April 2, 2024
As-Salāmu’Alaykum,
In a spirit of transparency and commitment to our community, the Change MDI team feels compelled to address the statements made by the masjid management in their letter dated March 31, 2024.
The management has highlighted their concerns over the flyer distributed on Good Friday Jummah Salah, suggesting a misleading narrative. It is important to clarify that the petition was ideated by the President of MDI, Mr. Najmul Siddiqui, himself, and is aimed at empowering our community through a pledge of reformation contingent upon collecting 500 signatures. This initiative sought to encourage leadership accountability and was not meant to undermine the existing structure but to strengthen our collective resolve.
We are disheartened by the characterization of our efforts as misleading and unsubstantiated. Our calls for a townhall open house meeting stand as a testament to our commitment to transparency and accountability, offering a platform to substantiate our claims in front of the entire community.
Our pursuit of dialogue and transparency has unfortunately been met with silence and avoidance. Despite several emails and requests for meetings with the board of directors, our attempts to engage in constructive conversation have been disregarded, undermining the spirit of openness and collaboration.
Contrary to the portrayal of our efforts as a coordinated campaign by a self-interested group, our actions are motivated by a genuine concern for the welfare of our community and the integrity of its leadership. The call for general and fair elections reflects our commitment to democratic principles and the collective good, devoid of any personal gain. We would like to clarify that we have no aspirations to take over the management or hold any positions.
The timing of these developments, amidst the holy month of Ramadan, is indeed ironic. Our intentions are not to cause division but to inspire unity and rectify practices that mislead our community. The allegations of causing division within the management and the stagnation in the development of our place of worship only highlight the urgency for constructive engagement and meaningful reform.
Our repeated overtures for dialogue have been met with a lack of responsiveness, raising questions about the proclaimed openness of Mr. Siddiqui and his team. The commitment to serving the community, as stated, must align with actions that reflect integrity, compassion, and respect for Islamic values — a principle we deeply uphold and wish to see manifested in our leadership practices.
In closing, we urge Mr. Siddiqui and his team to reconsider their stance and engage with us in a constructive dialogue for the betterment of our community. Our doors remain open to working together towards a stronger, more united community, one that truly reflects the values we cherish.
Sincerely,
The Change MDI Team