In the name of Allah Most Beneficent, Most Merciful

CONSTITUTION OF THE
MUSLIM ASSOCIATION OF GREATER ROCKFORD

BY LAWS
OF
THE MUSLIM ASSOCIATION
OF
GREATER ROCKFORD
Revision “B”

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 TABLE OF CONTENT

ARTICLE I BOARD OF TRUSTEES 4

ARTICLE II ELECTION OF THE BOARD 4

ARTICLE III DUTIES, FUNCTIONS AND QUALIFICATIONS OF THE OFFICERS 6

ARTICLE IV MEETINGS 7

ARTICLE V DONATIONS, MEMBERSHIP FEE AND DUES 8

ARTICLE VI METHOD OF VOTING 8

ARTICLE VII COMMITTEES 8

ARTICLE VIII FINANCES 11

ARTICLE IX CHECKS AND BALANCES 12

ARTICLE X DISBERSEMENT OF COMMUNITY PROPERTY 12

ARTICLE XI USE/RENTAL OF MCC PREMISES 12

ARTICLE XII APPOINTMENT OF PAID EMPLOYEES 13

ARTICLE XIII SHURA COUNCIL 13

ARTICLE XIV MUSLIM CEMETERY 13

ARTICLE XV TAX EXEMPT/CONTRACTS 13

ARTICLE XVI AMENDMENTS 14

ADDENDUM A ELECTION BOARD MEMBERS BIO-DATA 14

Revision A September 1, 1996

Revision B October 14, 2002

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ARTICLE I
Section I BOARD OF TRUSTEES

The governing body of the Association shall be the Board of Trustees consisting of nine
(9) members who shall be elected and selected in accordance with Article II of the By
Laws.

ARTICLE II
Section I ELECTION OF THE BOARD

1) Six weeks prior to the Election Day meeting, nominations shall be called for by the
President for the election of the executive committee.
In order to be elected for the executive committee, an individual shall have a minimum
experience of one year as a board member. In case no one meets the above criteria,
person(s) with most experience should be considered.

2) A list of eligible members will be distributed along with the nomination forms (one
each for husband and wife). An individual may make maximum of one (1) nomination
per executive member.

3) In case an individual is NOT eligible to contest for elections as described in ARTICLE

II, section IV of the By-laws, his name(s) should clearly be mentioned on the nomination
form.

4) All nomination forms must be signed by the President and General Secretary before
they are mailed. Signing the nomination forms by the nominator is optional.

5) All nomination forms must be returned and deposited in the nomination ballot box no
later than the date posted on the nomination form which shall be three weeks prior to
the election date. Nomination ballots received after the deadline shall be discarded.

6) The nomination ballot box shall be opened in the presence of the executive
committee. A preliminary election ballot shall be prepared.

7) Preliminary ballot will be posted for public information two weeks prior to the day of
elections.

8) The President and General Secretary will contact all nominees for their preference
and final ballot will be prepared.

9)Sample of the final ballot will be posted on bulletin boards in the center 10 days prior
to the election date.

10) A person contesting for the Board of Trustees may not be present on the day of
election.

11) Mail-In Vote.

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 a) Members who for any reason cannot be present on the day of elections, must
request a Mail-In ballot.
b) Request for the Mail-In ballot must be submitted to the President or the General
Secretary no later than ten (10) days prior to the election date.
c) Serialized Mail-In ballot, signed by the President and the General Secretary will
be mailed to the voters along with a self-addressed envelope.
d) Mail-In ballots must be received at the MCC of Rockford OR these ballots may
be dropped in the designated ballot box in the center no later than one (1) day
prior to the election date.
e) The voter must sign all Mail-in ballots, otherwise ballots shall be discarded.
f) Received ballots shall be kept in a sealed envelope until the day of elections.
g) All ballots received, will be matched against the information of ballots sent out. If
information does not match, ballots shall be discarded.
h) The number of Mail-in ballots sent out and received shall be announced to the
general public on the day of elections.
.

Section II Selection of Board Members

Within two weeks after the elections the President-elect with the consultation of the
executive committee shall hand pick from the general body four additional board
members. These members may serve on the board as chairperson of the following
committees:

1) Financial (Fund Raising)

2) Building Committee
3) Weekend School
4) Public Relation and Social Affairs Committee
5) Youth Committee
6) Religious Affairs

Section III Executive Committee Vacancy

At the first annual meeting the members of the Board shall assume their duties for a
two-year term. During this period any vacancy on the executive committee shall be
filled by the member who has received the next highest vote during the elections of the
executive committee. In case this criterion cannot be met, the executive committee may
elect a qualified member for this vacancy.

Section IV TERM LIMIT

There is a term limit for the elected and selected board members. A board member can
serve on the board for a maximum of four (4) consecutive years

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ARTICLE III DUTIES, FUNCTIONS AND QUALIFICATIONS OF THE OFFICERS

Section I PRESIDENT
(a) Be responsible to implement and update the constitution of the Association.
(b) Call and preside over the meetings of the Board.
(c) Forward the recommendations of the Board to the General Body of the
Association for approval and implementation.
(d) Direct and coordinate all the activities so as to achieve the purpose of the
Association
(e) Be the spokesperson, representative and correspondent of the Association
where external activities are concerned (with the consensus of the Executive
Committee). The President may designate someone else to be the
spokesperson in his absence.
(f) Be responsible for coordination of activities with other Muslim and non-Muslim
Organizations.
(g) Be responsible for keeping track of all legal documents.
(h) Authorize hiring/termination and performance feedback of community
employees.
(i) Has the authority to sign legal documents on behalf of the community with the
consensus of the executive committee.
(j) Qualifications:
The President should have:
i) Knowledge of Quran and Sunnah
ii) Managerial/Administrative skills
iii) Public Speaking skills

Section II VICE PRESIDENT

(a) To assist and represent the President when needed.
(b) To temporarily assume the functions of the President in his absence.
(c) To guide the Secretary/Treasurer in preparing financial reports, budget, and
record keeping.
(d) Responsible for organizing Eid and Ramadan festivities.
(e) Responsible for community picnics and dinners.
(f) Qualifications:
i) Same as for the President

Section III SECRETARY

(a) Shall be responsible for keeping the official minutes of the Board meetings and
communication with the General Body.
(b) Prepare and present the annual report to the Board of Trustees.
(c) Help the President to carry out the internal and external affairs of the
community.
(d) Assist the treasurer in soliciting membership dues.
(e) Keep an updated list of community members, their addresses, phone numbers
and e-mail addresses where applicable.
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 (f) Qualifications:
Secretary should have:
i) Fluent written and spoken English
ii) Computer skills
iii) Public Speaking skills
iv)Managerial and Administrative skills.

Section IV TREASURER
(a) Be responsible for maintaining the records of all financial transactions of the
Association.
(b) Collect and deposit all the funds of the Association in appropriate community
bank accounts.
(c) Co-sign with the President or Vice President all checks and instruments of
withdrawing funds on behalf of the Association.
(d) Present financial reports at the Board of Trustees monthly meetings for
approval.
(e) Prepare financial reports on income, expenditures and balances of the
Association and present them at the General Body Meetings.
(f) Prepare annual budget of the Association in coordination with the finance
committee and present it to Board of Trustees for adoption.
(g) Be responsible for maintaining a register of all the voting members.
(h) Collect rent or dues from all rented properties.
(i) Mail donation receipts in compliance with IRS regulations to the community
donors no later than January 31st of the following year.
(j) Establish, maintain and update monthly balance sheet of community income
and expenses.
(k) Ensure issuance of paychecks to the community employees in a timely fashion.
(l) Keep in touch with RISE treasurer and coordinate all transfer of money as
appropriate.
(m) Qualifications:
Treasurer should have:
i) Background in Accounting/Finance
ii) Experience in Computer and finance analysis tools such as Excel,
Quicken etc.

ARTIVLE IV MEETINGS

Section I
Meeting of the Association shall be held on the first Sunday of the month of December
at which time election of the five members of the Executive Committee, to serve for the
two-year term shall take place.
When deemed necessary a Minimum of one (1) General Body meeting/reporting
session shall be held every six months to discuss community issues, financial status,
and provide information regarding board activities

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Section II
Regular meetings of the board shall be held on the first week of each month or any
other day of the month as decided by the elected board. Special meetings of the Board
shall be called by the President whenever deemed necessary or upon request of two
members of the Board, due notice having been given.

ATRICLE V DONATIONS, MEMBERSHIP FEE AND DUES

Section I
1) Membership dues shall be $150.00 per family paid annually. In order to be eligible
for casting the vote or to be eligible for board membership, the applicant must be a
member for at least 90 days prior to the election date. All previous (two years) dues for
that election year (i.e. $300.00/family) must be paid in full at that time.
2) All paid full time employees of The MCC of Rockford are NOT eligible for participating
in the board elections.
3) The executive committee may grant honorary membership to individual(s) who
performed volunteer tasks for the community but are not in a financial position to pay
the dues.

Section II
Donations shall be solicited from the members to carry our specific projects of the
Association that have been approved by the Board.

ARTICLE VI METHOD OF VOTING

Section I

The business of the Association and the Board shall be transacted by viva voce vote
except the election of the executive committee, which shall be by ballot.

ARTICLE VII COMMITTEES

Section I
The President, in consultation with the board members shall appoint members for the
following committees:

i) Religious Affairs Committee

The function of this committee shall be:

1.To formulate religious policies for the Islamic center in accordance with Quran and the
Sunnah.
2.Arrange and coordinate all religious events for the year such as the daily, Friday, Eid,
and Traweeh prayers.
3.To run Islamic activities such as adult class, speeches, seminars and conventions.
4.To coordinate between the Imam and the general body, decision regarding sighting of
moon and dates for Eid celebration.
5.To setup and operate a library.
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ii) Weekend school (Sunday) Committee
The Chairman of the committee or his designee shall be the Administrator of the school.
The function of this committee shall be:

1.To setup and operate weekend school for the community children.
2.Setup guidelines for the curriculum, Tuition fee, Attendance and the Timings of the
school.
3.Collect tuition fee.
4.Work on increasing the enrollment of the students.
5.Coordinate with the building committee for upkeep of the school, fix, change or add
anything as necessary.
6.Purchase/sell books and stationary for the weekend school.
7.Run bookstore within the premises of the MCC.
8.Run Sunday Lunch program.

iii) Financial (Fund Raising) Committee

The function of this committee shall be to solicit donations and funds from the
community at large for acquisition, operation, maintenance and future expansions of the
Islamic Center and other facilities.
Donations may be collected by arranging fund raising dinners in the center, or by
approaching members for personal donations.

The chairman of this committee is responsible for the following:

1. Work with the treasurer and the board members to define means of raising funds
needed to support annual budget as drafted by the treasurer and the board.
2.Chalk out detailed requirements for the fund raising functions.
3.Assign duties to all the members involved.
4.Coordinate with the Building Committee and prepare a list of items needed for the
fund raising functions.
5.Set up the intended place for the function e.g. seating in the Gym.
6.Arrange for guest speaker(s) with the help of Education/Religious Committee.
7.Prepare menu for the fund raising dinner and solicit a sponsor(s).
8.Have tickets printed, and assign people for selling them.
9. Insure collection of pledges in a timely manner.

iv) Building Committee

This committee will work in coordination with the Executive Committee and will operate
and maintain the physical facilities of the Islamic center.
The following are the main responsibilities of the building committee:

1.Coordinate with maintenance engineer for maintenance of boiler and the heating
system.
2.Coordinate with Janitor for cleaning class rooms, hallway, washrooms, Gym, mowing
grass, and snow removal.
3.Have fire hydrant checked and charged once a year.
4.Have boiler inspected once every two years.
5.Have drinking water checked by county once every six months.
6.Have roof inspected every spring.
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7.Have driveway and parking lot sealed once every two years or as necessary.
8.Present building improvements and renovations to the board for approval.
9.Propose and implement building renovation and expansion.
10.Prepare and approve schedule for the maintenance engineer and the janitor.
11. Maintain building documents, drawings and plans for expansion.
12. Install and maintain security system to ensure safety of premises.

v) Public Relations and Social Affairs Committee

The function of the committee shall be:

1.To organize special social and cultural activities of the community such as community
dinners, cookouts etc.
2.To create better understanding between Muslims and non-Muslims.
3.To organize extra curricular activities for the kids e.g. Martial art classes, evening
basketball games, summer camps etc.
4.To arrange special meetings and seminars designed to promote better understanding
between members of the Association and the public at large.

vi) Full Time Islamic School Committee (RISE)

An executive committee member appointed by the President of the Association in

consultation with the executive committee and the outgoing RISE officers, will chair
Rockford Iqra School Establishment (RISE).
This committee will consist of nine (9) members maximum including the chairman. RISE
will have its own officers (V. Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer) to ensure smooth
operation of Iqra School and to respond to the needs of Iqra staff. A minimum of 2/3
members of RISE shall be parents of enrolled IQRA students.
The outgoing Board of Trustees and RISE will jointly name four (4) members from the
existing RISE to remain members of the RISE for another two-year term. Incoming
Board of Trustees and RISE shall abide by these recommendations.

1) 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 the Association.
2) RISE will conduct necessary monthly meetings, independent of MCC board and will
share minutes from these meetings with the MCC board.
3) RISE has the responsibility for resolving any issues encountered between Iqra staff
and the parents.
4) RISE has the responsibility for issuing and maintaining parent/teachers manual in
coordination with the Principal.
5) RISE is responsible for budgeting and raising necessary funds to keep efficient
operation of IQRA School. RISE has the responsibility of raising additional funds by
holding events such as Garage sale, Friday lunch program etc.
6) RISE will have and maintain its own bank account under the parent MCC
organization.
7) RISE will be responsible for advertising for the school, needed staff postings and
ensuring safety of students confidentiality.
8) RISE has the responsibility for managing the financial resources of IQRA.
9) RISE shall not operate as an independent entity from MCC.
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10) MCC share shall NOT exceed 20% of the approved budget with a maximum limit of
$30,000.00 per academic year.
11) RISE will strive to be 100% financially independent by the year 2007.
12) RISE shall coordinate with the MCC board the expansion of Rockford Iqra School.
This expansion (up to 8th grade level) will allow RISE to add one grade every year with
the joint approval of the MCC Board.
13) Any major expansion beyond 8th grade, such as adding High School
(Grade 9-12), shall be in accordance with the ARTICLE XII of the constitution of the
MCC. RISE shall be responsible for any budget deficit for such expansion.

vii) Youth Committee

It is chaired by the board member and is focused to provide Recreational, Physical
education and other activities to keep our youth attached to the community and
strengthen the relationship between them in a healthy environment. Committee may
organize Seminars; sleep over activities with approval of board.

Section II
All of these committees shall function independently within the guidelines established by
the Board. Each committee shall be chaired by a board member and will be consist of
at least five members and the President of the board shall be an ex-officio member..

Section III
Each committee shall transact such business as is delegated to it by the constitution
and such additional business as may be referred to it by the President of the board.

Section IV
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 involved.

ARTICLE VIII FINANCES

Section I
Budgeting, reporting and management of financial resources of the Association shall be
the overall responsibility of the Board.

Section II
The Treasurer shall deposit funds of the Association in a bank to be named by the
Board. Money collected in the donation box must be counted by the treasurer in the
presence of designated board member and must be deposited on weekly basis.
Receipts must be written and signed by two members and kept in a file for cash
donations.

Section III
All bills shall be paid only by checks signed by the Treasurer and President, or Vice
President of the Board. Cash payments may be made with the approval of the Board.
The Treasurer of RISE and its chairman or the President of the board can sign checks
written by RISE.

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Section IV
The fiscal year of the Association shall be the calendar year. At the beginning of each
fiscal year a budget of estimated income and expenditures shall be prepared by the
Treasurer, approved by the Board, and shall stand as the limit of expenditure for the
respective purpose unless otherwise ordered by action of the Board.

ARTICLE IX CHECKS AND BALANCES

Proper check and balances shall be made for all accounts such as money disbursed to
IQRA school, Weekend school, money collected from Sunday lunch, Friday prayers,
Friday lunch, Eid day donations, and donations collected during Fund Raising dinners.

a) Prior to writing the check(s), the Board must approve the amount requested by
Rockford Iqra School. Total amount shall not exceed the agreed upon budget for the
year.
b) The Treasurer shall present monthly financial report for approval, showing expenses
and donations received to the Board. The report must include bank statement(s) for
the current month.
c) Advance signing of blanks checks shall NOT be allowed. In case of an emergency,
an exception may be made.
d) Semi-annual financial statement shall be presented to the general body.

ARTICLE X DISBURSEMENT OF COMMUNITY PROPERTY

Any equipment, which belongs to, the MCC of Rockford shall stay within the premises at
all times. Rental or disbursement of equipment to the community members on loan shall
not be allowed. Exceptions may be made with the approval of the board.

Section I
All keys belonging to the MCC of Rockford will be allocated to the members of the
community including the Board members with approval of the board.
The individual must fill out proper form before keys can be given out. When the tenure
of the board member or member of the committee is over, all keys must be returned to
the sitting board.
Duplication of keys will NOT be allowed by individuals except by the designated
person(s).

ARTICLE XI USE/RENTAL OF MCC PREMISES

Long-term rental of building requires approval of the Board of Trustees. Terms and
conditions of rental agreements shall be in accordance with the guidelines of the
constitution. All incoming boards shall honor rental agreement(s) made by the previous
boards. Rental of Gymnasium is limited to community members only. A written request
must be filled and approved by the Building Committee Chairman or the President prior
to the rental of Gym.
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ARTICLE XII APPOINTMENT OF PAID EMPLOYEES

Prior to the appointment of any paid employee, the following requirements shall be
fulfilled:
a) Justification for the position/Job description
b) Board approval
c) Position advertised
d) Candidate interviewed and background checked e.g. Green Card etc
e) Offer/salary approved by the board
f) Offer mailed with fringe benefits
g) Written contract signed by both employee and the President of the board.

ARTICLE XIII SHURA COUNCIL

Not applicable

ARTICLE XIV MUSLIM CEMETERY

The Muslim Association of Greater Rockford shall maintain Muslim cemetery within the
premises of Arlington Cemetery at 6202 Charles Street, Rockford, Il-61108. The offices
of Arlington Cemetery under the guidelines set forth by the Muslim Association as
described below will operate this section. In addition funeral services will be contracted
out for the convenience of the members of the association. Details are available from
any board member.

The following are the rules and regulations for the Muslim Cemetery.

1) Tombstone:
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) Statues:
No statues or figurines of any size or shape will be allowed around the graves.
3) Flower Baskets:
No artificial or natural flower baskets will be allowed by the graves.
4) Visits to the Graves:
Visitors must show respect to the sacredness of the deceased and as such every effort
should be to avoid standing or stepping on existing graves. No candle lighting or music
of any kind will be allowed around the graves.
5) Transfer of Remains:
Under no circumstances, the remains of buried individuals will be dug out or removed
for transfer without prior approval from the Muslim Community of Greater Rockford.

ARTICLE XV TAX EXEMPT/CONTRACTS

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All incoming Board of Trustees must ensure validity of Tax-exempt status and contracts
with other parties involved.

ARTICLE XVI AMENDMENTS

These By-Laws may be amended at any regular meeting of the Board and approved by
the general body, a quorum being present by a ½ vote of all members present, provided
that notice of such proposed amendments have been mailed to each member at least
ten (10) days before the meeting. No amendment or addition to these By-Laws can be
made which is not in harmony with the Constitution of the Association. The changes
made to the By-laws will be effective when ratified by the general body as stated in the
constitution.

ADDENDUM A
ELECTED BOARD MEMBERS BIO-DATA

Name:

Address:

Profession:

Resident status:

No: of years in Rockford:

Previously Board Member: O Yes O No

If Yes, What year(s):

Position Held:

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