Masjid Al-Ikhlas
By-Laws
Masjid Al-Ikhlas
By-Laws
Article I
By-Laws: Accepted as legal documentation by more than two-thirds (2/3’s) or unanimous agreement of members being present on the following meeting days: October 2, 1988; October 9, 1988, October 16, 1988; October 8, 1993; June 23, 1995; April 29, 1996, February 15, 2004, January 13, 2008. Last amended with the Board's unanimous approval on March 5, 2023. Ratified or approved by the majority of the Masjid congregation in attendance on
Article II
These by-laws shall be binding upon the Board (Shura) and all community members of Masjid Al Ikhlas (The Masjid) located at 25 Washington Terrace, Newburgh, New York 12550.
Article III
Community Members
All community members are welcome to attend Masjid Al lkhlas respectfully. The members in good standing (functioning within the guidelines of what is required by our faith and who have a paid annual membership and has been regular attendee for at least six months) shall have the authority to vote for the members of the Board and to call for a board election if an election is not held within three years. Their vote shall be by ballot on the day designated as election day.
Membership and Fee
Membership is open to all Muslims,18 years of age or above, who are frequent attendees of Masjid Al Ikhlas and who:
a) subscribe to the by-laws and objectives of Masjid Al Ikhlas and
b) agree to work under the general guidance of the Board.
The membership fee is a donation of $50 for individuals 18 and over per year. The Board may waive membership fee/s for individuals or families facing hardship on a case-by-case basis. Only members in good standing for at least six (6) months are eligible to nominate and vote for board members. Withdrawal from membership may be voluntary or decreed by the Board for failure to meet the requirements or to comply with policies and guidelines. A membership, once revoked, cannot be resubmitted until six (6) months from the date of such denial.
Article IV
IMAM
The following components pertain to how one could become an Imam at Masjid Al-Ikhlas:
1. The community membership in good standing may nominate a candidate for Imam.
2. The Board may approve a nominee by the outgoing Imam.
3. Search, verification of credentials, and negotiation of contract by the Board.
The Imam's responsibilities are essentially related to the religious affairs of the Masjid and are outlined in a separate contract. In the absence of the Imam, he will designate assistant/s to help fulfill his duties.
As Masjid Al Ikhlas’s religious leader and advisor, the Imam is encouraged to attend Board meetings and offer counsel and religious advice; however, he is not an official member of the Board and, therefore, does not have a vote in Board matters.
The appointed Imam is now granted that office according to his negotiated contract. If the Imam deviates from the Noble Qur’an, the authentic Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (SAWS), or his contract and he refuses to accept shura (mutual consultation) with authenticated dahlil (evidence), or if the parties have irreconcilable differences, the Board will convene to consider removing him from the Office of Imam regardless of how long he has been in office. Parties must give proper notice if they intend to end the contract.
Article V
The Board (Shura)
The membership shall appoint the Board. Board members must be declared Muslims and have lifestyles of honorable Muslims, attend regular meetings, support Masjid initiatives, function within the guidelines of what is required by our faith, and have a paid annual membership established for a minimum of one year at Masjid Al-Ikhlas. The Board members should be a balanced cross-section of the community whose outlooks transcend race, ethnicity, and culture. Board members must uphold the Qur’an and the Sunnah of the Prophet (SAWS) and adhere to the sound religious advice and counsel of the appointed Imam. No two family members can serve on the board at the same time.
Tenure: Board members shall hold office for two or three years, at which time the membership shall elect new members or re-elect present Board members.
The Board members and the membership of the congregation may nominate someone for a board position that has become vacant. When a seat becomes vacant, the community members must be made aware at least one week before the next meeting. An open position on the Board should be filled within one meeting cycle. Nominees must present their resumes or be interviewed by the Board, and then nominees' credentials can be presented to the community. The nominee must then be presented at a proper convening of Masjid membership for approval.
Assignment of Duties: The Board must assign specific duties to the members of appropriate committees to ensure that the aims and objectives of the community are being met. That is, a specific Board liaison and committee may have the duties of assuring payment of utility bills and/or being responsible for collecting mail and/or making upkeep and security inspections of the Masjid and Masjid properties. Further, the Board must see that Masjid and Masjid properties are kept well and meet city and fire inspection codes and suitable property and sanitation standards. Board members must ensure that deeds and other important papers are kept in a safe deposit box at a bank. Also, the Board must act as fact finders on an as-needed basis.
The Board shall be a functional body ensuring the proficient managerial and operational functioning of the Masjid and its properties.
Age: The Board members should be capable of handling Masjid business in a mature, rational, and ethical manner.
Number of Members: The number of Board members shall be a minimum of seven (7), of which at least two (2) shall be women. In addition, one shall be a youth representative between the ages of 15-21. An alternate service will be utilized as well. Alternates are expected to be present at each meeting. However, an alternate’s vote will be used only in the event of a regular Board member’s absence. Five (5) Board members are the sufficient quorum for conducting business and establishing policy. Three (3) members need to be present to start a meeting.
The Board will make monthly reports to the Masjid members through a bulletin and/or presentations. These reports inform the congregation of current Board transactions and bring forth information and concerns surrounding various issues that may interest the congregation. Board reports must be given in the common terms of the English language. The Board will keep the Imam abreast of all transactions and activities affecting the Masjid.
Regular Meetings: The Board, by resolution, may provide the time and place for holding regular meetings without other notice than such resolution. The Board shall have their official meeting monthly, currently every 1st Sunday.
Special Meetings: Any two members may call special meetings of the Board. The persons calling the special meeting may fix the place for holding any special meeting of the Shura called by them. Notice of special meetings shall be given at least twenty-four (24) hours or one (1) the day before said meeting. Proper Notification must be given to each Shura member. The notice shall contain the time and place of the meeting along with the topic to be discussed. Preference should be given to holding meetings at the Masjid.
Meeting Attendance: All Shura members are expected to attend scheduled meetings. Any board member having three (3) or more unexcused absences will be notified of their responsibility for their presence at the meetings, or they may be replaced. Unexcused absences have been defined as a person who has not contacted the Board by zhur (midday prayer time) of the meeting day. The applicable Board members must follow up regarding their intentions to remain a part of the Board after said absences or be asked to resign. In general, a board member present at a meeting (at which time some action on a matter is taken) shall be presumed to have consented to the action taken unless their dissent shall be communicated at that meeting.
Power of the Board to Act: The Board can initiate any necessary action to facilitate the Masjid business. The Board shall act as a unit, and a majority vote will be the deciding factor in any matters of the Masjid's affairs.
Article VI
Committee Member's Responsibilities
The Board may appoint and approve members of committees composed of general body members in good standing.
a) The committees' activities shall comply with the by-laws and guidelines of Masjid Al Ikhlas. Should there arise a time when a committee’s activities are found to be in non-compliance, the Board shall have the right to intervene and rectify the problem.
b) No committee will have the authority to take any action outside the scope of authority delegated to it by the Board.
c) All committees will comprise at least three (3) members, including a liaison from the Board. It must have
five (5) committee members consist of at least two family members.
d) The goals of the committee shall be provided by the Board member(s) assigned as liaison(s) to the committee. The committee members may suggest changes to their goals, but the Board shall provide final approval.
e) Each committee must develop its yearly objectives in consultation with the Board liaison(s) and submit quarterly reports to the Board.
f) If a committee engages in any fundraising activity or has expenses, it must submit a budget to the Board. The Board must ratify any fundraising activity and its budget in advance.
g) The Board will open the committees to the community for willing participants and volunteers. If there are insufficient volunteers, The Board liaison and/or committee members shall recruit the volunteers necessary to achieve the committee’s goals.
h) The Board will resolve disputes related to the committees and adjudicate all conflicts referred to it.
Committees
Prayer leaders:
Establishing prayers during the daytime (zhur & asr)
Security Committee:
Coordinate jumu’ah traffic, Masjid security, and key maintenance.
Community Events Committee:
Development and coordination of Eid, community day, and other internal and external community activities
Ramadhan Committee:
Coordination of iftar, suhoor, laylatul qadr activity, i'tikaf, etc.
Education Committee:
New Shahada and beginner Muslim instruction,
adult and children education in Arabic, fiqh, Islamic rulings, and other Islamic Classes led by the Imam.
New Shahada and beginner Muslim instruction,
adult and children education in Arabic, fiqh, Islamic rulings, and other Islamic Classes led by the Imam
Health Committee:
Coordination of health fairs, blood drives, hospital, and shut-in visits. Sick announcements
Dawah Committee:
Community outreach, booths, or vending during Muslim and non-Muslims events
Building Maintenance Committee:
Maintenance of the Masjid (building/structure) properties, including coordination of cleaning and sanitation needs
Treasury:
Accounting of income and expenses, reporting, collections, zakah activity, and other financial matters
Secretarial and Media Committee:
Upkeep of minutes, Masjid by-laws, update of phone answering machine, media communications, and online development and productions.
Youth Committee:
A committee dedicated to developing and establishing activities and programs for the youth led by a youth peer.
Janazah Committee:
Contacts that facilitate connections between the family of the deceased, Janazah or funeral services, cemetery services (opening and closing the grave site), and grave markers.
Janazah Finance Committee:
Contacts that collaborate with the deceased's family regarding financial needs if requested.
Article VII
Overriding authority is held first by the Noble Qur’an and then by the authentic Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (SAWS). Board members and the congregation must also respect the United States Constitution. The Shura members and the congregation will adhere to the decisions of the courts of the land and respect all civil and right-minded people without regard to race or national origin.
Amending said By-Laws: Amendment to the Masjid By-laws must be approved or ratified by two-thirds (2/3’s) majority of Masjid members in attendance on the day the monthly report is scheduled. Copies of said by-laws are to be made available to congregation members at its regular meeting.