Mufakkarul Islam, and to all who have contributed to the success of the NICC center in any capacity, we thank you very much. You are respected, loved, and your presence at NICC and in this community is also extremely vital.

Now, a fair question to ask is “where do we go from here?” The answer is actually quite simple. We get to work. We work to keep the institution's doors open, and we work to keep the institution financially stable and finally pay off NICC's debts so that our children, and our children's children, will always have their beacon of light and hope. We work to bring stability back to an institution that is important to all of us. We work to continue the tremendous outreach and programming efforts. We work…tirelessly.

We humbly ask for the community's blessings as we proceed down this path. Please give us strength.

Responsibilities / Logistical Matters
The responsibilities of the BOD are to carry the mission of the organization as envisioned by the founders of this organization:
1. To develop and operate and/or promote the development/operation of Islamic cultural institutions such as schools, relief organizations, universities, hospitals, broadcast stations, community centers, cultural centers, museums, mosques, cemeteries, and other institutions that serve the Muslim community in the United States and world wide.
2. To educate the general population in the United States and in central Ohio in particular about the Islamic culture and Islamic values.
3. To serve the needs of all the sectors of the Muslim community (adults, youth, children, men and women).
4. To assure that the understanding and practice of Islam and Islamic values are according to the teachings of the Qur'an and the way (Sunnah) of the seal of all Prophets Mohammed (pbuh) and understanding of the main stream Muslims.
5. To facilitate humanitarian and relief efforts for people of all faiths.
6. To provide social and counseling services and assistance to needy and disadvantaged Americans.

We would also like to make very clear to our dear community that AIW and the Noor Islamic Cultural Center are an Islamic Waqf (Trust) and belong to no "private" individuals or foundations. All your donations go to the operating expenses, debt obligations and staff salaries. No board member will receive monetary compensation for his voluntary service on the board.

Moving Forward:

With the help of Allah, dedicated board, committees, volunteers, and community members, Noor will be a vibrant community, energetic, passionate, and forward thinking. Ours will be a place where we find connection, meaning, and a sense of purpose that carries over into all aspects of our lives. Our Masjid will nurture and inspire us to live rich lives of dedication, compassion, and commitment to one another and to the larger world – where we will all feel we belong to. We will treat one another with respect, love, and compassion. We will be committed to building an enduring community, supporting one another and those who will come after us.

NOOR Children:
We are a family-friendly congregation, welcoming families of all kinds.
We will create enriching spaces and programs in which our children can grow and thrive, and we will learn the lessons that they teach us.
In the process of raising spiritually healthy children, we will continue to support parents and ensure that they can actively participate in our community.

Our Youth:
Our youth are an integral and vital part of our community, where they can express themselves in an open, non-judgmental environment.
We will support them in pursuing their unique dreams and aspirations.
We will provide them with leadership opportunities and, in return, receive the unique gifts they have to offer.
We will help them bridge the gap and foster their continuation into young adult and adulthood.

Our Elders:
We will draw on the wisdom of our elders, learning from them individually and as a community.
We will care for our elders, in health and in illness, and help them prepare for life transitions that come with aging.
We will address the limitations of age and make our programs and services accessible.

Outreach:
Our outreach efforts are very important to spread the knowledge of Islamic Faith (dawa) and Culture to our non-Muslim neighbors, colleagues, and community at large.
We have to clarify what Islam truly is.
Our interfaith dialogue and connections are important for building bridges of understanding, respect, and trust amongst various faiths.
Let us create a climate of security and abundance through effective use of our resources (leadership, volunteers, staff, finances, communications, and property). Without your support and the hard work forward, none of these can be achieved.

Governance:
Our BOD is empowered to conduct our affairs through policy development, community consultation, and long-range planning. The BOD's policy actions will be reflecting the concerns of the community and BOD decisions will be implemented by staff and volunteers involved in all aspects of community life

Our organizational structure will effectively support the work of the center.

Volunteers:
Volunteering will be a spiritual practice that will help our members feel useful, connected, and enjoy a sense of achievement.
We will look to our adult members to take responsibility for the governance, program design and delivery, and resource management of our community. Youth and elders will have the opportunity to participate and contribute as fully as possible.
We will encourage members of the community to take on leadership roles as they are able.
As a volunteer organization, we will expect members to serve as well as being served.

Staff
We will treat our staff with respect, offer competitive wages and benefits, and provide opportunities for personal and professional development.
Our staff will be expanded as our needs demand.

Finances
We will expect members to contribute financially to the best of their ability to build an enduring community and to make a difference in the world.
We will operate in a fiscally sound manner.

Communications
We will communicate information, ideas, and initiatives to our community quickly and effectively.
Our external communications will enhance our image, support our vision and attract an increasing number of visitors.

As you can see, your positive support and dedication to this organization are not only required but a solemn duty. What you put into it is what you get. All have to do their share. Your board of directors will be happy to receive your suggestions, comments, and ideas in an objective and courteous way. May Allah help us to carry this responsibility and guide us to the straight path. Amen.

On behalf of the AIW board of directors,
Adil Katabay, Chairman


Members of the Board of Directors of AIW
Br. Adil Katabay, Chairman: Katabay’s father is from Ethiopia and his mother's father is from Yemen. Born in Saudi Arabia. Moved to the U.S. in 1985. Attended medical school at University of Wisconsin, Residency in Anesthesiology at University of Minnesota, Pain Fellowship at Harvard. Practicing interventional pain management in private practice in Westerville, Hilliard and Marion. Married and have five children. Lives near NICC.
Br. Mohammad Arif, Treasurer: Arif has a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy from Afghanistan and he came to Illinois in 1985. He received his Master degree in Accounting from University of Illinois at Springfield, Illinois in 1990. Since his graduation he has been working as a financial auditor and then IT auditor. He moved to Ohio in June 2004. He has served one term as President of Islamic Society of Greater Springfield, two terms as treasurer and many years Sunday School Principle in Springfield, Illinois. Since he moved to Ohio he started teaching at Noor Academy Sunday School and serve as a vice principle.
Br. Jamal Sadoun, Secretary: Sadoun moved to the USA from Jordan in 1985. Graduated from University of Toledo in 1989 with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering. Worked in manufacturing engineering with General Motors, General Electric and other companies for over 12 years. Sadoun owns and operates satellite TV systems and solar energy products business with contract manufacturing in Asia. Sadoun has been involved with NICC in his capacity as a past chairman of NOOR Outreach committee.
Br. Abdulrahman Ahmed: Born in Somalia Graduated from Somali University, Veterinary Medicine with post graduate in Immunology and Biochemistry. Lived in Kuwait from 1980 to 2003. Married with three children. Self-Employed.
Br. Abukar Arman: From Somalia. Married with four children. Been living in the US since 1980. Moved to Columbus in 1994. Have been active in the community. Served on various boards and other essential committees for Muslim and non-Muslim organizations in Central Ohio.
Br. Saad Barghout, P.E.: Barghout has earned a P.E., LEED AP, and a Masters Degree in Construction Management and Engineering Technology. He moved from Egypt to the United States in 1995 and has been living in Columbus since 1998. Saad has 3 kids, 2 girls and a son, who was born in Columbus. He served the Muslim Community for many years throughout different roles and various organizations.
Br. Rehan Chawdry: Chawdry currently works for a Dublin, OH based software firm as the company's Integrated Justice Practice Leader. He was born in Pakistan and arrived with his family in Columbus, OH in 1980. His primary education has come through the local school system in Hilliard, OH and ultimately at the Ohio State University, where he earned his Bachelor of Science degrees in 1994. His Islamic education also began in Columbus as a student of the Islamic Foundation of Central Ohio school. He currently serves on the NOOR Academy Sunday School Board and functions as the current PTA President.
Br. Asim Haque, Esq: Haque was born here in Columbus and is the proud son of the Columbus Muslim Community, the weekend school at the Islamic Foundation of Central Ohio, and two very loving parents who have been active in the Columbus Muslim community for decades. Asim has excelled at every level of his educational background, most recently as a graduate of the Ohio State University Moritz College of Law, where he received his Juris Doctorate. Asim has been involved with NICC in his capacity as a Board Member of the Noor Academy Sunday School since the School's inception.
Br. Inam Khokhar: Khokhar was born in Pakistan and earned his PhD. in Applied Electrochemistry from The Royal Institute of Stockholm, Sweden. He lived in Columbus between 1970-80, worked in Saudi Arabia for 13 years followed by 4 years stay in Lahore, Pakistan. In 1997 he returned back to join the Columbus community and since then is living here. He has 2 sons, both born in Columbus, graduated from Ohio State University and currently living in Columbus. Since 1998 he has served AIW in different roles and Port Columbus Interfaith Services as a Board member. He is listed in “Marquis Who Is Who In America.
Br. Jamal Naiyer: Born in India, came to Columbus Ohio in September 1985, married and have two children, work at Ohio EPA Lab.
Br. Amgad Saleh: An AIW Founding member. Born in Cairo, Egypt. Moved to the U.S. March 1990... received M.Sc. and Ph.D from the Ohio State University, Columbus, OH. Married and have 3 sons all born in Columbus, OH. Work at Alcatel-Lucent/Bell Labs in Naperville as a Software Analyst. Member of the Alcatel-Lucent Technical Academy.
Br. Hany Saqr: Saqr had his MD degree from Egypt. He came to Columbus in 1983. He had his MS and Ph.D from OSU. He co-founded ISGC, Sunrise Academy, AIW and NICC. He worked as Imam of IFCO for 19 years. He is now serving as a board member of several organizations.

Fitnah - An Oft-Used Misused Word

Br. Abdul Aburmaieleh tried to work with all parties to resolve the Noor Saga. But when he expressed the community frustration with Br. Hany Saqr, within hours he was rebuked:
" I do not know how you became all of sudden a Noor community leader and if I do not listen to your suggestions I stand against the community. Your only major role in noor community is your role in this fitnah", Saqr wrote.

Sister Zerqa, on March 31, 2009, posted the first article about Noor Islamic Cultural Center where she listed major flaws in the AIW administration and raised serious concerns about the leadership. As a result she was accused of being a liar, an upset ex-employee, a slanderer, a woman with emotional problems and a fitnah (chaos) creator.

It is an obligation on all Muslims to enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong. When we abandon that we are no longer the "Khayra Ummaten" (the best of nations).

"Anybody amongst you who notices something evil, should correct it with his own hands, and if he is unable to do so he should prohibit the same with his tongue; if he is unable even to do this, he should at least consider it as bad in his heart; this is the lowest degree of faith" (Prophet Mohammad S.A.W)

But whenever someone speaks up to express a concern about something wrong in our mosques, people attack them. Don't spread fitnah! This response is particularly popular among the leadership.

So what is fitnah exactly and how are we limited in calling for correction from our leaders?

Arabic definition of Fitnah:

Al-Azhari said: “The Arabic word fitnah includes meanings of testing and trial. The root is taken from the phrase fatantu al-fiddah wa’l-dhahab (I tested the quality of the silver and gold), meaning I melted the metals to separate the bad from the good.(Lisaan al-Arab by Ibn Manzoor).

Ibn al-A’raabi summed up the meanings of fitnah when he said: “Fitnah means testing, fitnah means trial, fitnah means wealth, fitnah means children, fitnah means disbelieve, fitnah means differences of opinion among people, fitnah means burning with fire.” (Lisaan al-‘Arab by Ibn Manzoor).

Meanings of the word Fitnah in Qur'an

There are 11 variations on the use of the word in the Quran. The more relevant ones are:

1- Testing and trial
“Do people think that they will be left alone because they say: ‘We believe, and will not be tested [la yuftanoon]” [al-‘Ankaboot 29:2]

2- Blocking the way and turning people away:
“but beware of them lest they turn you [yaftinooka] (O Muhammad) far away from some of that which Allah has sent down to you” [al-Maa’idah 5:49]

3- Persecution (Put to trial) :
“Then, verily, your Lord for those who emigrated after they had been put to trials [futinoo] and thereafter strove hard and fought (for the Cause of Allah) and were patient, verily, your Lord afterward is, Oft Forgiving, Most Merciful” [al-Nahl 16:110]

4- Falling into sin and hypocrisy:
“(The hypocrites) will call the believers: “Were we not with you?” The believers will reply: “Yes! But you led yourselves into temptations [fatantum anfusakum], you looked forward for our destruction; you doubted (in Faith) and you were deceived by false desires” [al-Hadeed 57:14]

5- Confusing truth with falsehood:
“And those who disbelieve are allies of one another, (and) if you (Muslims) do not do so [i.e. become allies, as one Ummah], there will be Fitnah (truth will be confused with falsehood) and oppression on the earth, and a great mischief and corruption” [al-Anfaal 8:73]

6- Difference among people and lack of agreement:
“and they would have hurried about in your midst (spreading corruption) and sowing sedition among you [yabghoonakum al-fitnah]” [al-Tawbah 9:47] (i.e. they would have stirred up differences amongst you).

This last meaning is generally used to confuse people and sway them away from enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong.

"Among them is (many) a man who says: grant me exemption and draw me not into a trial (Wa La taftenny). Have they not fallen into trial (Fitnah) already" (al-Tawba 9:49).

This verse was revealed when a man asked the prophet (S.A.W) to grant him exemption from service in the Tabuk expedition in the direction of Syria on the plea that he could not withstand the charm of Syrian women. The answer is: but you have already fallen into fitnah by refusing to answer the call.

This is running away from a fitnah that did not happen and may or may not happen. But a fitnah has already occurred, as the lack of agreement among people who were called to go to Tabuk. This is exactly the case when we chose to stay on the sidelines by fear of potential fitnah if we speak up.

There are specific rules for enjoining the right and forbidding the wrong, that it be done without falling into some of the other forms of fitnah. To avoid falling into sin and hypocrisy, confusing truth with falsehood, and persecuting others, you should have the intention to please Allah (S.W.T.) and not be looking for your own pride, or for power, or to speak with bad intentions to harm someone else. Speak the truth as you understand it, knowing that you may be corrected by others and knowing that Allah alone knows the real truth. Speak to help fix the problem. Don't just go to friends to talk and smear the reputations of people and institutions for some distorted form of "fun" from mocking, which is a sure form of arrogance. Stay away from slander and spreading rumors, but speaking up to correct error is an obligation.

But there will always be some fitnah, because life is about trial and tests here. We will always have disagreements and need correction from time to time. Paradise is after this life, Inshallah.

As this Noor Saga continues to unfold, have you discharged your duty to Allah (S.W.T)? If at the end, God forbid, something terrible happens to Masjid Al-Noor, then what are you going to respond to Allah when asked, "What have you done to help during this trial?"

"It was a fitnah so I stayed away from it! I didn't want to hurt the feelings of my brothers! I was afraid to be accused of adding fuel to the fire! I did not want to be called fitnah creator. I wanted to be neutral! Madakhalny (none of my business)."

Allah (S.W.T) said: "And fear fitnatan (the trial) which affects not in particular (only) those of you who do wrong: And know that Allah Is Strict in punishment." (al-Anfal 8:25).

So why is it that the punishment extends to those who did not do wrong? It is partly that those who do wrong hurt others. But for many responsible people among them, it is also because they did not discharge their duty to Allah (S.W.T).

But on the other hand, those who discharge their duty to Allah (S.W.T) will be rescued:
"When they disregarded the warnings that had been given to them, we rescued those who forbade evil; but We visited the wrong-doers with a grievous punishment, because they were given to transgression." (al-Araf 7:165).

First Caliphs legacy on this issue

After giving praise and thanks to Allah (SWT), Sayidna Abu Bakr (ra) addressed the Muslims gathered at the Prophet’s mosque right after he became the first caliph and said:

"I have been given the authority over you, and I am not the best of you. If I do well, help me; and if I do wrong, set me right. Sincere regard for truth is loyalty and disregard for truth is treachery".

Sayidna Omar (ra) used to say: "Don't say the opinion that pleases me, but say the opinion that matches the truth."

Huzayfa (ra) visited him one day and found him depressed and crying. "What is wrong with you?" Huzayfa asked him. "I'm afraid if I make a mistake none of you will correct me", Omar replied. Then Huzayfa said, "By Allah if we find you deviating from the truth, we will force you back to it". Then Omar became happy and said, "Thank Allah, He Who gave me friends who will set me right if I do wrong."

Finally

I hope we learn from these formidable examples.

If someone says, "Why do you speak up when no one will listen, or you will only get yourself into trouble?"

"When some of them said: Why do you preach to a people whom Allah will destroy or visit with a terrible punishment?- Said the preachers: To discharge our duty to your Lord and perchance they may fear Him" (al-Araf 7:164)

We need to encourage everyone to speak up, freely, politely within the Islamic manners. We have a new powerful tool of the internet (e-mail, blogs, etc.) and we need to learn to use it responsibly. And we always have the well known format of the community meeting to discuss our issues and give our leaders advice and information needed to guide our community responsibly. We need to learn to work together with disagreements and discussion toward our common goals.

Noor Saga- $50K For No Court Decision

On April 30, 2010, Magistrate Thompson released a decision lifting the restraining order against Hany Saqr. This led to confusion in the community. In what follows below I will attempt to highlight the important parts of the magistrate's 22 page decision. I just want to remind the reader that the issue before magistrate Thompson was only the Plaintiff’s Motion for a Preliminary Injunction. This means that the Plaintiff (American Islamic WAQF, Farag et al) asked the court to keep the restraining order against the Defendant (Hany Saqr) in place until the court ruled on the whole complain several months down the road. It was not a decision about who was a board member.

According to the magistrate, the longstanding view is that a preliminary injunction is “an extraordinary remedy” and it requires a substantial burden on the part of the moving party.

He wrote, " Based on the Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law the Magistrate finds that Plaintiff has failed to demonstrate by clear and convincing evidence a likelihood that it will prevail on the merits of its causes of action for declaratory judgment, that Plaintiff has failed to establish by clear and convincing evidence that it will suffer irreparable harm if the injunction is not issued, that Defendant successfully demonstrated that numerous parties outside of the litigants in this action would be prejudiced or adversely affected and lastly, that the public interest would not be impacted by the expiration of the Temporary Restraining Order . Therefore the magistrate denied the Plaintiff’s request and corresponding motion for a preliminary injunction." This only means that the restraining order against the Defendant is lifted but the case would continue to go to trial as scheduled with Judge Fais.

To arrive to this decision the parties spend close to a revised estimate of $50,000, which, according to court testimony, was their own personal money, not the money of the organization.

Most of the hearing centered on whether the "disputed board members" were true Board members of AIW or members of NICC board. The Defendant claimed that these "disputed board members" were invited as guests to these AIW board meetings. On this point here is what the magistrate concluded:

"Upon review of all the evidence, the Magistrate finds that it is clear that AIW only maintained one managerial Board of Directors, and the disputed board members did not sit on a separate NICC Board. Accordingly, the meetings of the BOD, AIW Board of Directors, and NICC are one and the same. "

" Nevertheless, the disputed board members would almost have to be classified as permanent guests or attendees at such meetings in order to justify the degree of their participation."

"There is no question that each of these individuals played a significant leadership role for the organization and were routinely extended authority from the AIW Board to perform duties and make decisions"

"In each of these instances, not only were the disputed board members copied with the meeting agenda and minutes, but they appear to have participated and acted like Board members during the meetings themselves."

In reality these disputed board members have participated and voted for more than three years, in important decisions regarding the organization and NICC (addressing finances, hiring/firing of employees, binding the organization in a loan in excess of $1,000,000.00). For the most part, there was no evidence produced that the AIW Board took any formal Board action to approve their membership to AIW Board. Equally, there was no evidence produced that these disputed board members were appointed to NICC board.

"Defendant claimed to be aware of many e-mails concerning AIW Board matters that were only circulated to the three original Board members, but he did not have them available at the hearing."

The Magistrate concludes that "no action, resolution, minutes, agenda, writing, correspondence or vote was undertaking by the AIW Board on this issue".

Most of the findings (court testimony and exhibits) discussed in this 26 page ruling were presented on this blog in a previous posting. Here are some of the new passages in this ruling:

" In spite of his testimony to the contrary, Mr. Saqr denied ever taking any action to correct these writings by questioning why non-AIW Board members have been included or why NICC Board members are participating in traditional functions of the AIW Board"

"When Mr. Saqr was questioned as to why he took steps to register NICC, he answered that he was the one that originally selected that name and developed its national recognition."

"It appears that the present controversy between the parties arose as a consequence of Mr. Saqr’s continuing scrutiny of Mr. Farag’s handling of AIW’s financial affairs, as well as Defendant’s desire to be considered for the vacant Executive Director position."

"At the same time, there was no persuasive evidence that Mr. Farag actually converted any funds belonging to AIW, but rather, he performed his duties as Treasurer in a manner that may have raised flags or be perceived with question marks to others outside of the Board "

"It was demonstrated that Defendant reacted unfavorably when informed that he was not selected to assume the vacant role as AIW Executive Director. Such a development in turn caused Saqr to question how this particular AIW Board decision was made and resulted in resentment toward Mr. Farag, as well as the others."

" It was Saleh’s contention that if the preliminary injunction is denied, the AIW Board should meet to resolve all issues, address its finances, and approve new members."

" If allowed to return, Saqr insisted that the others, referring to the disputed board members and Mr. Farag, will still participate as before, with all of them working toward the best interest of the organization."

The Magistrate encouraged the parties to resolve this dispute internally.

" This dilemma appears to call for an overture on the part of the parties to bridge the gap surrounding their differences and/or mediate the dispute for the greater good of the community once the TWO expires, given the potential damage resulting from protracted litigation."

Saqr and some others understood the magistrate decision as declaring the disputed board members as "Illegal" and called for their resignation, while in reality this was simply lifting the TRO. The legality of these disputed board members and the complaint would have to be determined later by a jury.

The next day Hassan Ayoub sent an update to the community and asked Saqr to fulfill the promise he made in court to come and work with the existing BOD. The same day Khaled Farag sent a similar invitation to Saqr, to attend the BOD meeting the next day. Unfortunately, Saqr refused to attend any such meetings.

On Monday May 3, 2010 Hassan Ayoub announced the resignation of the disputed board members and wrote his own personal reflection:

" I was warned by many with much better foresight than my own. Alas, I was too naive to comprehend the master plan behind the deliberate ambiguity. Our leaders have unfortunately fallen into the modus operandi of operating in the grey area. An area where one can always have his cake and eat it too, depending of course on the mood or the circumstance.

As many of you know, we were introduced as AIW BOD, we signed checks as AIW BOD, and we signed contracts as AIW BOD. We even hired staff and interacted with them as AIW BOD. For four years these actions were never questioned even once. In my humble opinion, we were just used as shields against community criticism. When questioned why there were only two board members, the answer was always "What are you talking about? These are all board members.", pointing to the now infamous "disputed members." We were used to give credibility and cover for million dollar loans. (which may need to be redone since there were obviously misrepresentations and possible deception involved).

At the end we were misused, lied to and deceived. It was all a ruse, a trick, a giant deception perpetrated against brothers and fellow Muslims. There was always an extra card up the sleeve waiting to be played at the opportune moment. Our time, effort, and trust were taken advantage of. The sad part, and more importantly, is that the community was also deceived. When needed we were board. When it became inconvenient, or someone's position and authority was threatened we were tossed aside. No amount of spin can ever change this fact.

However it is not all bad. By the grace of Allah this charade has been exposed. No longer can we go back to the days of one-man rule with rubber stamps in faraway lands. No longer can we work in the "grey area." As evident from this very expensive lesson, everything must be properly documented and agreed upon to be valid. All procedures must be strictly adhered to and all future appointments must have documented approval. No longer can we follow some of the rules, and bylaws and throw others, when inconvenient, to the side.

Also by the grace of Allah some very irrational and destructive individuals have been exposed before they could entrench themselves in the community and cause long term damage. We must take a lesson from this and never forget what certain individuals did.

In the end there were many opportunities for character assassination and dirty tactics, and some had much more baggage to exploit than others. I am happy that at least one side took the higher ground and refused to stoop so low. I am also happy that the court after reviewing many of the worst accusations and malicious rumors exonerated one of the most slandered servants of this community. I hope next time this happens so many community members will resist the temptation to remain seated silently on the sidelines as mere spectators, while innocent people are maligned.

I will continue to pray for the leadership of this community, and for Allah to grant them the wisdom and unselfishness to do what is best even if it be against their own selves. I will do what I can to support this organization and encourage others to support it, and Inshallah support whatever leadership emerges. I will, however, be a vocal critique when I notice injustice and wrong. Ultimately, to Allah we belong and to him we shall all return, and to him will be the final judgment. Hasbi Allahu wa ni'mal wakeel."

Sadly enough, only a very few people publicly thanked Ayoub and the others for their years of services. I would like for the history to mention that Br. Hassan Ayoub supported, with his time, knowledge and money, this NICC project from the very beginning. To Hassan and the others, I simply say: Jazakumallahu Khayran and may HE forgive all of us for our shortcoming.

In summary:

For $50,000 in court and attorney fees this magistrate recommendation was received but became empty of any legal meaning, because the case was withdrawn.

And The Saga Continues.

NICC May, 2010 Fundraising

Hassan Ayoub Wrote on May 9, 2010:

Asalaam U Alaikum Dear Brothers and Sisters,

I wanted to inform you of the events that took place at last night's fundraiser. Alhamdulilah by the grace of Allah over $200,000 was raised. However more than half of this money was given with the condition that the disputing AIW BOD members resolve this dispute to the satisfaction of the community. Otherwise these funds will be held in trust until we have a suitable solution.
In addition another $150,000 was pledged to be given within 1 year if a suitable solution is found. This would have brought the fundraising totals to well over $350,000, making it the most successful fundraiser since the opening of NICC and would pay off nearly 40% of the debt owed by AIW.

Also Br. Amgad Saleh flew in from Chicago to attend this fundraiser and met many of the community members and donors for the first time. After the fundraising activities were over we prayed salatul Maghrib and were given very sincere advice and words of wisdom from our visiting Imam, Sheik Abdul Rauuf.
Many community members decided to use this spirit of good will and community to speak to Br. Amgad Saleh. About 30 or so brothers tried their best to get Br. Amgad to agree on a process to settle this mess. Many more asked him to please resign and appoint someone from the over 60,000 Muslims in Columbus to take his place as an AIW member.

Sheik Abdul Raoof suggested that some Imams or honest brothers be brought in to mediate/arbitrate the situation in order to address all of the claims and unresolved issues. Khalid Farag agreed to this principle however Br. Amgad was reluctant and would not commit. He continue to say that all issues would be resolved legally but when pressed for a method or process on how they would be resolved no answer was given. At the end Br. Amgad said it was too late for arbitration. I am saddened by the reluctance and ambiguity that was displayed. (IF I MISCHARACTERIZED THIS MEETING ANY OF THE BROTHERS THAT WERE PRESENT PLEASE CORRECT ME)
From my earlier understanding I believed that the brothers were upset about Ashraf, Mufakhirul Islam and my claims to BOD membership. In order to give reconciliation attempts a chance we unconditionally resigned since this was stated as one of the reasons for the failures thus far. Thereafter, Br. Khalid requested several meetings with the other 2 founders and these requests have either been ignored or rejected.

The attempts at some type of resolution last night and the pleadings of the sheik were also rejected. Even the attempts to agree on a simple process to resolve the underlying issues without committing to any final results was rejected.
This is indeed a sad day for this community. It looks like our resignation even though requested as a good gesture did not solve anything at all. We are indeed back to square 1. The emails sent at the beginning of May with sincere questions and requests for clarification from Brs. Fuad Ashami, Farooq Wirk and Abdul have also been ignored.

From all this I can only draw one conclusion. It seems that very soon there will be an attempt to oust Br. Khalid Farag and consolidate power. I hope I am wrong. May Allah protect this community from this FITNAH!