The Constitution of the Muslim Students Association at Indiana University-Bloomington
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The Constitution of the Muslim Students Association at
Indiana University-Bloomington
Amended April 20, 2003
Article I Name and Nature
I.A. The organization shall be known as the Muslim Students Association at Indiana University.
I.B. The Association shall be an Islamic Organization. The aim and purpose of the Association is to serve
the best interest of Islam and of the Muslims according to the Qur’an and the Sunnah.
I.C. The Association shall be a non-profit organization.
I.D. The organization should follow ahl alsunnati wa aljama’ah.
I.E. The MSA Board of Trustees and Executive Committee should serve the community in accordance with
the Qur’an and Sunnah with the paramount goal to keep our diverse Muslim community united as one
body.
Mission Statement of the MSA
To manage the affairs of the Muslim community of Bloomington and the Masjid so that Muslims can practice
their religion in the best possible manner and non-Muslims are exposed to Islam in the most appropriate way
using wisdom and good advice as the Qur’an and Sunnah command.
Article II Aims and Objectives
II.A. To unite all Muslims in Indiana University, Bloomington and the surrounding areas.
II.B. To help Muslims practice, preserve, advance and represent the social, moral and intellectual standards
of Islam as reflected in the Qur’an and the Sunnah.
II.C. To make the teachings of Islam known and easily accessible to the Muslims and non-Muslims of this
community.
Article III Affiliation
The Association shall be affiliated to the Muslim Students’ Association of the United States and Canada and
shall endeavor to cooperate with and participate in its activities.
1Article IV Membership
IV.A. All Muslims ages 16 and above shall be eligible for membership, with any further criteria specified in
the Bylaws.
IV.B. Any active member has the right to vote on decisions made by the General Assembly only if that
member has registered three months prior to the vote. The Electoral Committee, under direction of
the Executive Committee, is to decide procedures for registration as elaborated under Membership
Eligibility, Article 4 of the MSA Bylaws.
IV.C. The Board of Trustees, members of the Executive Committee, members of other standing commit-
tees, as well as the MSA are not jointly or severly responsible for the actions of the members of the
community.
Article V Structure and Function
The Association shall have the following organs.
V.A The General Assembly
V.A.1. The General Assembly shall be the chief organ of the Association’s actions and shall consist of all the
voting members of the Association as defined by Article IV and the Bylaws.
V.A.2. The General Assembly shall meet at least once a year, and all meetings shall be given appropriate
notice within the community as provided in the Bylaws.
V.A.3. The General Assembly shall elect the Executive Committee.
V.A.4. The General Assembly shall elect the members of the Board of Trustees.
V.A.5. The General Assembly shall take its decisions by simple majority unless otherwise specified in this
Constitution.
V.A.6. Two fifths of the General Assembly shall constitute a quorum.
V.A.7. If the General Assembly fails to achieve quorum for a first meeting, that meeting shall be declared
void by the MSA President during the meeting and the subsequent meeting shall be considered to have
achieved quorum, regardless of its attendance.
(V.A.7.i) Any challenge to the existence of a quorum by a member of the MSA can only be made during
the meeting in question.
(V.A.7.ii) The MSA Executive Committee shall, in advance of each General Assembly meeting, find the
level of attendance required in order to achieve quorum.
(V.A.7.iii) No General Assembly meeting may be held when one-third (1/3) or more of the active members
are out of town.
V.A.8. General Assembly meetings shall be called for by the Executive Committee or the Board of Trustees
whenever needed. The Executive Committee shall be obliged to call such a meeting upon the request
of one-third of the active members or more.
V.A.9. The General Assembly may divide into a Women’s Division upon request of the Women’s Division
Executive Committee, to discuss and vote upon business of particular interest to Women. This in-
cludes, but is not limited to, election of members to the Women’s Division Executive Committee and
ratification of Bylaws for the Women’s Division Executive Committee.
2(V.A.9.i) The above provision may not be construed to exclude women from full participation in the Gen-
eral Assembly.
V.B The Executive Committee
V.B.1. The MSA Executive Committee shall consist of seven members including the following:
(1) President
(2) Vice-President
(3) General Secretary
(4) Treasurer
(5) Da’wah Secretary
(6) Maintenance Secretary
(7) Social Activities Secretary
V.B.2. The Executive Committee shall consist of seven elected male members. The Executive Committee
shall be charged with fulfilling the purposes and upholding the Constitution of this organization. Other
MSA offices and duties shall be listed in general MSA Bylaws.
V.B.3. The Executive Committee shall meet at least once a month when called by the President or upon the
request of at least three of its members.
V.B.4. In the event of any vacancy, the Executive Committee shall appoint and announce replacements.
V.B.5. The Executive Committee shall be responsible to the General Assembly and it shall execute the General
Assembly’s resolutions.
V.B.6. The Executive Committee shall hold office for one year only.
V.B.7. Functional Committees shall be appointed by the Executive Committee as and when needed and their
authorities and responsibilities shall be specified in the Bylaws of the Association. These functional
committees shall include the following:
(1) Da’wah Committee
(2) Maintenance Committee
(3) Social Committee
(4) Public Relations Committee
(5) Financial Committee
(6) Sports Committee
V.B.8. The Executive Committee shall have the power to terminate the office of any of its officers, Electoral
Committee members and members of other functional committees it forms only as provided by Arti-
cle IV, Judiciary Procedures, of the Bylaws.
V.B.9. There must be at least four out of seven MSA Executive Committee members present at any Executive
Committee meeting. All seven members must be present for any voting or decision-making to take
place.
V.B.10. Decisions of the Executive Committee shall be made by a simple majority, each member having one
vote. In case of a tie, the President has the deciding vote.
3V.B.11. Disciplinary actions to protect the interests of the Association shall proceed in accordance with Bylaws
Article IV, entitled Judiciary Procedures.
V.B.12. No one MSA Executive Committee member may act unilaterally on behalf of the Executive Committee
to meet with and/or form agreements with anyone or groups without the expressed written approval of
the entire Executive Committee. Further, all correspondences must be made to the community as a
whole.
V.B.13. The MSA Executive Committee is responsible to respond to any written inquiries, problems, etc within
one week.
V.B.14. The Executive Committee may call a meeting with the Board of Trustees whenever necessary.
V.C Women’s Division Executive Committee
V.C.1. This Committee shall exist to provide leadership in developing programs, activities and services of
particular interest to women in the Muslim Community.
V.C.2. The Committee shall be governed under rules provided in this Constitution and Bylaws set forth by the
Women’s Division Executive Committee consistent with general MSA Bylaws.
V.C.3. All adult women eligible for active membership in the MSA shall be eligible to serve on the Women’s
Division Executive Committee.
V.C.4. The Women’s division shall consist of seven elected female members which will be elected by the
General Assembly of Women who are registered voters.
V.C.5. The Women’s Committee shall meet at least once a month when called by the President or upon the
request of at least three of its members.
V.C.6. In the event of any vacancy, the Women’s Committee shall appoint replacements.
V.C.7. The Executive Committee members shall hold office for one year only.
V.C.8. Functional Committees shall be appointed as needed and they are responsible only to carry out the
specific task(s) for which they were appointed.
V.C.9. The Women’s Committee is responsible to the Women’s General Assembly and has authority only over
its own programs and activities.
V.C.10. The Executive Committee shall have the power to terminate the office of any of its officers, Electoral
Committee members and members of other functional committees it forms only as provided by Arti-
cle IV, Judiciary Procedures, of the Bylaws.
V.C.11. There must be at least four out of seven MSA Executive Committee members present at any Executive
Committee meeting. All seven members must be present for any voting or decision-making to take
place.
V.C.12. Decisions of the Executive Committee shall be made by a simple majority, each member having one
vote. In case of a tie, the President has the deciding vote.
4V.D Electoral Committee
V.D.1. The Executive Committee will form an Electoral Committee as described in the Bylaws under Article
2 (Organization).
V.D.2. The Electoral Committee shall not have authority over the Electoral Committee of the Women’s Ex-
ecutive Committee. The Women’s General Assembly shall choose the manner of elections within the
spirit of and general manner of this Constitution.
V.D.3. Further Rules and procedures regarding elections should be specified in Electoral Committee Bylaws
Article 3 (Voter Registration/Nomination) and Article VII of this Constitution.
V.E The Board of Trustees
V.E.1. The Board of Trustees shall consist of five members. Four regular members shall be elected by the
General Assembly to serve one four (4) year term. Additionally, each year the current President of the
Executive Committee shall serve (or shall appoint a member of the Executive Committee to serve) a
one year term concurrent with the official’s term of office on the Executive Committee.
V.E.2. Each regular member of the Board of Trustees shall commit to the full four years of the term. Members
of the community who cannot, in good faith and conscience commit to the full four year term shall
remove their names from nomination.
V.E.3. The regular members of the Board of Trustees shall serve staggered terms of office. The first year of
election each member will agree to serve one (1), two (2), three (3), or four (4) years. The following
year the one year term shall be vacated by that member and a new member shall be elected to fill the
vacancy. The following year the two year term shall be vacated by that member and a new member to
fill the vacancy. The third year the three year term shall be vacated and the position shall be filled by
an election. Finally the fourth year term will be vacated and a new member shall be elected to fill that
vacancy. Each year following the most senior regular member will vacate the post and a new member
shall be elected to fill the vacancy.
V.E.4. Regular members may serve consecutive terms if elected by the General Assembly.
V.E.5. Regular members of the Board of Trustees may not serve concurrently on the Executive Committee or
any standing committee.
V.E.6. In the event of a mid-term vacancy, the members of the Board of Trustees shall appoint an interim
member until the next election at which time the General Assembly shall elect a new member who will
complete the term of the departing member.
V.E.7. In the event of a mid-term vacancy of the member representing the Executive Committee, the Executive
Committee shall appoint a replacement according to already existing policies in Article V.B.
V.E.8. Each year the members of the Board of Trustees will elect one of the regular members to serve as the
Chair of the Board. The Chair will be responsible for maintaining paperwork related to Masjid affairs.
V.E.9. The Board of Trustees may create and appoint sub-committees with the purpose of fact finding or nego-
tiation. All resolutions passed by the sub-committee must be approved by the Board of Trustees before
its recommendations may be submitted to either the Executive Committee or the General Assembly.
V.E.10. The Board of Trustees shall meet once every two months or when called upon by the Chair.
5V.E.11. The Board of Trustees is required to call at least two (2) meetings every year with the Executive Com-
mittee. The first meeting shall be within thirty (30) days of the election of the Executive Committee to
help with the transition and to apprise the Executive Committee of the current state of the Masjid af-
fairs. The second of these two meetings shall be no sooner than six (6) months after the election of the
Executive Committee and no later than seven (7) months. The Board of Trustees may call additional
meetings with the Executive Committee whenever needed.
V.E.12. There must be at least three (3) regular members present for the meeting of the Board of Trustees to be
official. All resolutions passed by the board must be the result of a majority vote of all the members
present.
V.E.13. The Board of Trustees shall be responsible to the General Assembly and it shall execute the General
Assembly’s resolutions.
Article VI Duties of Officials
VI.A. The Bylaws shall specify the duties and responsibilities of the Executive Committee, Women’s Di-
vision Executive Committee, Board of Trustees, and Electoral Committee as well as other functional
committees established by the Executive Committee and Women’s Division Executive Committee.
VI.B. Any dispute between the Executive Committee and the Board of Trustees shall be resolved following
Article IV, Judiciary Procedures, of the Bylaws.
Article VII Elections
VII.A. Elections shall be held within the first two weeks of April of each year with the newly elected commit-
tee’s term starting on April 30 of the same year.
VII.B. Elections shall be held by secret ballot.
VII.C. As the Electoral Committee confirms the validity of each nomination, it must announce:
the existence of at least two nominations
the name of the nominee, and
the position for which nominated
VII.D. Only voting members as specified by Article IV and as specified in the Bylaws shall have the right to
nominate, to be nominated and to vote.
VII.E. A nominee for the position of President shall have lived in Bloomington for at least one year and meet
all further criteria as specified in the Constitution and the Bylaws.
VII.F. A nominee for a regular member of the Board of Trustees must have lived in Bloomington for at least
two years at the beginning of the term and must meet all further criteria as specified by the Constitution
and Bylaws.
VII.G. General assembly quorum rules apply to elections.
6Article VIII Ratification, Amendments, and Procedure
VIII.A. This Constitution shall come into effect upon its ratification by a two-thirds majority of the active
members present.
VIII.B. The General Assembly shall have the power to amend or replace any provision of this Constitution and
Bylaws by a two-thirds majority of the active members present.
VIII.C. Any proposition to amend the Constitution shall be presented to the Executive Committee in writing.
A proposal of amendment(s) shall be signed by ten (10) active members or ten percent of the active
members, whichever number is larger. After having reviewed the proposal for amendment(s), the MSA
Executive Committee shall call a General Assembly meeting within one month from the submission
date of the proposal of amendment(s) and provide the General Assembly members with the proposal of
amendment(s), at least, one week prior to said meeting. The MSA Executive Committee has the right
to reject any proposed amendment(s) only if the proposed amendment(s) expressly violates the spirit
and purpose of the MSA Constitution.
VIII.D. Robert’s Rules of Order, as mentioned in the Bylaws, shall be followed in matters of procedure.
VIII.E. Standing Rules of Order of the Muslim Students’ Association shall be followed in matters of procedure.
Article IX Official Premises
Al-Masjid at Bloomington shall be the official premises of the Association.
The Executive Committee shall conduct regular activities in Al-Masjid, maintain it and be responsible for
its general management.
The MSA Executive Committee should also be responsible and maintain the e-mail account and website.
7Bylaws
I Operation of Electoral Committee
Article 1: Nature and Purpose
1.1. The Muslim Students Association at Indiana University-Bloomington has established this Committee
under Article V.D of its Constitution. Nothing in these Bylaws shall be inconsistent with provisions of
the MSA-IUB Constitution.
1.2. The Electoral Committee shall exist to serve the Muslim community with a fair procedure for nomina-
tions and elections. Duties will consist of the following:
(1.2.i) Maintaining and verifying voter registration and managing the electoral process.
(1.2.ii) To accept all nominations for candidacy unless the nominees display any of the following char-
acteristics:
Lack of moral values as defined in the Qur’an and Sunnah
The nominee refuses the nomination
The candidacy violates the Constitution
The nominee lacks 2 nominators
The nominee is not from ahl alsunnati wa aljama’ah.
(1.2.iii) To manage the process listed in Article 3.6 of these Bylaws with regard to nomination, voting,
and tabulation procedure for elections.
(1.2.iv) To solve any dispute about an election within one week.
Article 2: Organization
2.1. The MSA Executive Committee shall appoint five members of the Electoral Committee and additional
members if needed due to vacancy.
2.2. The Electoral Committee shall appoint their own Chairman.
2.3. Members of the Electoral Committee shall only be appointed from among the registered, voting mem-
bers as defined by the MSA Constitution. The member should not concurrently hold office in the men’s
or Women’s Executive Committees. Each member should have been a resident in this community for
a minimum of one semester.
Article 3: Voter Registration/Nomination
3.1. During the first month of each semester the Executive Committee shall collect membership fees and
register the members.
3.2. Upon registration, the name, address, and telephone number of the member shall be taken and they will
be asked if they want to be included in the phone directory. Those members who wish to keep their
names off any list shall be given a membership number in place of their name, which they will use for
voting purposes.
3.3. The Electoral Committee shall verify that all members meet eligibility criteria as specified in the MSA
Constitution, and these Bylaws.
83.4. The list of members who agree to be published shall be compiled into the phone directory, which shall
be made available to the community.
3.5. The Executive Committee shall throughout the year, continue to register other Muslims who join the
community and add such information to the directory. Upon meeting eligibility criteria of active mem-
bership in Article IV, such persons shall be deemed voting members.
3.6. Nomination Process and Voting Process shall be conducted as follows:
(a) The Electoral Committee shall announce nomination proceedings one week prior to their taking
place.
(b) The following 2 Fridays after Jum’ah and Isha prayers the Electoral Committee shall set up a
table in the back of the Mosque where members wishing to nominate for the elections will go to
have their membership verified and to receive their nomination form.
(c) Upon verification of the member, the form (as attached to these Bylaws), is given and the member
fills in his name and the nominees he chooses for each position. This form is turned in at the time
of registration and does not leave the building.
(d) The Electoral Committee shall then compile a list of the nominees and verify that they do not
violate any stipulations as stated in (1.2.ii) of these Bylaws. They will then contact the nominees
to see if they agree to the nomination.
(e) All those who then have met all stated criteria should be placed on the ballot in the form (as
attached to these Bylaws).
(f) The Electoral Committee shall announce the nominees 1-week prior to the election so that the
voters may contemplate their choices.
(g) The Election shall take place in 1 night only. This shall be announced 1 week prior to the date.
(h) The Electoral Committee shall set up a table in the back of the Masjid and shall verify the mem-
bership of those coming to vote. Upon the verification of membership, the member shall receive
1 ballot and shall cast his vote and return the paper to the ballot box.
(i) The Electoral Committee shall maintain order during this night and not allow discussion between
those who have their ballots. The voting room shall remain quiet and discussion be allowed only
outside the voting room.
(j) The Electoral Committee shall then tabulate the votes and announce the following Friday after
Jum’ah prayer the new Executive Committee members. The list of these brothers shall be posted
on the bulletin board as well.
(k) For the purpose of the Executive Committee elections, the Women’s Electoral Committee shall
follow these said instructions in order to collect the votes of the registered women voters. They
shall give the ballots to the men’s Electoral Committee for tabulation with the rest of the ballots.
(l) The Women’s Electoral Committee shall also use these procedures to conduct the elections for
the Women’s Executive Committee, which shall be held separately from the Men’s Executive
Committee elections.
3.7. If any registered member has any doubt or objection about a nomination, election procedure, or any
issue related to the election, he/she must point it out on the spot or it will be invalid.
Article 4: Membership Eligibility
4.1. All Muslim adults who reside within the surrounding area of the Bloomington Mosque shall be eligible
for membership upon timely registration with the Executive Committee.
94.2. Membership dues are required during the first month of each semester, at which time, upon meeting
eligibility requirements, the payee becomes a registered voter and a member of the organization.
4.3. Any person who wants to be a voting member, and is eligible, but cannot afford the dues, should request
such exemption in writing and present this to the Executive Committee during the time for registration.
This and any other exemption shall be handled on a case by case basis.
4.4. Any person turned down for membership may appeal such a decision to the MSA Executive Committee.
The decision of the MSA Executive Committee on such matters shall be final.
4.1 Eligibility criteria for voting membership
1. Member should pay $10 per semester, or request exemption
2. Male members must attend, at least, Friday prayer
3. Member should have lived in Bloomington for one semester
4. Member should be from ahl alsunnati wa aljama’ah
5. Member should be known in the community
6. Member should not display clear or serious violation of Islamic values or teachings
II Duties of Officials
The elected officers must be the members of the Board of Trustees or the members of the Executive Com-
mittee. The executive Committee shall consist of the President, Vice-President, General Secretary, Treasurer,
Da’wah Secretary, Maintenance Secretary, and Social Activities Secretary.
The President shall be responsible for:
1. The general management of all the activities of the Association.
2. Directing and overseeing of all the activities so as to achieve the purpose of the Association.
3. Calling and presiding over meetings of the Executive Committee and the General Body.
4. Forming various functional committees with the approval of the Executive Committee.
5. Supervising and approving funds and expenses of the Association.
6. Presenting and submitting written reports on the state of the Association to the annual meeting.
7. Being the spokesman, representative and correspondent for the Association in external activities with
approval of the Executive Committee regarding content.
8. Establishing an efficient link between the Association and the MSA of the U.S. and Canada and any
other Islamic organizations by his active involvement.
9. Suggesting available speakers and organizers from the members of the Association to the MSA orga-
nizations and others.
10. Preparing the agenda for the Executive Committee and General Body meetings and notifying the mem-
bers of the Executive Committee and the General Body, respectively, of it.
The Vice-President shall be responsible for:
101. Carrying out the management of the activities in the chapter, in the absence of the President.
2. Coordinating the activities of the campus representatives.
3. Assisting the President in accomplishing the purpose of the Association.
4. Temporarily assuming the functions of the President when requested as such by him, or if the President
is incapacitated. In the latter case, the Vice-President shall assume Presidency for the remaining period
of the term.
5. In the event of a temporary leave, the Vice-President shall provide a report to the President of all events
that occurred during his absence.
The General Secretary shall be responsible for:
1. Reporting the important events and activities of the Association to the General Assembly and the MSA
Executive Committee periodically.
2. Preparing, circulating within thirty days and maintaining the minutes of all the Executive Committee
and General Body meetings.
3. Maintaining the list of members and the volunteers for various functions of the Association.
4. Assisting the activities of the various committees.
5. Keeping the Association registered in the city of Bloomington and Indiana University as a non-profit
organization.
6. Presiding over the Executive Committee meetings when both the President and the Vice-President are
absent.
7. Presenting at the beginning of every Executive Committee the minutes of the previous meeting for
approval by the Executive Committee/General Body.
8. Maintaining in the Mosque a list of the members with their names, addresses and telephone numbers,
and updating the list at least twice a year.
9. Maintaining in the Mosque a list of members eligible to vote in the election. This list shall be ready at
least two weeks before elections.
The Treasurer shall be responsible for:
1. Maintaining the record of all the financial transactions of the Association. The Treasurer shall be re-
sponsible for systematic upkeep of books and writing disbursements, receipts, banking, reconciliations
and showing of funds in statements to be made accessible to the General Assembly.
2. Collecting and depositing all the funds received on behalf of the Association.
3. Co-signing all withdrawal checks on behalf of the Association when the President or the Vice-President
is absent.
4. Preparing, on being elected, the annual budget of the Association for the next fiscal year in consultation
with the newly elected Executive Committee and presenting the same before the General Body meeting.
5. Presenting before the Executive Committee a quarterly financial report which shall include in it anony-
mous donations and total donations received by the Association.
6. Posting the financial statement on the bulletin board on a quarterly basis.
117. Filing and keeping record of all bills and finances in the Masjid office.
The Da’wah Secretary shall be responsible for:
1. Making Da’wah Programs within 15 days for Muslims and non-Muslims with the help of experienced
members of the community. These Da’wah Programs will be evaluated regularly.
2. Giving Da’wah in accordance with Qur’an and Sunnah of the Prophet.
3. Taking Muhammad (pbuh) as a role model, his methods, and ways should always be kept in mind.
4. Arranging and maintaining regular programs on campus such as coffee hours, lectures, seminars, exhi-
bitions etc.
5. Providing basic Islamic literatures to local institutions such as schools, churches, libraries, and organi-
zations.
6. Publicizing Islamic holidays such as Eids and Ramadan locally in order to expose non-Muslims to
Islam.
7. Supporting and/or arranging Islamic conferences and camps nationwide with other Islamic Organiza-
tions such as ISNA, ICNA, IANA, MAYA, on a regular basis.
8. Inviting Muslim scholars and Muslim intellectuals to speak on important issues on campus and in the
Masjid.
The Maintenance Secretary shall be responsible for:
1. Directing and coordinating of all maintenance activities of the Al-Masjid. This includes repairs, clean-
ing, yard work (mowing, trimming etc) , snow removal etc.
2. Forming a Maintenance Committee for the upkeep and general maintenance of the Al-Masjid.
3. Reporting to the Executive Committee of any major repairs required and obtaining cost estimates.
4. Responsible for ensuring that the Al-Masjid is kept clean inside and outside.
5. Seeking the assistance of Association members in performing maintenance functions.
6. Ensuring that the Al-Masjid property is kept in good condition and not allowed to deteriorate through
preventive maintenance.
The Social Secretary shall be responsible for:
1. Directing and supervising all arrangements for celebration of religious festivals and social programs
such as picnics, dinners, lectures on Islamic topics, etc.
2. Informing the members about the time, place and details of the festivals and social events through the
e-mail and announcements.
3. Forming a Social Committee for organizing and carrying out social activities.
4. Coordinating with and cooperating with the Da’wah Secretary for planning and carrying out appropri-
ate functions and events.
The Board of Trustees shall be responsible for:
1. Contacting and negotiating for legal representation for the Masjid properties and facilities.
122. Maintaining paperwork related to the long term running and improvement of the Masjid such as:
(a) tax records and filings
(b) non-profit records and filings
(c) contracts
(d) employee records
(e) historical records vital to the community
(f) non-specified paperwork that relates to capital improvements and investments.
(g) insurance
(h) bank and financial records
i. The Board of Trustees will work with the Treasurer in maintaining the records for the current
year.
3. Negotiating all contracts with a value greater than $5,000.
(a) The Executive Committee will consult with the Board of Trustees when negotiating contracts for
amounts between $2,000 and $5,000.
(b) The Board of Trustees will work with the Maintenance Secretary on issues related to long term
maintenance.
4. Planning and instigating capital improvements to the Masjid.
5. Planning and negotiating contracts for expansion of Masjid facilities and properties.
6. Recommending to the General Assembly and negotiating for the employment of a permanent Imam or
other permanent paid employees of the Masjid.
7. Creating and maintaining relationships with non-profit community, and civic groups.
8. Establishing procedures and negotiating contracts for long-term services to the community related to
marriage, divorce, counseling, funerals, and cemeteries.
9. Seeking or nominating members of the community for training seminars in leadership and organiza-
tional development of Islamic centers.
III Finances
III.1. Membership dues shall be determined by the Executive Committee.
III.2. Annual membership dues shall not be increased more than 25% (twenty-five percent) in any year
without the approval by the majority of the active members.
III.3. Any member whose dues are two semesters or more in arrears after the beginning of the fiscal year
shall lose all membership privileges. Furthermore, in order to vote in the elections, the member shall
have paid his/her dues before the election. Privileges cannot be forfeited unless the member has been
notified in writing 10 days in advance regarding his/her failure to pay the dues and the possible effects
thereof if not cleared in 10 days.
III.4. The Executive Committee may accept any contributions in any form, from any source, consistent with
the purposes of the Association and with the principles of Islam.
III.5. All funds collected for a specific cause shall be used for that cause unless the donor consents to the
change; funds collected for the specific purpose of expanding or maintaining the Mosque shall not be
used for any other purpose. Donators’ stipulations must be honored.
13Article 1: Accounts
The Association shall maintain the following separate accounts:
Expense Account, This is an interest-free bank account for its current expenses.
Deposit Account with NAIT, in which shall be deposited all contributions and donations collected
specifically for the Mosque’s maintenance and expansion. All funds in excess of one year needs also
should be deposited in this account.
Article 2: Withdrawal of Funds
All check withdrawals from the Expense Account shall be signed by the Treasurer and the President or
the Vice-President in the absence of the President.
All the check withdrawals from the Expense Account shall be co-signed by the Treasurer and the
President.
All withdrawals from the deposit account with NAIT shall be co-signed by the Chairman of NAIT and
the all the members of the Board of Trustees after the approval of the General Assembly.
Article 3: Authorization of Expenditures
Amounts less than $200 shall only require the authorization of the President of the Executive Com-
mittee. Amounts greater than $200 and less than $2,000 shall be authorized by the entire Executive
Committee. Amounts greater than $2,000 and less than $5,000 shall also be authorized by the Execu-
tive Committee but in consultation with the Board of Trustees. Amounts greater than $5,000 shall be
authorized by the Board of Trustees.
The Board of Trustees may contract with outside auditors who shall audit the Association accounts
continuously and submit a semi-annual report to Board of Trustees and a final report to the General
Body.
IV Judiciary Procedures
IV.1. General Assembly shall elect two (2) Judiciary members to carry out the following duties and process.
IV.2. Charges of a misdemeanor, misappropriation of funds, fraud, corruption, violation of the Constitution,
cover-up of such offenses, etc. can be brought against a member or group of members by a petition
signed by at least ten (10) or 10% of total voting members, whichever is larger. The petition shall be
handed over to the President and a copy shall be given to the other Executive Committee members as
well as the two (2) Judiciary members.
IV.3. The Judiciary members and the Executive Committee shall meet within two weeks of the receipt of
the petition in order to set up a panel to hear the charge(s). If the charge(s) are against an Executive
Committee member, the Judiciary Committee shall be responsible for calling the meeting for setting up
the panel. If the charge(s) are not against an Executive Committee member, the Executive Committee
shall be responsible for calling the meeting to set up the panel.
IV.4. The panel shall consist of the two (2) Judiciary members, an Executive Committee member, and 9
other members outside the Executive Committee. The member or the group of members against whom
the petition has been brought shall have the option of picking by random drawing nine names from a
basket containing the names of all the voting members of the Association and, the Executive Committee
member who will serve on the panel shall be chosen by random drawing.
14IV.5. The person against whom charges are brought may not serve on the panel. The members serving on
the panel shall have lived in the community for at least one (1) semester.
IV.6. One (1) judiciary member shall be the Chairman of the panel.
IV.7. If the person(s) accused refuse to exercise the right to draw the names of members on the panel, the
President or his replacement shall draw the names in the presence of the Executive Committee.
IV.8. The Chairperson of the panel shall fix the time for the first session of the panel within two weeks
after the formation of the panel and shall notify, in writing, the panelists at least one week before the
scheduled session.
IV.9. The panel shall hear the charges as well as witnesses from both sides, examine all evidence and de-
termine judgment including punitive and/or corrective measures. If the panel finds clear evidence of
criminal violation according to State and/or Federal laws. it may recommend to the General Body to
consider the possibility of legal suit against the person(s) accused, if a solution is not found within the
framework and Bylaws of the Association.
IV.10. The Panel shall submit a detailed report on their findings and actions to the General Body.
V Restrictions Regarding MSA Executive Committee Members
V.1. An Executive Committee member may not concurrently serve as an officer of another religious, cul-
tural, or national organization on or off campus.
V.2. All communication between Executive Committee and Women’s Executive Committee shall be made
only by both Presidents and shall be in a written or e-mail form.
15VI Nomination forms
Each regular year the General Assembly elects the following officers 1 .
Nominator (your name): ......................................
Email: ................................
Phone: ...................
1 Nominees for Executive Committee
President: ......................................
Vice-President: ......................................
Treasurer: ......................................
General Secretary: ......................................
Maintenance Secretary: ......................................
Da’wah Secretary: ......................................
Social Activities Secretary: ......................................
2 Nominees for Judiciary Committee
Member 1: ......................................
Member 2: ......................................
3 Nominee for Board of Trustees
Member: ......................................
1 If you want an explanation of what responsibilities any of these positions entails, please ask one of the Electoral Committee mem-
bers. Please do not talk or discuss with others while you are filling out this form. Jazak Allah khair.
16VII Robert’s Rules of Order and Parliamentary Procedure
Robert’s Rules of Order exist to facilitate the decision-making process at meetings. They ensure that discus-
sion is clear, and that the rights of both the majority and the minority are protected. Below are some of the
basic rules within Bob’s Rules that help a meeting run more smoothly and keep discussion on track. The
rules, however, are not meant to disrupt or hold-up a meeting, and may be suspended if a member is using
them for those purposes.
Chairperson/Speaker: Each meeting is facilitated or guided by a speaker or Chairperson. S/he is respon-
sible for ensuring that the meeting runs smoothly and fairly. The Chairperson remains impartial during the
debate and should command the respect of all those in the room. The Chairperson is not the final arbitrator
of all decisions: the assembly ultimately has the authority and the responsibility to decide how the meeting
should run.
Main Motion: The basis for discussion is a formal motion. The motion is put forward of being “moved”
by a voting member of the assembly to focus discussion. Each motion must have a mover and a seconder to
show that it has at least a minimum of support from the delegates. Once a motion has been put “on the floor”
for discussion, debate must focus on the substance of the motion. All other discussion is out of order and not
allowed. A main motion may not be introduced if there is any other motion on the floor. The mover must
state the motion before speaking and motions should be written out and handed to the Chair so that everyone
is clear on what is being discussed.
Order: Once a motion is introduced, the Chairperson will maintain a speaker’s list to allow for discussion
in an orderly manner. The seconder of the motion is given the right to speak immediately after the mover.
To ensure that all members of the assembly have an equal opportunity to speak, the Chairperson will allow
speakers on the list who have not yet spoken before those who already have spoken.
Amendments: At any time, a person who has the floor can introduce an amendment to the main motion
being debated. An amendment is a motion that alters, adds to, subtracts from, or completely changes the
main motion. Once an amendment has been moved and seconded, debate must be on the substance of the
amendment. An amendment can only be amended once. For an amendment to pass, it needs a simple
majority. Once an amendment has either been passed, defeated, or withdrawn, discussion reverts back to the
main motion, taking into account whether or not the amendment passed. Complex or lengthy amendments
should be written out for the Chairperson to be able to read back to the assembly.
Point of Order: If a member feels that the rules of order are being broken, s/he can immediately raise
a “point of order”, and state what rule has been broken or not enforced by the Chair. A point of order can
interrupt a speaker. It cannot be used as an opportunity to get around the speakers’ list - it can only be used
to ask the Chair to enforce the rules. The Chair decides if the point is valid or not, and proceeds accordingly.
Point of Privilege: A point of privilege can interrupt the speaker. A member who feels her/his right
or privileges have been infringed on may bring up this point by stating their problem. Privilege refers to
anything regarding the comfort of accessibility of the member (i.e. too much smoke, too much noise, fuzzy
photocopies, etc.), or to the right of the member not to be insulted, misquoted, or deliberately misinterpreted.
Again, the Chair decides if the point is valid or not and proceeds accordingly.
Challenge the Chair: If a member feels her/his point of order or privilege has been ruled on unfairly by
the Chair, s/he can challenge the Chair. The Chair then asks for a motion to uphold the Chair, and the vote
is taken. The vote decides whether the action decided upon by the Chair is valid, or whether the member is
correct.
Point of Information: A point of information is a QUESTION. A member may interrupt the speaker to
ask her/his question, but the speaker who has the floor has the privilege to refuse the question. The Chair
will ask the speaker if s/he wishes to entertain a question at that time. A point of information is not an
opportunity to bring forward information, jump the speakers’ list, harass another speaker, or generally disrupt
the proceedings - it can only be a question.
Table: Debate may end in several ways. If a member feels that a decision on a motion needs to be
postponed for some reason, then s/he can move to “table” the motion. A member may not move to table a
motion at the end of a speech, only at the time they are recognized by the Chair. A specified time may be put
17on the tabling or the motion may be left indefinite. The only debate allowed is as to the length of tabling, or
the time-line involved. A motion to table requires only a simple majority.
Calling the Question: If a member feels that further debate is unproductive, s/he may “call the question”,
requesting the debate be ended. If there is no objection, the meeting proceeds to the main motion. If there is
objection, then the meeting must vote on whether to end debate. This vote requires a two-thirds (2/3) majority
to pass, and is non-debatable. If the “call” passes, a vote on the main motion is immediately taken, without
any further debate.
Rescind: A motion to rescind another motion is in order if it refers to a motion passed at another meeting
on another day. This cannot be applied to actions that cannot be reversed (i.e. things that have already been
carried out). This requires a two-thirds (2/3) majority to pass.
Reconsider: A motion to reconsider is applicable to a motion that was passed at the same meeting. Such
a motion must be moved by someone who voted with the prevailing majority on the previous vote. It requires
a two-thirds (2/3) majority to pass.
Suspension of the Rules: A motion to suspend the rules of order (so that the assembly may do something
not allowed in the rules) must receive a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote, is not debatable, cannot be amended
and cannot be reconsidered at the same meeting.
Adjourn: This motion takes precedence over all others, except to “fix the time to adjourn”, to which it
yields. It is not debatable, it cannot be amended, nor can a vote on it be reconsidered. A motion to adjourn
cannot be made when another has the floor, nor after a question has been put and the assembly is engaged in
voting.
Refer or Commit: This motion is generally used to send a pending question to a committee so that the
questions may be carefully investigated. This motion must be seconded and is debatable, but the debate can
only extend to the desirability of committing the main motion, not to the substance of the main motion itself.
Committee of the Whole: At some point the assembly may wish to informally consider a motion or a
group of motions before having to deal with them in a “one at a time”, debate fashion. Votes may be taken in
committee but are not binding on the assembly unless ratified when the group re-enters the regular session.
Motions are required to move in and out of committee of the whole.
Minutes: The numbering of motions always is by date, and then by when the motion arose in the meeting
(year/month/day:number in order). So the fourteenth motion during the June 23, 1996 meeting would be
numbered like: 96/06/23:14.
The three numbers after either a “carried,”, “defeated,”, or “tied” are arranged in a specific order. The first
number indicated the number which voted in favor; the second is the number voting against; the third is the
number who abstained. Thus, a decision which saw seven members in favor, four against, and two abstaining,
would look like: 7 - 4 - 2 .
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