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.