• Assalamualaikom Wa rahmatullahi Wa barakatuh

In the name of Allah the Most Gracious the Most Merciful

Petition regarding AMIC SCIO membership and “behind closed doors” AGM 2nd July 2023

Dear respected members of the community, brothers and sisters,

I pray you are in the best of health and Imaan. I pray Allah showers you all with His mercy during these blessed days of Dhul Hijja.

We have made great progress as a community of believers in Aberdeen, Alhamdulillah. From having just one small masjid a few years ago, now there are 5 in the city, Mashaa Allah. May Allah reward each and every one of you.

However, we face great challenges ahead. You have made sacrifices for the sake of Allah, to help this community thrive, and to help secure the faith of our children. Significant time, effort and money has been spent. We expect the highest standards of transparency and accountability from those chosen by the community to manage our masjids and community centres, may Allah grant them sincerity and success.

Despite many people applying to be members of the AMIC SCIO, we are still waiting to be granted membership. While we are waiting, a “behind closed doors” AGM has been scheduled for 2nd July, when many are away on holiday, and key decisions are being made that will have a significant effect on each and every one of us. Examples:

- Selection of Board members

- How the Board will treat the Imam

- Extension of the terms of the current Board of Trustees

- Board interference in children’s Quran and Islamic studies schools, including: demoting and sacking current head teachers/administrators; preventing the Imam from assisting teachers/parents/students; forcing teachers, students and parents to either commit to the whole week or be kicked out of the school

- Publishing of the latest annual accounts detailing how much money has been raised over the last year and how it will be spent - the community is still waiting for repairs to the water-damaged wall section, upgrades to the heating system, new sound system, new carpets, fit out of the Maghsal (washing facilities for the deceased prior to burial), opening of the gym for the youth, repairs to bathrooms and other facilities, payment of the instalments to Aberdeen City Council for acquisition of the Frederick Street building

This petition demands:

1) amendment of the constitution providing equal rights and automatic/immediate membership to the AMIC SCIO for Muslim brothers and sisters who have applied to be members, who are Aberdeen residents over the age of 16, and regularly attend the masjid and make a regular donation to the masjid - in future, there should not be any need for a dedicated membership application process for regular donors/attendees, as the option should be available for all relevant personal member details to be stored, with the donor’s permission, when making DD or standing order payments, in accordance with GDPR

2) the AGM to be rescheduled to after the summer holidays so that as many new Members as possible can attend

3) full minutes of previous meetings and upcoming plans and decisions to be shared with all Muslim brothers and sisters in the community who regularly attend the masjid and make a regular donation to the masjid, and General Meetings to be open for general attendance and advertised to all community members

{The ˹true˺ believers are only those who believe in Allah and His Messenger—never doubting—and strive with their wealth and their lives in the cause of Allah. They are the ones true in faith.} (Surah 49 Al Hujurat, verse 15).

Jazakum Allah Khairan. Wassalamu alaikom Wa rahmatullahi Wa barakatuh