Alims and Dhakirs Network (A & D N)

Statement of Understanding

Aims and Objectives: To establish a pool of lecturers drawn from Alims and Dhakirs residing in North America. To create network between different Alims and Dhakirs in North America in order to facilitate their posting to different centers in North America.

A & DN  ADN Questionnaire

To provide member Jamaats and Associations, especially those who do not have resident alims, with lecturers, drawn from A&DN, during major religious occasions. To give opportunities to Alims and Dhakirs to address various communities in North America on religious occasions. To guide lecturers on topics that need to be covered during religious occasions. To provide Alims and Dhakirs with useful resources (e.g. books, CDs, information useful sites, etc) and training sessions that would enhance their presentation capabilities. To assist Madrasah teachers and other potential speakers to go to Islamic educational institutions to acquire higher Islamic education. Membership of the Alims & Dhakirs Network: All Shiâ Islamic lecturers and Madrasah teachers, male and female, who have had the opportunity to serve and/or address Muslim communities during Islamic occasions and residing in North America will be invited to join the NASIMCO Alims & Dhakirs Network. All members are expected to make, at least, five presentations in Centers designated by A&DN, in a calendar year to maintain their membership for the next calendar year. Membership to the network is free. Additionally all A&DN members will receive resource materials and a basic travel insurance policy, provided by NASIMCO. All necessary travel expenses (travel passage, airport fees, cab charges, etc.) will be borne by the host Jamaats. Finance, Budget and Remuneration: The A&DN recommends that the speakers be remunerated at the rate of, USD 100.00 (or CAD 140.00) per lecture. Speakers that render their services gratis may if they wish, request the host Jamaat to issue tax-deductible receipts of USD 100.00 per lecture. In such cases the beneficiary Jamaat will contribute USD 50/70 CAD towards the A&DN budget. A&DN committee will provide an annual budget for the approval of the NASIMCO Executive Council. NASIMCO secretariat will negotiate a group travel insurance rate for all members of A&DN. A&DN will designate special funds for purchaseof useful resource material. Those member Jamaats that cannot afford to remunerate the speakers, provided by A&DN, will be subsidized or totally sponsored from the budget of A&DN. Administration: A&DN would be lead by a chairperson who would be appointed by the President of NASIMCO. The chairperson would appoint two other persons, at least one of them being a female. The chairperson would be amongst Alims or Dhakirs. Other members of the administration of the Network should preferably be alims and dharkirs. Miscellaneous: Members of NASIMCO are highly recommended to invite speakers from A&DN during major religious occasions. This would help A&DN to evolve and encourage more speakers to come forward to serve our communities. The document was adopted at the Executive Council meeting of January 7, 2004 and Shaikh Hasnain Kassamali was appointed as the Chairperson of the Alims & Dhakirs Network.