CONSTITUTION OF THE SIERRA LEONE ISLAMIC ISLAMIC ASSOCIATION READING.

BISMILLAH-IR-RAHMAN-IR-RAHIM

IN THE NAME OF ALLAH, THE BENEFICENT, THE MERCIFUL

ARTICLE 1. NAME

1.1 The name of the Jamah is “THE READING MUSLIM ASSOCIATION”, hereinafter know as “The Association”.

ARTICLE 2. NATURE

2.1 The source of guidance for the Association is and shall remain the religion of Islam, as described in the Holy Quran and the Sunnah* of Prophet Mohammad (peace and blessings of God be upon Him and his family), as explained by the 12 Imams of the family of the Holy Prophet (Ahlul Bayt) and as interpreted by the accepted Maraja-e-Taqleed of the Ja’fari Ithna’ashari school of thought, hereinafter referred to as “The Faith”.

2.2 The association is and shall remain a non-profit religious organisation.

2.3 The Association shall not at any time, at any place, or in any manner, facilitate, provide, perform, indulge in, promote, support or encourage any activity, service or function which is in conflict or inconsistent with the Faith.

2.4 The members of the Association shall be limited to individuals who believe in and endeavour to practice The Faith.

2.5 Officials of the Association shall be Members and shall refrain from major sins (kaba’ir) and endeavour to avoid minor sins (saga’ir).

2.6 The Association is an inclusive organisation, and shall endeavour to invite and encourage the participation of people from different religious backgrounds who are willing to respect The Faith.

2.7 Activities of the Association shall be performed in an atmosphere of respect and tolerance towards the religious sensitivities of all participants, with special attention to those of fellow Muslims.

ARTICLE 3 PURPOSE

3.1 The Association shall encourage, promote and propagate The Faith and provide facilities for the Members and their families to observe the same.

3.2 The Association shall perform functions such as, but not limited to, the following:

3.2.1 Facilitate religious education

3.2.2 Disseminate religious knowledge through various means such as: Newsletter, Quranic Studies, Seminars, Discourses and rulings by the accepted Maraja-e-Taqleed.

3.2.3 Facilitate the observation of religious activities such as: Daily congregational (Jama’at) prayers, Eid Prayers, Eid Reunions, Celebrations, Commemorations and Recommended Prayers.

3.2.4 Provide religious services such as: Recitation of The Holy Quran, Marriages and Funerals.

3.3 The Association shall work to strengthen fraternal relations among Muslims, work for universal brotherhood, social justice and peace and cooperate with other organisations having similar aims and objectives.

3.4 The Association shall endeavour to perform functions such as, but not limited to, the following:

3.4.1 Perform charitable and benevolent community services.

3.4.2 Provide Islamic information to individuals, groups or other organisations.

3.4.3 Provide an appropriate venue for family activities.

ARTICLE 4. ORGANISATIONAL FRAMEWORK

4.1 Membership The association membership year shall run from 1^st April to 31^st March. Full association membership is open to all registered Muslims and their families who reside permanently in the Association Area (Berkshire and its proximity). Non-Muslim spouses will have honorary membership but shall have no voting right nor stand for any official position.

4.1.1 (a) Membership registration shall be ten (10) pounds and a monthly contribution of ten (10) pounds and shall be paid to the financial secretary, by direct debit or standing order into the Association’s account

4.1.1(b) Adult membership: Shall be open to Muslims or the Muslim spouses over the age of eighteen (18) years old living in the Association area as indicated under article 4.1

4.1.1 (c) Youth Membership: Shall be open to Muslims between the ages of thirteen (13) and eighteen (18) years. They can join with the consent of their parents or guidians.

4.1.1 (d) Honorary Membership: Shall be Non-Muslims married to Muslims and Muslims residing outside the Association area.

Honorary members may be admitted at the discretion of the executive committee and shall have no voting rights or run for Committee membership. They may participate in the Association’s other activities.

4.2 Eligibility And Benefits: Membership shall be based on –

4.2.1 Fully paid up Muslim registered members.

4.2.2 Membership shall be given written warning if they fail to attend three consecutive monthly meetings and / or failing to pay three monthly subscriptions without a valid excuse.

4.2.3 In the event of sickness or bereavement of immediate family i. e. spouse or child the Association shall offer moral support and whatever voluntary collection can be made

4.2.4 Benefits shall purely depend on Articles 4.2.1 and 4.2.2

4.2.5 Shall vote in official elections as defined herein.

4.2.6 Shall serve on official committees and recommend others for membership.

4.2.7 Shall hold elected offices subject to other requirements and can initiate an official election or referendum through a petition signed by 2/3 of the members.

4.2.8 Shall have equal access to the services, activities and facilities of the Association.

4.3 Duties and Responsibilities of Members

4.3.1 Members shall acquaint themselves with the tenets and objectives of the Association and shall not work or act contrary to the same.

4.3.2 Shall participate, support, cooperate towards the improvement and stability of the Association.

4.3.3 Shall display good moral character, follow the teachings of Usul-e-Deen, Furu-e-Deen, and other aspects of Islam.

4.3.4 Shall pay the membership dues as prescribed by the Association by-laws.

4.4 Revocation of Membership

4.4.1 Shall constitute violation of (a) the Nature (Article 2) and(b) the Purpose (Article 3) of the Association.

4.4.2 Contravention of Article 4.3..4.

4.4.4 Expressed desire to be removed from membership.

4.5 The procedure to revoke membership shall be initiated by two members filing a written request to the Membership Committee and unless the Committee decides that a hearing is justified, the report and the identity of the reporters shall remain undisclosed. Should the Committee vote to revoke the Member in question that Member shall have the right to appeal to the Executive Committee. And by a majority vote, shall override the Membership Committee’s decision.

4.6 Membership Committee

4.6.1 The Membership Committee shall comprise of:

The Deputy Chairperson

The Deputy Chief Imam

The Deputy General Secretary

The Deputy financial Secretary

The Deputy Treasurer

The women’s Representative

The Youths Secretary

The Public Relations/social Secretary

4.6.1.1 Membership shall be elected by the general body at an AGM one year after The Executive Body is elected for a 3 year term

4.6.1.2 Maximum number of members to run for election per household shall be 2 per term

4.6.1.3 Maximum time a committee member can take office shall be 2

4.6.2 Responsibilities

4.6.2.1 The Membership Committee shall be the first port of call in handling all complaints.

4.6.2.2 The Membership Committee shall be answerable to The Executive Committee and shall also keep record of its activities

4.6.2.3 The Membership Committee shall be responsible for the daily management of the Association and shall be willing to offer time and effort to the efficient running of the Association’s aims and objectives

4.6.3.4 Shall liaise with the Executive Committee to plan and call general meetings

4.6.3.5 Shall take Oath of office as prescribed in Article 9

4.7 Executive Committee

4.7.1 The Executive Committee shall comprise of seven members: The Chairperson

The Chief Imam

The General Secretary

The Treasurer

The Financial Secretary

The 2 Auditors.

4.7.2 Membership

4.7.2.1 The members of the Executive shall be elected by the general body at an AGM for a three year term

4.7.2.2 Committee members shall not take office for more than two terms

4.7.2.3 Not more than two members in a household shall run for election

4.7.2.4 Shall be member of the Association for at least a year and be 21 years and above

4.7.2.5 The Chairperson shall be elected directly by the general body and shall take oath of office as prescribed in Article 9

4.7.3 Replacement of Executive Committee Members

4.7.3.1 Vacancies in the Executive Committee can exist because of any one or more of the following:

Insufficient number of Executive Committee Members are elected in an election
Removal of an Executive Committee Member as explained in section 4.7.4
Loss of one or more Members due to death or resignation

4.7.3.2 The remaining members shall select the next runner-up to fill the position for the remaining term. In the event that a runner-up is not available, the vacancy shall be filled by an election at a General Body meeting to be held within two (2) months of the vacancy

4.7.4 Removal or Suspension of an Executive

4.7.4.1 Any member of the Executive shall be removed if:

They fail to retain membership
Loses a recall election
Their term ends

4.7.5 Responsibilities

4.7.5.1 The Executive Committee shall keep an overall guide of the Membership Committee’s activities and shall have the veto against any decision/s it deems fit.

4.7.5.2 The Executive Committee shall meet to discuss progress not less than four times per year and shall consist of not less than 2/3 of its members

4.7.6 Powers

4.7.6.1 Shall promulgate policy and direct the management of the affairs of the Association through the Membership committee. Shall appoint sub-committees as may be deemed necessary and shall determine their terms of reference, powers, duration and composition

4.7.6.2 Decisions shall be made after a vote of all officers present in the meeting. Officers can vote by proxy as long as there is documented evidence

4.7.7 Roles

4.7.7.1 The Chief Imam

Shall be the Religious and Moral guide
Shall direct business, prayers and all facilities of the Jamat
In the absence of the Chief Imam his deputy shall assume his role

4.7.7.2 The Chairperson

Shall chair all meetings
Shall liaise with the Chief Imam to organise meeting agendas
Shall have the casting vote in case of a hung vote
In the absence of the Chairperson the Deputy shall assume the role

4.7.7.3 The General Secretary

The general secretary shall archive all paper work of the Association including membership
Shall take minutes in meetings
Shall liaise with the Chief Imam and Chairperson to prepare agendas for meetings
Shall be responsible for all correspondence and the making of announcements

4.7.7.4 The Treasurer

Shall be the custodian of the Association’s finances
Shall present summaries of the finances
Shall present account/s statement/s
Shall be one of the account signatories
Shall receive monies from the Financial Secretary to be deposited in the bank/s

4.7.7.5 The Financial Secretary

Shall be responsible for collecting monies and properly record them before handing them to the treasurer and sign for them and such records shall be archived as long as the UK Laws permit (10 years)
Shall be the custodian of all cheque books and the Treasurer shall sign for the cheque books every time he takes them
Shall collect daily prayers financial contributions, count and record them before handing them over to the Treasurer for depositing
Shall give annual financial report for all monies.

4.7.7.6 The Auditors

Shall internally audit the accounts of the Association

4.7.7.7 The Women’ Representative

Shall represent the voice of the women

4.7.7.8 The Youth Secretary

Shall represent the youngsters voice
Shall organise all youth performances and or celebrations during Islamic occasions
Shall organise madrasses / tutorials

ARTICLE 5. Meetings

5.1 Official Meetings

5.1.1 An official meeting shall be held at least once a month for the purpose of fulfilling membership requirement

5.2 General Meetings

5.2.1 General Body meetings shall be held at least three times per year. The purpose of these meetings shall be:

To discuss current issues and future plans
To review past performances including, but not limited to, Membership records and books of accounts
To transact such other business as may properly be brought before the Executive Committee
To hold elections as necessary
General announcements through a newsletter, emails, text, telephone recording or bulletin board shall be considered sufficient method of notification for the general body meeting

5.3 Executive Committee Meetings

5.3.1 There shall be a regular bi-monthly executive committee meeting, with the agenda provided to the officers in advance

Minutes of the meeting shall be kept by the general secretary and made available to members upon request
Any changes to the schedule shall be communicated sufficiently in advance to all members

5.4 Special Meetings

5.4.1 Special meetings of the Executive Committee with any other committee may be requested by the committee at any time

5.4.2 Special meetings of the Association may be called by the Executive Committee or by two thirds (2/3) of the Association’s members upon at least three (3) and not more than thirty (30) days notice along with the stated agenda. However, a special meeting called for the purpose of elections, shall require at least two (2) weeks written notice

5.4.3 Special executive committee meetings may be called at any time by any executive committee member upon three (3) day’s notice by stating the purpose of the meeting to the other members of the Executive Committee

5.5 Rules of Procedures At All Meetings

5.5.1 Quorum: The quorum at committee meetings shall be 2/3 of the total members of the committee

5.5.1.1 Quorum at Executive Committee meetings shall be the number of offices in the Executive Committee i. e. each office shall be represented by at least one officer for that meeting to be valid. Officers who cannot attend a meeting shall appoint their deputies in writing to the General Secretary to act on their behalf on that meeting. A simple majority shall rule on all matters as described in the Bylaws unless otherwise stated herein

5.5.1.2 Quorum at AGM meetings shall be 2/3 of the Association’s members

5.5.1.3 At general body meetings forty (40) percent of the members shall form a quorum. If a quorum cannot be reached the meeting shall be adjourned to another date at which only twenty-five (25) percent of the members shall form a quorum. A simple majority of the members in attendance, provided a quorum is reached shall rule on all matters unless otherwise stated herein

5.6 Voting

5.6.1 Save as otherwise herein provided, all questions arising at any meeting shall be decided by a simple majority of those present and entitled to vote thereat

5.7 Minutes

5.7.1 Minute books shall be kept by the General Secretary, and any appropriate officer shall enter therein a record of all proceedings and resolutions. Such documented items to be confidentially held by the general secretary or deputy

5.8 Opinions

5.8.1 All opinions expressed by committee members during committee meetings are to be respected and not taken personally. Meetings shall be run in a transparent and democratic atmosphere

ARTICLE 6 Amendment Or Repeal of the Constitution

6.1 Amendments shall be proposed, in writing to the Executive Committee by one or more members of the Association. Approval of the amendment/s shall be authorised by the Executive Committee before ratification by the General Body

6.2 A quorum of sixty (60) percent of membership is required for this vote. An eighty-five (85) percent vote of the members present shall constitute ratification to the amendment/s as described in the Bylaws, except for Articles 2 and 7 which cannot be amended or repealed

Article 7. DISSOLUTION

7.1 If the Executive Committee unanimously concludes that the continuation of the Association has become impossible or undesirable due to financial, political, religious or any other reason, the Association shall be dissolved in the following manner:

7.1.1 The situation shall be announced to the General Body

7.1.2 There shall be no refunds of any contribution or donations whatsoever

7.1.3 Thirty (30) days after the announcement, if in the opinion of of the Executive Committee, there are no promising efforts by the Members of the community to save the Association from dissolution, then the Executive Committee shall start proceedings for dissolving the Association

7.1.4 The Proceedings shall consist of:

7.1.4.1 Closing all normal activities

7.1.4.2 Fulfilling all financial obligations of the Association

7.1.4.3 Transferring all waqf assets and non-waqf assets according to the instructions of an accepted Maraja-e-Taqleed

7.1.4.4 Filing all necessary papers with all concerned agencies of the Government

Article 8 Trust Property

The title to all properties which may be acquired by or on behalf of The Association shall be managed by the Executive Committee

Article 9 Notices

Any notice may be served by the General Secretary on any member either personally, by email, by post addressed to such member at their last known address shall be deemed as being received within ten (10) days of posting

Article 10 Complaints Procedure

All verbal or written complaints shall be addressed to the General Secretary of the Association
The General Secretary shall notify the defendant within ten (10) days of receiving such complaint
The defendant shall have the opportunity to defend themselves before the Executive Committee
The Executive Committee’s decision shall be final
The Executive Committee shall have the power to terminate membership of any individual provided if the complaint procedures are followed

Article 11 Declaration upon oath (Affidavit) for Executive Committee Members

11.1 I, son/daughter of, …………………………………….while accepting Membership of the Executive Committee of The Sierra Leone Islamic Community Association Reading do swear (as in section 11.2 of this Article) in the name of Allah, that I, during my term of office,

11.1.1 Shall fulfil all my duties and responsibilities to the best of my abilities

11.1.2 Shall consider it my duty to do my utmost to achieve the mission and successfully fulfil the activities of the Association

11.1.3 Shall abide by the constitution, bylaws, regulations and policies of the Association and implement the same

11.1.4 Shall not absent from executive committee meetings or programs without reasonable excuse

11.1.5 Shall frankly present my sincere and correct opinion at Association meetings and activities without any fear, hindrance or prejudice (i.e. without affinity, connection, love. Enmity, grudge, approach, plot, competition, rivalry or ill-will

11.1.6 Shall guard the Association’s rules, regulations, policies and activities; and if any error or deficiency is noted I shall try to correct it or get it corrected

11.1.7 Shall endeavour to lead an Islamic way of life, according to the Marja-e-Taqleed

11.2 Oh Allah! Grant me the Devine Guidance, ability and capacity in the name of Mohammed (S.A.W) and Ale-Mohammed (A.S) to faithfully satisfy this oath only to please You; and include me among those who lay their foundation on the fear of Allah and His good pleasure

11.3 “Ouq se mu Billa-hill Adheem, Wa be Haaz-ul-Quran-el-Kareem,An Akuna Multazeemen be qullei Ma-fi-haaz-ul-Dustoor wa un Uma-resa-haa be Qullei Amanah le khidma-til islam wai Muslimeen, Qurbatan illallah Ta ala”

Translation:

I swear by the name of the Almighty Allah and the Holy Quran to abide by all what is in the Constitution during my term of office and to sincerely practice them to serve Islam, only for the sake of the Almighty Allah

11.4 Signature of the Executive Committee Member:

……………………………………………………….

Full Name and Designation: ………………………………………..

Address: ……………………………………………………………

Article 12 Adoption of the Constitution

This Constitution, adopted at the Association’s General Body Meeting on ……………………………………….2011 will be put into effect immediately and will supersede any previous constitutions or instruments of the Association. Agreements within the limit and provisions of the previous constitutions or instruments if any, will be binding and shall be honoured by the Association.

Members of the constitution committee:

Ibrahim S T Jalloh

Umaru Wurie

Shiek Bangura

Fatima

Hassan K Sesay

Glossary

All terminology defined herein is as understood and interpreted by the Shia Ithna Shari School of thought.

Ahlul Bayt : Members of the household of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him and his family), namely the Holy Prophet, Bibi Fatima, Imam Ali Ibn Abi Talib, Imam Hasan ibn Ali, Imam Hussein Ibn Ali,, Imam Ali Ibn Husein, Imam Muhammad Ibn Ali, Imam Jaffer Ibn Muhammed, Imam Musa Ibn Jaffer, Imam Alie Ibn Musa, Imam Muhammad Ibn Ali, Imam Ali Ibn Muhammad, Imam Hasan Ibn Ali, Imam Mehdi Ibn Hasan.

Furu-e-Deen: “Branches of The Faith” , namely: Salat (Prayers), Sawn (Fasting), Hajj (Pilgrimage), Zakat (Poor rate), Khums (Tax on savings), Jihad (Holy war), Amr-bil-Maroof (Enjoining the good), Nahi-anil-munkar (Forbidding the evil), Tawalla (Loving the friends of the Ahlul Bayt), Tabarra (Hating the enemies of the Ahlul Bayt)

Kaba’ir: Major sins

Saga’ir: Minor sins

Marja-e-Taqleed: A Mujtahid who is A’lam (the most learned)

Mujtahid: A learned person who is male, Shia Ithna’ashari, adult, sane of legitimate birth, living and just

Sunnah: The actions and sayings of The Ahlul Bayt

Usul—Deen: “Roots of Faith”, Namely: Tawheed (Oneness of Allah), Adl (Justice of Allah), Nubuwaat (Prophethood), Imamat (Vicegerency of the prophet), Qiyamat (Judgment day).

Waqf: Property which has been donated exclusively for religious use