As salamu alaykum,

This letter is a message to the ICM Board from the ICM community members who have been actively engaged as the backbone of this masjid for the past several years. We are those who have, by the grace of Allah, contributed to this masjid with our volunteer efforts, our elected positions, our events, our programs, our regular prayers, and our donations. 

We are grateful that Allah chose us to play this instrumental role in making ICM a place that was welcoming to all people, regardless of race, gender, or ethnicity.  

We have taken all the requested steps to address the major issues in the power dynamics of ICM. 

At times, it appeared that you, the Board, tried to belittle those of us who objected to the manner in which Imam Manzar was appointed. Time and again, you have failed to address the concerns and feedback of this masjid’s most active, aware, and dedicated volunteers, employees, and community members, as well as their families.

Meetings and town hall sessions seemed to have been set up for the sake of convincing the public of your personal decision, and not for you to gain insight from the collective community feedback. You insisted on collecting additional feedback through private emails, instead of using a public platform to help provide transparency. Despite all of that, and while continuing secrecy, you still expected to have our community's trust.

We find this is not proper nor sufficient Islamic consultation expected of a group of leaders, especially within the house of Allah.

Through this disrespect to valuable community members, you have lost our trust.

We, the undersigned, have identified two major crises the onset of which lead to fitnah and the rectification thereof would inshaAllah bring harmony. 

1. Lack of transparency in the Imam recruitment process: You have informed that the decision to hire the new Imam was made based on the feedback from the community. However, a majority of the community members who are also listed as signatories herewith (including the members of the Shura and ICM Committees) do not feel their feedback was actually considered.
2. Dissolution of the ICM Shura and other Committees: we feel that the abrupt de facto dissolution of the ICM Shura and all the other ICM committees was a power-overreach by the Board members. 

Therefore, it is necessary for you to do the following:

1. Restore the previously elected ICM Shura and all the Committees
2. Create a new set of bylaws in collaboration with the Shura 
3. Immediately put a pause on the confirmation of Imam Manzar’s hiring
4. Make available all the feedback/supporting data that you, the Board, received from the community towards this hiring decision
5. Begin the new Imam hiring process in consultation/coordination with the Shura and the community

If these demands are not met, we will, if Allah so decrees, take our efforts, programs, and donations to other masajid. 

We expect your response by Sunday, December 5th 2021. If we do not hear from you before then, we will begin to act on our plan.

We the undersigned advise you, the Board, to ask Allah for forgiveness for the emotional hurt that your actions are continuing to cause to members of the community.

We ask Allah for forgiveness for all of our shortcomings and sins and we seek guidance from Him in whatever good He opens and facilitates for us as we proceed.

May Allah bring good out of this situation and allow us to change for the better.

Aameen.

Sincerely,

ICM Shura Members
ICM Committee Members
ICM Community Members
ICM Donors