Clarifying How Decisions Are Made at ICOI
ICOI Board Decision Process Explained
[
Assalamu Alaikum ICOI Community:
We want to take a moment to clarify how decisions are made by the ICOI Board, as there appears to be some confusion on this matter.
The ICOI Board follows the Islamic principle of **Shura (mutual consultation)**a practice rooted in the example of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Depending on the leadership structure, Shura is either obligatory (the opinion of the majority prevails) or advisory (the leader decides after listening to all opinions). In our context, Shura is obligatory, not merely advisory. This ensures that power is not centralized in a single individual but exercised collectively through dialogue and shared responsibility.
According to ICOI Bylaws (Section 4.13), all board decisions are made by a majority vote, provided a quorum is presentexcept in specific cases outlined in the bylaws. No individual board member, including the President, holds veto power or more than one vote. As such, not all decisions are unanimous, and this is by design. Currently, there are 9 board members. Hence, a majority vote when all are present is 5 out of 9.
We hope this helps bring greater transparency to our decision-making process. As always, we welcome your questions, thoughts, and feedback.
In service,
ICOI Board
PS: Bylaws can be found under the tab "About" at www.icoi.net
All donations are tax-deductible as the Islamic Center of Irvine (ICOI) is a California registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Our federal tax ID number is: 33-0992506.Click here to donate.