04/04/2022
Chairmans Address – Ramadan 2022
Asalaamu Aleikum Wa Rakhmatula
Welcome to this brief video address and hope you are all well. I thank the almighty for giving me the opportunity of sharing some thoughts with you this Ramadan.
This is following a period of health not being too good and hence the reason for not putting anything out to the community earlier.
I thank all those who have supported myself and the committee throughout the last couple of years.
Please be rest assured that work is still happening behind the scenes to resolve ongoing issues by various means.
Let me recap on what has happened in the last couple of years and some of the issues that still remain outstanding that need to be addressed:
• If you recall, we had a rather sudden change of trustees without consultation with the committee or the community and a letter dissolving the committee was delivered to my house at 11pm by 5 people who intimidated my wife whilst I lay in bed ill.
• One of the so called new trustees was a member of the committee and actually sat in a committee meeting up until a day before the letter was delivered. The others just helped themselves with the Charity Commission log-in details which they acquired without permission from a group of rather helpful senior committee members who unbeknown to us had been conniving with the so called trustees to be for some time.
• The masjid locks were changed without consulting the committee or calling a public meeting. Why was there a need to change the locks without following the due process remains a mystery to this day?
• A Mirpuri video came to light which stated no dogs/Mirpuris allowed in Masjid Ghausia. It contained very distressing images of local personalities of Mirpuri dissent.
• Committee members from the Mirpuri dissent were blamed for producing the Mirpuri hate video.
• I lead the masjid extension project dedicating many years of my undivided attention in making sure the long awaited extension project became a reality after a period of some 30 years wait.
• Other committee members were delegated roles to fulfil, unfortunately they failed to do so at the behest of others. Some of the so called new trustees were tasked to perform very important roles in respect of the construction project and yet they were no where to be seen during most of the time the extension was being built. This was despite me pleading with them for their participation to help me shoulder the burden of the work load. I suffered a heart attack whilst inspecting work in the masjid but still returned to masjid a week after suffering the heart attack to make sure my absence did not affect the progress of works.
• I tendered my resignation on many occasions, last occasion being when my late mother was ill. However I was persuaded to stay on by fellow committee members and others, some of them are now, the so called trustees.
• To those raising concerns recently about my conduct and integrity, I say to them why didn’t they raise these matters previously?
• When matters were brought to my attention, some of which were of a serious nature, me and some of the committee members tried to investigate them, sadly we were locked out of the masjid.
• The matter of certain committee member lending money to the head imam without permission or consulting myself or other committee members remains unresolved.
• The head imam resigned, he was not sacked or forced out as alleged. The head imam threatened and tried to blackmail the committee. The head imam agreed that he will stay at home with full pay whilst an investigation was conducted about matters brought to our attention. He agreed to fully co-operate but later reneged on this arrangement.
• Unfortunately due to collusion between the so called trustees, the Imam and the so called investigators, the promised independent investigation was fudged and turned out to be a none event.
• Since the ongoing issues at Masjid Ghausia from 2020 certain community members have been targeted on social media, an individual has been physically attacked and another family house has been attacked twice. Is this an unfortunate coincident?
• We did not provide an update last year, as we wanted to let those who threatened and blackmailed us, enough time to report us to the authorities, as they claimed to have damning evidence against us. We believe nothing happened and we wonder what Islam was being followed in threatening and blackmailing us for the mere self-preservation?
• As they unlawfully took over the mosque amidst many claims, we wanted to see their sincerity in implementing the many promises made in terms of provision of services and accountability to the whole community and not just a select group.
I would hope moving forward and following the resolution of the outstanding issues, I can share details of the costing of the masjid project with the legitimately elected committee and independently minded community members.
Jazakallah for listening to the video and for reading these brief notes. Have a happy and Ramadan Mubarak and stay safe.
Finally, please think carefully before you part with your hard earnt money in such difficult times whilst donating in this holy month of Ramadan.
Walikum Salaam
Mohammad Rafiq
Chairman -Masjid Management Committee
For and on behalf of Masjid Ghausia (Markazi Jamia Masjid Ghausia)
