Professional Documents
Culture Documents
BY LAWS
FOR THE
MUSLIM ASSOCIATION
OF
GREATER ROCKFORD
August, 2007
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In the name of Allah Most Beneficent, Most Merciful
Approvals
Treasurer:__________________ Secretary:_____________________
Board Member:________________
____________________________
____________________________
____________________________
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TABLE OF CONTENT
CLAUSE IX FINANCES 12
ADDENDUM A 16
ADDENDUM B 17
ADDENDUM C 18
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CLAUSE I BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The governing body of Muslim Association of Greater Rockford (MAGR) shall be the Board of
Directors consisting of eleven (11) members who shall be elected and selected in accordance
with article II of the by-laws.
Section 1 Nomination
1) The election will be held in the first weekend in December every two years.
A list of eligible members will be distributed along with the nomination forms
(one each for husband and wife). The nomination form (addendum A) will be
mailed out six weeks prior to the Election Day and returned within
two weeks.
2) In order to be elected as President to the Board of Directors the nominee shall
have a minimum of two years experience as a Board member of MAGR.
3) Nomination forms shall be posted and available for members in
the MAGR office.
4) Nomination forms must be returned or deposited in the nomination ballot
box no later than the date posted on the nomination form which shall be four
weeks prior to the election date.
5) Nomination forms received after the due date shall be declared void.
6) The nomination ballot box shall be opened in the presence of MAGR
executive members.
7) A preliminary ballot will be prepared and posted for public information
twenty-one days prior to the day of elections.
8) A nominee is permitted to withdraw his/her name, fourteen days prior to the
Election.
9) All final nominees must fill out (Addendum B) fourteen days prior to Election
Day. The forms will be posted on MAGR bulletin board.
10) The final ballot will be posted on bulletin boards in the center ten days
prior to the election date.
11) A person contesting for the Board of Directors does not need to be present on
the day of election.
12) All eligible and qualified voters must be verified personally by the
Secretary and Treasurer before handing over the ballot to the voter on the day
of election.
13) All full time employees of MAGR are not allowed to participate in the election process.
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4) Mail-in ballots must be received at MAGR or these ballots may be dropped in the
designated ballot box kept secured on the MAGR premises no later than one day prior to
the election date.
5) Voters must sign all mail-in ballots, otherwise ballots shall be discarded.
6) Received ballots shall be kept in a sealed envelope until the day of elections.
7) All ballots received, will be matched against the information of ballots sent out. If
information does not match, ballots shall be discarded.
8) The number of mail-in ballots sent out and received shall be announced to the general
public on the day of elections.
Section 1 President
1) Be responsible to implement and update the MAGR constitution & by-laws.
2) Call and preside over the meetings of the Board of Directors.
3) Forward the recommendations of the Board to the MAGR general body for approval and
implementation.
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4) Direct and coordinate all the activities, in accordance with the purpose as given in Article
IV of MAGR constitution.
5) Be the spokesperson, representative and correspondent of MAGR where external activities
are concerned (with the consensus of the executive committee). The President may
designate someone to be the spokesperson in his absence or otherwise.
6) Be responsible for coordination of activities with other Muslims and non-Muslim
organizations.
7) In coordination with the Secretary and Treasurer, be responsible for keeping track of all
legal documents.
8) Authorize hiring/termination and performance feedback of MAGR community employees.
9) Has the authority to sign legal documents on behalf of the community with the consensus
of the executive committee.
10) Preferred Qualifications:
a) Sound knowledge of Quran and Sunnah
b) Managerial/administrative skills
c) Public speaking skills
d) Should be able to lead congregation in prayer
Section 3 Secretary
1) Be responsible for recording, filing and posting the official minutes of MAGR Board of
Directors meetings.
2) Be responsible for recording, keeping and posting the minutes of the general body
meetings.
3) Prepare and present the MAGR activity report, to the Board of Directors, fourteen days
before the general body meeting, to subsequently present the approved activity report to
the general body.
4) Assist the President in carrying out the internal and external affairs of the community.
5) Assist the Treasurer in soliciting membership dues.
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6) Keep an updated list of community members, their addresses, phone numbers and e-mail
addresses where applicable.
7) Be responsible for keeping track of all legal documents, in coordination with the
president and treasurer.
8) Be responsible for supervision of MAGR Administrative Assistant in consultation with
the President.
9) Preferred Qualifications:
a) Fluent written and spoken English
b) Computer skills
c) Public speaking skills
d) Managerial and administrative skills
e) Sound knowledge of Quran and Sunnah
Section 4 Treasurer
1) Be responsible for maintaining the records of all MAGR financial transactions.
2) Collect and deposit all the funds of MAGR in appropriate community bank
accounts.
3) Co-sign with the President or Vice President all checks and instruments of
withdrawing funds on behalf of MAGR.
4) Present financial reports at the Board of Directors monthly board meetings for
approval.
5) Prepare financial reports on income, expenditures and balances of MAGR and
present them to the Secretary twenty one days prior to general body meetings.
6) Prepare MAGR annual budget in coordination with the finance committee and
present it to Board of Directors for approval.
7) Be responsible for maintaining a register of all voting members in coordination
with the Secretary.
8) Collect rent or dues from all rented properties.
9) Mail donation receipts in compliance with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
regulations to the community donors no later than January 31st of the following
year.
10) Establish, maintain and update monthly balance sheet of community income,
expenses and charity/zakat.
11) Be responsible for the setting of pay stubs and benefits for the issuance of
pay/benefit checks to MAGR employees in a timely fashion.
12) Coordinate with Internal Audit team and RISE treasurer.
13) Maintain a separate charity account.
14) Preferred Qualifications:
a) Background in accounting/finance
b) Experience with computer and finance analysis tools such as Excel, Quicken, etc
c) Sound knowledge of Quran and Sunnah particularly in Islamic financial matters
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3) Direct and coordinate all the activities, in accordance with the purpose as given in
Article XII MAGR constitution.
4) Be the spokesperson, representative and correspondent of RISE and Iqra School.
The chairperson may designate someone to be the spokesperson in his absence or
otherwise.
5) In coordination with Iqra School, be responsible for keeping track of all legal
documents.
6) Recommend hiring and termination of the Iqra school employees to MAGR.
7) Chairman of RISE will have the responsibility to manage Iqra school principal, conduct
and evaluate his/her performance and his/her staff in coordination with RISE members
and the President of MAGR.
8) The Chairperson shall be a parent of a student in Iqra School.
9) Preferred Qualifications:
a) Sound knowledge of Quran and Sunnah
b) Managerial/administrative skills
c) Public speaking skills
Section 1
MAGR Board meetings shall be held once a month
Section 2
Special Board meetings shall be called by the President whenever deemed necessary or upon request
of a minimum of two members from the Board of Directors.
Section 1 An agenda shall be prepared by the Secretary for the Board/committee in consultation with
the chairperson, seven days prior to the meeting of the Board/committee and mailed/emailed to all the
members of the committee.
Section 2 Donations:
1) Donations shall be solicited from the members and other individuals to carry out Board
approved MAGR projects.
The method of voting at special and general body meetings shall be by ballot. Board and committee
meetings shall be transacted by voice vote.
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CLAUSE VIII COMMITTEES
The President, in consultation with the board members shall appoint MAGR board members for
the following committees:
Section 1. Religious Affairs and Dawah Committee The function of this committee shall:
1)Formulate religious policies for MAGR in accordance with the Quran and Sunnah.
2)Arrange and coordinate all religious events for the year such as the daily, Friday, Eid, and
Taraweeh prayers with consultation from the Imam.
3)Establish and run Islamic activities such as Quran, Islamic studies and Arabic learning
classes and organize speeches, seminars and conventions.
4)Coordinate between the Imam and the general body decisions regarding the sighting of
the moon and dates for Eid celebration.
5)Setup and operate Islamic library and establish Islamic research activities for the
community.
6)Actively work in Dawah activities among the Muslims and Non-Muslims.
7)Recommend solutions/suggestions in regards to religious issues to committees who might
need guidance from time to time.
8)Recommend to the Board the hiring of religious scholars/teachers who have Islamic skills
and knowledge that can benefit the community.
9)Help the community with advice on writing Islamic wills, trusts and arrange funeral
services.
10)Market and create maximum community involvement in Islamic activities.
Section 3 Sunday School Committee The Chairman of this committee shall be the
Administrator of the Sunday school. The function of this committee shall:
1) Setup and operate weekend school for children.
2) Create guidelines for the curriculum, tuition fee, attendance, discipline and the timings of the
school.
3) Collect tuition fees with the support of MAGR.
4) Increase the enrollment of students.
5) Coordinate with the building committee for the upkeep of the school, fix, change or add
anything as necessary within the budgetary limits according to the constitution.
6) Purchase/sell books and stationary for the weekend school.
7) Manage bookstore on the premises of MAGR.
8) Manage and coordinate the Sunday lunch program.
9) Pay-off the purchases/expenses incurred by the Sunday school in a timely manner.
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Section 4 Financial (Fundraising) Committee The function of this committee shall:
1) Solicit donations and funds from the community and other donors for acquisition,
operation, maintenance and future expansions of MAGR and other facilities.
2) Collect donations by arranging fundraising dinners in the center, or by approaching
members for personal donations.
3) The chairman of this committee is responsible to:
a. Work with the treasurer and the board members to define various sources and
means of raising funds needed to support annual budget.
b. Prepare and submit detailed requirements for the fundraising functions.
c. Assign duties to members.
d. Coordinate with the building committee and prepare a list of items needed for
the fundraising functions.
e. Set up and clean up the intended places for the fundraising functions.
f. Arrange for guest speaker(s) with the help of Education/Religious
Committee.
g. Prepare menu for the fundraising dinner and solicit a sponsor(s).
h. Print tickets and assign people to sell them.
i. Ensure availability of pledge forms and collection of pledged amount with
the help of the treasurer, in a timely manner.
j. Give input on financial plans and MAGR activity report presentation to the
general body.
Section 5 Building Committee This committee will work in coordination with the
executive committee to operate and maintain MAGR physical facilities. The following
are the main responsibilities:
1) Coordinate with maintenance engineer for maintenance of boiler and the heating system.
2) Coordinate with janitor for cleaning MAGR (classrooms, hallway, washroom, gym, etc.).
3) Coordinate the lawn mowing and snow removal.
4) Have fire hydrant checked and charged once a year.
5) Have boiler inspected once every two years.
6) Have drinking water checked by county once every six months.
7) Have roof inspected every spring.
8) Have driveway and parking lot sealed once every two years or as necessary.
9) Present building improvements and renovations to the board for approval.
10) Propose and implement building renovation and expansion.
11)Prepare and approve schedule for the maintenance engineer and the janitor.
12) Maintain building documents, drawings and plans for expansion.
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13) Install and maintain security system to ensure safety of premises.
Section 9 Sisters Committee The Muslimahs’ will access projects that are needed at the
Masjid to beautify the house of Allah. The sisters' will plan, organize and execute these
activities depending upon available time, volunteers and economic feasibility. To strengthen the
Muslim community, fun and educational family activities will be arranged outside the Masjid.
1) Women's exercise and fun activities.
2) Islamic lessons and Quran study groups for girls/women.
3) Keep a close liaison with the parents of Iqra and Sunday school and suggest plans for the
improvement of the school’s and its standard of education.
4) Conduct meetings, seminars, and events, such as; Women's History Month gathering, for
non-Muslim women for Dawah purpose.
5) Organize interfaith dinner during Ramadan.
6) Other activities may be added to this list, if agreed upon by majority members of the sister's
committee and approved by MAGR board.
Section 12 Reports
Each committee shall keep the Board informed through regular reports in the monthly meeting
and seek prior approval of its recommendations from the Board when financial outlay is
requested.
CLAUSE IX FINANCES
Section 1 Budgeting
Budgeting, reporting and management of MAGR financial resources shall be the overall
responsibility of the Board of Directors
Section 2 Treasurer
1) The Treasurer along with a minimum of one Board member shall count the cash in the
donation box and deposit it the bank in the appropriate account.
2) Treasurer should deposit collected monies in the appropriate bank account a minimum of
one time a week.
3) Treasurer should issue proper receipts and make proper entry in the cash book.
4) Treasurer should fulfill his duties as stated in the by-laws Article III, Section IV.
Section 3 Payments
1) All bills shall be paid by checks jointly signed by the treasurer and the president,
or vice president of the Board.
2) Cash payments may be made with the approval of the Board.
3) The Treasurer of RISE and its chairman or the vice-chairman can sign checks
written by RISE.
Section 5 Internal Audit Team (IAT) IAT shall have the following responsibilities:
1) The Board of Directors will select three members from the general body who have
experience in accounting to form this team. These members shall not be board members.
2) IAT shall carry out an audit of MAGR and RISE accounts every 6 months and/or one
month before the general body meeting is held.
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3) IAT will submit the report to the Board for rectification of errors and report if any
expenditure is not legal according to MAGR constitution and by-laws.
4) A copy of the Internal Audit Report should be displayed every March/April and
September/October as stated in the constitution.
5) All accounting books along with the Internal Audit Report and a copy of MAGR not-for-
profit document shall be displayed for examination and review for all members, 3 days
prior to the date of the general body meeting.
6) The secretary and the treasurer of MAGR and RISE shall fully cooperate with IAC.
1) Proper checks and balances of contributions and expenditures shall be made for all
accounts such as money disbursed to IQRA School, Sunday school, money collected
from Sunday lunch, Friday prayers, Friday lunch, Eid day donations, and donations
collected during fundraising dinners.
2) RISE shall maintain its own account(s).
3) Any monetary support given to Iqra School, shall be approved by the Board of
Directors.
4) The treasurer shall present monthly to the Board financial reports for approval,
showing expenses and donations received. The report must include bank statement(s)
for the current month.
5) Advance signing of blank checks will NOT be allowed. In case of an emergency,
an exception may be made.
6) Semi-annual financial statements shall be presented to the general body along with
the Internal Audit Report.
1) Any equipment, which belongs to MAGR, shall stay on the premises at all times.
2) Rental or disbursement of equipment may be made with the approval of the board.
3) All keys belonging to MAGR may be allocated to members of the community.
including Board members with approval from the board.
4) An individual must fill out the proper form before keys can be given out.
5) When Board and committee members term is over, all keys must be returned
to the new Board.
6) Duplication of keys will NOT be allowed by individuals except by the designated
person(s).
1) Long-term rental of the building requires approval from the Board of Directors.
2) A written request must be filed and approved by the building committee chairman or the
President prior to the rental of the gym.
3) All incoming boards shall honor rental agreement(s) made by the previous boards.
4) Terms and conditions of rental agreements shall be in accordance with the guidelines
of the constitution, Quran/Sunnah.
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CLAUSE XIII APPOINTMENT OF PAID EMPLOYEES
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Prior to the appointment of MAGR paid employees, the following requirements shall be fulfilled:
1) Job description must be created and approved by the Board.
2) Justification for the position must be approved by the Board.
3) Advertise the position.
4) Candidate interviewed and background and legal status checked e.g. Green Card, etc.
5) Salary should be approved by the Board.
6) Job offer includes salary, job description, duties, fringe benefits, and employee manual.
7) Written contract signed by both employee and the President of the Board.
MAGR shall maintain a Muslim cemetery within the premises of Arlington Cemetery at 6202 Charles
Street, Rockford, IL. 61108 or any other place as found suitable. The offices at Arlington Cemetery or
any other cemetery shall follow the guidelines set forth by MAGR, as described below. In addition,
funeral services will be contracted out for the convenience of the members of the MAGR.
Following are the rules and regulations that govern the Muslim Cemetery:
1) No living images such as animals, birds or human portraits shall be engraved on the tombstone.
The tombstone shall be a simple stone to mark the grave with pertinent information of the
deceased.
2) No statues or figurines of any size or shape will be allowed around the graves.
3) No artificial or natural flower baskets will be allowed by the graves.
4) Visitors must show respect to the sacredness of the deceased and as such every effort should be
taken to avoid standing or stepping on existing graves. No candle lighting or music of any kind
will be allowed around the graves.
5) Under no circumstances, shall the remains of buried individuals be dug up or removed for
transfer without prior approval from MAGR except as deemed necessary by a court of law.
All incoming Board of Directors must ensure validity of tax-exempt status and contracts with other
parties involved.
1) These by-laws are permitted to be amended at any regular meeting of the Board
and approved by the general body, as described in Article XVI in the constitution, provided that
notice of such proposed amendments have been available to all general body members at least
fifteen days before the meeting.
2) No amendment or addition to these by-laws can be made which is not in harmony
with MAGR constitution.
3) Changes made to the by-laws will be effective when ratified by the general body as
stated in the constitution.
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4) By-laws shall be reviewed every two years to accommodate new changes if any.
5) Once the by-laws are amended, they shall stand good for a minimum period of two
years and no amendments shall take place during this period.
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ADDENDUM A
MUSLIM ASSOCIATION OF GREATER ROCKFORD (MAGR)
NOMINATION FORM
Signature:_____________________________________ Date:_____________________________
Note:
1. List of members who are eligible for the election is attached. Please contact MAGR office for any
question at 815 397 3311
2. Please return this form before the due date: __________________ to MAGR office or in drop box
marked with Nomination ballot at MAGR.
3. Nomination form received after due date will be discarded.
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ADDENDUM B
MUSLIM ASSOCIATION OF GREATER ROCKFORD (MAGR)
NOMINATED CANDIDATE
Name:____________________________________________________________________________
Phone:_______________________________ Email:_______________________________________
Profession/Place of Employment:_______________________________________________________
Education:_________________________________________________________________________
Special skills:_______________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
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ADDENDUM C
PRINT NAME:____________________________________________________________
Outgoing Officer Incoming Officer
SIGNATURE:_____________________________________________________________
Outgoing Officer (Date) Incoming Officer (Date)
1.________________________________________________________________________
2. ________________________________________________________________________
3. ________________________________________________________________________
4. ________________________________________________________________________
5. ________________________________________________________________________
6. ________________________________________________________________________
7. ________________________________________________________________________
8. ________________________________________________________________________
9. ________________________________________________________________________
10. ________________________________________________________________________
11. ________________________________________________________________________
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