In the name of Allah the Beneficent, the Merciful
Selected members of Wexford Islamic Cultural Centre as of 15/01/2013.
President: Ehab Mohamed
Vice President: Adel Emam Ahmed
Secretary: Ehab Mohamed
Treasury: Said Tribak
Members (1): Ahmed Fouad Charbatji
Members (2): Ahmed Maqsood
Overview
We are currently in the process of establishing a purpose built Mosque in the County of Wexford together with an Islamic cultural centre, through fund raising schemes.
Ideology
The community in Islam is not founded on race, nationality, locality, occupation, kinship and social interest. It does not take its name after a leader or a founder or an event. It transcends national borders and political boundaries. The foundation of community in Islam is the principle which designates submission to the will of Allah, obedience to his law and commitment to his cause.
Aims & Objectives
We are a small group living in different parts of County Wexford with a mission to establish a mosque which will provide, a prayer room, Islamic education for adults and children, community hall, library and a car park with much more facilities in the future such as a complete after death ritual in accordance with Islamic shariat (rules), and Islamic grave yard.
Towards this end it shall:
Facilitate a prayer room for the Muslim community.
Preliminary religious and Arabic classes for Arabic and non Arabic speaking nationals.
To provide entertainment and various activities for children.
To establish a plan for further projects and to aid other Islamic charities.
Setup a dialogue to discuss and advise the community on the duties, virtues rites of Islam.
In recent years, the image of Islam has been tarnished, hence it would be our most demanding aim to alert the non Muslim community to the true value, principles of our cherished religion.
Wexford Islamic Cultural Centre
The Constitution
RULE 1
The Wexford Islamic Cultural Centre of Ireland is a specially authorised society for Muslims in County Wexford.
RULE 2: NAME
The organisation called the Wexford Islamic Cultural Centre shall be hereafter referred to as “The Society”.
RULE 3: ADDRESS
(a) The headquarter of the Society shall be in County Wexford.
(b) The address of the Society presently at: The Lane, Clonamona Upper, Craanford, Gorey, Co. Wexford. Ireland.
(c) The Majlis (Council) shall be empowered to change the address of the Society if deemed necessary and a notice of such a change shall be sent to the Registrar of the Friendly Societies, Dublin within 14 days
RULE 4: AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
(a) To cater for the religious, cultural and social needs of Muslims in County Wexford.
(b) To try and represent Islam in its true perspective and to follow up and correct any misrepresentations of Islam.
(c) To organise from time to time lectures and seminars and/or publish papers or magazines on Islamic topics.
(d) To maintain in Wexford, Ireland libraries of Islamic literature.
(e) The Islamic Centre shall be devoted to the service of Allah and shall remain above any ethnical and territorial considerations.
(f) To try to alleviate the difficulties of Muslims in distress.
(g) To provide, within the limits of the capacity, such services as may be required for the welfare of Muslims in hospitals, prisons and elsewhere and to effect burials, according to Islamic rites, of Muslims in Wexford, Ireland.
(h) To provide, within the extent of the funds and materials acquired, for the foregoing aims and objects at the discretion of the Majlis
RULE 5: MEMBERSHIP
(a) The ordinary membership shall be open to all Muslims in County Wexford.
(b) The membership fee payable by the applicant for ordinary membership shall be €20 per annum, and applicants shall be required to complete an application form and register with the Society. All applications must be proposed by any two existing ordinary members. Ordinary membership is conferred thirty days after registration.
(c) Honorary membership shall be conferred on all Muslims in Ireland.
(d) Every member of the society shall have the right to attend General Meetings but only Ordinary Members shall be entitled to vote at such meetings. Every Ordinary Member of the Society shall have one vote and no more except in case of the casting vote when the Chairman shall have a second or casting vote.
(e) The Secretary shall keep a register of all members.
(f) Where Shari’ac (According to Islamic Teachings) proof exists against any ordinary member or members of his or their acting contrary to the Shari’ah then the Trustees may undertake to censure such member or members. The form of censorship may include limitations of rights within the Society including the loss of ordinary membership.
(g) An ordinary member of the Society once admitted to membership shall continue to be an ordinary member until death, resignation, removal from membership for failure to represent Islam in its true perspective and for a failure to follow up and correct any misrepresentation of Islam or his/her leaving the country for a period in excess of six consecutive months without signifying his/her intention to return.
RULE 6: AFFILIATIONS
(a) The Majlis may affiliate the Society to any other organisation provided that it is Islamic in character.
(b) The Society shall be an independent body and shall not affiliate to any other non-Islamic organisation.
RULE 7: THE PRESIDENT
(a) President of the Society shall be decided at the Annual General Meeting of the Society.
(b) The Imam must be a man possessing both sound knowledge and practice o f Islam and also the ability to communicate in Arabic and English.
(c) The Imam will be nominated by the Majlis Ash-Shura (Council) and the Trustees and confirmed by a special General Meeting of the Society.
(d) The office will be renewable every 3 years and if the post is not renewed three months notice must be given by either party.
(e) The post of Imam will be vacated if:
- He resigns his office giving three calendar months notice.
- He deliberately acts contrary to the Shari’ah
- He is dismissed by a special Resolution passed by two thirds of those present at a General Meeting
RULE 8: MAJLIS ASH-SHURA (COUNCIL)
(a) The overall policies of the Society should be established by the Majlis Ash-Shura and the running of the day to day affairs of the society shall be conducted by the President and seven elected members. Other than the Imam, all members of the Majlis Ash-Shura must be elected at the Society’s Annual General Meeting. Other than the Imam, a paid employee or consultant of accountant who is an ordinary member of the Society will not be eligible for either election or co-option on to Majlis Ash-Shura.
(b) Any ordinary member having resided in Ireland for at least SIX MONTHS shall be eligible for election or co-option to Majlis Ash-Shura and all posts being held shall be in an honorary capacity except that of the Imam, which is subject to the conditions of his employment contract with the society
(c) A new Majlis member shall exercise all such powers and do all such things as may be exercised or done by the Society but members of the outgoing Majlis shall be eligible for re-election
(d) The Majlis shall exercise all such powers and do all such things as may be exercised or done by the society save by those rules or by statute for the time being in force require to be exercised or done by the society in General Meetings and may act notwithstanding vacancies
(e) The Majlis shall meet periodically at least once a month for the dispatch of business, adjourn and otherwise regulate their meetings as they think fit. Questions arising at any meeting shall be decided by a majority of votes. Where there is an equality of votes the Chairman shall have a second or casting vote.
(f) Any four members of the Majlis present shall constitute a Quorum at a meeting of the Majlis. A member of the Majlis and the Secretary, on the requisition of the Member of the Majlis may, at any time summon a meeting of the Majlis provided two days notice is given. In case of emergency no notice may be given. If the Majlis so resolve, it shall not be necessary to give notice of a meeting of the Majlis to any member of the Majlis who being resident in the State is for the time being absent from the State.
(g) The Majlis shall have power to co-opt any member or members of the Society but not exceeding three in any one year, into the Majlis if they deem it necessary for the efficient running of the affairs of the Society.
(h) The Majlis of the Society shall have power from time to time to make, alter and repeal all such by-laws as they deem necessary or expedient or convenient for the proper conduct and management of the Society, provided such by-laws are within the scope of the policies established.
(i) The Majlis shall adopt such means as it deeps sufficient to bring to the notice of the Members of the Society all such by-laws, alterations and repeals and all such by-laws so long as they shall be in force shall be binding upon all members of the Society provided nevertheless that no by-laws shall be inconsistent with or shall have effect to repeal anything contained in these rules and that any by-laws may be set aside by a Special Resolution of a General Meeting of the Society.
(j) The Majlis may from time to time delegate any of their powers to such sub-committee or sub-committee consisting of one or more Members of the Society and one Majlis Member a they shall thing fit to appoint and may recall or revoke any such delegation or appointment. Any sub-committee shall in the exercise of the powers so delegated, conform to any regulations that may be prescribed, by Majlis Ash-Shura.
(k) The Majlis shall cause proper books of accounts to be kept in respect of:
- All sums of money received and expended by the Society and the matters in respect of which such receipts and expenditure took place and/
- All sales and purchases of goods and services by the Society and/
- The assets and liabilities of the Society including last Annual Balance Sheet and Auditors Report.
(l) The books of accounts shall be kept at the Registered Office and shall always be open to inspection by the members of the Majlis, Trustees and a member or person having an interest in the funds of the Society. The Trustees and the majlis shall ensure that all the accounts and books of the Society shall be open to the inspection of the members of the Society. Annual accounts shall be maintained available for inspection by the Revenue Commissioners when requested.
(m) Once, at least, in every year the Majlis shall lay before the Society in General Meeting an account of income and expenditure for the period since the preceding account. Such information of the account will be published and made available to ordinary members at least 7 days prior to the General Meeting. A balance sheet shall be made available by 31st December in every year and laid before the Registrar of the Friendly Societies. Every such account and balance sheet shall be accompanied by a report of the Majlis and of the auditors and the account, report and balance sheet shall be signed by its President, and countersigned by the Secretary. A copy of the annual returns or other documents shall be given to any ordinary member on request.
(n) The post of member of Majlis Ash-Shura, except for that of the President, shall be vacated if:
- He resigns his membership of the Society.
- He absents himself from meetings of the Majlis for two consecutive meetings without special leave of absence from the Majlis.
- He gives to the Majlis one calendar month’s notice in writing that he resigns he office pending acceptance of the resignation by the Majlis.
- He is removed by Ordinary Resolution passed by a General Meeting of the Society.
(o) All casual vacancies arising amongst the Majlis shall be filled by the Majlis members. Any member of the Majlis so appointed shall retire at the following A.G.M. and shall be eligible as a candidate for re-election.
(p) The Registrar of the Friendly Societies shall be informed within 14 days of:
- The Majlis after each A.G.M.
- Any interim change in the Majlis
- Any change in Trustee and Auditors.
(q) Any two ordinary members of the Society shall be at liberty to nominate any other ordinary to serve as an officer or Majlis of the Society having received his assent. Nominations must be in writing before or at the meeting.
(r) Balloting lists shall be prepared (if necessary) containing the names of the candidates only in alphabetical order and each Member present at the A.G.M. and qualified to vote for number of such candidates not exceeding the number of vacancies.
(s) In case there shall not be a sufficient number of candidates nominated the Majlis shall fill up the remaining vacancies.
(t) If two or more candidates obtain an equal number of votes, the Majlis shall select, by lot from such candidate or candidates who is or are to be elected.
RULE 9: TRUSTEES
(a) All the property of the Society whatsoever and however shall be vested three Trustees as joint tenants.
(b) Three Trustees shall hold office until retirement, death, leaving permanent residence in Ireland or removal from office by a resolution of the Society. The Trustees being as follows:
- Ehab Mohamed
- Adel Emam Ahmed
III. Said Tribak
(c) Election of Trustees shall take place in accordance with Rule8, paragraphs q and r of these rules and Constitution. No trustee shall be a paid employee of the Society
(d) The Trustees may deal with the property so vested in them by way of sale, exchange and in any way they see fit provided the transaction is legal and in accordance with Shari’ah. Such authority to deal in property shall be given by resolution of two-thirds of the Members of the Society present and entitled to vote at a duly convened General Meeting of the Society and when so passed shall in favour of the purchaser, exchangee or lessee be binding upon all Members of the Society.
A certificate signed by the Secretary for the time being of the Society shall be in favour of the said persons be conclusive evidence that a direction complying in all respects with the above provision of this paragraph was duly given to the Trustees.
(e) The Trustees shall be vested with the authority to invest, in collaboration with the Majlis, the funds of the Society in accordance with the provision of the Trustee (Authorised Investment) Act 1958.
(f) Except for the President no Trustee can hold a position on the Majlis. Except for the President no Trustee shall be an employee of the society not will a Trustee receive any monies, gifts and properties from the Society.
(g) Life Trustees will be nominated by Majlis Ash-Shura in consultation with at least five senior ordinary members. Such nominees must be approved by resolution of at least fifty-one percent of the ordinary members of the society present and entitled to vote at either a duly convened Special General Meeting or at the Annual General Meeting.
(h) The Trustees must meet at least twice a year to examine the financial state of the Society.
(i) If necessary the Trustees will be responsible for appointing the independent Auditor to verify the Society’s books and accounts.
RULE 10: DUTIES OF OFFICE BEARERS
(a) PRESIDENT:
- Shall preside at all meetings of the Society but may nominate any member to act as a chairman for the meeting.
- Shall act as the spokesman for the Society but may nominate any member to act as spokesman for the Society.
- Shall present at the A.G.M. an account of the Society’s activities for the year.
- Majlis Ash-Shura, excluding the Imam, shall establish the full set of duties which the Imam must undertake.
(b) THE SECRETARY:
- Shall convene the Majlis and General Meetings and shall be responsible for issuing notices and information for such meetings.
- Shall keep minutes of the Majlis and General Meetings.
- Shall always have available and supply to any member, who may so request, a copy of the Constitution at no cost
(c) THE TREASURER:
- Shall be responsible for the collection and payment of the Society’s accounts.
- Shall keep an account of the Society’s finances and assets.
- Shall deposit monies into the Society’s accounts in banks decided upon by the Majlis, within THREE days of receipt of such monies.
- Shall deliver for inspection the account books of the Society to any ordinary member who may so request in writing, provided that he has given at least SEVEN days notice to the Majlis.
- Shall always keep a duly audited copy of the last annual balance sheet hung up in the Society’s office.
- Shall submit to the Registrar of the Friendly Societies, in the prescribed form, a duly audited account of the account of the receipts and expenditure of the Society not later than the 31stMay of each year.
- Shall present a detailed and duly audited report of the Society’s finances to the A.G.M.
- Should he decide to resign he shall inform the Secretary in writing, the latter shall then arrange for the auditing of the books before his resignation can be considered. He shall continue in office until his successor assumes office.
(d) THE MAJLIS MEMBERS:
- Shall be responsible for any duties assigned to them by the Majlis.
RULE 11: MEETINGS
(a) All meetings of the Society shall begin with the recitation of a verse from the Holy Qur’an and end with a short prayer.
(b) No meeting shall entertain any motion that is contrary to the teaching of the Holy Qur’an and the Sunnah.
(c) At any general meeting a resolution put to the vote of the meeting shall be decided on the show of hands unless a poll is (before or on the declaration of the result of the show of hands) demanded
- by the Chairman
- by at least ten percent of the members present.
(d) ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
- Shall be held in JANUARY of each year.
- A notice of at least three weeks shall be given for such a meeting.
- The presence of at least Sixty ordinary members shall constitute a quorum.
- If, within one hour from the time appointed for the meeting, a quorum of members is not present, the meeting shall stand adjourned to the same day in the following week at the same time and place, and if at eh adjourned meeting a quorum of members is not present within one hour of the time appointed for the meeting. The ordinary members present shall be a quorum.
- Motions passed by a majority shall be acted up by the Majlis.
- The accidental omission to give notice of any meeting or the non-receipt of such notice by any members shall not invalidate the proceedings at that meeting.
(e) SPECIAL GENERAL MEETING
- Shall be convened by the Majlis whenever it may deem it necessary.
- Shall be convened if requested in writing by thirty five ordinary members, at least 80% of whom shall be present at a meeting at which a special general meeting is proposed.
- A notice of least two weeks shall be given for such a meeting with intimation of the subject to be discussed.
- The quorum shall be as for the A.G.M.
- If, within one hour from the time appointed for the meeting quorum of members is not present, the meeting if convened on the request of members shall be dissolved.
- Shall be convened if one fifth of the total numbers, (or if the number is 1,000 or more than such numbers as is prescribed by the Act) by an application into the Registrar, signed by them in the forms respectively provided by statutory regulations on their behalf, may so apply.
RULE 12: FINANCES
(a) The income and property of the Society, whomsoever derived, shall be applied solely towards the promotion of the objects of the Society as set forth in this Constitution and no portion thereof shall be paid or transferred directly or indirectly by way of dividend, bonus or otherwise howsoever by way of profit, to the members of the Society. Provided that nothing herein shall prevent the payment, in good faith, of reasonable and proper remuneration to any officer or servant of the Society, or to any member of the society, in return for any services actually rendered to the Society, not prevent the payment of reasonable and proper rent for premises demised or lent by any member to the Society; but so that no member of the Majlis Ash-Shura or a trustee, of the Society, except for the President (Imam), shall be appointed to any salaried office of the society or any office paid by fees ad that no remuneration or other benefit in money or money’s worth shall be given by the Society to any member of the Majlis Ash-Shura or a trustee, except repayment of out-of-pocket expenses or reasonable and proper rent for premises demised or lent to the Society.
(b) The bank account shall be in the name of Wexford Islamic Cultural Centre with appointed signatories Ehab Mohamed, Adel Emam Ahmed and Ahmed F. F Charbatji.
(c) The funds of the Society shall be derived from donations by members and from any other source provided that they do not contravene the teachings of Islam.
(d) The Society’s expenditure quota and maximum value of cheques shall be set by the Majlis. Expenditure or cheques above the pre-set value shall require the authorisation by any two of the three appointed signatories.
RULE 13: EMPLOYMENT PROCEDURES
(a) Majlis Ash-Shura shall be responsible for establishing a full set of procedures regarding the criteria for advertising of post, criteria for selection, determination of salary scale and the method by which employees may be dismissed.
(b) The Majlis shall establish the full set of duties which all the society’s employees must undertake in a contract.
RULE 18: BY-LAWS
(a) All by-laws alterations and repeals introduced by the Majlis must be properly documented in a special by-law book, clearly stating the purpose and dates on which the by-law takes effect and ceases.
(b) No by-law shall be inconsistent with these with or shall have effect to repeal anything contained in these rules and that any by-law may by set aside by a Special Resolution of a General Meeting of the Society.
(c) All passed by-laws, alterations or repeals, shall be brought to the notice of the members of the Society and all such by-laws so long as they shall be in force shall be binding upon all members of the Society.
RULE 19: DISPUTES
(a) Should any dispute arise amongst members, these should be referred to the Majlis and if not resolved there, they shall be referred to a special general meeting of the members.
(b) The Principles laid down by the Holy Qur’an and the Sunnah shall be those by which all disputes shall be decided.
(c) Any disputes arising between members of the Majlis shall be referred to the trustees and if not resolved, shall be referred to a Special Meeting of the Society.
RULE 20: INTERPRETATIONS
The Majlis shall have the power to interpret this Constitution provided that interpretations are in keeping with the Principles of Islam.
RULE 21: DISSOLUTION
(a) In the event of dissolution of the Society, in accordance with the provision of the Act, the finance and all assets of the Society shall be handed over to a Muslim organisation or Muslin organisations to be decided by the then Majlis, subject to RULE 9, paragraph D.
(b) One fifth of the total numbers (or if the number of members is 1,000 or more, then such number as is prescribed by the Act) by an application in writing to the Registrar, signed by them in the forms respectively provided by Statutory regulations on their behalf may apply.
(c) That upon the written consent of not less than three fourths of the members the Society may be voluntarily dissolved.
- For the appointment of one or more inspectors to examine into and report on the affairs of the Society.
- For an investigation into the affairs of the Society with a view to the dissolution thereof, where the funds are insufficient to meet the existing claims thereon, or the rates of contributions fixed in the rules are insufficient to cover the benefits assured..