VOICE OF GLOBAL UMMAH

VOICE OF GLOBAL UMMAH
Volume 34, June 29, 2008
St. Louis, Missouri

Editors: Mohamed & Rashida Ziauddin

In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent and the Most Merciful

FOCUS OF THE WEEK:

FINAL PART (III) - MUSLIMS IN SAN DIEGO (Continued)

WILL THE UMMAH RESPOND TO THE CHALLENGE FACED BY MASJID USMAN:

This is an article to highlight how one single non-Muslim due to his deceptive and fraud practices has in a way come close to shutting down Masjid Usman. The next question is what we the Ummah can do prevent the Masjid's shutdown ?

BRIEF HISTORY OF MASJID USMAN:

The legal name listed with California State is: Masjid Usman - Center for Religious Tolerance. IRS (Internal Revenue Service) Non-profit identification number is: 32-0089727. The building of the current Masjid was originally a pre-school which was gifted by a Muslim to convert it to a Masjid. Above Masjid has been operational since 1993.

DISTINGUISHING SERVICE OF MASJID USMAN:

Besides being a Mosque to provide five times daily prayers, Juma prayers, Iftar and Taraweeh in Ramadan and Bayan (talk on Hadith and Sunnah) after Fajr and Maghrib prayers everyday, Masjid Usman also provided housing for many homeless Muslims and some stayed 3-4 months until they found a job or a roommate to move out.

Masjid is also surrounded by apartments subsidized by Housing Project and most of the Muslim refugees are on welfare. Most of them reside in the housing projects and are very good Muslims and the Masjid has more people attend Fajr prayers than Asar prayers!

ORIGIN OF THE PROBLEM:

Masjid Usman has been operating since 1993 and all along it had its own mechanism in place to cover its expenses. As part of improvement of the existing property and its immediate surroundings, the Masjid initially had funds to work on such improvement.

They hired a licensed contractor to do the work and it was here that the problem began. A California State Licensed Contractor agreed to do the work and instead of renovating it as per the promised notarized contract, he deliberately made it worse than it was. The contractor removed all the chain-links promising that he will put keystone walls, uprooted the well maintained front yard with chain-links saying he will pour shining cement on that floor. The contractor took out the well functioning gate promising that he will install an electronic gate and now the Masjid is without a gate. He removed asphalt off the parking lot leaving all the heavy iron cable protruding off the ground making it a safety hazard specially for the children.

On an emergency basis, the Masjid committee ended up having to pay someone else to pour cement on the parking lot. The contractor left both patios, front and back unfinished, took the expensive expandable ladders and promised he will bring back and never brought it back. He did not pay a sub-contractor and the Masjid had to pay $35,000 to them as they were going to put a mechanic lien on the Masjid property if above amount was not paid immediately.

It is left up to you to decide whether this contractor had a hidden mission to destroy & damage the Masjid as much as possible or not, Allah knows best.

Due to the fraud committed by above contractor, one is not surprised that the State of California had cancelled his contractor's license and he was humiliated on local Channel 9 TV station. Consumer Defender Mark Turko on his "Turko Files" had aired about this contractor's fraud with above Masjid about 6 times on 2 different segments.

The damage done to the Masjid has resulted in its physical condition being currently much worse then when it was given to the Licensed contractor for renovation.

THE IMPORTANCE OF COMPLYING WITH CITY'S ORDINANCES AND CITATION:

The City has been very patient and extra lenient with the Masjid in terms of the Masjid not currently meeting the CODE AND ZONING REQUIREMENTS despite their having given a citation to the Masjid earlier, but now their patience is running out. Many non-Muslims have complained to the CITY as to why they have been so lenient with the Masjid. The CITY may soon reluctantly take action by taking away the Masjid's Conditional Use Permit if the Code and Zoning requirements as expected by the CITY is not met. Masjid Usman is literally now under the CITY's radar screen and if it loses its Conditional Use Permit (C.U.P), it will result in shut down of the Masjid and would be a blow to the local Muslims residing close to the Masjid. Specially those Muslims who have no transportation of their own and live within walking distance to the Masjid.

GOAL: To finish the construction wall before the Holy month of Ramadan - September 1, 2008. The estimate to meet the Code requirements from the new contractor is $54,000. Masjid has only $4,000 and needs the remaining $50,000.

"The parable of those who spend their wealth in the way of Allah, is that of a grain of corn; it grows seven ears, and each ear has a hundred grains. Allah gives manifold increase to whom He wills. And Allah cares for all And He is All-Knower".

(Holy Quran: Al-Baqarah, 261)

OUR HUMBLE APPEAL:

The question that we the UMMAH have to ask is whether we can be silent spectators to allow this single non-Muslim contractor (who got involved with Masjid Usman in the guise of upgrading its structure & appearance and) whose destructive actions may ultimately result in the shut down of the Masjid ? Above contractor's actions not only led to incomplete work, but also loss of several items from the Masjid's property in the guise of replacing them. He failed to keep his promise and did not return what he took out to be replaced, which literally is tantamount to "stealing". Further his destructive actions also completely depleted the funds that the Masjid Committee had earmarked for above renovation purpose.

We are sorry, we as Editors of VOICE OF GLOBAL UMMAH do not have enough funds to host a FUND RAISING DINNER at HILTON or SHERATON for our above lovely HOUSE OF ALLAH. But what we definitely have is our hearts full of enthusiasm, vigor and energy to do what ever we can to help Masjid Usman and we look forward to you to join us as a team in preventing the shut down of above Masjid. During Friday prayers, you may have observed one assigned individual who has the luxury to go around the jammat in rows to collect funds for the Masjid. To us, this special issue of VOGU # 34 is in a way the same cyber bowl/container being passed through each reader of our cyber family as they open to read this issue and see our humble appeal to donate.

Each of you have every right to contact by phone or e-mail below Masjid to ask questions and clarify on any issues that you may have. The donations go directly to the Masjid Committee and we wanted to assure you that it is not a ONE MAN SHOW or ANY SCAM INVOLVED. If you are within California or can afford to visit the Masjid, please do so and see the current condition for yourself. We have copies of the correspondence between the Masjid and the Contractor as well as other related copies. In the best case scenario, even if ten generous and pious Muslims contribute $5000 each, it would take care of the total desperately needed amount of $50,000 OR if each of you donate what little you can, to the best of your ability, it could add up and come close to above figure or even meet the target figure. If you can't donate any amount at all, at least please pray Allah to prevent the above Masjid from closing down. You already know the importance that Islam gives to "niyat" or "intention" and ultimately that's what counts. Do the best you can, inshallah you will get multiple rewards.

Many of us have limited budget and are ourselves in challenging economic situations, but still if any of our loved guests suddenly comes from out of town to our home unannounced saying, "I wanted to give you a surprise", we are not going to explain to our guest our financial woes right ? WE STILL WILL USUALLY DO THE BEST WE CAN and later wonder how Allah helped us manage it all. When we donate for a cause it is our VOTE on a value that we believe in. Where else could the donation be of more importance than for the HOUSE OF ALLAH (Masjid Usman) which is on the verge of possible shut down.


If you don't like a job, you vote by your FEET by changing your job.In the case of Masjid Usman, several Muslim refugee families had VOTED by their feet to relocate close to the Masjid, thinking it is walking distance from their house and they can regularly pray at the Masjid. In fact the number of Muslims are more during Fajr prayers than Asar prayers.

Now with the Masjid on the verge of close down with no funds, can YOU, US and THE UMMAH afford to give the power to a single deceptive fraud contractor to shut down the House of Allah and thereby disappoint the local Muslims of MASJID USMAN ?

Jazakum Allahu Khairan

Mohamed & Rashida Ziauddin

CONTACT INFO:
Telephone # of Masjid Usman: (619) 667-8700
E-Mail Address: masjid_usman@usa.com
Bank Account:
Washington Mutual Bank, 3490 College Avenue, San Diego, CA 92115.
Account # 322 271 627
Donations can be sent directly to the bank or at:
Masjid Usman & Center for Religious Tolerance
7126 Westview Place Lemon Grove, CA 91945

As usual, feel free to e-mail your valuable comments: info@mehrunyusuficds.com