Petition to the Charity Commission for England and Wales

Why This Petition Matters:
Idara-e-Jaaferiya, a registered charity and spiritual home for the Shia Muslim community in Tooting since the 1960s, is facing a crisis. Founded with love and dedication by our elders, it has long served as a sanctuary for worship, culture, and community. Today, that legacy is under threat.

We, the undersigned, are calling for urgent intervention by the Charity Commission to address serious concerns about mismanagement and misconduct by certain trustees.

What’s Going Wrong:
We believe the following actions violate UK charity law and the values of our community:

🔹 Financial Misconduct
Funds have allegedly been sent overseas to individuals rather than charitable entities, without proper oversight or adherence to the charity’s constitution.

🔹 Visa Sponsorship Concern
There was a report involving a visa issued under a specific category that may not align with the individual's role or affiliation, prompting questions around compliance with relevant regulations.

🔹 Private Benefit to Trustees’ Relatives
Payments for services such as cooking and building works have allegedly been made to relatives of trustees, without proper authorisation.

🔹 Misuse of Restricted Religious Funds (Including Khums)
Donations intended for religious authorities have reportedly been spent without donor consent and without prior consent from the appropriate religious authorities (marja’iyya office)

🔹 Housing Law Violations
Charity-owned properties are allegedly being used to house unrelated families without the required HMO licences, breaching housing regulations.

Governance Failures:
🔹 Memberships have been cancelled without due process, in violation of the charity’s constitution.
🔹 Community members have been barred from entering the premises without legal justification.
🔹 Membership fees are being charged incorrectly, and those who paid the correct amount have had their memberships voided by a trustee.
 
What We’re Asking For:
We urge the Charity Commission to:
🔹 Suspend trustees implicated in misconduct, especially those with financial authority.
🔹 Ensure fair and transparent trustee elections, supervised independently.
🔹 Reinstate unlawfully cancelled memberships
🔹 restore access to the premises for those persons unlawfully barred from Idara.
🔹 Enforce compliance with housing and immigration laws.
 
Why It Matters:
This is not just about governance—it’s about safeguarding a sacred space for generations to come. We want Idara-e-Jaaferiya to be a place of peace, unity, and trust once again.
 
Sign this petition to demand accountability, transparency, and justice.
Together, we can restore Idara-e-Jaaferiya to its rightful place in our community.

🔒 Your Privacy Matters:
Your personal information will be handled with the utmost confidentiality. Only the Charity Commission for England and Wales will receive access to the petition details, and solely for the purpose of regulatory review.

I will never share your email address or personal data publicly. All data will be stored and processed in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018, ensuring your rights to privacy and data security are fully respected.

If you prefer, you may sign anonymously by selecting “Don’t display my name and comment on this petition.”