Your voice is needed now. We call on our Muslim community, and the community of good and decent people everywhere, to sign this petition demanding that mosque leadership across North America commits to the spiritual integrity of their respective institutions by ensuring that:

1. Spiritual abusers are not given a platform in their masjids,
   
2. Any member who wishes to discuss concerns about a leader or volunteer privately is given the opportunity to do so,
   
3. Any leader seeking forgiveness from the community releases any NDAs or legal gag-orders that may prevent victims and witnesses from coming forward,
   
4. Any claims of misconduct are verified by a third party outside of the mosque leadership that does not stand to financially or otherwise benefit from platforming or de-platforming the accused leader, and
   
5. Abusers who have been publicly or privately identified with multiple credible witnesses should never return to a position of leadership or authority, for the sake of the community and for the sake of their own souls.

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Everyone deserves a safe space to worship. Muslims in North America have witnessed countless incidents of spiritual abuse in community circles. The Catholic and Baptist churches have struggled to prevent such abuse in their respective communities as well. This petition seeks to break the cycle of spiritual abuse by demanding a zero-tolerance policy towards promoting leaders who have committed spiritual abuse in any official or unofficial capacity at an Islamic Center, and by calling upon mosque leadership to ensure the safety of all congregation members. We seek your support in good conscience, to maintain the highest standard of spiritual leadership that is required by the faith we have pledged to follow.

Unfortunately, some segments of the Muslim American community justify giving a public platform to abusers by misapplying terms like "rehabilitation" and "forgiveness" to further the mosque’s fundraising and operational objectives at the expense of victims of abuse. 

In one specific situation, the Board of East Plano Islamic Center (EPIC) leaked the request of a former Bayinnah student and congregation member to meet privately with the board to discuss her concern about Nouman Ali Khan being given a platform at her masjid. At no point was it mentioned that the spiritual abuser would be joining the private meeting. To the congregant's surprise, the Board ambushed the congregant (who did not participate in the meeting) by welcoming the spiritual abuser and his supporters to an open meeting to further intimidate those who attempted to raise concerns. The Board has ignored subsequent requests from the congregant and several community members for a private meeting.

In another instance, an EPIC congregation member who raised concerns about the Board's decision to platform a spiritual abuser was notified by the Imam that the mosque was threatening to take legal action if she were to continue to speak out.

For the sake of honest dialogue, here are some key definitions:

• Spiritual abuse is any attempt by a spiritual leader "to exert power and control using religion, faith, or beliefs" over others who do not have the same authoritative spiritual standing. It is important to note that the abuser and his target are not on equal footing and that "spiritual abuse can happen within a religious organization or a personal relationship.. and it can happen in any religious group, as an element of child abuse, elder abuse, or domestic violence." (Ex: if a spiritual leader beats his wife, he should not be allowed to preach at the masjid.) The victim's consent or marital status in situations of spiritual abuse is not a defense to the act of spiritual abuse itself and should not be used to defend the actions of the spiritual abuser.
  
  In active legal proceedings, courts may place restrictions limiting a victim's ability to speak about sensitive information (gag-order). Alternatively, abusers may require their victims to sign NDAs as part of any settlement which prevents victims from being able to speak freely about the abuse. See: How NDAs Silence Victims
  
  
• Rehabilitation is the action of restoring someone to normal life through training and therapy after addiction or illness. Those who use their spiritual influence for personal gain are worthy of rehabilitation after they unequivocally accept and acknowledge the harm they have caused. Emphasis on unequivocally. To be clear, rehabilitation does not mean a reformed spiritual abuser is brought back to a position of spiritual power. Just as professional misconduct results in an individual losing their license to practice, the same applies to spiritual leaders who have committed spiritual abuse. For abusers, seeking forgiveness does not provide a green light to allow them back to a position of influence where they may potentially cause further harm to the safety and security of the community.
  
  
• Cancel Culture is a term used to push back against people who face disproportionate consequences for insensitive, racist, sexist, or inappropriate comments they may have made in person or on social media. This is not the appropriate term to use when discussing how to protect the community and how to hold spiritual abusers accountable. Using the term "cancel-culture" to describe community outcry around such issues is a dangerous form of spiritual gaslighting that seeks to suppress and marginalize members of the community expressing legitimate concerns.

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