“And say: ‘Work (righteousness)! Soon will Allah observe your work, and His Messenger, and the believers. Soon will you be brought back to the Knower of what is hidden and what is open. Then will He show you the truth of all that you did’” (9:105). May Allah reward tremendously the hard work done by our community members, led by the help of Allah, to this phase of achievement of Al-Amaan Center. It is, indeed, the mission of all believers to work righteousness, as stated in the above ayah. It is also an obligation to share and communicate the actions done, as also stated in the ayah, in order to lead to laying a foundation at Al-Amaan Center based on truthfulness, righteousness and unity. Adhering wholeheartedly to this principal, our obligation is to share with you the post-closing progress and the scope of the next phase. Recent Travel
Al Hamdulillah, with the help of some members of our community, we obtained permission to visit other centers in the States. The mission is to collect blessings with which we are beseeching Allah for the success of Al-Amaan Center. We share knowledge, advertise Al-Amaan’s mission/project and seek financial support. It is very important to note that among the funds used for the closing, $300,000 were short term loans. Therefore, maximizing the opportunities of raising funds is a necessity. Al Hamdulillah our last visits to Dallas and Maryland were a success more from the blessings perspective than the financial one, Al Hamdulillah.
Move-in Progress
In order to move in, the City requires meeting the necessary requirements of several codes. The following are the main tasks our teams are working on relating to this: - Working with an architect to comply with the City of Minnetonka lavatories capacity code for a place of worship and activities such as weekend school - Reviewing the existing mechanical system by a professional mechanical design firm to verify it is properly designed for its new use (prayer hall and projected activities) and increased occupant load - Working on the logistics of carpet and padding, as well as shoe rack design for the prayer hall. InshaAllah, moving in should be effective as soon the above tasks are fulfilled (3 to 5 weeks InshaAllah). There are other important tasks our teams are working on that include: Property Management: - Getting the heating system “under control” in both buildings to minimize energy consumption in building two - Improving building operating efficiency for both buildings - Working out the access system - Creating a prioritized list of recommendations for both buildings, along with associated costs - Minimizing expenditures until revenue is realized. Leasing mission: - Soliciting proposals from commercial real estate brokers to partner with Al-Amaan Center to market the second building for tenants - Working with the City of Minnetonka to determine the kind of business allowed under the current permit - Exploring the option of finding an adequate tenant to lease the entire second building.
The Post-Move Program
Al-Amaan Center is an Islamic Trust, which shall be governed by the General Assembly and Shura Council. InshaAllah as soon as we move in, by then the bylaws will be finalized and shared, and the door will be open for everyone wishing to join the General Assembly – with the condition of abiding to the principals of dedication, devotion and willingness to humbly serve the guests of Allah coming to Al-Amaan Center. Next, the Shura Council will be elected from among the General Assembly. The Shura Council will be responsible for the overall direction of the center. The Imam will be part of the Shura Council, and his main role is to safeguard full accordance with the Quran and Sunnah by guiding, advising and facilitating the flow of the vision and mission of the center. We will, inshaAllah, have a community gathering upon moving into our new home to share the continued progress and get comments and suggestions to incorporate into planning the next phases of Al-Amaan Center development.
What is needed now?
Our main mission at Al-Amaan Center is to live, share and teach a dynamic, authentic way of Islam rooted in mercy, peace and fairness – to build a united and diverse community reflecting a spirit of brotherhood/sisterhood, love, sharing and respect. We need our brothers and sisters to be active in fulfilling this mission by attending the masjid more and being involved more in its activities as part of the da’wa, education, communication, volunteering teams, etc. InshaAllah, our finance team will be sharing a realistic statement of projected expenditures and needed funds upon the fulfillment of the management tasks cited above. We also will be organizing seminars to share the scope of our vision and mission, to study the needs of our community and to put together a plan of action targeting the many issues we face, imploring the help of Allah to concretize the mission mentioned above. We need to start today. I believe our sincerity, brotherhood/sisterhood, and dedication are the requirements to make us deserve the gift of this new home. We need your continued duaa, your on-going support to face the financial load in order to sustain the center, and your dynamic involvement by attending and/or participating in the many planned activities and projects.
- Sh Jamel Ben Ameur,
Imam, Al-Amaan Center